I really like the white yarrow in front of the redwoods.
Another shot of the same thing.
I've never taken a good picture of the Conservatory itself. Visit the official site, or (better) look at some Flickr sets.
When California land baron and philanthropist James Lick died, they found the building itself packed in crates in his estate. Noone really knows where it came from. It could have been built in England with redwood sent from California and then sent back to California.
It looks like this inside:
(That philodendron high up in the background is over a 100 years old.)
An epiphytic rhododendron (is there a plant family with more variation than the Ericaceae?)
Lots of other kinds of ephiphytes.
And tropical flowers.
Hmmm, hibiscus anyone?
Anyone?
I love this heptagonal travertine planter.
See the flower on top?
It's spiny and apparently smells terrible. I managed to refrain from smelling it myself.
Caudex of the famous yam, Dioscorea macrostachya.
The docent related the story about how scientists discovered progeterone in yams and used it for birth control pills. False! Scientists found an inexpensive synthetic precursor of progesterone in yams called diosgenin. She even lamented how everything is synthetic now when natural alternatives exist. Oi.
Diosgenin:
Progesterone:
7 comments:
The stinky Stapelia has a far more enticing, fleshy and carnal allure than the floppy Bozo colors of overbred and over enhanced flower impersonators, HerBiscuits.
Lol! Thanks for naming the Stapelia. The names were coming fast and furious but I was taking pictures, not taking notes. Unfortunately, most of my pictures came out blurry and unsuitable for blogging. Oh, well.
My Stapelia hasn't bloomed in a few years, but the flowers are fascinating, aren't they? And flies do love them.
Those wouldn't be my choices for herbiscuits, but I must confess an interest in that red & purple one with bromeliad-looking leaves.
Annie
Hey Chuck - how'd you score all those Butterfingers? I looked for them at the store but they were already gone.
We ordered the candy (along with all our groceries) from Safeway.com and sometimes you get what you get with them.
PS I'm amused anyone would tolerate a plant that attracts flies. I get enough flies from the stray cat that leaves fecal donations in my bamboo.
Any suggestions for anti-cat plants? I planted some society garlic because I hear that works. What about ipheion?
I've heard a saucer of vinegar works too.
We were in San Fransisco last year and walked through Golden Gate park.
I kept looking for all the stray cats, before realizing the smell was from the eucalyptus trees.
A layer of chicken wire just under the surface of the mulch is supposed to keep out cats. A large dog randomly roaming the yard works, too.
I loooove the smell of Eucalyptus. It smells like cats? Cat pee? Really? I love it.
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