Flores Del Sol.. Summer Flowers 2022, The non- Palm and Cycad edition..

[Silas_Sancona]

While the " official "  start to the " Season of the Sun " may be a couple weeks away here in the Northern Hemisphere, It's certainly starting to feel like summer in many areas.. Summer is pretty much underway here in the Low Desert..

With the sun near it's high point for the year,  the more exotic looking of sun loving plants will step on the stage, ready to put on attention getting, firework like displays in the landscape.  Some will also add alluring and intoxicating scents to those warm and humid evenings spent outside on a patio this time of year as well, while others seemingly appear out of nowhere after a couple warm summer storms,  just to bask in the sun..

Whether in the garden, ..or in a landscape created by nature, post your summer season flowering things.

**As noted in the past, post only your own shots, ..Not someone else's.

With that,  Vamos a jugar en el Sol!  = Let's play in the Sun ..Just remember to stay hydrated.


....Kicking it up a notch:

Around the yard:

Shy- flowering Guaiacum coulteri specimen deciding to wake up..



Mex. Hats, shooting off like pre- 4th of July Bottle Rockets





Gregg's Mistflower



Agastache X " Ava " just about ready to pop



Turk's Cap, Malvaviscus drummondii





Wright's Milk Pea, Galactia wrightii  starting to take off.. Should be flowering as Monsoon season peaks.



Red Mexican Sunflower.. Same ones i started back in February.. These are going to be BIG..  Should have added one more in this area ( 2 planted ) but kind of glad i didn't.. Planning on adding ..1 or 2 Compact or Dwarf- sized Plumeria cultivars in this area within the next 3 months



Not flowering.. but like how good the False Rhodes Grass looks when backlit by the morning Sun..



..Is that time of year for Pequin Peppers too..







.............Out and About:

Maybe it's just me  but something  about sitting next to a pond of Water Lilies in full bloom that just says " Summertime ".










 And, of course, Dwarf Poincianca / Red Bird of Paradise.. as this subtropical summer icon cranks up the heat in landscapes across the desert, and beyond..










....Sizzzz 'La  Season!

Mammillaria grahamii ..both forms..








Enjoy!

[Tracy]

4 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

While the " official "  start to the " Season of the Sun " may be a couple weeks away here in the Northern Hemisphere, It's certainly starting to feel like summer in many areas.. Summer is pretty much underway here in the Low Desert..

Still 21 days away here.....  I'll have to wait.

[Silas_Sancona]

Another Summer season opener that has become fairly common in landscapes here, and is well established in the Hort. trade in California is  X Chitalpa tashkentensis..   A fairly sturdy, and generally seedless hybrid between our native Desert Willow, and the Genus Catalpa  of the eastern states.  Never really gets too big ..roughly 20-30ft making it a great, non invasive option for limited spaces. While they can take some drought  and heat,   will be fuller/ flower more if provided regular water ..Is also a host for the Camo.-patterned Rustic Sphinx Moth, Manduca rustica.  https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/126568-Manduca-rustica


Nearby shopping center recently planted several, replacing a whole bunch of messy, and invasive Shoestring Acacia that have been dying off / seeding into surrounding landscape areas ..And are just plain Ugly.










 

[teddytn]

@Silas_Sancona good on ya! Yes there’s the calendar start date to all the seasons, I feel it’s different depending on where you live. In your flowering cactus thread the first picture you posted was basilaris flowering at least 1-1/2 to 2 months before mine flowered. Wouldn’t say it’s been spring for you for a while  Feels like that here, we’ve had weeks of days above 90f already in northern middle TN. 
Arrived home today to milkweed with open flowers!!! I thought I was prepared….not so much lol, first day and the driveway and area all around the house is filled with perfume. 
Asclepias syriacaThe scent is heavenly! Mix between lilac and gardenia would be the closest description. Hoping some other species I have planted will flower this year, fingers crossed. 

