And I wish they were just a tich hardier...

Hibiscus Petra opened another bloom today.


I'm trying something new with my epiphyllums. They bud up every year in the cool room and then drop buds. So this year I'm bringing them into the warmth.
French Gold. http://bit.ly/ea91qp Pink Cloud. http://bit.ly/g3yrYm William Clark. http://bit.ly/hnUJ7b

How big are the plants, Kathy? I know they will drop some buds if the plant can't support them. Let us know how your experiment works out. I hope you're on to something, because mine have tons of buds and we are expecting warm temps this week. I've already done enough damage, moving them around for my little building project, and I'm sure it will get worse.

They aren't big but their leaves are big enough to support them. Sometimes I balance them with a heavy rock in the pot!!

I gave up and switched to hanging baskets long ago!

I really think you are on to something! I just took these pics of mine. The first one is the one I sent you the cuttings from. It will probably drop half the buds on this branch.
The pink one is also in a 15" basket, but a bit was higher, with more sun, and it's blooming.
German Empress ( I can't spell the proper german name), Blooming, but has looked half open for two weeks now.

The plants.

Your plants are all so nice! My Epiphyllum is starting to bud up too, lots of buds and each plant is only a couple good sized leaves so I'll see what happens.....If buds start dropping maybe I'll move it to a slightly warmer spot.
Here's a red/orange Chrysanthemum I've got flowering now, it was a pot plant in the fall and is now reblooming!

Wow!!!

I love your Epiphyllum's Carol! They are lovely Mine are more closer to Kathy's size wise and have tons of buds too.

Kathy, is that a Stephanotis trailing down in your first Epi pic?

I love mums, the flowers last for weeks! Just grow them cool and bright over the winter and you will get spring blooms!

Wow, Carol - that last shot is really nice. I've had friends who have grown Epis, but I've never taken the plunge... noooo....

Beautiful, Steven - thanks for the tip!

Dancing Queen Amaryllis opened up today...

Steven, Love the mum! I've given up on them here. Bugs, mildew, floppy plants, then just when they start blooming, the rains flatten them.

Pretty amaryllis, sheryl, The snails have been eating mine as fast as they can grow. My neighbor's are blooming, but mine are on the north side of the house, so they won't bloom for weeks yet.

Step away a few hours.... lots of interesting stuff here!

Carol, I love the German Empress! Or if you like - Disocactus phyllanthoides syn. Nopalxochia phyllanthoides
aka Deutsche Kaiserin but then I think everyone knows which plant you are talking about when you call it German Empress.

My Epis are in the garage and not really waking up yet.

Pretty Chrysanthemum and Amaryllis and Hibiscus!

Steven, those are hoyas.

Thanks all, this is my first time getting a Mum to reflower, its easier to just stick them outside but it was such a wonderful colour I kept it inside for the winter. I think I'll keep it as a pot plant as I'm hoping to get a light set-up this year!

Kathy, You could almost think your Hoya was a Steph in that photo.....or at least I did
Does your bloom much? Mine made a peduncle last year but all the buds fell off

Thanks for the spelling, Ursula! I wrote it down! I've got Dutch and German in my ancestery, but not so I can remember their spelling.

ISteven I have many hoyas and only a few ever bloom. I just had one dry up the buds on me that I was so excited about! Oh well. They grow nicely....but are mealie magnets!

Oh yeah, I've been dealing with the mealies that I got on a Lacunosa - my fault for buying a Hoya at Lowes, grrr....

I think it doesn't matter where they're from. Since they are magnets!