The Plants Around Us

[dr_bates]

Gaining an appreciation for nature does more than spark concern for the environment. Being in nature, helps reduce stress, while helping to promote positive emotions. It can help foster our happiness.

You don't have to travel to far off lands to reap an advantage. Tending any of the plants about us promotes our betterment, whether in our yard or on the deck or patio. Even houseplants can be beneficial.

Here I will try to build enthusiasm and offer tips on their care.

Of all plants, flowers hold extra charm. We use them to express love, to convey remembrance, and spread happiness.

There are, of course, thousands of different kinds of flowers. One in particular symbolizes perhaps the greatest love story.

Of all the gods, Apollo was the manliest, virile, courageous, gallantly fearless, and heroic. Like most of the gods, he loved many. Of all his loves, one stands out as the greatest. This was his love for a mortal man, Hyacinth.

When Hyacinth died, as mortals do, Apollo was overcome with grief and sorrow. In honor of his loss, other gods forged the gladiolus, which is still used today in memorials. Whether from Apollo's tears or sheer will, hyacinth grew, to perennially remind the world of this great love.

Hyacinth

With autumn dancing at our doorstep, now is an ideal time to plant spring bulbs, giving us something to look forward to throughout the winter.

Plant your bulbs point side up about 5 inches deep in a sunny location. Provide a little bulb fertilizer and, if possible, add some mulch. Fear not, the bulbs are seldom disturbed by deer or rodents.

Whether you remember Apollo or not, give your yard some love. Watch it get beautiful.

 

[Lilithsuccubus89]

OMG finally !!
This is gonna be the best thread ever!!!...
Thanks for sharing your specialty Dr. bates!
mmmh let me dwell beyond my own flesh flower and dive into the realm of botanical wonders.....
The natural beauty for everyone to appreciate.........
flowers and plants.....such majestic wonders.....

 

[MickeyLee]

Paging Dr @Tight_N_Juicy (freak)
Paging Dr TnJ (freak) emergency

 

[dr_bates]

Naked Man Orchid

The naked man orchid, orchis italica, is one well hung flower. It's native around the Mediterranean.... Those Italian boys!

If you can find one for sale, this would make a fun accent. As far as orchids go, naked men are easy to grow. (Most naked men are just simply easy.)

While they require some cold, they can survive winters that get down to -10°F. So they are quite winter hardy!

Plant in a partially sunny area with a deep rich soil. But don't fertilize! Like other orchids they are highly dependent upon symbiotic fungi. Adding fertilizer or fungicide will disturb this relationship, risking the life of the plant.

The soil should be well draining. Water if needed through dry periods.

Don't be fooled into buying seeds. Orchid seeds are like dust. Success, even for experts, isn't great.

Don't try to relocate a patch growing in the wild. You'll disturb the symbiotic fungi-plsnt relationship. The orchid will surely die.

Hung men can be hard to find but worth the hunt. I've been looking sporadically without success. Maybe someday.

Nevertheless, appreciate the flowers around you however hung.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

This is a plant around me right now!

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

Cactus around me right neow

 

[Lilithsuccubus89]

Naked Man Orchid
View attachment 145282021

The naked man orchid, orchis italica, is one well hung flower. It's native around the Mediterranean.... Those Italian boys!

If you can find one for sale, this would make a fun accent. As far as orchids go, naked men are easy to grow. (Most naked men are just simply easy.)

While they require some cold, they can survive winters that get down to -10°F. So they are quite winter hardy!

Plant in a partially sunny area with a deep rich soil. But don't fertilize! Like other orchids they are highly dependent upon symbiotic fungi. Adding fertilizer or fungicide will disturb this relationship, risking the life of the plant.

The soil should be well draining. Water if needed through dry periods.

Don't be fooled into buying seeds. Orchid seeds are like dust. Success, even for experts, isn't great.

Don't try to relocate a patch growing in the wild. You'll disturb the symbiotic fungi-plsnt relationship. The orchid will surely die.

Hung men can be hard to find but worth the hunt. I've been looking sporadically without success. Maybe someday.

Nevertheless, appreciate the flowers around you however hung.

Oh! I love this!!

 

[dr_bates]

Franklinia alatamaha

This tree was discovered in 1765, just prior to the 13 colonies uniting for independence from Britain, by a father and son botanist team. They named this tree after their close and dear friend, Benjamin Franklin.