Edited June 1, 2022 by teddytn

[Silas_Sancona]

3 minutes ago, teddytn said:

@Silas_Sancona good on ya! Yes there’s the calendar start date to all the seasons, I feel it’s different depending on where you live. In your flowering cactus thread the first picture you posted was basilaris flowering at least 1-1/2 to 2 months before mine flowered. Wouldn’t say it’s been spring for you for a while  Feels like that here, we’ve had weeks of days above 90f already in northern middle TN. 
Arrived home today to milkweed with open flowers!!! I thought I was prepared….not so much lol, first day and the driveway and area all around the house is filled with perfume. 
Asclepias syriacaThe scent is heavenly! Mix between lilac and gardenia would be the closest description. Hoping some other species I have planted will flower this year, fingers crossed. 

Yep, There's the " traditional, Astronomical " start to Summer.. a couple weeks from now,  ..The " Meteorological " start  ..Which started today..  ..and, in our case at least, ..when we've had at least two 3 day streaks of 100+ deg. heat that essentially mark the beginning of Summer.. Could add " when the  Dwarf Poinciana start flowering / Desert Ironwood have finished " to signal summer's start ..but that isn't always consistent.

Regardless, real summer heat is on the way.. ( most days above 105F / nights in the upper 70s/ 80s ) so, yea..lol  the season is here..


Nice! ..Always interesting how the broad leaved Milkweed species can add some degree of  the " Tropical Foliage " look to a garden, as well as the interesting flowers / scent of the flowers ( depending on the species ).  We have a species here ( Asclepias albicans ) that can reach 10-12ft in height, but looks like a bunch of blue green, whip- like sticks w/ few or no leaves.  Grows in some of the hottest parts of the desert to my west / southwest.  Asclepias subulata, another typically leafless, Desert Milkweed, looks like a mini version of albicans..  See it used to provide a grass - like look in commercial landscapes around town.

[teddytn]

2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Yep, There's the " traditional, Astronomical " start to Summer.. a couple weeks from now,  ..The " Meteorological " start  ..Which started today..  ..and, in our case at least, ..when we've had at least two 3 day streaks of 100+ deg. heat that essentially mark the beginning of Summer.. Could add " when the  Dwarf Poinciana start flowering / Desert Ironwood have finished " to signal summer's start ..but that isn't always consistent.

Regardless, real summer heat is on the way.. ( most days above 105F / nights in the upper 70s/ 80s ) so, yea..lol  the season is here..


Nice! ..Always interesting how the broad leaved Milkweed species can add some degree of  the " Tropical Foliage " look to a garden, as well as the interesting flowers / scent of the flowers ( depending on the species ).  We have a species here ( Asclepias albicans ) that can reach 10-12ft in height, but looks like a bunch of blue green, whip- like sticks w/ few or no leaves.  Grows in some of the hottest parts of the desert to my west / southwest.  Asclepias subulata, another typically leafless, Desert Milkweed, looks like a mini version of albicans..  See it used to provide a grass - like look in commercial landscapes around town.

Oh I’m hooked for sure now, how many reasons do you need to plant something? Good for bees, necessity for butterfly’s, looks cool, smells insanely good. That’s it, definitely going to start mixing different asclepias into most of my beds around the yard. Planted 2 tuberosa a few weeks ago and 2 Joe pye weed. 
Always learn something new about plants. Was researching Joe pye weed and funny you mention the 10-12 foot milkweed….giant Joe pye weed, eupatorium fistulosum can grow 10-12 feet as well. Have to make room for a few of these!!! Worth growing some of the tropical milkweeds as annuals, in your opinion? 

[Silas_Sancona]

12 minutes ago, teddytn said:

Oh I’m hooked for sure now, how many reasons do you need to plant something? Good for bees, necessity for butterfly’s, looks cool, smells insanely good. That’s it, definitely going to start mixing different asclepias into most of my beds around the yard. Planted 2 tuberosa a few weeks ago and 2 Joe pye weed. 
Always learn something new about plants. Was researching Joe pye weed and funny you mention the 10-12 foot milkweed….giant Joe pye weed, eupatorium fistulosum can grow 10-12 feet as well. Have to make room for a few of these!!! Worth growing some of the tropical milkweeds as annuals, in your opinion? 

