By Sherrill Leist and Lisa Marun.
Each month, members bring in plants, cuttings, or flowers and put them in blue bottles on our display tables at the monthly meeting. What a great way to see which plants grow well in our area. EVERYONE is invited to participate. All plants are welcome. Write descriptions similar to those below and put them with your plant(s). Each month, we choose one of these plants to feature in our newsletter.
Join the fun and bring something to the next meeting. We thank those people who brought in plants to show to other members.
Plant of the Month: Oxbane
Boophone disticha OXBANE, TUMBLEWEED, Africa
This exceedingly poisonous plant (Boophone means "ox-killer") has an intriguing seed delivery inflorescence that acts as a tumbleweed dispersing recalcitrant seeds as it rolls along. At home in Africa, the deciduous bulb, which may be as large as seven inches across, is best planted elevated several inches above the ground in well-drained soil. In the spring, it produces a fan of long wavy leaves which give way to an umbel of pink funnel-shaped flowers. As the flowers fade and the seed pods develop, the dry windball takes off on its delivery mission.
Ken Blackford brought the seed wheel to our display to add to our evening featuring South African plants. He spent the pre-meeting time answering questions from curious plantaholics about the unusual plant. (Ken Blackford, Bay Park) – S.L.
In addition to the plant described above, we thank members who brought the following:
Jason Chen: Fuchsia magellanica ‘Aurea’ HUMMINGBIRD FUCHSIA, South America; Rosa 'Mutabilis' (=R. chinensis ‘Mutabilis’) CHINA ROSE, China
Pat Venolia: Hunnemannia fumariifolia MEXICAN TULIP POPPY, Mexico
Donna Mallen: Whitfieldia elongata WHITE CANDLES, Tropical Africa
Sue Fouquette: Cordia boissieri TEXAS WILD OLIVE, MEXICAN OLIVE, Southern Texas to Central Mexico; Ampelopsis brevipedunculata AMUR PEPPERVINE, PORCELAIN VINE, Far East
Pat Pawlowski: Cassia (=Senna) didymobotrya POPCORN CASSIA, Africa