Survey of Flowers Blooming for the Holidays

David Ehrlich idavide@sbcglobal.net
Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:29:00 PST
After a brilliant swansong display at the beginning of the month, the Nasturtiums have given up the ghost.  The Zinnias, on the other hand, refuse to dampen their enthusiasm, despite overcast, sometimes drizzly days.  The begonia too, has finally finished blooming, but I noticed a fat seed pod – I’ve never seen a begonia fruit before.  The Primulas seem to bloom whenever they want to, and right now I’ve got a mustard-yellow P. auricula and purple with silver edges.  But the real spirit lifters are Moraea polystacha and Hesperoxiphion peruvianum which have been popping blossoms from their terminal rhipidia for well over a month.  Earlier on, they were both producing seed pods, but now, either because of lack of sunshine or lack of pollinators, they are not.  The other spirit lifter is the number of dormant bulbs which have begun putting out new leaves, promising a brilliant spring.
 
David E.
S.F. Bay Area


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