The Red/ Orange flowered one should be fine to grow. You might even get lucky and have the roots overwinter if growing in a really protected spot.  Big ones, ..Calotrops sp. could be trickier,  not sure if they'd grow fast enough to produce seed before getting cut down / killed once temps. are below ~ roughly 29F. 

Biggest issue w/ the common tropical milkweed in warmer areas is the fact it often won't die down over the winter which invites trouble from a parasite that can kill caterpillars that may be feeding late, or cause  adults to be deformed when they emerge. Latest recommendation for those wanting to keep growing it is to cut it down in winter, mirroring the lifecycle of most other native Milkweeds, minus the two i mentioned which stay evergreen all year here..  ..and grow as many native species  -with a lesser amount of the tropical one-  as you can find seed of.. 


 

[Silas_Sancona]

Random, morning stroll green..

Honey Mesquite and Waterlily pads..





Dwf. Poinciana







Shy - flowering Guaiacum coulteri specimen, not being so shy now..







Habranthus robustus

[Silas_Sancona]

More Waterlilies    ...For the heck of it..
















Since i don't have any tubs set up for home - grown waterlilies -yet, - envisioning the possibilities





 

[teddytn]

Lavender getting goingWild garlic I believe Coneflowers getting going as well

Kismet redPurpureaBee balm asclepias perennis, ever-blooming milkweedblack eyed susan gladiolus catnip

[Silas_Sancona]

17 hours ago, teddytn said:

Lavender getting goingWild garlic I believe Coneflowers getting going as well

Kismet redPurpureaBee balm asclepias perennis, ever-blooming milkweedblack eyed susan gladiolus catnip

Glad looks like the one i have growing here.. interesting..

[teddytn]

18 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Glad looks like the one i have growing here.. interesting..

Just a rando supposed mixed bag of dry bulbs from lowes. That’s the only color that has come up so far. A bunch that have leaves and haven’t bloomed yet, hopefully different color scheme

[Silas_Sancona]

On 6/16/2022 at 5:12 AM, teddytn said:

Just a rando supposed mixed bag of dry bulbs from lowes. That’s the only color that has come up so far. A bunch that have leaves and haven’t bloomed yet, hopefully different color scheme

Think the ones here were a random bulk bag buy as well...

[Silas_Sancona]

A few things as we move between sub- seasons ( Hot and dry to hot and humid )

Desert Rose.. the yellow flowered specimen. W/ some extra heat / sun exposure, un opened flowers have a nice blush- colored tinge to them.






Coulteria ( ** Formally Caesalpinia ** ) platyloba



Ruellia nudiflora. Some folks think of this native as kind of weedy but, far better looking than the Mex. Petunia planted everywhere ..that is extremely aggressive and hard to eradicate. Great low growing " leafy " plant for shady spots.  Planted two, each from a different source.. This one flowers. Other specimen skips flowering and forms fruit/ seed. May replace that one.

[Peter]

Cacalaco -I thought it was more of a fall/winter bloomer but it's full of flowers now

[teddytn]

Mammoth Russian sunflowers, supposed to get 10-12’ we’ll see…the tallest ones are about 8’ overall right now.

[teddytn]

Hardy hibiscus. This is ‘midnight marvel’ dark purple leaves, medium deep red flowers. This is the first hibiscus I’ve ever grown, def. Wasn’t ready for the size of the flowers, must be 10” diameter. Good thing it has so many flowers waiting to pop, get about 2 good days in full sun before each bloom fades. Planted 2 ‘vanilla puff’ coneflowers, 1 finally came up, love just the purpurea, all these different colors and the double flowered varieties are really peaking my interest lately. 

[DoomsDave]

Below is an Epidendrum radicans orchid.

It’s about half an inch across. Note the lip in the shape of a cross.

