Lenten Rose

Helleborus x Hibridus. Buttercup family. In this region
they bloom around the time of lent.
3-22-09

Lenten Rose

3-21-09

Lenten Rose

3-21-09

Crocus

From the Greek krokus which means saffron which is a spice
obtained from the stamens of Crocus sativus. Our first Spring
bloomer. In the iris family, they grow from corms. A corm is
something like a bulb but isn't.
3-21-09

Shorty

Shorty is the newest family member. He loves the
beach but looks forward to going home up north.
He is still wearing his Mardi Gras beads.
3-9-09

Groupies at the Moorings

This is a group of friends that gather every
Friday afternoon at 5:00 for a beach party
in front of the condos.
3-5-09

Orchids

The Sanibel Moorings Resort has many beautiful
orchids growing on the trees.
3-5-09

Flowering Cactus

This large cactus is just off the beach at
The Moorings Resort on Sanibel Island.
3-5-09

Cut Flower Arrangement

One of the true joys of flowers.
3-5-09

Crinum Lily

Amaryllidaceae crinum asiaticum. Also Spider
Lily and Giant Lily. This huge Sanibel Moorings Lily
is native to the tropics and subtropics and produces
fragrant large flowers.
3-4-09

Crown of Thorns

Euphorbia milii. Woody succulent with thorns. Originally
collected by King Juba II of Numidia (50BC to 19AD) who
named it after his Greek physician Euphorbus. As it was
growing there at the time it could have been used as
Christ's Crown of Thorns.
3-3-09

Sea Lavender

Plumbaginaceae or Leadwort Family. Also limonium,
statice, and marsh rosemary. Despite its name it is
not related to lavender or rosemary. They grow well
in saline soil. This stand of sea lavender was on the
gulf coast at The Moorings.
3-3-09

Natal Plum

Carissa macrocarpa. This is a beautiful shrub with
a striking plum shaped berry fruit. The mature fruit
is edible but tart which is rich in Vitamin C and calcium.
3-3-09

Kapok Tree

Ceiba pentandra. Also Java cotton and ceiba.
Family Malvaceae. The word kapok is used for the
fiber obtained from the seed pods. The fiber is a
mix of lignin and cellulose and is used to fill pillows
and sleeping bags and life preservers.
3-2-09

Bird of Paradise

Heliconia- Also lobster claws and wild plantains.
Genus of 200 species of tropical and su-tropical
flowering plants including Florida and Hawaii.
3-2-09

Beach Sunflower

In these days that our sunflowers are beginning to fade its nice
to remember that sunflowers live in many places. This beach
sunflower (Helianthus debilis) from the beach at Sanibel Island
was photographed in March of this year. It is a dune stabilization
ground cover which is salt water and drought tolerant.
3-2-09

Bouganvillia

A flowering bush with thorns,
3-2-09

Mamey supote

Puteria supota. This is an ornamental evergreen tree.
The fruit has a covering like a kiwi and is eaten raw.
The flavor is described as a combination of pumpkin,
sweet potatoe, and maraschino cherry with a creamy
sweet texture. Some have prized it as an aphrodesiac.
I have not tried it yet.
3-2-09

Golden Dew Drop

Duranta erecta - Verbena family. Also Sky
Flower and Pigeon Berry. This is a flowering
shrub with little blue flowers and then golden
berries
3-2-09

Agave

Agave americana - Family agavaceae. Also Century
Plant. Related to the lily plant and sometimes mistaken
for cactus. The plant matures slowly and after producing
an impressive central fower, it dies.
3-2-09

Milkweed

Milk Weed (Asclepias curassavica) Also Scarlet milkweed,
Bloodroot, Blood flower. Named by Linnaeus after the god of
healing. Milkweed is the primary food for the larval stage
of the Monarch Butterfly.
3-1-09