Really cool flower

18 years ago

I'm so excited, my Crown Flower (Calotropis gigantea) finally bloomed. I was wondering if the buds were ever going to open and had even asked about it. It's buds dropped at an earlier stage last season when I moved it into the greenhouse. It's really just a tropical milkweed on steroids. lol Each bloom is about 2" across and they are used to make leis in Hawaii.

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I found another caterpillar eating my brugs but it was too cute to relocate. Daniella my insect ID expert what is this?

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The purple iochroma blooms have nice color again now that the temps are cooler.

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This is another Day Dreams whose buds are starting out a bit different. I'm sure it's temp related because previous flushes looked just like my other DD's. One of the buds is super long.

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The corkscrew vines are covered in buds and smell so nice.

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Lots of different Toad lilies but still waiting on Raspberry Mousse to open.

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Green Envy zinnia

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Comments (9)

fool4flowers
18 years ago
Oh, that is so cool. I saw those in Hawaii. I just showed John and he said " I didn't know those grow here, lol. " He doesn't know Karyn is not zone challenged like the rest of us, lol. You even have neat caterpillars. All I get are the dang green worms. I like those toad lillies. How big are the plants? Never seen them before.
karyn1
Original Author
18 years ago
I really like that milkweed. Toad lilies are a hardy perennial. my oldest one is about 10 year old and has formed a clump about 2' across. They aren't invasive at all. They are super easy from seed and will bloom the first year. I winter sow them. I'll have plenty of seeds by the end of the season if you want any.
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threas
18 years ago
Wow Karyn! That milkweed s cool. So beautiful, and those Toadlilies are cool too! I have to grow them now that I know they are easy and I don't have to overwinter them. LOL

Theresa
daniellalell
18 years ago
Karyn, that milkweed on steroids is beautiful! Congrats on the blooms :) So cool, O love it. The middle almost looks fake..like a kid made it with that puffy paint stuff, lol.
I think the cat is a yellow wooly bear. They turn into the Virginia Tiger Moth.
Toad lilies are gorgeous too. I think I may need to get me some of those. What kind of sun exposure do they like?
napdognewfie
18 years ago
Love the milkweed. Does it smell? Our plain ones have a nice scent to them.

Linda
karyn1
Original Author
18 years ago
The milkweed doesn't have any scent. For some reason I thought it would. I'm hoping that it will produce some pods. I grow my toad lilies in part sun. I think they do well in shade too but I'm not sure. I should have lots of toad lily seeds in about a month and they are great for winter sowing. Thanks for the cat ID. That little guy can eat! He polished off a good half the foliage on a medium sized brug.
Karyn
fool4flowers
18 years ago
I would love some of the toad lilly seeds Karyn. They pond is in morning sun with dapple afternoon shade from the tree so that might be something good to plant there. My milkweed died. Leave it to me to kill a weed, lol. I don't think it like where I planted it. Come to think of it every time I plant anything in that corner it dies. Hmmmm. Thats weird. I was just thinking out of the whole flower bed I had zinnias and marigolds and other things that took over everywhere except that one spot. Thats why I keep trying to plant it, lol. May be time to do a little digging, lol. See if I can see anything wrong there with the dirt.
ibartoo
18 years ago
I just love them all! Karyn, They are gorgeous. I really love that zinnia too. the caterpillars have eaten all of my passies down to nubs and they have tried working on the brugs too. I can't keep up with them.
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
18 years ago
Your Crown Flower is amazing! I have this really old tropical Hawiian flower book that has those in it-they are so gorgeous. Are they fragrant?
Lost my corkscrew vine so I didn't grow that one this year-they are really beautiful.
I leave some of the cats on my brugs too but I am mad at the cats in the front yard that ate all the leaves off most of the datura. One has a huge seedpod and no leaves at all..it looks really funny.