An 'Aussie' Joins the Collection

Originally discovered on a windblown point of land along the southern coast of New South Wales, Banksia spinulosa 'Schnapper Point', commonly known as the Koala Blooms Banksia, is a compact, low-growing evergreen shrub/tree native to eastern Australia.

This plant grows with a dense, rounded, and slightly prostrate habit, typically maturing to 2–4 feet tall and 4–5 feet wide, has needle-like green leaves, but is not a conifer, although it resembles one. Happy in full-sun & semi-drought resistant, this plant should do well in so. california.

Since it blooms during what we call winter (Australian summer), producing large, cylindrical flower spikes (up to 40 cm long) in golden to bright yellow, often tipped with black, purple, or red styles, it will be appreciated even more.

 As with all of our little trees, you can access his Photo/History page @ Koala Blooms or from the Tree Inventory menu on the r-hand side of the page.

Just for Fun - Wk 6

 personal note: no, I'm not dead or anywhere close to it (yet), but I do have a life away from the patio & this blog, so I do not apologize for not posting for a few days..all is well.

NM Hatch Chilis 

The chilis are growing, though not as fast as the tomatoes. We continue to have cool, grey mornings(June Gloom here in so Cal), but sunny warm afternoons, which the plants love & they are thriving. I still have a full complement, but once they have fruit, I'm sure I'll have no problem finding homes for them.

Dwarf Tomatoes

The tomato plants have yellow blooms & there are small pods forming, which I presume will be fruit. I chose this particular cultivar specifically because it sounded like it was made for containers..the plants now are about 2-3 ft. tall & I don't think they will grow appreciably in height, but they are spreading out, to some degree. 

They are living up to their designation as "dwarf", although the real test will be when they bear fruit. They are compact, well formed, not 'scraggly' or looking malnourished, without taking-over the whole patio. They too, like the chilis, seem to like the cool morning/warm afternoon weather & so far, have remained "pest free".

Nothing else to report..tune in next week..

New Plant on the Patio: Japanese Red Maple (Acer Palmatum 'Bloodgood')

Japanese red maple (Acer palmatum) is a highly prized deciduous tree famous for its deeply lobed, star-shaped leaves. These maples feature vibrant spring and fall color, non-invasive root systems, and compact sizes, making them perfect focal points, container plants, or bonsai subjects

Bloodgood: The standard upright variety; matures to about 15 feet and holds deep burgundy-red leaves exceptionally well through the summer.

Care & Cultivation: 

Soil: They thrive in moist, well-draining, and slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter. For clay-heavy soil in the Ontario area, plant the tree slightly elevated to prevent root rot.

Sunlight: Plant in partial sun to partial shade. While some varieties handle full sun, the delicate foliage of laceleaf types can scorch in intense afternoon heat.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Newly planted trees require frequent watering, especially during hot summer months.

Hardiness: Generally suited for USDA Zones 5–9

Acquired: May 2026; Grower/Seller (Internet); Cost: (    .)

This specimen arrived promptly, only 4 days in-transit, from the grower in Tennessee. The shipping was more expensive than most, but it is reflected, I think, in the pristine condition when received. I will not hesitate to order from this supplier in the future &/or recommend them.

I put the "Bloodgood" in a training pot, gave him a little water & within a few minutes he was standing straight, leaves un-curled & I took this photo. They ought to put a warning on Acers that they are habit-forming & may lead to addiction.. overwhelmingly the most sought-after, popular ornamental tree according to articles published by & for the horticultural trade.

There are dozens of cultivars & growers/collectors that specialize in Japanese Maples, exclusively. If I were just starting, I might just limit my acquisitions to Acers & Conifers only..they complement each other because of their diversity.

 Pictured here with his cousin, also an Acer Palmatum, but a different cultivar, I hope these two will become bookends, hopefully both maturing into like-sized trees, and as with all of the trees in my collection, their growth & development documented here to you to share, should you so wish.

   

Just for Fun - Wk 5

Dwarf Tomatoes 

Now you see 'em..now you don't..was able to reduce numbers this week by gifting 2 of the plants..just 1 more to go.

5 weeks and the tomato plants are, as far as I can see, healthy, happy & I think approaching near full-size. I don't think they will become appreciably larger, at least not much taller, which has been my concern all along. Since this is my first experience with these cultivars, actually my first with bush tomatoes, much less a dwarf variety, I wasn't sure just how much room they would take.

And one of the criteria for this little experiment has been to see if one can grow a decent crop on a patio or porch, with limited space for them.

If you look closely, you can see that both remaining plants are starting to develop flowers, which, of course, mean fruit cannot be far behind.

I will continue to attempt to reduce the population to a single plant this week & hopefully make someone else as pleased with these plants as I am.

NM Hatch Chili's

The Chili plants are starting to catch-up with the tomatoes..the last week has been typical so. Cal weather this time of year..cool, grey overcast mornings, with sun burning-off the coastal layer by noon & bright, warm afternoons, apparently ideal for these plants as this is the growth surge I've been looking for.

Like the tomato's, the chili's are starting to form tiny flowers, which I expect will bud over the next week or 10 days. Fruit follows flowers & of course, that's why we're growing these plants.

Once these plants start to show some production, I don't think I'll have any problem finding homes for them..may even have to start some more, but we'll wait & see.

Buxus microphylla (Japanese Boxwood): Update

 excerpted from Photo/History page for Japanese Boxwood

The Boxwood  has a good headstart on developing a canopy, so I decided to pot him-on. The photo shows him in a full-size training tray, which I had to use to accommodate a large & well-developed root system, which required root reduction; best described as "close your eyes & hack-away". The 'rule of thumb' is to remove no more than about 30% of a root system, at a time..I think I took about 50% of the buxus's root ball.

One of the things that attracted me to this specimen was the "nebari"..the base of the trunk where, as the plant grows & matures, slowly reveals & exposes the juncture of the tree & his roots.

The trunk has the "weathered" look, as if he were much older; part of this is because it IS older than you would think..I am told that it takes 7 years to grow the typical boxwood for retail sale.

This little tree is healthy, strong & seemingly up for anything, so it will be fun to watch how he develops over the next few months.