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Heralds of Autumn - the "Hurricane", Spider", &"Magic" Lillies'

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    Lycoris Lilies, also called magic lilies or surprise lilies, are a genus of flowers in the Amaryllis family, which contains around 1,600 species of plants. The flowers are large and showy, with six petals that can be any color from white, gold, cream, pink or red. The plants are bulbs, and they grow best in full sun or partial shade. Lycoris lilies are native to China and Japan, but they have been introduced to many other countries. In the United States, they are often planted as ornamental flowers and once established will “surprise” you for years to come.   Those that come up in lawns will provide a great excuse not to mow!                                       L. radiata, the red one, is also called Hurricane Lilly because it tends to bloom about half-way through Hurricane Season.  The pink is L. squamigera, the yellow L. aurea, the white L. albiflora. ...
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MONARCHS OR HUMMINGBIRDS - YOU CHOOSE!!!

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  MONARCHS OR MAGICAL HUMMINGBIRDS – YOU CHOOSE!     Monarchs are magical reminders of their epic migrations between the United States and Mexico.    Whether you see a single one, or a group, it is a wonderful sight.   What is a Group of Butterflies Called? The group of butterflies is usually called Kaleidoscope, Flutter, or Flight. People call them kaleidoscope because of their beautiful colors and appearance.   When they are huddled together at night in the trees, they are often called “a Roost”.   Incidentally, a group of caterpillars is usually called an Army due to their unique collective behavior. They form organized lines, which resemble a disciplined military procession.     Monarch caterpillars require Milkweed to eat, and it should be noted that Tropical Milkweed, and an introduced invasive vining milkweed can cause death to the Monarchs by toxicity!   So, if you plant for Monarchs, be sure to plant native spe...
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"KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PLANTING" - LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT THE HERB "COMFREY".

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  "KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PLANTING"      This is my first time to grow Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) but I have long been aware of its magical properties when used as a “compost tea”.   If you look closely, it appears that there is a flower bud forming already in the center of the plant.   It grew very quickly to this size, but thinking it would become a very tall plant, I’m surprised it hasn’t grown more.   Being an avid jam & jelly maker, who also dabbles in salves, vinegars and all sorts of things, I was alarmed to read that Comfrey is now considered “potentially dangerous” because the leaves contain small amounts of an alkaloid that can cause liver damage and probably should not be taken internally even though they are rich in nutrients.   Comfrey is also known as Boneset, healing herb, knitbone and has been used since ancient times for medicinal purposes. T he young leaves have been eaten raw in salads for centuries.   It is...
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