 

Below is my slope full of bougainvillea 

[DoomsDave]

Here’s blossoms on the Happy Hummingbird Hangout Hibiscus aka rosa sinensis.

It’s about 15 feet tall almost as wide, and gets both white and pink flowers on the same plant. Every evening in the summer lots of hummingbirds swarm around it and get one final nightcap before going to bed.

 

[DoomsDave]

Here’s the Wildflower from the planet Vulcan aka Erythrina humeana thanks @Marius!

 

Here’s the Shrimp plant, hummingbirds love these things too 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

A few.. 

W/ the heat of late / lack of good downpours, not terribly much flowering in the yard / around town atm..   That said, picked up a couple newer things down south this past weekend, and spotted a rarity ...here at least.. on the way back.  Wayy too tired that day to stop and grab pictures ..Left the battery for the camera at home when i left ( at 5:30am ) anyway.  Made a quick trip to get pictures today.

Newer thing ( Waiting on something else to flower again before adding it ):

Ragged Nettle Spurge,  Jatropha macrorhiza   Unusual, warm season growing member of the Euphorbiaceae  from gravely slopes and canyons in grassland and Oak - Juniper Woodlands in S. AZ. that arises from a potato-like tuber after a good summer soaking.  Have one, but wanted to add a couple more to create a colony and better opportunity for pollination between plants. Like all Euphorbs, this one is quite toxic if consumed. Usually seen at about 12-14" in height, but can reach 20-24" if well watered.









That rare thing....

While the standard, red- flowering version of it is a very common, ...if not somewhat over planted, summer sizzler in landscapes of every size and concept here,  this version is an incredibly rare sight..  I see thousands of specimens a week,  every year,  and Saturday is the first time i've spotted this form anywhere in the valley ( ...that i have been to regularly ) or, down in Tucson ( ...or anywhere along the routes i normally take between both areas )

Caesalpinia pulcherrima  var. flava   = Yellow - flowered Dwarf Poinciana. Spotted in San Tan Valley, a normally, somewhat cooler < in winter > portion of the overall East Valley. 






















Guaiacum coulteri  ..on flower cycle #4.

[Paradise Found]

A little bit of white helps to lighten up the garden. These lily flowers are big!!

1

Edited July 27, 2022 by Paradise Found

[Silas_Sancona]

...Adding from yesterday:

One of our 3 native Hibiscus.. Pretty sure this is H. biseptus   ...which closely resembles the other yellow- flowered, native Hibiscus, H. coulteri  and grows in many of the same places as H. coulteri  where their ranges overlap in Southern AZ. making field ID a little tough unless familiar w/ both species. Supposedly, H. coulteri has lighter colored flowers, less red/ brown around the eye of the flower, and less bristly leaves. Wouldn't doubt there are hybrids between the two, unless incompatible.  

Both species, and our pink - flowered native Hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus ( Rock Hibiscus )  are warm season perennial / short, sub-shrub -type plants that grow on rocky slopes in canyons, deserts, and grasslands.  While summer - early fall is the main flowering season, all three can re- flower in late winter / spring if rains are adequate and temperatures warm.











While rather sparse looking when encountered in habitat, they can become a tad fuller and taller ( 20-36" in height ) in cultivation if provided a little more water thru the warm season. All 3 typically go dormant ..or semi - dormant during the cooler winter months and should be left to their own ( no extra water ).

H. biseptus also has stout, thin bristles on the backs of the leaves, and seedpods and can give sensitive individuals a brief, prickly rash when handled.

All three handle heat and drought well.  One of those interesting conversation fillers for the summer / monsoon season garden, and alongside spring flowering perennials / Cacti.
 

[Tracy]

Common and easy to grow Naked Lady's blooming now in the neighborhood and in my yard.  Amaryllis belladonna

[Silas_Sancona]

A few mid August blooms from the Yahh' d..

Bloom Cycle #5, ...is Live...  Interesting that Honeybees are now pollinating. Until this cycle, flowers have attracted just various native bees.







