How to Make Sure Your Bird of Paradise Blooms

Bird of paradise plants (Strelitzia reginae) are popular all over Florida and we've always had them in our yard. I noticed some of them rarely bloom, while others pop up and surprise me. I learned there are certain conditions you can set to make sure your Bird of Paradise plant blooms regularly. This particular one … Continue reading How to Make Sure Your Bird of Paradise Blooms

What Are These Small Bananas on My Florida Banana Tree?

After trying a fresh banana off the banana trees in our Florida yard, I wondered why it looked and tasted different than the grocery store bananas. It had seeds! And instead of being long, slender, and rounded, it was short and chunky, almost squared off hard edges. And when it ripened to yellow, they all … Continue reading What Are These Small Bananas on My Florida Banana Tree?

Our First Staghorn Fern is in Place

I kept seeing these cool plants suspended from trees around the neighborhood, and learned they were called staghorn ferns. Staghorn ferns derive their name from their distinctive fronds, which resemble the antlers of a stag. I'd been wanting one for a while, and a neighbor dropped one off, with the growing medium still attached to … Continue reading Our First Staghorn Fern is in Place

Growing the Amaryllis Red Barbados Lily in Florida

Every Easter our yard lights up with bright red Amaryllis flowers with yellow centers. Because of that, I've always called them Easter Lilies. I've since learned they are actually not a lily at all, but an Amaryllis or Hippeastrum puniceum, a stunning flowering plant native to the Caribbean region, particularly Barbados, hence the popular name … Continue reading Growing the Amaryllis Red Barbados Lily in Florida

Caring for Your Money Tree Plant

This Valentine's Day my son and husband got me a Money Tree plant. I've been telling them for a while that I'd prefer live plants to cut flowers, so I was pretty excited about it. I've never had a Money Tree plant before, so I had to look up how to care for it and … Continue reading Caring for Your Money Tree Plant