Stapeia gigantea, commonly called Giant Toad Plant, is a cactus like plant native to south eastern Africa. The greens of the Toad Plant have four angled deep ribs with toothed edges. They are clump-forming and can grow up to 8 inches long. The 5 petal star shaped flowers are pale yellow with thin red wrinkles, covered in a fuzzy hairs. These giant flowers can grow up to 12 inches wide and emit a deathly carrion odor. [Read more…] about Stapeia Gigantea – Giant Toad Plant
Plant Index
Diamond Maidenhair Fern
The Diamond Maidenhair Fern ‘Adiantum trapeziforme’ is one of over 200 varieties of Maidenhair ferns. The diamond shaped fronds are quite large compared to others in their family, it is also often regarded at the Giant Maidenhair. The lacy foliage cascades from dark brown to black stems with bright apple green trapezoidal leaves unfurling with scalloped edges. [Read more…] about Diamond Maidenhair Fern
Phlox
There are 67 species of Phlox, a tall flowering plant mainly found in North America. These flowering plants can grow in a variety of habitats around the country, they have been known to appear in the Alpine Tundra, urban gardens, open woodland areas and prairies. Some of these perennial flowers bloom in spring, while other open up later into the summer and fall. The flowers each have five rounded petals that grow in dense clusters atop a tall stems up to 4 feet tall. Phlox come in a variety of colors including; pink, magenta, white, purple, violet, pale blue, or bright red. [Read more…] about Phlox
Daisy Fleabane
The Daisy Fleabane is a wildflower found in most of the United States and Canada. These spunky little flowers bloom from spring to fall, flaunting thin hairlike white petals surrounding a bright yellow center. You can spot them in vacant lots, on the side of the road, backyards, forests, and practically anywhere else. Some may consider this plant to be a weed or even invasive, however I think these wildflowers are delicate little beauties. [Read more…] about Daisy Fleabane
Geranium – Bloody Cranesbill
Geranium sanguineum, also known as Bloody Cranesbill, is a low maintenance garden perennial that offers full herbaceous greens with plenty of bright blooms. The flowers petals are papery thin, generally bright magenta with darker veins. The dark green herbaceous foliage is deeply segmented with fine hairs. [Read more…] about Geranium – Bloody Cranesbill
Bleeding Heart
The Bleeding Heart blooms in late spring. The flowers are generally pink and/or white forming an arch of heart shaped flowers each one more mature than the next. The Bleeding Heart is clearly named after it’s heart-shaped flowers which appear to have a small drop of blood at the bottom of the heart. [Read more…] about Bleeding Heart
Bishop’s Cap Cactus
The Bishop’s Cap Cactus is a spineless cactus usually comprised of 5 ribs, although it can be anywhere from 3-7 ribs, which form a starlike globular shape. Down the center of each rib grows flocked trichomes, generally brown or white in color. More ribs may grow as it ages, it can grow up to three feet long. The flowers are generally pale yellow followed by a red fruit. [Read more…] about Bishop’s Cap Cactus
Lilacs
The Lilacs come out throughout the month of May. There is a row of Lilac bushes or trees spanning through the next five yards to the west of us. They bloom one at a time heading east, with ours being the last to flower, and yes- it smells as incredible as you would imagine. [Read more…] about Lilacs