Ivy - Leaved Morning Glories, for the fall.. Nov. '21 Oak Flat collection. Yellow Flowered Morning Glory/ Yucca Vine that was on this trellis got fried earlier on this summer. Other on another trellis is doing ok.. Morning glories on that one as well.



Native " Petunia" Ruellia humilis



Coryphantha robustispina



Aristiolochia watsonii, S.W. Pipevine.. I may have solved the riddle that is germinating seed of this species this summer as well.





Wright's Milkpea, Galactia wrightii ..Seed  also collected up at Oak Flat last fall..  Starting to fill out more since planted back in May, and almost time to start flowering.

[Tom in Tucson]

Great images (as usual)!

One observation: The ID is incorrect for the Coryphantha. I think it's an image of C. maiz-tablasensis.

Hi 104˚, Lo 74˚

[Silas_Sancona]

20 minutes ago, Tom in Tucson said:

Great images (as usual)!

One observation: The ID is incorrect for the Coryphantha. I think it's an image of C. maiz-tablasensis.

Hi 104˚, Lo 74˚

Good catch and thanks for the correction. 

[Silas_Sancona]

A few from the local Oasis.. 

Texas Sage vars.  Lighter Lavender flowered variety is likely " Lynn's Legacy "









Little leaf Cordia, Cordia parvifolia





Mex, Bird of Paradise, Erythrostemon mexicanus **Formally Caesalpinia mexicana**  Majority of specimens around town are in the middle of their summer flowering cycle.







Red Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrima  ...An interesting, -and purely speculative side-note-, While these hit their high note during mid -Monsoon, flowering-wise,  Last year, most specimens around town were bursting with seedpods at this time, including the ones here. This year? not a single pod dangling from any.  Noted a similar pattern in 2020.






 

[Tracy]

I can't help but think of the Psychedelic Furs when I look at these plant....  "Pretty in Pink" starts playing in my head every time.

[Silas_Sancona]

Another year of -Decent- Monsoon rainfall in parts of the state brings out the summer color, especially as you get closer to the AZ/ Mexico where rainfall has been more widespread and consistent. That said, exploring the same areas of the Cienegas yesterday as last year, very easy to tell rainfall distribution / amounts have been different.. Grasses are shorter, diversity of flowering things is muted this year.. Could see some areas closer to Tucson where the Ocotillo covering hillsides that were still green at this time last year are already starting to dry out.  North of Tucson, the fields of AZ Summer Poppies ( Kallstroemia grandiflora ) that carpeted the same road cuts along the I-10 near Eloy last year, are dry and dusty this year.

Regardless, some interesting finds this year..

Funastrum sp.



Tithonia thurberi  AZ Sunflowerweed



NOID composites











Ipomoea cristulata  Trans Pecos Morning Glory





Ipomoea hedreaca Ivy-Leaved Morning Glory



Senna hirsuta var glaberrima  Slimpod Senna





Phaseolus sp.



Evolvulus arizonica  AZ Blue Eyes





Dalea nana



Dalea albiflora



Tansy Aster sp.



Day Flowers, Commelina :
Whitemouth, C. erecta



Bird Bill, C. dianthifolia



Spreading Fleabane, Violet hued form



Macroptilium gibbosifolium Variableleaf Bushbean







Argemone pleiacantha  Southwestern Prickly Poppy



Gomphrena sonorae  Sonoran Globe Amaranth






Mimosa dysocarpa







Gaillardia pinnatifida, Red Dome Blanketflower



Penstemon dasyphyllus, Cochise Penstemon









Oenothera suffructosa



Desmanthus cooleyi



Trailing Windmills



Sphaeralcea angustifolia, Copper Globemallow



Asclepias sp.



Chamaecrista nictitans

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Meangreen94z]

Fouquieria macdougalii 

[BigFrond]

Wow, so many nice images.  I like the color of Guaiacum coulteri.

