Brugmansia!

I have noticed that I am getting hits from Technorati searches on Brugmansia - referring to my infrequent tropical plant updates. Now I don't imagine that they stick around to peruse my posts when they find precious little garden advice but still it is gratifying to get hits however they come.

So here goes an August tropical plant update. This marks the one year point for my babies since they left the ocean overcast of Palos Verdes. How have they survived a blast furnace August in the delightful Sacramento environs?

Plumeria - never came back from the winter. The trunks showed green but the growing tips were frosted dead and after pruning they never managed to sprout.

Cycads - My two Zamias got waterlogged last winter and rotted. I probably could have nursed them along by keeping them drier. My other one (I forget its name) was down to one leaf stalk and now has three - better than it did in PV.

Ficus Elastica - My huge one was doing fine until August when the leaves started to look like a blowtorch had hit them. I probably could have avoided that if I have more shade - but with a new house you don't get shade. I am sure that it will come back now that we are only in the 90's.

Cymbidiums - They survive and are even sending out new shoots but I have to find them more shade. Only one bloomed this year. I divided two pots hoping that the ones I left will manage to bloom next year.

Brugmansia - It grows nice but it hasn't rebloomed after an initial flush of three. I don't know whether it is heat, the wrong fertilizer or the fact that I ocasionally don't water daily and find a wilted plant.

Epidendrums- They are just barely coping. They havn't grown or shown any vigor. I was hoping they would like more warmth since they never went crazy near the coast but Sacramento probably overshoots the mark.

Begonia - I have a lovely dark leaved two foot begonia that is just hanging in here. I feel bad about it because I know it is unhappy but it is putting up a good effort and I am hoping for some recovery as the weather cools.

Impatiens - I have a large species plant from a cutting from Monterey which was quite happy in PV but just hanging in here. Same hopes as begonia.