First Blooms
Tuesday, February 22, 2011Hibiscus Red Shield flower is not big in size but it's certainly big in attraction with its light pink colour that is quite different from other brightly coloured flowers of Hibiscus plants in my garden.
I am pleasantly surprised that its flowers blossom just about 3 months after sowing its seed. The growth rate is same as my Hibiscus Swamp Mallow.
But the flower shows its 'displeasure' once the sunray hits on it. The bloom is shortlived as it closes by afternoon...
The following plant is commonly known as Brown Spiderwort or Bear's Ears. The plant has wonderful 'furry' foliage and purple flowers. As it is not a popular plant, it was not easy for me to find its name! The plant is native to Eastern Brazil... sounds exotic?
I got this plant last November. It has been doing fine in the bright shade. A few weeks ago, I moved it to a spot in the deeper shade. The plant does not like it.
Just a week in the deeper shade, some of its leaves in the centre turned yellow. Hence the plant is less bushy now. The flower in the pic is its first bloom after growing this plant for about three months. What's your experience with this plant?
I stumbled upon this Purple Velvet Plant last September. This plant also has furry leaves! The pic below was taken in late January. The plant requires clipping quite frequently as the vine tends to grow leggy pretty fast.
Recently, all its stems and leaves just went lifeless, so I cut back the plant. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the plant to bounce back although the chance seems pretty slim. I think underwatering was the cause of the problem.
On a hindsight, I should have grown another plant using its cutting. Earlier, I had propagated new plants (but in the same pot... sigh!) using its discarded stems. They grew easily.
Here are some flowers that are blooming in my garden... Gazania, Begonia Fibrous, Scarlet Sage, Pentas, Hydrangea, Angelonia and Blue Daze.
I am begining to love the Gazania more than Gerbera Daisy as it reblooms faster and nicer. Gerbera Daisy reblooms slower and when a flower bud is opening during cloudy/rainy days, the bloom will end up looking 'under-developed'.
Happy gardening!
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29 comments
Lovely blooms Stephanie. I wish I had a purple velvet plant to add to my collection. I hope your plant recovers.
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely, flowers in bloom.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures.
Have a nice day.
Your Hibiscus looks nice, like the red leaf (foliage??) together with the flower. Nice to see all your flowers, a sparking post :)
ReplyDeleteHello Stephanie
ReplyDeleteyour photos are times again so beautiful and let also me hope!
Here it is not again very cold, minus 11 degree, anything, in order to be outside.
The longing after spring is now extra large, but it will take still two months, but then!
Completely loves greetings from Dörte, which freezes in such a way.
I use to have a Purple Velvet plant years ago. I love their fuzzy leaves.The hibiscus is gorgeous Steph.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful foliage it has to go with the blooms.Beautiful!
That is such a pretty Hibiscus! I love the vibrant shade of it.
ReplyDeleteI like the name of that "bears ears" ....very cute.
Beautiful hibiscus... it does resemble roselle in many ways; the leaves, the colour of bloom, the buds...
ReplyDeleteIm eyein on your Purple Velvet plant.
ReplyDeleteDo they still exist? coz I rarely find them anywhere nowadays.
I used to have them and they just suddenly died - even with many times trying to propagate them thru cutings and miserably failed in all attempts.
Im pretty sure its an old world plant - where generations before like my grandmother had them in her garden.
Your garden has such colourful display of colours! Very pretty! I love hibiscus too, but my hibiscus usually have very few blooms! The maximum would be about three or four at any one time!
ReplyDeletehi Steph,
ReplyDeletei would like to ask how do you bring Hydrangea to flower? Do you plant them in a pot? Do they want sun or partly shaded?
I love your Hibiscus because i haven't seen it yet. Is it not roselle? Do you know the species?
ReplyDeleteThat hibiscus looks like roselle Steph but their leaves are red not green, very unusual. I love all your pretty blooms so bright and nice to have in a garden.
ReplyDeleteBom, Only one little rooted cutting left in the pot now. I really hope that it will grow well from here.
ReplyDeleteGudrun, thanks for your compliments :-)
Mia, yes the foliage/leaf is deep red.
