New Plants from Florida!

Everytime I visit Florida I try to bring some fun plants back & this might be my biggest haul I've ever carried on a plane! 

Going Bananas

I purchased three new banana plants from an incredible local banana plant grower. The Musa Thai Black was field dug and is already large & showing some gorgeous dark coloration. I'm also trying Musa Sumatrana X Gran Nain, and what I thought was Musa Velutina.... but could be Musa Viente Cohol. We'll have to see.

Here they are when I picked them up...

Unfortunately the Musa Sumatrana X Gran Nain banana had damage so I decided it would be healthier to cut it off right from the bottom of the damage. It's already growing back. 

Mounts Botanical Garden - Palm & Cycad Sale

I had a blast talking with the palm tree hobbyist at this sale! They showed me pictures of their gardens that truly had me drooling. Unfortunately, a lot of vendors couldnt make it to the sale because of the weather, but I still managed to bring home some cool plants like Chamadorea ernestii angusta & Dypsis maroantsetra. 

Dypsis maroantsetra develops red new fronds. I'm so excited for that! 

What's the point in a garden without some comfy furniture!?

I feel like all my hard work in the garden pays off, but one regret I had last year was the lack of time I spent sitting outside and enjoying it! I think the biggest reason was the lack of places to sit - so before we really get into the warmer days - I decided to make an investment. 

Nighttime temperatures are still dropping below freezing, so the orchid on the table was only there for the afternoon, but the palms will stay outside at this point. The potted Trachycarpus fortunei and Camellias only go in the garage when temperatures approach the teens F at night - and those days are long gone!

My Camellia "R.L Wheeler" is getting so close to opening its first blooms of the season. It's a spectacular cultivar! 

I decided to add my Chamadorea microspadix and Lady palm to the area to give a really nice "Florida vibe". These palms are cold tolerant down to 20F (and the Chamadorea can actually handle even colder!). I do keep them in the house during the coldest weeks of winter because I love to spoil my plants.