08-29-2016—Calotropis procera

My neighbor is growing a milkweed in their front yard. Flowers look Asclepia-esque, but wasn't sure what species. Then I saw the plant on The Great Human Race, when they filmed in the Arabian Desert and was able to ID it. Calotropis procera, a milkweed relative. My neighbor's Calotropis is about 7 feet tall. It has large felty silver leaves.

08-05-2016—Flower du Jour

Stapelia divaricata flower

Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) flowers. Many non-gardeners think grasses don't have flowers, but of course they do. Grass flowers are designed for movement—not for the pleasure of birds, bees, or humans. Wind-pollinated plants are a visual reminder of the unseen forces of air. Need to watch Onibaba again, where grasses dominate the screen. Good Halloween movie. Putting on queue for October, just a couple months away.

07-09-2016—Naked Milkweeds

Monarch caterpillars have eaten tropical milkweeds down to sticks. Native milkweeds (A. speciosa and fascicularis) remain untouched.

Since then, I've seen monarch caterpillars in strange places, looking for their next meal—on the driveway, exterior stucco, and pictured below on Lepisorus bicolor.

Update 07-15-2016: Unbeknownst to me the monarch caterpillar formed chrysalis on fern. I saw the butterfly emerging.