Dow Gardens - Color

 
There are so many beautiful individual plants I could show you! Dow Gardens is like a big flower show... the good stuff just keeps coming.

But I can't move away from it just yet. Today I'll show you some of my favorite pictures that exemplify COLOR. It's no surprise that several of them are coleus (now broken into two genera, so I didn't capitalize it). We probably all know coleus... it's that great planter specimen that features beautifully variegated leaves. They are a relative of mint, but without the minty smell. They are great for showy gardens because if you pinch off the blossoms, the gorgeous leaves just keep their beauty all season long.

Here are two varieties side by side in a planter. Everything from bright and splotchy to dark and geometric



How about the 'stripe-me-pink' oyster plant? This is a variety of my Moses-in-a-boat with colored leaves. Technically Rhoeo discolor or Tradescantia discolor (names are changing faster than one can keep up).



Back to coleus for an interesting salmon color variety.



I debated whether to show you this one under "color" or hold it for "design," but you get it today. This is some variety of Clematis.



Finally, we're back to another display of coleus. This one is in the colors I was trying to pair in my own flower garden, maroon and yellow. So I particularly like this.



In other news: My writing workshop ended today. Great stuff! I'll be doing a post about it on the other blog.

	See Philadelphia Flower Show 2011 Coleus See Oyster Plant
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Moses Makes Another Appearance

 
My houseplants are pretty much abused, but this one has agreed to bloom again. Just ignore the dust and spider webs.



It's the one called Moses-in-the-Boat, Tradescantia discolor. When it bloomed before I gave a lot of explanation, so I won't repeat that.



Instead, I'll show you some previously featured relatives, other Tradescantia.

Wandering Jew, maybe T. pallida



Unknown, but in the same family.



Common spiderwort, a wildflower, Tradescantia virginiana

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Moses-in-the-Boat

 
This plant was given to me by Shelly last summer. It has pretty leaves, and it just bloomed! I set off on an internet quest to learn more about it.



For starters, it's a Tradescantia, Tradescantia discolor to be exact (also now called Rhoeo discolor). That means it's related to the common garden plant, spiderwort. However, I didn't previously realize it, because I think of Tradescantia as having a rather off-balance growth pattern. I guess that's not typical of all the species.



It has several common names. The Moses-in-the-Boat comes from the white blossoms in the boat-shaped cradle of bracts, looking like baby Moses set adrift in the Nile. It's also called Boatlily. I think that's obvious after the previous explanation. I have no idea why it's called Oyster Plant. Of course there is a very different plant with that common name.



The three bold parts to the blossom should have been a clue to the genus, but I didn't catch on before looking it up.

In fact, this is a common garden plant in tropical areas, including south California and Florida. It's actually considered invasive in Florida. I also learned that the sap is extremely irritating to the skin. I think I'll be very careful when I move or repot it, since I'm so allergic to poison ivy. I read that it's very problematic to dogs where it grows outdoors. It causes rashes and sores that don't heal without trips to the vet.

I'll happily keep mine as a houseplant, and in the north there is no danger of putting it outside. It shouldn't be overwatered... not a danger for any of my houseplants!

I have another Tradescantia houseplant, and you can see it at Spring in the Kitchen. It's never bloomed since that post.

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