Rosy in winter
The ‘Black Pearl’ ornamental pepper finally bit the dust after a couple of hard freezes. Although the withered plant is bent and droopy, I still like the bright-red berries and will leave it uncut for the time being. Maybe the birds will eat them. Maybe I’ll even get some volunteers for next spring. I’m very lazy about collecting seed and rely on Mother Nature to sow for me.
A flapjack plant (Kalanchoe thrysiflora) in a pot is quite rosy with the extra sun it gets in winter. In summer this pot sits in the dappled shade of live oaks, but in winter I bring it up on the deck so that I’ll remember to protect it when it freezes.
A lone purple coneflower in bloom surprised me yesterday afternooon.
The rest of them look like this—long gone to seed.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
We have to do the trade…you and your Austin compadres can stare at the chilly purple wall and the firepit blazing up here, while I stare at your flowering Echinacea in the middle of January!! Amazing!
That sounds like a good trade to me, David! —Pam
I reckon you will get plenty of volunteers from your Black Pearl, I did from mine!
Nice…I love Echinacea seed heads, but hey, who are we kidding, the flowers are even better!
I hope you have a great weekend too. Love that flying pig. Just goes to show that anything is possible.
What a lovely surprise to have an Echinacea in bloom this time of year!
I like your flying pig, the right kind of whimsy. The rose hips are what I always look forward to before the snow flies, but not too many this year. Looks like you got them though and with good color too.
It’s been a crazy winter…hummingbirds and rose blooms on this side of town! Your flying pig is precious – love him!
I sure hope your Black Pearl appears again. I love them. They are beautiful.
They will definitely appear again, one way or another. 😉 —Pam
Good pictures – the flapjack plant is a new one on me – one day i’ll get a greenhouse then who knows – but I am hoping to put some chilies in this year
Hi Pam! What do you do with your flapjack plant if it gets too leggy? Or, maybe, its stem gets too long only in my garden because of the lack of sun? Your photographs are great! I love the seedhead especially: if to add eyes to it, it’ll be a hedgehog! Have a great weekend!
Hi, Tatyana. That little kalanchoe has always remained compact, and I’ve had it potted in that same pot for about 5 to 7 years! Here in Austin, land of the killer sun, we have to give our succulents shade at midday and in the afternoon or they can burn, so mine gets mostly morning and dappled sun. It lives outside all year except during freezes, when I bring it in. I don’t know what keeps it compact, or maybe it’s just a very slow grower for me. —Pam
I always forget how pretty the flapjack will get with a little more sun until winter when they get those rosy-red tips.
Every time I see ‘Black Pearl’ ornamental pepper, I wonder why I don’t have it in the garden! It’s such a striking plant. I hope your weekend has been filled with gardening adventures Pam. It’s deep into winter here.
Pamolicious,
I have a question about the coneflower. Do you trim those floppy leaves in the winter? I just hate how they get so messy looking. I like the bare head, but the leaves are ikky, to me. Do they bother you or do yours do that?
Mamalicious, I don’t do a thing with them, but I don’t see the harm in trimming away during the dormant season. Then again, you may not get any surprise winter blooms if they don’t have leaves with which to photosynthesize. It’s a trade-off. —Pam
Hmmm…good thinking. That’s why you’re the pro! Too late this year…maybe next. WISH we could see more of your house…hint hint. It’s so pretty!