THE VENERABLE HILLBILLY ORCHID AND OTHER JULY STUFF

Mid- July seems to be the favorite time with just the right conditions for my oldest Orchid. It is a Dendrobium. It was given to me round six years ago when it was just a small plant.

I tied it to the bark of my Avocado tree with some twine and the roots attached themselves. It has been there ever since surviving hurricanes and freezes. Every summer it comes alive with purple blooms emerging from the canes.

Being a Orchid novice I put it's picture on the Garden Web Forum where a fella from Australia identified it as a long cane Dendrobium. He did not know the name as there are so many Dendrobium Hybrids.

I decided to name it my Hillbilly Orchid from a line in a favorite Hank Williams Jr. song. It seemed appropriate as the line from the song goes," he never called me by my name just Hillbilly".

Here is the link to the Hank Williams, Jr song video. Check it out fits in about right for these times we are livin in.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2043099/v40129884

I also got another mid-July surprise from one of the Orchids that was given to me from a Freecycler last year. This guy was identified to me by another Orchid fella as a Brassavolla Orchid after I posted it's picture.

This is the first time that it has bloomed since I got it. Several folks that know about Orchids told me this type needs lots of bright light . I was always kinda hesitant to expose it to the intense sunlight here as the sun here quickly sunburns plants. But I took their advice and apparently this orchid loves the sun here evidenced by its new blooms.

After looking at the delicate blooms and some further research I was able to identify it as Brassavola Nodosa also called the Lady of the Night Orchid. It's blooms give off a perfume fragrance in the evening hours, hence the name.

This Orchid is native to Mexico south to Central America. It was susposed to be the first Tropical Orchid to be brought back by ship to Holland in the year 1698.

Other new blooms for mid-July in the sandpit here is the Butterfly Flower. I picked up a packet of seeds for this Parennial and planted a couple back in April.

This one is up and blooming now in the garden. It is actually an Asclepias Tuberosa for those so inclined although it didn't state that on the seedpackage.

It's common name is Milkweed. It didn't say that on the seedpack either. I suspect this was on purpose seeing that most folks wouldn't purchase Weed seeds. Them advertising fellas got it all figured out.

Whatever the name it is a kinda neat plant with golden- orange blooms that seems to be pretty rugged. The Milkweed is susposed to attract the Monarch Butterfly but I haven't seen any on it here but there have been other Butterflys on the plant's flowers.

For mid-July the Florida State Butterfly is the most prolific at the sandpit.

It is the Zebra Longwing which seems to like my wild Lantana bush the best.

The Lantana bush I dug up in Jacksonville and brought back to the sandpit. It is pretty much carefree except for some pruning to keep it inline and not growing wild.

Lots of folks see the Lantana as invasive but I have never had a volunteer spring up from this plant. It is wild and produces seeds which the birds like. It covers itself with flowers and has one type of butterfly or another on it most of the day.

That's the mid-July ramblings from the South Florida sandpit where it is now hotter

than a June brides featherbed { as they say in the south }.

Oh yeah, Almost forgot it is now time to start some Tomato seed. I figure one seed every week from now till September will give a good staggered planting. That gives them about six weeks to germinate and get up to planting out size when September rolls around.

I am going to start some heirloom Jubilee yellow Tomato this week. They go back to 1943 and I figure to give them a try this year. I plan on putting them in the ground instead of a container this season to see how that will pan out. Yes I know that is tempting a hurricane to strike for sure but I will keep my fingers crossed.

--SANDDUNE--

PASSION ON THE BACKPORCH

-CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT-

Well maybe the Title is subject to different interpretations. The only thing steamy going on around here is the weather. Summer is fast approaching and the South Florida heat and humidity is fast climbing.

This week has been hotter than a goat's butt in a pepper patch as we say in the South.

Anyway the Passion that I am referring to happens to be the Passion Vine.

I had one growing last year and now they spring up on their own at random points in the yard.

This one sprung up next to the concrete on my back porch. Instead of pulling it up I let er grow up the support of my back porch awning.

After it reached the awning roof I strung out some wire in both directions and the passion vine has been growing sideways along the wire.

It has gotten pretty big and I can sit on my back porch and watch what's happening with the vine. Turns out to be kind of interesting. The passion vine has lots of activity going on.

The Butterflies are attracted to it as a place to lay their eggs. There have been both Gulf Fritillarys and Zebras on the plant every day this week. It's what's known as a host plant for these Butterflies and they have flocked to my back porch to get to this plant.

Once the eggs are laid and hatch the Caterpillars emerge and start eating the Passion vine leaves.

This Caterpillar here shown munching away is from a Zebra Heliconian Butterfly.

Apparently they just hang around eating all day getting fatter and fatter. Kinda like humans in a way seems to me.

This Caterpillar is from a Gulf Fritillary Butterfly.

It too is enjoying the salad bar of the leaves of this Passion vine.

But you have to be tough to be a Caterpillar because as they are busy eating away other insects are eyeing them as a tasty lunch.

The Mockingbirds sure wouldn't pass up one of these plump morsels. But for now they stay away whenever someone is on the porch.

However their are other Caterpillar predators lurking in the Passion Vine .

This little fat cat fell victim to one of the many other insects that like to call the Passion vine home.

For those Caterpillars that survive they stop eating and move on to the next evolution which is forming their chrysalis.

This is one of the Zebra Caterpillars that formed a chrysalis on the Passion vine .

I watched it the other night as it gyrated itself around repeatedly weaving itself into a case.

It will stay this way for around 10 days and emerge as a new Zebra Butterfly.

The Passion Vine is covered in different insects as it gives out a sweet scent that is attractive to them.

I don't mind that the Caterpillars are eating the vine as it is cool just to sit and watch everything that is going on. And to be surrounded by Butterflies throughout the day is kinda neat also.

So now the Title becomes clear as I do have passion on the back porch :-]

--Sanddune--

COLD WEATHER BLUES

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I suspect most folks living in Florida have been trying to figure out just how to keep their plants from coming down with the cold weather blues. The unusual arctic cold has been here all week and it is a effort to protect the tropical plants. One of the benefits to my gardens poor soil is that most of my plants are in containers that I have brought inside to avoid the cold. Best as I can figure a lot of the plants that I have here are like people in that they like the same conditions temperature wise. Freezing weather and tropicals just don't mix.

Besides bringing plants inside I was able to get some pictures of some of the garden critters who are coping with the cold outside. The top picture is a
White Peacock butterfly getting some sun on a Mexican Sunflower bloom.
Next is the Florida State Butterfly a Zebra Heliconian or Zebra Longwing Enjoying the Sunflower bloom also. It became our State Butterfly on April 26,1996.

The birds have been visiting to feeder several times a day to eat as much as they can. Perhaps they know they will need extra energy to cope with the cold temperatures.

The Bluejay above and these Ringneck Doves are everyday visitors to the garden and enjoy the free handout.

This Coconut Palm is loaded down with a fresh crop of Coconuts. It is a reminder that this is after all South Florida and the cold weather here is only here visitin' from up North.

----------------sandddune------------------------------------