Tag Archives: shrub

Pretty and Poisonous Potato Bush

Posted on by 4 comments

The Blue Potato Bush, native to Argentina and Paraguay, and growing in our back yard in California, has purple blooms all over it and seems to have enjoyed the recent rains.

Photo 1: Blue Potato Bush

Blue Potato Bush

The potato bush plant (Lycianthes rantonnetii) is closely related to potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants and although rather pretty to see it is a member of the Solanum family and is poisonous. Common names for this plant include blue potato bush, Paraguay nightshade and blue solanum shrub.

Photo 2: Paraguay nightshade in morning sunshine

Potato bush

Photo 3:Blue solanum shrub

Potato bush 2

 

Pretty but toxic Peach Oleander

Posted on by 2 comments

Nerium Oleander, another pretty flower on a toxic shrub. It is not as deadly as Angel’s Trumpets although ingestion can cause poisoning when someone sucks nectar from the flowers or chews leaves from the plant. Poisoning can also happen if you eat honey made by bees that used the oleander plant for nectar. Best to keep dogs and kids away from it.

Photo 1: Shower of peach Oleander

Oleander peach 4

Photo 2: Single Oleander Bloom

Oleander peach

Photo 3: Oleander buds and blooms

Oleander peach 3

Photo 4: Peach Oleander

Oleander peach 2

Photo 5: Pretty and toxic

Oleander peach 5

Angel’s Trumpets: Beautiful and deadly

Posted on by 5 comments

Brugmansia, more commonly known as Angel’s Trumpets are well suited to their name and look positively angelic in the early morning light. Do not be deceived by their heavenly name and scent though as they are deadly poisonous so if you eat them you could meet your maker. This large shrub with it’s impressive blooms belongs to the Solanaceae family along with a plant called Deadly Nightshade for good reason, all parts of Brugmansia are poisonous, with the seeds and leaves being especially dangerous.

Photo 1: Angel’s Trumpets in Morning light

Angels trumpet 2

 

Photo 2: Sunkissed Angel’s Trumpet

Angels trumpet 9

 

 

Photo 3: Salutation

Angels trumpet 5

Photo 4:Angel’s Trumpet bud

Angels trumpet 3

Photo 5: Heavenly form

Angels trumpet 4

Photo 6: The spiral

Angels trumpet 6

Photo 7: Angel’s Trumpet

Angels trumpet 8

Abelia in bloom

Posted on by 9 comments

The Abelia plant needed some trimming so of course I got distracted by the beauty of the small blooms while in the garden.

Photo 1: Abelia in bloomAbelia blooming low res

Photo 2: Abelia buds and blooms

Abelia buds and blooms low res

Photo 3: Abelia buds

Abelia buds low res

Photo 4: Abelia trio

Abelia cluster low res

Photo 5: Abelia duo

Abelia duo low res

Photo 6: Abelia sprig

Abelia sprig low res

 

Photo 7: Abelia clusterAbelia trio low res

 

Tecoma Capensis – Cape Honeysuckle

Posted on by 2 comments

Some flowers bring back vivid memories of my childhood. Tecoma Capensis is one of them. We had a hedge growing opposite our bedroom window and the Tecoma blooms were a pleasure to see. It also provided lots of work for my Dad as it grows rather fast and required regular trimming. The plus side for the kids was sucking the sweet nectar from the base of the blooms – provided an ant didn’t get there first. It’s bright orange flowers have led to it also being called fire flower.

Photo 1: Tecoma CapensisTecoma capensis low res

Photo 2: Cape Honeysuckle

Tecoma 6 low res

Photo 3: Tecoma blooms

Tecoma 2 low res

Photo 4: Fire Flower

Tecoma 7 low res

Photo 5: Tecoma in bloom

Tecoma 5 low res

Photo 6: Flying fire flower

Tecoma 4 low res

Photo 7: Cape Honeysuckle flowers

Tecoma 3 low res

Rose of Sharon after the rain

Posted on by 4 comments

There are a number of these shrubs planted around our neighbourhood and at the moment they are starting colourful lavender displays. The rain however is rather heavy on their delicate petals and I stopped to snap a few after the rain. Rose of Sharon is a deciduous flowering shrub and is part of the hibiscus family.

I was intrigued by the name of the shrub and found that the word “Sharon” means a level place or plain in Hebrew.  It is said that in the Song of Solomon 2:1, Solomon’s beloved bride calls herself the “rose of Sharon”  and from this we can infer that it is a flattering term intended to express a certain beauty that the people of Solomon’s time would have recognized but that we can still appreciate in these flowers today.

Photo 1: Rose of Sharon after the rain

Sharon Rose 3 low res

Photo 2: Rose of Sharon bloom

Sharon Rose 5 low res

Photo 3: Rose of Sharon with raindrops

Sharon Rose rain low res

Photo 4: Droplets on Rose of Sharon

Sharon Rose 2 low res

Photo 5: Rose of Sharon Lavender beauty

Sharon Rose 4 low res

Exploring the neighbourhood

Posted on by 6 comments

A few flowers had caught my attention on the school run but I was always rushing so had no time to stop and appreciate them.  So I decided to take my camera for a walk and left the kids with my hubby. This is what I found.

Photo 1: Pink Indian Hawthorn

Indian Hawthorn copy

Photo 2: Purple African Daisies

African daisy

Photo 3: Purple Society Garlic

Society garlic

Photo 4: Single yellow calendula

Calendula yellow low res

Photo 5: Yellow Lily opening

Lily yellow low res

Photo 6: White Spring BlossomsBlossoms white tree low res

Photo 7: Pink Blossom Sprig

Blossoms pink sprig low res

 

Karma Camellia

Posted on by 9 comments

In our house I am the mondegreen queen which usually causes my husband distress but I see my son is prone to it too.  The first time I heard Boy George singing ‘Karma Chameleon’ I was sure I heard ‘Come a Camellia’, nevertheless I do love Camellias so it worked for me. The Camellias are now blooming in rapid succession and deserve a song of their own.

Photo 1: Camellia in Red

Camellia Red stamens 2 low res

Photo 2: Come a Camellia

Camelia red 2 low res

Photo 3: Camellia in bud

Camellia Red bud low res

Photo 4: Camellia Chorus

Camellia Red bud 2 low res

Photo 5: Camellia Sings

Camelia red 1 low res

Viburnum in bud

Posted on by 4 comments

This shrub is in our front garden and I really enjoy watching the tiny flowers open until the whole cluster is in full bloom. It’s that time of year when the buds are about to open – can’t wait 🙂

Photo 1: Viburnum in the afternoon sun

Viburnum Shrub pink low res

Photo 2: Viburnum in bud

Viburnum buds low res

Photo 3: Flowering Viburnum

Virburnum cluster white low res

Photo 4: Viburnum in the snow

pink virburnum in snow low res

« Older Entries