Dorte, keep warm with your candles and when you are melting wax to make them ;-)
Lona, it's an awkward plant isn't it? The furry texture feels so real hehe... :-D
Rosey, yeah the name is cute for the plant. But may be not for the real bear's ear... wonder what would happen if I stroke their ears...
Bangchik, Andrea, p3chandan, yes the flower looks like one roselle flower. That's why some people call the plant False Roselle. The species is Hibiscus ascetosella.
kitchenflavours, my hibiscus plants are growing in pots and are still small shrubs. So, yes the most I see was several flowers at a time.
kamyean, I planted the hydrangea from a little plant and yes in a pot. After about a year of growing it, I transferred the plant into a pot that's about three times bigger. That's when the plant flowered. Since the beginning I place the plant in the shade but receives a few hours of sunlight (partial shade). I have seen some homes grow hydrangea in the sun but I am sure they have planted them outside right from the begining. Mine, its leaves will droop if the weather is hot. As for fertiliser, I apply balanced slow release granule. And I don't prune the branches as flowers will grow on old stems. Soil has to be very well draining. Water plant thoroughly daily. It requires lots of water :-)
James, I agree with you. And it probably got less and less popular with new plants introduced into the market year after year. I saw this plant at this nursery http://mygreenfinder.blogspot.com/2010/10/jari-warisan-enterprise.html
They have many 'old' begonias as well :-)
The hibiscus leave and flower looks like roselle to me too! Such a pretty plant with red leaf!
ReplyDeleteYour garden have many colours!
Hi Stephanie, como sempre sua fotos e seu jardim estão lindos! Olha, como disse nos comentários do Multivias, sábado estaremos repassando alguns novos selinhos recebidos e você está na lista... Venha recebê-los, ok?
ReplyDeleteUm bom dia!
Your gazania look very cheerful. Mine has stop blooming. Wow 3 months after sowing and you have hibiscus bloom that is very fast.
ReplyDeleteLove that Hibiscus!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is producing what appear to be viable flower buds already.
What is the blue flower in the bottom right of the collage? That looks lovely too!
Hi Steph, thanks for stopping by. I like the look of your new blog as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Hibiscus Red Shield flower is a first. I've never seen or heard of a Hibiscus that closes in the afternoon sun. It has the same character traits as the Spider wort. I think it's very cute, and unusual.
Luisa N., thanks I will but hope will not foreget to do so this Sat :-D
ReplyDeleteMalay-Kadazan girl, Malar, Vetsy, I guess hibiscus really loves our climate. Hence, the plant grows and flowers fast here. Thanks for stopping by and you have a great day!
Keith, that's angel flower, Angelonia angustifolia.
Hi Stephanie, the red Hibiscus is very pretty,even on its way out it still looks nice all snuggled up in itself. I know and grow many Tradescantia's, but not the "bear". I have seen the velvet plant, but I have never grown it. Your flower arrangement looks very pleasing.
ReplyDeletesteph,
ReplyDeletethank you for your tips. Yes, it requires lots of water.
Great shots...your flowers look beautiful! I love this time of year!
ReplyDeleteNice color for the hibuscus... very pretty...
ReplyDeleteNice post. Until then.
ReplyDeletegazanias are cheerful and compared to so many other plants, happy as long as they have sun. i am not familiar with a type of hibiscus that doesn't like sun.
ReplyDeleteYour hibiscus reminds me of roselle. It's very pretty..and as usual I love your gorgeous collection. The Purple Velvet...I like the foliage. Stunning hues! And the blooms in you collage...they all seem to be doing so well!
ReplyDeleteHappy gardening!
Kamyean, don't mention ;-) Btw, the bulbs you gave me are growing fine. Thanks to you!
ReplyDeleteCandy, Lrong, Kanak, Antigonum, Catmint, Titania, tq. I look forward to seeing the beautiful plants and pictures from your blog/garden :-D
That hibiscus stole my heart!
ReplyDeleteNot interested in following a page where you can't even copy binomenclature to research a plant. You can keep your knowledge, I've gone somewhere else to learn.
ReplyDelete