monday’s plants 3/23/20

Leaving the bizarro world aside for the moment, and desperately clinging to the bright side, at least this unusual March has been a good month for rain in Los Angeles. We’re just about an inch below average, which is great for the spring garden tours (if they hadn’t been cancelled…)

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Cotyledon orbiculata var. flanaganii

In the front garden, this brawny, chunky succulent has taken over a big swath of ground. For now I like having more of the same plant as opposed to an intricate tapestry, but that could change. When it’s in bloom, like now, I especially appreciate the multiple statuesque stems with mop-topped apricot bells.

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Cotyledon orbicuata, Pig’s Ear, with rounded leaves for comparison, a great plant in its own right.

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Also in the front garden, Agave oteroi ‘Lanky Wanky.’ I buried the long, lanky stem, kind of defeating the purpose, but I didn’t care for the snaky growth habit. Weird little thing. Love the blonde teeth that whiten as they age.
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the blue barrel Ferocactus glaucescens looks like a different cactus after a rainwash
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This might be my favorite phase of the purple-leaved acacia, when the yellow pompom blooms turn into twisting purple pods.
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Pelargonium ‘Queen of Hearts’
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I lost the label, so this is one of my ongoing plant ID projects.
Similar to Senecio stapeliiformis except for the flowers and thorns. Also similar to Euphorbia aeruginosa except for lacking typical lime green flowers
Edited to add ID by Jeremy: Euphorbia greenwayi
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Albuca….wait, wait, I know this one!
Albuca corkscrewalis?
No, silly! Albuca spiralis — nice when the name describes the plant.
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Anigozanthos ‘Red Velvet,’ a small-in-stature kangaroo paw planted last spring.

For more plant portraits, a lot of the arboreta and public gardens include What’s in Bloom on their websites — for example, here’s Descanso Gardens.

This entry was posted in agaves, woody lilies, Occasional Daily Weather Report, Plant Portraits, succulents. Bookmark the permalink.

3 Responses to monday’s plants 3/23/20

  1. Elaine says:

    Thanks for the floral show. Nice to know Spring has arrived somewhere (it’s snowing here again). Love Albuca ‘corksrewallis’. Have a big one in a pot but it’s lost it’s corscrewy leaf form. More like ‘bad-hairallis.’

  2. Jeremy says:

    Mystery ID guess: euphorbia greenwayi.

  3. Denise says:

    @Elaine, I’m guessing the wildflower bloom this spring in CA has gotten a boost from March rains — possibly only visible to drones!
    @Jeremy, thank you thank you!

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