The last wild tree was seen in 1803. Though franklinia was extirpated, it survived extinction from samples taken by John and William Bartram.

This tree is closely related to camelias and stewartias. Though originally taken from the state of Georgia, it is rather cold hardy, being able to handle winter temperatures down to -15°F. (Protect from wind in far northern areas.)

It is quite partial to soil. The soil must be well-draining; however, it cannot handle drought. Like camelias, the soil should be fairly acidic. If measured the pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5. Fertilize in early spring with an organic fertilizer suitable for rhododendrons around the drip line.

Best planted in areas giving it some shade in the hot afternoons. It's a small tree, staying under 25 feet in height. It blooms late in the summer. Here it starts blooming in late August, going into September. While the leaves are turning red in fall, it can still be blooming.

Roots of this tree do not establish easily; therefore, purchase small plants.

If the John and William didn't make the chance discovery, this tree would have likely gone extinct. How many other life forms are lost without us knowing? Seeing rainforests bulldozered makes me cringe at the possible losses.

Whether rare or common, value what we have.

Enjoy the plants around you!

 

[dr_bates]

Clitoria

Yes, this plant was named after female anatomy.

If you are living in a tropical climate, you could grow this fine vine outside. For the rest of us, it's restricted to being a houseplant.

Being a trailing plant, it's going to climb and creep. You may need to offer it support.

It needs plenty of light. Give it at least 6 hours of full sun daily. Who knew a clitoris needed so much light!?

Being a type of legume, clitoria don't need much fertilizer. Don't over fertilize!

Let the top layer of soil dry between waterings. While growing, it will require more frequent watering but don't over do it.

If you live in an area with winters but still want to try clitoria, you're in luck. One hardier version does exist. It's a perennial native to the southwest United States. This is clitoria mariana, the pigeonwing. Unlike tropical species, this one stays under 4 feet in height.

Pigeonwing.

Consider adding a little femininity. -just don't get too excited!

 

[dr_bates]

Cactus around me right neow
View attachment 145285061

Nice prickly pears! That's one bed that doesn't require a lot of watering!

 

[Lilithsuccubus89]

Clitoria
View attachment 145300041
Yes, this plant was named after female anatomy.

If you are living in a tropical climate, you could grow this fine vine outside. For the rest of us, it's restricted to being a houseplant.

View attachment 145335041
Being a trailing plant, it's going to climb and creep. You may need to offer it support.

It needs plenty of light. Give it at least 6 hours of full sun daily. Who knew a clitoris needed so much light!?

Being a type of legume, clitoria don't need much fertilizer. Don't over fertilize!

Let the top layer of soil dry between waterings. While growing, it will require more frequent watering but don't over do it.

If you live in an area with winters but still want to try clitoria, you're in luck. One hardier version does exist. It's a perennial native to the southwest United States. This is clitoria mariana, the pigeonwing. Unlike tropical species, this one stays under 4 feet in height.

View attachment 145336151
Pigeonwing.

Consider adding a little femininity. -just don't get too excited!

Yesss please!! This is my favorite flower!!! Mmmhh the kind of flower that will get male attention and erection!.. naughty pretty clitty

 

[dr_bates]

Thunbergia Rose Sensation

Every summer I plant black-eyed Susan vines. They are very dependable, blooming early and flowering till frost. On top of that, care is minimal.

Typically I plant the standard bright yellow. This year I went for both yellow and orange. I am excited about "rose sensation." The bright pink will certainly change the look of the flower bed.

Another interesting choice would be "tangerine slice a-peel." It'll be difficult trying not to get both!

The hard part is waiting till spring!

 

[dr_bates]

Four O'clocks

Mixed.

I really do avoid growing plants from seeds. It's a lot of work (and expense) starting little trays early indoors. One exception is four o'clocks, Mirabilis jalapa. I simply plant the hand grenade shaped seeds directly in the soil each spring. It couldn't be easier.

Instead of going with the classic mixed colors, I have been debating on trying something new. "Salmon Sunset" has caught my attention.

Salmon Sunset.


Four O'clocks are native to Peru, hense why they are sometimes called the Marvel of Peru. They grow fast and make excellent annual additionals to flower beds.

If you grow them, plant them in full sun, providing at least six hours of sunlight. They're not terribly picky about soil but for best results it should be well draining and rich. They don't like being too dry, so water frequently if soils loses moisture. Of course, soil shouldn't be soggy. As long as the soil is rich, one application of organic fertilizer in spring should be enough.

