Flowers

Ocotillo Fower Buds

Ocotillo Flower Buds

Our neighbor, Tim, that lives across from us did a job last fall clearing some property for a construction project. Two of the victims of that clearing of natural desert vegetation were ocotillos that Tim brought for us to add to our xeriscape rock and cactus garden. We planted them at that time and today, we noticed that new flower pods are growing on the tips of the ‘canes’ of the ocotillos. This is very good news since the two of them went into shock and lost their green leaves a while after we planted them.

Now, we will see these flower pods grow and produce the little red and yellow flowers characteristic of the ocotillo. After that, the monsoons to come will likely restore the green leaves that these two lost over the winter months. Click on the image to enlarge.

Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera Daisy

We went shopping today and since the flower department has bunches of tulips and Gerbera daisies, we bought a bunch of each. When I got home, I placed them in a vase on the dining room table. I took this close-up of one of the Gerberas. Click on the image to enlarge.

More Paperwhite Flowers

Paperwhite Flowers

This is one of several clusters of paperwhite flowers now showing in the courtyard bulb planter. The tiny (½ inch) buds are closely related to daffodils which are in the same planter but have not come up as of yet. Perhaps they will in a week or two. The temperatures have turned very spring-like for mid-February. Click on the image to enlarge.

More Signs of Spring

Paperwhites

Lots of paperwhite flowers blooming in the courtyard. Good sign that warmer temperatures are coming. We might have some showers by the first of the week which the flowers (and all of the desert) will appreciate. Click on the image to enlarge.

I will have photos of daffodils very soon. They have started to appear at the flower concession at the supermarket.

Miltoniopsis “Pansy” Orchid

Miltoniopsis Orchid

We saw, but did not buy these beautiful Miltoniopsis Orchids in the flower concession at the supermarket last week. I did not have my camera, so Bob had to use his little pocket camera he carries most everywhere to get this picture. Click on the image to enlarge.

A short article in Wikipedia describes this variety:

Miltoniopsis, abbreviated Mltnps in horticultural trade, is a genus of orchids. It consists of 5 species, native to Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia. They are named after Lord Fitzwilliam Milton, an English orchid enthusiast. Miltoniopsis’s common name is Pansy Orchid.

Although the flowers are similar, Mitoniopsis differs from Miltonia by having one leaf to each pseudobulb, and a lobed column that is united to the labellum through a keel. In addition, the column is not concave at the base.

Red Amaryllis

Red Amaryllis

I planted two amaryllis bulbs a few weeks ago. Today, the first set of flowers opened. I took this photo in the courtyard so there would be sunshine on them. Click on the image to enlarge.

The flower stalks are starting to open in the other pot I planted. I will update this post when I have photos of the other ones.