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, BigFrond said:

Wow, so many nice images.  I like the color of Guaiacum coulteri.

If you can find one ( a few nurseries in palm springs stock them.. Other nurseries there may be able to order plants from here )  I highly recommend tracking one down.. Should do very well where you're located.. Easy to maintain ( Just remember, no extra water in winter, ..esp. if it is a wet year.  Deep soak every two weeks thru the summer / early fall ) and won't get massive ...at least not quickly,  or if minimally watered.  No Mulch around these.. Plant in the rockiest/ sandy -est soil you can.

Flower display -on and off thru the summer, ..and likely into the fall there- can't be beat.

My larger, potted specimen is starting flowering cycle #6 for the year.  Fruit on the smaller, shyer flowering specimen is also starting to ripen / open atm as well.  

Edited September 7, 2022 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Silas_Sancona]

A little " transitional " color as we prepare to turn the final page on summer 2022.

With some overnight showers / cooler start to the day, flowers on the Ivy Leaved Morning Glories ( Ipomoea hederacea ) actually last a few hours past sunrise, lol..  Usually do the daily, wilted look thing once sun hits them and the back wall in the morning. Like Peppers and Tomatoes grown in full sun, as soon as they're shaded in the afternoon, foliage on the Morning Glories perks up again. Hopefully it  will stay cool enough in the morning hours over the coming weeks so more flowers will stay open longer.





Wright's Milkpea, planted this year, from seed just starting it's flowering cycle. Small things really, but a tougher groundcover-ish plant than i'd thought.



Turk's Cap, also responding to a break from the heat.





Senna sp. One of a few locally native answers to late summer / fall- flowering Senna species from back east / Mexico.

[SailorBold]

Beautiful shots Nathan..  I added some lantana in August.. and some more Agaves and cactus.. hopefully this will be a good plant for me.. planted a little late.

[SailorBold]

On 9/7/2022 at 8:05 AM, Meangreen94z said:

Fouquieria macdougalii 

That's awesome.. hummingbird magnet i bet! ive seen those for sale here.. but I looked it up and it appears to be more tender than splendens...so I passed on it.

[Peter]

That morning glory is beautiful!

[Silas_Sancona]

10 minutes ago, Peter said:

That morning glory is beautiful!

I'll have to send some seed your way when i collect more next month ( or if the ones here set seed ) if you want to try a few.  Keep in mind, this one is an annual and can seed itself around / climb over anything in its way if left to it's own.  NOT nearly as invasive as the perennial morning glory that used to be sold out there though.  I planted these against the crude trellis i put up earlier so i can keep them in check.

Regardless, while not huge, as you've seen in other pictures i've posted of these, the flowers are a really nice burst of late summer color, and the lobed leaves add a nice tropical touch, though on some plants ( ...or even the same plant ), the leaves can stay entire ..w/out any lobes.

[Tom in Tucson]

1 hour ago, SailorBold said:

That's awesome.. hummingbird magnet i bet! ive seen those for sale here.. but I looked it up and it appears to be more tender than splendens...so I passed on it.

To grow it without frost damage it needs a 9b climate. Despite that problem it's likely the 2nd most popular species grown in our area.

Hi 97˚, Lo 69˚

[Silas_Sancona]

@SailorBold  apologize if i'd mentioned it in the past, but if you're looking to add some nice, summer/ late summer color to the yard, you might research some of the Agastache.. I keep hearing they perform really well there in ABQ / New Mexico in general. One i planted here did fine until the 80+ deg. nights kicked in.   Salvia and Penstemon species would be other things that would add splashes of color as well. 

If you have space against one, a warm wall might be a good spot to trial Tecoma Stans, particularly plants sourced from south of you / West TX. ( Supposedly where the hardiest local form of the species comes from )..  Imagine it would likely get cut down there over the winter, but i'd think it could return from the roots if placed in an ideal spot ...esp. if Bougainvillea returns for you. Makes me question whether or not you're actually a touch warmer than the Plant Maps data suggests..