Month: November 2013

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.

Categories
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!