Seeds are easy to collect in late summer. If you're extra ambitious, the roots can be dug up after first frost and stored like Dahlia tubers. I am not that ambitious.

It's a fun to plant to grow. Another reason for their popular is they're exciting to share. People readily pass on the seeds with family and friends.

The flowers open in late afternoon (hense the common name). They offer an evening banquet for hummingbirds. Their late night flowering is ideal for hawk-moths too.

Keep those thumbs green!

​

 

[dr_bates]

Hesperaloe

Here a plant for the xerophytic landscape.

....and it's low maintenance. Easy is good!

Once established it's hardy to zone 5 (that with a -20° winter cold).

If that wasn't enough, hummingbirds like it too.

Did I mention that it comes in yellow?

 

[dr_bates]

Gold Coin Scots Pine

I recently added a Gold Coin Scots pine to my yard. When it turns cold, the needles turn a vibrant golden yellow, which I hope will add interest all winter. All too often, the cold months of winter are drab and void of color. When summer returns, it greens.

It's a semi dwarf, staying under 20 feet, so it shouldn't get unmanageable. It'll be exciting seeing it grow.

There are many cool and exciting varieties of Scots pine. Some are even much smaller!

Dragon eyes has distinct bands on every needle. It gets a bit bigger (reaching over 30 feet).

Green Penguin is dainty, never getting much over three feet in height.

If only I could get them all!

 

[Silmende]

I will return to this thread with interest once I'm having a garden.

 

[dr_bates]

Venus Fly Trap

Few plants cause more fascination than the Venus fly trap. It's eats! Unlike other carnivorous plants, it has discernable jaws.

It's native to warm temperate wetlands of North and South Carolina. While it would be fun planting them outside, most of us need to be content growing them in pots; however, they can't be treated like other houseplants.

They need a lot of light. Put them in place where they can daily get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Don't expect them to survive in a north window.

Never fertilize a Venus fly trap. They grow in very nutrient poor soil. Adding plant food will disturb the tender root, killing the plant.

Be wary of chlorine, which is added to municipal water. Chlorinated water will slowly wreck the roots. Use distilled water or let the chlorine evaporate overnight in an open pitcher.

Don't let the plant dry out completely. They grow in wetlands and cannot tolerate drought.

The pot should be deeper than wide. The roots naturally want to grow deep. Use pots made of plastic of ceramic to prevent leaching of minerals.

Don't grow these in regular potting soil or compost. Don't use a soil with added nutrient. When repotting, use a mixture of 1 part perlite with 1 part peat moss.

Though carnivorous, never give your plant meat. To consume food, they need to detect movement. Meat can kill the plant. Fear not, they can go months between feedings.

In winter they naturally go through a period of dormancy. During this time, offer cooler temperatures and less light.

Happy growing!

 

[Lilithsuccubus89]

'' It eats! Unlike other carnivorous plants, it has discernable jaws. ''
'' Don't let the plant dry out completely. They grow in wetlands and cannot tolerate drought. ''
'' The pot should be deeper than wide. The roots naturally want to grow deep ''
'' To consume food, they need to detect movement ''

mmmhhh ...carnivorous ....clings......and wont survive drout.........

keep them wet and let it clip the meat...

naughty venus .......mmmhh sexy and erotic

 

[dr_bates]

Hardy Orange

For many of living in areas that frost, growing citrus is seemingly just a fancy dream. Often in these places with cold, citrus is restricted to pots; however, there is another choice. Hardy oranges, unlike other varieties, can endure cold.

Being deciduous, they lose their leaves in autumn. Because stems and thorns are green, it can look active throughout the year.

Yes, it has thorns. All citrus plants are thorny.

Fragrant white flowers are produced in the spring. The sour fruit turns yellow-orange in the fall.

Like all citrus, it needs a lot of light. Plant it where it can daily get 8 hours of sun.

Soil needs to be well draining. It won't tolerate clay or soggy soils. Once established, hardy oranges are quite drought tolerant, needing only supplemental watering only in severe dry spells.

They can be extremely hard to find in nurseries. (In some cases they have become invasive.) It can be worth the hunt to add this novel plant to the garden.

Keep your thumbs green!

 

[Lilithsuccubus89]

Oooh reminds me of balls in the cold…firm and hard mmmh