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Saturday Snapshots–Blooming Flowers

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Hibiscus blooming in time for Christmas

My husband experimented with features on our camera to get this close-up shot.

When a tall stem started shooting up on this aloe plant, I watched to see what would happen. Of all the aloe plants I’ve raised, none has ever grown a stem like this. The blossoms opened during late December, blooming in tandem with the hibiscus. The flowers hung in a long group like digitalis (foxglove) on its long stem. Now there’s only a small group of blossoms remaining. I moved the plant to get a better shot and got a shadow instead.

At Home With Books meme by Alyce. Go on over and see other photos.

Comments

Saturday Snapshots–Blooming Flowers — No Comments

  2. That hibiscus – so lovely. It reminds me of the cover of Sarah Jio’s new book, THE BUNGALOW. But yours is real. I didn’t know that aloe would bloom.

  3. I have had aloe plants for 20 years and none of them has ever bloomed. Nothing I do will make them bloom. I’ve tried fresh soil, they get full sun in a garden window facing south, water sparingly once a month… nothing. In the summer a few are going outside, maybe that will work.

    The hibiscus is lovely. I have one that is supposed to withstand Chicago winters. It came back last summer so I’m hopeful it will survive again.

    • We have a southwest exposure on the window ledge where that aloe sits. I don’t water anymore since my husband took up watering. That way they’d get too much. Other aloes sit in pots in other places and have still done well, though not flower. Can there be a male and female succulent plant?

      In Chicago you’re close to the same latitude as we are. I’ve had a hibiscus plant that sat outside in summer and overwintered indoors, still where there was light. This one has never been outdoors except from florist to here, but it gets enough drafts in the windowsill.

      • As far as I know aloe are not male or female. The plant needs certain conditions to flower, just the right temperature, water, sun, age, roots… and only it knows what it wants and it’s not telling.

    • Oh, I’d love to see the orchid. Mine stopped blooming a long time ago. Maybe I just have more luck with hibiscus and aloe. 😉

    • Guess I have to share the credit with my husband since he waters them most of the time. We both learned about growing plants from living on a farm, if that counts. 🙂

      This is my first blossoming aloe plant though. Is it luck?

  8. It’s nice to have plants blooming at Christmas. Mine all seem to hibernate. You must have a very green thumb. 😉

    • Hello Marie,

      I like poinsettias too, but we didn’t have one this year, except one plant that was a gift for my parents. Yes, it is good to have flowers at Christmas.
      Thanks for stopping by.

  9. What a beautiful Hibiscus, and your aloe is unique to say the least. I’ve never seen a shoot like that either. I’ve had to stop growing them my cat keeps eating them.

    • Thanks, Irene.

      When I offer people plants, those with cats often say no. Maybe something to do with being a gardener, though there are plants I don’t have a green thumb for. 😉

  10. The hibiscus was a gift from one of our daughters and it’s been producing many flowers off and on.

    I don’t know why plants brought in don’t do well. My mom used to take her geraniums indoors to overwinter. I think she took clippings from the plants and started new ones. We didn’t have room to do that.

  11. I’ve never seen a hibiscus plant quite that shade of yellow, but I love it. And I didn’t even know aloes ever put out blooms — that’s a great shot.

    Thanks for visiting Joysweb, and have a wonderful week!

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