December Lights

It's amazing that the neighbors are cool with the glowing 8 ft obelisk behind my house. Maybe it's just Christmas cheer. Or, maybe they assume it's cannibis and the cops are going to show up. For the record, they're all Passiflora!

New Epidemic

I recently helped a local Passiflora FB friend add a few plants to her collection. She was kind enough to bring some Epiphyllum cuttings for me. I wasn't very familiar with that genus, but I soon became hooked. Moreover, I purchased a bunch more cuttings and plan to visit the local enthusiast group that meets monthly. There was a little floor space available in the greenhouse, so I decided to make use of it.

My collection now includes:

Kirby's Giant
Jesse's Tower
Canary Princess
Hidden Treasure
Sherman Brahm
Princess Kelly
Chuckles
Jungle Red
Poison
Tribute to Beauty
Nocturne
Clown
and a few Unknowns

Sweet Cirrhiflora

I noticed a yellow spot through the polycarbonate walls of my greenhouse this morning. I found the first Passiflora cirrhiflora bud of the second blooming this year opening part way. I waited a little later to take some pictures, and in doing that, I was rewarded with a sweet fragrance filling my little greenhouse. I really like the smell of P. x belotii, but this is even better. A photograph will have to suffice until that technology is invented. Obviously, there are more flowers to come!

Greenhouse Growth

Well, the greenhouse that I built with my father this Summer is doing the job so far. In fact, Passiflora cirrhiflora is thriving better now than it did outside. It clearly likes the heat provided by the sun and a trash can full of water with a submersible aquarium heater inside and the humidity from a misting stand that emits daily. Of course there are other species and hybrids in the greenhouse from cuttings and seed alike, but the growth on P. cirrhiflora is extravagant. I should be seeing lots of fully form flowers by the end of 2013!

New Nigradenia

I recently received an online auction Passiflora nigradenia. The plant came really fast through the mail, and when I opened the box I was surprised to find a blooming plant. I've never had a blooming Passiflora come through the mail, so this was a very nice and sweet-smelling surprise. It came in a tiny little pot that rapidly dried out so I up-potted it shortly after relocating it to the greenhouse. I'm excited to see what this one can do when the next growing season rolls around.

Bloody Cherry Tart

Passiflora Cherry Tart (cupraea x (P. yucatanensis and P. biflora)) has been growing slowly in the side yard. It was a bonus to an online auction, and I didn't have any plans for it, so for now it's growing on a little trellis between my yard and the neighbors'. Much to my surprise, though many of the established plants have slowed their blooming this late into October, this little guy decided to start budding. I thought for sure they would abort, but no, today there was a little crimson bloom! Halloween is just around the corner, so this little blood red tart has good timing.

New Nephrodes

Awhile back I planted P. nephrodes with P. x exoniensis. P. exoniensis exploded with growth, and basically choked out P. nephrodes. Before it could die, I decided to pull it out of the pot. Despite some root damage and being little more than a stick, it did come back from almost certain death inside my new and custom greenhouse. Today, one of the buds that has slowly been forming bloomed. It's the first time that this little pink flower has emerged from my plant. It's a dainty little thing.