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insects

Pluto Spinx Moth Caterpillar

I was at work yesterday cleaning up an area in the garden where I work so I could add a few new plants. I started bagging up my garbage when I noticed this guy chillin on some of the chiococca leaves I had trimmed……..

I took him in the office where me and my co-worker researched and discovered that this funny looking guy was a Pluto Spinx Moth Caterpillar. Also known as Xylophanes pluto for those of you who like scientific names. These seem to be pretty widespread in tropical and subtropical lowlands. There range is Brazil north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to Florida and South Texas.

For some more information, visit Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Here are a few more pictures I took of this cute guy including a chrysalis of one of the Pluto spinx caterpillars going through ‘the change’. Before I knew the name of this caterpillar I was calling him the Pinocchio caterpillar cause, well, you get it…..

Happy Gardening! 🙂

Categories
garden art posts

Succulents planter in a strawberry pot

I had an old strawberry pot sitting around and since I don’t have enough sun anymore in my backyard to grow strawberries, I thought I would make a nice succulent planter with some extra cuttings I had.

I just took the pot and filled it with some cactus soil. And next just got creative on what to add to it. Most of my succulents babies are at my parents house growing since they can provide more sun for them to thrive.

This is a picture of my little ones at my house before I took them to my parents house.

Back to the planter…..

I first added plants to the top. I wanted to use something that would really stand out so I did a cutting of an Aeonium that I had, then around it I added some sedums in different colors so that it would hang over from the edge of the pot. And for fun, I added a few kalanchoe delagoenis or also know as ‘mother of millions’. These particular succulents produce an enormous amount of buds and can become a bit of a weedy pest but they are quite pretty in my opinion.
Next, I added some random cuttings I had left lying around to the holes in the sides of the pot. They include, Echeveria, A few different Sedum species, Kalanchoe, a bromeliad, Aeonium and some Baby sun rose ‘Aptenia cordifolia’.

Since I don’t have a lot of sun in my backyard, after the plants have rooted in and are established I will put it out front of my house where it will get lots of sun. I am excited to see how everything grows in together!

Happy Planting! 🙂

Categories
garden art posts

Orchid/Succulent Trellis

I am constantly trying to find interesting ways to display different plants. Since I have recently acquired many orchids and have found a new love of succulents, I decided to merge the two together. I had an old plant trellis lying around and thought it would be a fun way to hang the orchids.

trellis

As you see above, I started with a trellis, coconut fiber, sheet moss, wire and of course some orchids. The orchids I used were oncidiums and encyclias.

I took and orchid, wrapped it in sheet moss then secured it on the trellis with some wire. Over time the orchid will secure itself to the trellis with its roots. I did this again with the remaining four orchids in various spots on the trellis.

I then decided, since I am coo coo for succulents and I want them on everything, that I would add some succulents to the trellis for some ‘flair’. As you see below, I took some coconut fiber and added some cactus potting mix on top of the fiber which I then wrapped around the top of the trellis and attached it with some wire.

Attaching the coconut fiber with the soil on the trellis like I did created a soil pocket for me to be able to poke a hole through the fiber and place the succulents in that hole where they will root out and grow. The succulents I used were, Aeonium, ‘donkey tail'(Sedum morganianum), ‘string of bananas'(Senecio radicans), Rhipsalis, and Sedum lineare ‘Variegatum’. I also threw a Tillandsia on there for good measure.

I watered it all in and will let it sit for a few weeks to let things root in and get a little sturdier before I find a nice place to put it in my garden.

HAPPY GARDENING!

Categories
posts reptiles

Knight Anole

Ever have that feeling something is staring at you? As I was chatting with some fellow coworkers at the botanical garden where I work, I had that feeling something was lurking. I look over and there it was, the Knight Anole, or also known as, the Cuban Knight Anole(Anolis equestris). He was resting comfortably camouflaged in a palm tree keeping a very close eye on us. One of my coworkers, who is really into reptiles and who also raises them, told us that this is one of the largest species of anoles and are known to be quite aggressive. According to Wikipedia, ‘It is fiercely territorial. Aggressive to anything that enters its territory, the knight anole will face almost any intruder it perceives to be a threat (from a distance). During its display, a lizard will sit high on all fours, gape menacingly, turn green, and perhaps bob its head.’ These lizards are native to Cuba but have been introduced to South Florida where they are reproducing like rabbits apparently. It’s actually about

to get pretty chilly here in south Florida right now believe it or not, and they do not survive very well with freezing temperatures, kind of like iguanas. Hopefully this guy finds a warm spot tonight!

This knight Anole was found at the garden on a morning when it was 40 degrees. He is so cold that he just is resting on my co workers warm arm and showed no aggression what so ever.

Categories
insects

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

I had the pleasure at my job the other day, I work as am Horticuluralist at a botanical garden in South Florida, to have this beauty chill out with me for a moment. This is a Papilio cresphontes or Giant Swallowtail. This guy is one of my favorites. This butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in the United States.

swallow tail

These caterpillars have this forked organ, called an osmeterium, that emits a noxious odor. These ‘stink glands’ are used to help repel potential predators such as ants that may try to attack them. They love to snack on citrus tree leaves, wild lime and torchwood.

Categories
garden art

Propagating some succulents

I decided to get some succulent plants and try my hand at some of this vertical plant art that I have been seeing a lot these days. I love being creative with painting and also love plants, so I thought what a fun way to combine the two things.

Here is an example of what I would like to create from livingwallart.com

I went to my local do it yourself store and purchased a few succulents I wanted to use. I also acquired a few cuttings of plants from my work that I thought would be fun. I have a few sedums, Echeveria, Baby sun rose ‘Aptenia cordifolia’, Peperomias, Rainbow elephant bush Portulacaria afra ‘Variegata’ and Jade plant ‘gollum’ ‘Crassula argentea.’

Here I took the plant and divided it into 5 sections. I then repotted them using cactus soil, which is a well draining soil as succulents do not like excess moisture. I will keep them in a sunny spot in my backyard for them to grow so I have many plants for my future vertical living art projects.

Categories
garden art

Transplanting ferns to different mediums

Fers

I decided to try to transplant some ferns I took from my work. These are maidenhair and strap ferns that were growing on some rocks in the garden where I work.

The goal here was to see how they transplanted on this particular medium, which is coconut coir and sheet moss. I first put down some coconut coir, then topped with some sheet moss for added moisture for the ferns to root out more. I then made little wire fasteners to attach the ferns to the medium. I watered it really well and keeping it in a low light area in my garden. I will continue to keep making sure it receives plenty of moisture in hopes these ferns will take to the new medium and environment.

Ferns FernsNext I will try this with some succulent plants in hopes to make some interesting vertical plant art.

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posts

Night trail run with the crew.

Trail Crew

My first nighttime trail run with the DTR crew. Such an exciting run. I managed not to fall but had a few close calls. Can’t wait for next week. I hear someone is bringing a disco ball! Giggity!