Succulent Sunday - Kalanchoe thyrsiflora (or tetraphylla, or luciae)

There are some succulents that do well no matter what I do (or don't do), and there are some that don't do well at all, no matter what I do (or don't do).

Kalanchoe thrysifolia (or tetraphylla, or luciae as I have discovered after some searching for information about this plant). Whatever the name, this is a pretty hardy succulent that tends to cope pretty well no matter what I throw at it. Whether on a windowsill in pretty much full shade, or a scorchingly hot spot in a small container, it soldiers on.

According to Wikipedia this variety of Kalanchoe is native to South Africa, and common names include (but are not limited to) paddle plant, flapjacks, desert cabbage, white lady, geelplakkie, meelplakkie, or plakkie. 

This was taken several years ago at our last place. This was my first (but not last)
pup of the variety, and he did okay on the shady windowsill in our front room.

The powdery 'bloom' on the leaves that protect it from the harsh rays of the sun can make repotting or 'de-pupping' this succulent a messy business. The powder is sticky to the touch and covers the stem as well as the leaves, and at first glance can look like mealy bugs, making this a good hiding place for them (though I've never seen any on mine - or I may have, but didn't see them because of the powder - but I've never seen ants on the leaves and stems so that's a good sign. Ants hanging around plants are almost always a bad sign).

Much happier in my sunny front garden

Culture notes:

Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrops)
Origin: South Africa (Africa)
Flower Color: Yellow
Bloomtime: Spring

Height: 1m
Width: 80cm
Water: Moderate/Low once established

Light: Sun/Part Sun

Pests and diseases: Fungal diseases, mealybugs, aphids and scale

Rain-splashed leaves

The more stressed they are, the redder the leaf margins become. I presume this also leads to flowering though I haven't had one that has flowered yet. Maybe this year?

The majority of mine are in pots, but I have a few in the ground in odd places as they are prolific in the pup department, and it's good to have some backups, just in case.

Wordless Wednesday - Callistemon 'Glasshouse Country'

Succulent Sunday - Echeveria Imbricata

This morning I noticed that the Echeveria imbicata 'Briar Rose' in the pot with my crepe myrtle has started forming a bit of a crest:

Echeveria imbricata 'Briar Rose' cresting,
and not looking terribly awesome...

I bought the mother plant on ebay in 2009, and we had some good times, but over the years our relationship has deteriorated and isn't all that it should be.

I don't recall exactly, but I believe that the main plant I brought from our old unit to this place in 2011 was the original plant I bought (or possibly the head of the original plant) and before coming here all of my succulents had lived inside on sunny windowsills. Whether it was the change to outdoor living or 'its time', I don't know, but it ended up succumbing to the dreaded mealy bug, and the two babies that sprouted from a couple of the leaves that I saved haven't thrived.

Mother plant (center of in pot in middle of photo) with babies, flowering.
Obviously it gets its cresting tendencies from Mum... (Feb 2012)

Mother plant in better times (July 2011)

I don't know what it is with echeverias, but I do find them harder to keep alive than other succulents. They seem to fail to thrive and just look sickly all the time, and have a nasty time with all sorts of sap-sucking insects. It's probably something I'm doing (or not doing), or could it be climate - perhaps echeverias are less equipped to deal with the subtropics than other succulents? The only thing is that my MIL doesn't seem to have the same problem and she lives only a few suburbs away...

While it's a pity I can't grow them myself, I can still admire them in my MIL's garden, or online in other bloggers' gardens at least, which will just have to do!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - January 2015

The past couple of days have been hot, sunny and sticky - ideal for drying the washing but not much else. I can't wait for winter to arrive!

I am a little late, but am participating in this month's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day hosted by May Dreams Gardens the purpose of which is to show photos of flowers blooming in the garden in the middle of the month. 

It's Summer here in Australia at the moment, and there are quite a few interesting things going on bloom-wise. I headed out yesterday afternoon right as the sun was setting (about 6:30pm) to take photos of as many flowers as I could find. I found quite a few!

The bougainvilleas have started growing again in leaps and bounds after I repotted them a couple of months ago. 

Bougainvillea 'Orange Glory' flower bracts

Bougainvillea 'Sunvillea Cream' flower bracts

Bougainvillea (purple no ID) bracts forming

Angelonia getting a bit rangy

Celosia 'Intenz'

The salvias are in fine form at the moment. My latest acquisition 'Wendy's Wish' is still recovering from being planted in the garden (during the recent rains) but doesn't seem to be suffering much for it.

Salvia 'Wendy's Wish'

Salvia ' African Skies'

Salvia 'Blaze of Fire'

Cat's Whiskers (Orthosiphon aristatus)

Marjoram

Anthurium (no ID)

Loropetalum chinense rubrum 'China Pink'

Loropetalum chinense rubrum 'China Pink'

It was a fun challenge to find as many flowers as possible in the garden and take photos in a short timeframe (as the sun was setting the light was fading).

Make sure to head over to May Dreams Gardens to check out Carol's bloom day, and everyone else who has participated this month.

Wordless Wednesday - Sundew

Q & A

It's obviously January in Brisbane - we have had day after day of muggy weather with sporadic showers that only serve to steam things up more. At least it isn't hot and sunny, or raining too much.

