A blog of my botanical misdeeds and potentially interesting floral photos. All Photos Copyright Ross Kouzes

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This is a blog dedicated to interesting flora and the yard projects I undertake to make their cultivation possible.

2010/12/17

2010-12-17 Lyon Arboretum again

Last time we were rushed through the arboretum because it closes at 4pm...

There were lots of various ginger things. These were about 18in tall.
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My favorite native Hawaiian plant: Metrosideros polymorpha.
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Emphasis on the poly: the lemon yellow form.
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Tacca chantrieri. Black Bat flower.
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Something tropicalesque.
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The plant this was on looked a lot like a Podocarpus... it obviously isn't... Don't know what the heck it is, though.
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Hey, I have one of those... not quite that big, but close.
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2010/12/15

2010-12-15 Cactus Garden and Manoa Falls

The Kapi'olani Community College dedicates copious land to its ever expanding cactus and succulent garden. They also have an awesome farmers market which was a bit touristy, sadly. But, that didn't stop their jam from being voraciously devoured by me and others related to me.
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Kalanchoe in bloom.
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Check out these Pachipodiums!
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So cute! They were crawling all over the Aloe licking the nectar.
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We went for a leisurely hike up to Manoa falls. By leisurely, I mean sweaty. And by hike I mean up a jogging up a rocky hillside in 80F weather. Can we perhaps be less used to this? Absolutely! Just make the humidity 103.2% and you're set! It turned out we had too much blood and we had to sweat it out.
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Occasionally, I would have a few seconds to take a picture. Some sort of Neomarica.
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After the hike, we went to the neighboring Lyon Arboretum. Lachnalia was opening up.
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Another Albizia. I think this is the one that's coming in the mail.
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Gloriosa superba.
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Could be a Jacaranda, but whatever it is, it's over 200ft tall and well over 10ft in diameter. Notice the tiny swing set to the left.
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Last, we went for a short hike along the top of the ridge. Way cooler up there amongst the Araucaria.
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2010/12/14

2010-12-14 Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden

On the East coast of Oahu. Water deemed acceptably stunning. No snorkeling of which to speak.
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We traded water things for their dry-land counterparts. This is Hawaii's showy native Hibiscus.
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Hawaii has about 4 plants that are native to the islands. Everything else is brought over. These are some amazingly huge 4ft tall non-native Bromeliads.
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Lisa under a Ficus. Shortly after having her dreams dashed as she learned that there in fact ARE mosquitoes on Hawaii. Many, as it turns out.
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Albizia. I could not get enough of them. Enormous. I'm expecting one the mail any day. Those flat rate boxes can hold a surprising quantity.
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Brownea macrophylla. Winter is Not the blooming season in Hawaii, but a couple flowers were open.
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The hillside.
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Hey! It's that field from "Lost" where they drove the Dharma Truck around after Hurley had a win for once... you know... So we ran around in circles for a while.
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2010/11/19

2010-11-19 Protea!

One of the Protea repens that I started from seed from Fynbos People in October 2007 is blooming in my greenhouse. This is the very first Protea I've ever grown to blooming size (with plenty more on the way from both Fynbos and Silverhill Seeds). Potting mix is 1.5 parts washed quarter minus gravel, 1 part orchid bark, 1 part perlite, 1 part pumice, and half a part of Turface MVP. I usually don't fertilize, but I have added Ironite from time to time and this Fall I fertilized with Alfalfa meal which has 0 phosphate (since high phosphate kills Protea). There is a second inflorescence on the same plant that is soon to open. I'm surprised that the plant didn't wait until February to bloom... This is probably the only Protea blooming within 100mi, or more perhaps...

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2010/11/14

2010-11-14 Deck

Here's a link to the finished deck!

Put together the structure of the deck in two days, with some help of course. Thanks Dad! Looks great. All we need now is decking! After a lot of research, we've decided to go with a PVC product. Probably "Sanctuary" in rosewood by Fiberon.

From the garage end. An circular step follows the contour of our circular stone patio, soon to come.
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From the greenhouse end. There's a step next to the house. The closest edge in the photo will have a trellis with our Trachelospermum jasminoides. Also, there will be a pergola over this end with space for a table and chairs underneath hanging kiwi fruit.
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2010/10/30

2010-10-30 Pygmy Drosera

If you recall, last December I posted a picture of a minuscule plant called a pygmy Drosera, or pygmy sundew. As promised these tiny little things have grown from the size of a pinhead in December to a full sized 1 inch across by May. Over the summer, they caught thousands of little gnats and even an occasional fly.

