Flowers 2025

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Do you know Fred Clarke at Sunset Valley Orchids? He was my mentor when I was in the orchid phase of my life. I know he traveled the world giving lectures. Great guy.

Illinois Orchid Society hosted Fred a couple times over the years. I haven't seen him in person in over 15 years. I used to dine with Norito Hasegawa anytime we were in the same city on the lecture circuit. But since I retired from doing talks, I have not seen anybody in over 5 years. Covid really threw a wrench in what was a fun network.

 

[Deano]

A few from the Native wildflower garden at Valley View area park. These are also found along the park trails too.
Blue Sage
Great Blue Lobelia
Cardinal flower
These are really that Red, no filter or post processing, straight from the camera.

Butterfly Milkweed


I thought this was pretty funny, there's no trail over there just this silhouette in the field.

 

[Japonicus]

Cut one of my Heart O' Gold grandiflora roses yesterday evening.
It was interior of a cluster boquet and would be spent by the time the rest opened.
This morning a hummingbird perched momentarily on the cluster in search of...
left, and quickly returned to perch and have a second look to be sure before foraging elsewhere.

 

[KateM]

 

[KateM]

 

[KateM]

Dorstenia feotida

Autumn joy

 

[NashsMan]

I had 3 more blossoms on the Night-blooming Cereus (there are 2 more to bloom within the next few days). I've never seen this many per season or at the same time! It's a very happy plant.
Also the Brugmansia was beautiful last night.

 

[KateM]

Pineapple
View attachment 585246

And here it is!

 

[Time Wizard]

It took about until mid August for this particular bougainvillea to start blooming again. I also noticed one branch where half of each group of bracts/flowers is solid red which definitely wasn't there last year.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Some of my Lithops are flowering. They open during the day and close at night.

 

[RJG2]

And here it is!
View attachment 612856

Did you grow this from the top of a store bought pineapple? I have two going - one has 2 new shoots, the other has three! Only 6-8 months old though, so no pineapples yet.

My daughter's aloe is flowering (I've never had one flower; beginner's luck!). Guess I need to give her a pot for it.

 

[KateM]

Did you grow this from the top of a store bought pineapple? I have two going - one has 2 new shoots, the other has three! Only 6-8 months old though, so no pineapples yet.

My daughter's aloe is flowering (I've never had one flower; beginner's luck!). Guess I need to give her a pot for it.

View attachment 612887

Yes, from the top of store bought pineapple. Took about 2 years, but it's the best pineapple I ever tasted. I never tried them somewhere they grow, only from the store where they ripen off the plant...

 

[KateM]

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

For over forty years, I kept a collection of over 1000 orchids, under lights. I was on the lecture circuit giving talks to orchid societies across the country, from Washington DC to Anchorage Alaska. I typically gave 20 or more talks a year. Then covid came, talks dried up. I also had a health issue or two. I sold the orchids. Today. I have about 10 orchids left in my collection. That is enough for now. My health is good, all is well and I am enjoying being retired from "working the orchid collection".

Wow! I'd retire from a 1000 of anything. What orchid species did you keep? And can you point me to a good orchid website?
I'm on Orchid probation so don't tell my wife. Just two people talking. I don't have a problem.

 

[Jetson1950]

Can’t show the flowers yet, but not far away from flower hell. This Plumeria is a fall bloomer and the flower spikes have started. There are about 25 branch tips and they all have flower spikes started. I’ll update once the blooming starts.

 

[KateM]

Licorice plant

 

[Housguy]

 

[KateM]

 

[Deano]

The Aster's are coming.

It's just starting but for the next couple months the fields around here will become filled with purples, whites and some blues.

 

[Jetson1950]

View attachment 613069View attachment 613070View attachment 613071

You’re way ahead of me here in central Florida. Mine are growing fast but not there yet. It’s a fall bloomer.