The purpose of this post is to share my answers for the questions Amy from Crumbs has posed to by passing on the Liebster award. Thanks Amy!

Why do you blog?

I started this blog late last year, out of a desire to share the stories behind the images that I upload to flickr. I also love to write, which my day job involves a fair amount of, but it is way more fun writing about gardens and plants.

Do you have any pets? (Show and tell is encouraged!)

Yep - two cats:

Abby

Toby

How did you come up with the name for your blog? 

I found my inspiration from two of the garden blogs I read regularly - Loree's Danger Garden and Jamie's Garden Amateur. I thought I would call my blog something similiarly descriptive, and my garden is a bit of a hodge-podge of my favourite plants, so Random Garden sums it up well.

What's the average amount of time it takes you to create a post?

Ages. I love to write but writing well doesn't come naturally to me. I agonise over every word and sentence. I rewrite my posts more than once before they're published, and sometimes make a few edits after. I am my own worst critic.

What is your drink of choice?

I drink tea. Lots and lots of tea. I tend to drink black and green tea without milk at work, and black tea with milk at home.

What's the best advice you ever received? 

The best thing someone said to me many years ago was, "Don't sweat the small stuff". It has stuck in my mind ever since, and I try my best to live my life accordingly.

What is your favourite season and why?

Definitely, definitely, definitely winter. I love the cold, and we are lucky here in Brisbane that there isn't any frost or snow to make things difficult for growing plants. In winter I practically live in the garden as it's so lovely and mild, though I have to admit that the short days are a bit of a drag.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I'm pretty proud of my new-found ability to draw. 

Blue Wren feet

I came late to the art-party, and I never thought I would be able to look at something and reproduce it (to any degree of accuracy). I fully recommend Val Webb's online classes for anyone who wants to learn.

What is your most prized possession?

If a pet can be called a possession I would have to say that my cats are my most important and prized possessions. If not, then my garden.

What is your favourite plant?

Oh my goodness, this is like choosing a favourite child... I love native Australian plants, especially grevilleas. If I had to choose a favourite grevillea that I actually have in my garden, it would be Grevillea 'Orange Marmalade':

Grevillea 'Orange Marmalade'

What is your least favourite task in the garden?

There aren't any tasks I don't like to do - but if I had to rate them all I would say weeding would be the lowest on the list. It can be overwhelming or satisfying, depending on the time of year and how slack I've been.

~ ~ ~

And that's all the questions answered! Thanks again Amy for passing this on to me. 

Melaleuca, Callistemon or Bottlebrush?

According to online sources, the Queensland Herbarium has accepted the absorption of Callistemon into Melaleuca. Apparently this is due to Callistemon not being dissimiliar enough from Melaleuca to warrant having a genus all to itself, however the change isn't widely accepted and naming will vary from source to source. I've got a hunch though that the old name will stick, as these things often do.

I think my main attraction to them is their fluffy and intricate flower spikes, with colourful filaments that act as a beacon for the nectar-eating birds that are so prevalent in our corner of the world.

Possibly C. Viminalis?
Not from my garden (picked from someone else's)

I for one will keep referring to it as 'Callistemon' or by its incredibly common (and descriptive name), 'Bottlebrush', because I am stubborn that way.

This photo was taken at O'Reilly's Guesthouse when we visited in 2013
You can't really see it in the photo but there were bees all over it

I have a few callistemons, but the majority haven't rewarded me with flowers yet. The happiest (and most floriferous) by far is Callistemon "Glasshouse Country" which I picked up from the local community fair in 2013.

Callistemon "Glasshouse Country"

It gets hot afternoon sun just about every day of the year, but it doesn't appear to care. It also doesn't get much (if any) supplemental water being in the garden on the street side of the fence - (which tends to be a bit neglected due to being out of sight (and therefore out of mind)).

More Glasshouse Country

The beautiful soft pink flower spikes are pretty, but unfortunately after a couple of days they start looking a bit faded and on the ratty side.

They remind me of fireworks

Another drawback of this one is its susceptibility to the dreaded Melaleuca psillid, larvae and adults of which create a white waxy/webby coating on new growth as they feed. I tip-prune whenever I find evidence of them, rather than spraying, which I think the waxy coating would repel anyway.

Glasshouse Country with active psyllids

Close up of the waxy/webby coating the active psyllids create

Callistemon (no ID) showing psyllid damage via yellow and brown spots

Not all callistemons (melaluecas/bottlebrushes) are susceptible to this nasty little bug - I currently have another five of them growing in various spots (a couple in pots) in my garden, and so far haven't seen nearly as much damage on any of the others - even on those growing less than a metre on either side (a 'White Anzac' and 'Purple Splendour'). One thing in Glasshouse Country's favour is that it hasn't let the psyllids get it down - it always looks quite healthy and has even flowered through it all. Unlike the plant in the last photo, a no-ID cascade-style callistemon that had flowers similar to Glasshouse Country in shape and colour. Its infestation was so chronic that I ended up binning it to put it out of its misery (and save my sanity).

I would now like a very vibrant red callistemon to round out my collection, but before I buy I will be researching its resistance to this pest first. Any ideas?