Fall is their time for asexual reproduction when each plant spews forth about 25 gemmae from its apex. Gemmae are essentially modified leaves that root automatically when they hit the ground. Last year I had a total of 7 quarter sized plants that each produced 25 gemmae. As my Mth111 students SHOULD be able to tell you, their growth is exponential with growth factor approximately 26, so P(t)=7(26)^t. So, I'm going to have WAY more plants than I can handle. If you want any gemmae, just let me know!

They're easy to grow in a greenhouse or outside/inside if they have full sun all year long. If you're growing them outside/inside, give them an open southern window in the winter and put them outside in the summer. Good amounts of sun produce good amounts of dew and darkness kills them. They don't repot well since their roots are thinner than a human hair and as long. Never fertilize (they catch their own). Handle with care and sow them right away after you receive them. Sow them on the surface, not buried at all. I used a toothpick and tweezers combo to sow. Use a pot that is at least 3 inches deep, preferably 5in-6in deep. The potting soil is an equal mix of peat and pumice. Always set the pots in a saucer full of water, preferably rain water. Always water from the bottom. If you live somewhere that is VERY hot during the summer, less than full sun is a good idea. In the winter, keep the gemmae above 55F for good growth and in subsequent years, keep the adults above 35F. Generally avoid letting the rain fall on them. They eventually get tall as they age, reaching a massive 5-7 inches like bizarre miniature palm trees.

If you want more info, please click here.

Drosera barbigera: Sow 1.5in apart. Supposedly gets tall eventually, but are modest 1 inch sized after 1 year. The gemmae are the little granular bumps in the center.
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Drosera callistos: Sow 1in apart. Very cute! I have 40 tiny plants comfortably in a 6in across pot. Dark orange flowers in early summer.
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Drosera dichrosepala: Sow 1in apart. Almost 2 inches tall!
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Drosera omissa x pulchella: Sow 1.5in apart. A very strong grower. Larger diameter, almost 2 inches across. Great bloomer: pink flowers all summer long!
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Drosera omissa: Sow 1.5in apart. Good grower, not as strong as the hybrid, though. About 1-1.5in in diameter. Also has pink flowers all summer long.
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Drosera paleacea ssp trichocaulis: Sow 0.5in to 0.75in apart. Very tiny! You could probably fit 100 plants in a 6in pot. The tiny mosses are taller than the sundews.
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Drosera scorpioides: Sow 2in apart. The huge one! Almost 4in tall after 1 year. Like miniature palm trees. Fantastic at catching gnats. White flowers. 4 plants in a 4 inch pot comfortably.
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In addition, I just got a big Boophane disticha. I have some small ones from Telos Rare Bulbs, but couldn't wait... Neat South African bulb that eventually forms an enormous fan of twisty leaves.
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My old Haemanthus albiflos from Bovees Nursery is blooming. Had this thing for 2 years now. I tested it in light freezing weather last year: the leaves freeze solid! but then recover completely when they thaw. PS: Bovees is having a big plant sale this November!
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2010/10/22

2010-10-22 Around the yard

Just a couple things before the cold sets in.

It's a Common Longsquirrel.
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All of my tropicals are still blooming, including the Plumeria. Not for much longer, tho.
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Lisa's newest plant, Masdevallia Aquarius.
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My Oxalis lupinifolia is blooming in the greenhouse for the first time. Very cute.
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One of the Protea repens that I started in October 2007 is about to open its first flowers. This will be the very first Protea I've ever bloomed! I'll post more when something actually happens.
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BTW, I don't know if the cool summer affected anyone else's Protea's, but mine didn't grow during their usual June growing season and are putting out new leaves right now.

2010/09/11

2010-09-11 Mount Hood

With family in town, we had a gorgeous day on the mountain. Blue sky, fresh air.
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I love these high altitude chipmunks. They must hibernate for 8 months of the year!
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Brad looking the wrong way.
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Neat dead tree.
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We also hiked around Trillium lake. Aconitum columbianum was open still.
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The Drosera rotundifolia were specked with bug corpses. You know, like they're supposed to be.
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Thanks for coming, guys!
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