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What’s Blooming September

September 02, 2009

What's Blooming

Spider lilies (Lycoris sp.)

Specimens of the genus Lycoris, commonly called 'Spider lilies' bloom amidst the mass plantings of  Amaryllis belladonna that surrounds them just across from the Southwest corner of the African section. Crimson Lycoris radiata contrasts with white flowered Lycoris albiflora.

Lycoris radiata

Lycoris radiata

 

Lycoris albiflora

Lycoris albiflora

African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)

Several specimens of the African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata, are located at the top of Tallac Knoll. Spathodea has bright orange and yellow flowers that, in its much wetter West African native range, are an emergency source of fresh water for people and animals. Spathodea wood has been used for musical insturnments, and its flowers have been used in religious rituals. In tropical areas where it has been accidently introduced Spathodea is extreamly invasive, and is considered to be one of the top 100 invasive plants on earth; no need to worry about it becoming a pest here -Southern California is much to dry to support wild populations of Spathodea.

Spathodea campanulata

Spathodea campanulata

What’s Blooming August

July 31, 2009

What's Blooming

News Items

Amaryllis belladonna is a bulb found wild on the southern side of the Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa. Its habit of producing solitary stalks of pink flowers at a time when its only other above-ground parts, its leaves, are dormant and nowhere to be seen has given it a rather racy common name -the ‘Naked lady.’

Its penchant for ‘nudity’ and its fragrant long-lasting flowers have made this plant a favorite of hobbyists since the late 19th century, and as a result ‘Naked ladies’ have been crossed so many times over the years that determining the parentage of some of them is impossible. The Arboretum's mass plantings of Amaryllis belladonna are located near the southwest corner of the African section, and should be in full bloom by mid-to-late August. 

Amaryllis belladonna

Amaryllis belladonna

Amaryllis belladona in bloom at the Arboretum.

Stenocarpus sinuatus, commonly called the 'Fire wheel' tree, is native to Australia and New Caladonia. It's radial blooms are a bright crimson orange. Its flowers attract hummingbirds, and in its native Australia, bats. A copious producer of nectar, Stenocarpus flowers were sucked on by the aborigines as a source of sugar. Stenocarpus sinuatus is located on the eastern tip of Tallac knoll just south of the herb garden.

Stenocarpus sinuata

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