Witch Hazel Fire Charm

This beauty that is in full bloom in my yard is Hamamelis x intermedia  'Feuerzauber'  (aka Fire Charm).  I am on the border between zone 5b/6a. I have had this shrub about 9 years now and its one of my favorites.  Ive been growing in part light shade, in moist soil. Most of my yard is clay loam and very acidic!  Despite Witch Hazels dislike of acidity, this shrub is robust. I do feed it with tree spikes twice yearly and lime the around this shrub atleast twice a year. This shrub is decidous and flowers every year from the second week of February to well into March.

Updates to plant collection and Euphorbia obesa 'Baseball Plant'

Im in the process of updating my plant list. I had a few losses over the winter and just this weekend had made a few succulent purchases. I was able to get three new Hoyas and a few new Euphorbias. One of the Euphorbias I had purchased was a small obesa in a 2" pot. I dont know if male or female, but I have wanted to grow one of these for awhile. This link to Euphorbia obesa on Wikipedia shows how to sex this plant.
While very rare and getting close to extinction in its natural habitat due to over collection, E. obesa is well established in cultivation. Being easily propagated from seed, hundreds of thousands are produced yearly in the horticultural trade.

Thads Tropical Nights

While watering and looking for flower buds. I noticed a flower open on Thads Tropical Nights. Unfortunately, the flower was sterile, no pollen. I was not able to get Silver Skies pollen to stick either. Im not certain if the cross is totally sterile or if it was just this flower. I noticed three other buds on this so Im not giving up just yet. This plant is a monster! I am impressed how quickly it grew ( or outgrew!)into its allotted space. I will give this beautiful plant a hanging basket, instead of selling off cuttings right away. The scarlet red flowers glow on this beauty.

New Cross

This little beauty is who I registered earlier this year. It is J. T. (Thads Pink Diamonds x Emerald). It has gorgeous scarlet red flowers with a yellow throat. I do have 2 rooted starts to sell. Yes, it is a whitish silver that glitters.

Getting ready for Episcia crosses!

I am so pleased with the amount of buds on my Episcias. Soon to be kicking my breeding program up a notch. I need to pick up the tools of the trade since I'm out. A new box of tooth picks and different colors of cross stitch floss. I really like using the floss to mark what the cross was by tying the fertilized flower with a different color thread. I log the cross in a ledger, marking date and pollen parent.
Also, I am happy to say, I have recently germinated seedlings growing new leaves.

Getting ready to start flowering again.

 Psychopsis 'Kahlihi' has thrown another spike. I love this orchid, one flower spike lasted for over 7 years throwing flowers on a regular schedule. I actually cut the spike off 2 years ago to give my plant a break. I have had this orchid for about 18 years now. It has always been my favorite orchid and I doubt that would ever change.
I have this sitting on an east window sill with weekly waterings. During winter months I will from time to time forget to water. This orchid will thrive with occasional skipping with weekly water. The photo is from its last flower spike that was clearly getting tired. Flower size will diminish as the spike ages. Normally the flowers are large and perfect!
As of  8/1/13, nice sized bud that is soon to open! I so love this orchid.

Searching for: Updated list!

Though I am always on the look out for various plants.  I am hoping to find the following plants:

Carnivorous:

any Sarracennias

 Hoya:

neobudica

kerrii (variegated)

elliptica

macgillivrayi Perfecta

megalaster

nicholsonii

ciliata

p. Black Dragon
p. Philipine Black

subcalva

onychoides
carnosa 'Grey Ghost'
australis
ariadna
bella variegated
callistophylla
DS-70
darwinii (dark form)
Chelsea




 Euphorbia:

 greenwayii

'Frosted Flame'

subapoda

horrida

francoisii crassicaulis rubrifolia

cremersii

 Other Cactus / Succulents:

Ammocharis corranica

Orchids:

Orchis italica

Dendrobium draconis

Gongora quinquenervis

Miltonia spectabilis

Dendrobium  Peng Seng

Cattleya leopoldii 'Dark Blood'

Trichopilia tortilis

Howeara Lava Burst 'Puanani' AM/AOS 

Mormodia Lime Tiger 'St. Augustine' AM/AOS

Odontocidium Sunlight 'Pacific Punch' 

 Wilsonaria Aloha Sparks 'Ruby Eyes'

Wilsonaria Pacific Perspective 'Pacific Heat'

Stapelia & Stapeliads:

Stapelia acuminata

Stapelia cedrimontana

Stapelia paniculata

Stapelia variegata

Stapelia schinzii v. angolensis
Stapelia leendertzia
Stapelia grandiflora

Huernia occulta

Huernia longi

Huernia saudiarabica

Caralluma diffusa

Desmidorchis retrospiciens

Orbea woodi

Huerniopsis decipiens

Pseudolithos dodsoniana

Rhytidocaulon macrolobum

Kohleria:
 'Brimstone'

'Texas Rainbow'

Aeschynanthus (black calyx)

Aeonium:
 'Voodoo'
 'Sunburst'

 Episcias:
Pearl Drops
Pearl Passion
Toy Silver


I am also into growing Jovibarba, Semperviums, and Escheverias etc.....