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Post by mickthecactus on Aug 20, 2010 16:11:48 GMT
Massonias Bixa. The shaving brush plant. From South Africa.
Yes, dry climates but your average Daffodil pretty much takes any weather that comes up. These are more specialised Alpine types.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2010 20:34:31 GMT
I'm just tossing this out there, but when I was little, in the Southeast US, we had something that was called a crybaby plant. The climate was not appropriate and it never thrived... and then it froze one winter. Is anybody familiar with this name (no, I have not Googled it yet)?
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 21, 2010 23:06:37 GMT
I know it ~~ it has another name too. Coral ?tree? Anyway, coral something. The flowers are oddly shaped and a wonderful sort of dull red, as I remember.
Don't know why it's called "crybaby". Maybe it's one of those plants that drips condensed water. A more fanciful explanation might be the link with coral. Isn't red coral something that was given to babies to ward off evil? I believe they also teethed on it. Baby cries, is given the (coral) teether, thus the plant with coral-looking flowers would be a crybaby plant. Or I'm just spiraling off into complete fantasy.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2010 12:17:07 GMT
Ah....the Cry Baby Tree,AKA Coral Tree,or Erythrina crista-galli. A deciduous tree in the pea family,grows to 20 feet. (one of many reasons I decided not to have one...but,can see them all over the city,so, get my pleasure from that...) I have heard 2 explanations for why it's called CRY BABY tree. One is because the flowers (pendulous clusters of tubular,orangish 2 inch flowers) drip nectar. The other one which I like better is ,"it's flowers emit a rather peculiar cry when crushed". One of my favorite gardening people here in town claims this to be true,although,I have tried it and can faintly hear a sound not too unlike that of a babydoll that makes that weird crying sound. I think it requires a perfect technique.  . Gorgeous trees,also have HUGE thorns,another drawback,and they can get pretty gangly. After a freeze ,they die back and return...very intensive work involved in pruning,cleaning up,not too unlike pruning back a huge bougainvilla.   |
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Post by mickthecactus on Aug 23, 2010 8:56:37 GMT
I've grown Erythrina humeana from seed this spring.
I saw crista- galli on my last visit to Kew and they prune it right back to the trunk which was about 3' tall.
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Post by lola on Aug 23, 2010 13:35:46 GMT
Nice shots, mick the c. Kew, anyway, sticks with its mission of being a botanical garden.
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Post by lola on Aug 24, 2010 12:55:49 GMT
Great photo of crybaby tree, casimira. I've never seen one.
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Post by mickthecactus on Sept 8, 2010 12:38:45 GMT
Those are great, Cactus guy! Have you seen my thread about the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, also from last spring? Just been through that K2. Beautiful pictures. |
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 27, 2010 12:45:08 GMT
Off to Kew again in a few weeks time.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2010 20:58:19 GMT
And I have plans to go to the Jardin des Plantes and see the tropical greenhouses, which have reopened.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 3, 2011 17:29:36 GMT
Been to Kew again.
I'll post some more pictures next week.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 3, 2011 18:15:41 GMT
Okay, you all are reminding me that I absolutely must go to the botanical garden here, although I almost feel guilty going without Mick. That's because it's full of Oaxacan native plants, so succulents galore.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 9, 2011 13:13:41 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Mar 9, 2011 15:26:22 GMT
Those are just magnificent hanging baskets Mick! They must have been even more glorious than glorious in real life - so much colour. I take it this is the orchid house at Kew?
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 9, 2011 15:36:57 GMT
No, it's the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The old Orchid House is no more.....
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 9, 2011 17:27:20 GMT
Oh my goodness ~~ it's like a candy store!
What is that magnificent thing in the center of the first picture, please? Is it two plants or one? Also, what is that with the electric blue leaves? petals? bracts? next to it?
It's funny to see all that lush tropicality with the well-wrapped humans in amongst it.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 9, 2011 17:36:13 GMT
That's a tower of Phaleanopsis orchids - lots of them.
