A Couple More Honorable Mentions For Our Florida Spring

What would Spring be without a show of newly sprouted green.
This trio of Bald Cypress never get in sync when it comes to
it's flush of green.

Less than two months ago these trees had their Fall of needles.
So go bald in that time frame, hence the name. My Live Oak also
went through it's leaf dropping, new leaf sprouting along with
green pollen dusting and cattail dropping ritual these last three
weeks.

A good indication from our Winter blue skies that cool temperatures
are still in the forecast.

This Florida native blueberry bush, called Pillberry is right on schedule.
They may be small, but they can be packed with flavor. Never enough to
make a cobbler, after all I have to share some with our Winter bird visitors.
Just one more added treat when least expected.

This gorgeous leaved and flowering bush speaks volumes. The downside, to me
is it's fragrance. It's common name, Banana Shrub - Michelia figo has the
the fragrance of a man made banana flavoring. At the time I was admiring this
specimen at the nursery, it was not in bloom. As I was being told that it had
this fragrance of a banana. I took my chances while speaking allowed, that
I hope it doesn't smell like so many fake banana flavorings. Months later after
being dazzled by their opened flower and at the same time disappointed by it's
so called banana fragrance.

The first place I planted this specimen it had gotten infested with some scale
along with it's industrious helpers, what appeared to be some carpenter
ants. That was almost enough for me to dispense with with plant.

Looking back on how much I enjoyed this specimen's initial introduction
made me find another more hospitable location. Perhaps moving it from
our harsh western sunny location to a more partially shaded spot might
reduce the stress and less apt for the scale to develope. That has now
been over a year and no more scale/ants and I can admire this plant
from a distance.

I try to dig up their botanical name the best I can using this wonderful
resource, the internet. I can also find other common names while on
this search. I did see a reference to it's common name using Michelia
in it's name, there fore I will officially call this the Michelia Shrub by
dropping the banana, as they say.