“Don’t forget your booties…it’s coooold outside!”.
Indeed…as in many other parts of the country, the cold front has hit us hard here in DC. Without any snow to provide me with a scenic backdrop for my comatose garden, and considering the only plants that had not gone dormant, until giving up the ghost this week, were a few clumps of wandering Jew that I had planted as annuals…I’m moving inside!
Tillandsia, Ionantha mexican. © Claudio Vazquez 2010
My furnace has been working double overtime, and the dry, forced air has been wrecking havoc on my humidity-loving tillandsias. A shining moment came earlier this week when – to my surprise – I noticed that one of my Ionatha mexican was in bloom. My “tillies” usually bloom while summering outside, in a sheltered spot I reserve for them under a tulip magnolia.
Rhipsalis salicornioides, syn: Hatiora salicornioides. dancing bones cactus, drunkard's dream, spice cactus © Claudio Vazquez 2010
A flowering treat I look forward to at this time of year is the Rhipsalis salicornioides (also called Hatiora salicornioides, Dancing Bones Cactus, Drunkard’s Dream, Spice Cactus). This is an epiphytic cactus, native to the tropical forests of Brazil. It is still a bit early, but within the next week or so, the plant will be teeming with these diminutive, terminal yellow flowers.
Christmas cactus. I'm not even going to try and guess the botanical name of this one. © Claudio Vazquez 2010
Though not a particularly exceptional plant, this Christmas cactus holds a special place in my heart. It was the first plant my wife-to-be ever gave me. This was Xmas 1989…21 years and still going strong!!! (both the plant AND the marriage).
NIce ones! I love the reds in tillandsia and Christmas cactus!
Wow those are real awesome photos, especially the first one, i really love it. It looks so magical with that DOR.
Sorry, what i mean above is DOF. thanks.
Thanks Andrea. That particular tillie forms a rosette a mere 2″ across. Photographing it so close and with the shallow DOF, definitely gives it an otherworldly, primordial appearance…I love those little buggers!!!
Beautiful! And whereas Christmas cactus may not be as rare as the other stunners you’ve featured here, I certainly think it is exceptional. I don’t know of many plants that can boast so much nostalgic association (nearly all of us received it as a gift from a loved one, didn’t we)? And as your amazing photo proves — they are truly gorgeous!
No kidding. I’ve got 5 in my house and I can name each person who gave them to me…
Very beautiful macros. I love these shots. Happy new year
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