I have no idea what the electric blue thing is but I don't think it is a plant. There are a few non plant things displayed amongst them. I'll post a picture tomorrow of a huge humming bird.....
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 10, 2011 13:18:56 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 10, 2011 16:38:54 GMT
They have salt water aquariums at Kew?! I'm sure that first fish you show is an ocean fish.
The koi picture (that's what it is, right?) is an absolutely wonderful photograph.
I'm surprised at the flower displays in this latest batch of pics. Compared to the artistic extravagance with the others, some of these are more informational than anything else. Is that because of keeping them warm, plus space limitations, do you think?
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 10, 2011 17:16:48 GMT
They have a number Bixa, and terrariums too.
The koi picture was a certain degree of luck because he/she wouldn't keep still and I didn't know I had captured it until I got home and checked on the PC. What I really wanted was the huge catfish that lives in there but there was no sign of it.
With Alpine it's actually the opposite - they need to be cool. The Alpine house is actually a big structure (must have pic somewhere) but actually has limited growing space. I find that plants in alpine houses are always displayed somewhat formally (which I rather like).
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 15, 2011 16:51:32 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 15, 2011 17:06:45 GMT
Ooooooooo ~~ that's where I want to go!
That's an interesting box in the bottom picture. Is it to reflect heat & light?
That display with all the E. grusonii is fabulous. The truth is, some of the succulents that can tolerate burning sun, drought, etc., really look better when they're more kindly treated.
I wonder why that columnar cactus has a string around it -- to remind it of something?
Childish comment: my Pachypodium is bigger than their Pachypodium.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 15, 2011 17:16:19 GMT
It's a display box on wheels Bixa. Ther's a special schools area nearby and it was probably used in there.
It has string to probably keep it upright.
That's just a baby Pachypodium.... they have some monsters that I didn't photo. Because I had the boys with me I couldn't browse as long as I usually do.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 15, 2011 17:19:59 GMT
Fantastic Mick! So excited to see the 'cactus' I have growing right outside my front door! Yours is a bit thicker in the stem tho - last pic , plant with beautiful green leaves bushing out of the top and loads of thorns.
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Post by onlymark on Mar 15, 2011 17:30:18 GMT
Just imagine walking down the aisle in that greenhouse - and then tripping up.
Where do you put your hands to save yourself?
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Post by mich64 on Mar 15, 2011 17:54:04 GMT
Does your number one grandson share your love of cactus, or plants in general?
Cheers!
Mich
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 16, 2011 13:36:08 GMT
Does your number one grandson share your love of cactus, or plants in general? Cheers! Mich Yes, to a degree Mich but more in an arty way. Number 2 grandson is much more hands on. |
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Post by mich64 on Mar 16, 2011 15:46:58 GMT
Mick your word arty, does that mean he enjoys the design or setting the plants in a visual way. That he does not enjoy the growing and caring for them as much as he enjoy creating a pleasing garden?
My mother is an awesome gardener, her beds are always so beautiful and healthy. I am like your number one grandson and my husband seems to nuture our gardens more.
Cheers,
Mich
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 16, 2011 17:30:32 GMT
Indeed Mich - doesn't get involved in growing them but he appreciate them and has a very good eye for photographing them. He can also draw and paint them quite well.
I've been taking him to Kew since he was in a pushchair and it's just about his favourite place. He wants his school to organise a visit there.
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Post by mich64 on Mar 16, 2011 17:50:09 GMT
Cheers Mick, it is evident that your love for the Kew is indeed being passed to your grandsons, that must make you happy and proud.
We had a comical experience with my younger sister last spring. She and her family moved into a newer home with established garden beds and in the spring she thought she should weed them. Her eldest daughter came over to visit and seen that she had weeded out perennials! She then started emailing pictures of the gardens so mum could give her help with what was a weed and what was a plant!
Mich
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