I will just start this thread with two favourites, and will post more soon. Most exciting to me today were the leaves of Rhododendron insigne, or actually, the undersides of the leaves. The first leaf I saw had no indumentum, but the underside of that leaf shone like antique gold, with a hint of pink colour that I did not capture at all in my photos. The younger leaves do have dense bright white indumentum. I finally looked at the flowers - it's mostly finished blooming. And a whole bunch more photos of leaves, and one of the fruits. Very different leaves here - it's the size that made me stop the first person who walked by to try to capture a sense of the size of these Lysichiton camtschatcensis, white skunk cabbage, leaves. Dagmara was willing, and she was even interested to know about these forums and found them right away on her phone. There were a lot of people here today. Dagmara is the second person I talked to who was here for the first time, and neither of them was involved in the wedding.
Still doing leaves, I remembered only that there was something of interest to me near this bench. I don't think I've ever seen the name Poliothyrsis sinensis before, so I photographed it. Douglas Justice happened to walk by just then and pointed it out as a tree of interest. I've looked it up - common name Chinese pearlbloom. It's supposed to get nifty flowers in the summer. I hope I remember to look. But just a bit along is the plant I was thinking of. This is not Paris. It's Veronicastrum sibiricum var. yezoense, which name I got from Douglas last year at his walk, but then forgot, so I was lucky to get it from him again this time. This is Paris polyphylla var. polyphylla, which I have never seen looking so good. The purple styles seem to turn white, which is the way I have always seen them. The purple dots really are somewhat luminescent, exciting things up a bit. There are several good photos of this with the purple styles on Garden Explorer - Paris polyphylla var. polyphylla - paris | UBC Botanical Garden. I've been putting "Dr. Seuss plant" in my postings of this so that I can find it when I forget the name. It's not really necessary any more - I've finally got it. Now I need a mnemonic for Veronicastrum. Viburnum dilatatum is new to me, though Nadia posted it ten years ago in the fall with nicely coloured leaves and red fruits. I just thought when I saw it: who knew there were snake bark viburnums? Speaking of bark, this is Physocarpus capitatus, on the walkway up through the Garry Oak Meadow. The common name is Pacific ninebark, presumably because of the bark that peels away in many layers. This plant is not new to me, but I don't recall ever seeing the bark before. This is a BC native.
I've been saving some flowers for last. Here is another BC native, Nootka rose, Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii, very near the ninebark. Providing a lot of colour in the Food Garden is purple tansy, Phacelia tanacetifolia. Linda Layne put me on to these two years ago, as the coolest flowers ever, that I should not miss. They look even better this year - I'm a bit earlier seeing them, as they are in a more prominent spot now, and there are more of them. There were lots of bees buzzing around them, but only one showed up in any of my photos. Back at the start of Upper Asian Way, near the geraniums (June 2023 in the garden - geraniums | UBC Botanical Garden Forums), the Indigofera amblyantha are starting to open. Their upright pyramidal inflorescences are so striking right now. Later they will cascade (I'm trying not to say "droop"). This one is Indigofera kirilowii, with larger flowers, but only a single inflorescence right now. This little patch of ground orchids, Bletilla striata, always reminds me of Honolulu, where they're used in landscapes. Edited: not they're not; I was thinking of something else, see Ron B's posting below. These Enkianthus campanulatus var. sikokianus have an unusual colour. Last year's fruits look curiously like strings of flies. I didn't notice them until just now. Nearby is the Carpinus fangiana, with flowers much more striking than colourful.
June 14, there were many more flowers on the Indigofera kirilowii, though they are still down close to the ground, nice and large, but not so easily seen. The first photo shows Indigofera amblyantha on the right. In the neighbourhood are Phlomis russeliana (spelling corrected). To the right of the flowers in the second photo are leaves of Zingiber mioga, which are supposed to get nifty yellow flowers down at the ground in the summer. I really went to see if there were flowers on the Magnolia macrophylla. Yes, there are, more than usual at one time, and one right down at eye level. I'm so disappointed in my photo of that first flower, such a missed opportunity. The sun is not always our friend. This tree is at the south end of the Carolinian Garden. There are another two or three of this species in more shade at the north end of that garden. Here is Zenobia pulverulenta, an old favourite.
I took more photos last week that I haven't posted yet. Here's a posting of Kalmia latifolia, all in the Carolinian Garden, in alphabetical order by cultivar name. Kalmia latifolia 'Heart of Fire' Kalmia latifolia 'Ostbo Red' Kalmia latifolia 'Raspberry' Kalmia latifolia 'Snowdrift' Kalmia latifolia 'Richard Jaynes' And Kalmia latifolia, with no cultivar name given. I don't know if that means it's a species plant, or just that it didn't come with a cultivar name.
Here are some more plants that interested me, in no order. Rhododendron calendulaceum are finishing now in the Carolinian Garden. This is Rhododendron maximum, which looks so dainty, but according to Rhododendron maximum - Wikipedia, "it is one of the largest and hardiest rhododendrons grown commercially". That same page says "Rosebay rhododendron is the most frequently occurring and dominant species of Rhododendron in the southern Appalachian region". Phytolacca americana has a bad rep, but it's so beautiful. This is Eutrochium maculatum - spotted Joe Pye weed, which seems to be a name that lot of people know. I've only heard the name a lot, but I never recognize the plant.
I've been looking at single pink roses lately. Here are some from the garden, again, alphabetical order. Rosa pendulina, with great hips. That flower in the fourth photo was the only one, and that's the best I could do for a photo. Rosa rubiginosa. Edited: Not that, probably R. villosa, see Ron B's comment below. I think that label must be for the light green leaves at the edges of the photo. Rosa serafinii Rosa villosa
At the moment I don't recall seeing Bletilla in Hawaii at all, let alone frequently in Honolulu - unless this presence has developed since I was last there. Otherwise, might you be thinking of this one? Spathoglottis plicata - Wikipedia Spelling for the Phlomis is russeliana. Having the Phytolacca right off the steps there would seem to be a suboptimal location for it. On account of its poisonous fruits - perhaps it popped up there on its own. The "Rosa rubiginosa" is another kind, one resembling R. villosa for instance.
Yes, thank you! Right, thank you. That label probably is for the light green leaves at the margins of the photo.
The myoga that came with the property I bought in 2020 produces white flowers. I have to part its foliage to see them.
Yes, I've been poking among the leaves to see if there's anything there. I hope I don't miss the flowers - there is lots of stuff along the ground there.
Here are two repeats from the second posting in this thread. Poliothyrsis sinensis is supposed to get nice flowers, fruits and autumn leaf colour. Here are a few more leaf photos. Nearby is the Veronicastrum sibiricum var. yezoense, which I like for its leaves. Who even knew there was more? The third photo is another group on the south side of the path (Upper Asian Way). What I really went to check out today is the Embothrium coccineum, Chilean firebush, which was in a list posted by Laura Caddy on Facebook of what's in bloom in the Alpine Garden. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've seen these flowers here. These two trees are not covered with flowers, but I was still pretty excited to see them. Just in front of the Embothrium is Nothofagus antarctica, with a very nice fragrance from the leaves. There are a few small patches of Sisyrinchium striatum, pale yellow-eyed grass just next to that tree. I wasn't going to post Aesculus californica, but it's still looking so good, I figure it deserves some attention.
On June 28, the spotted Joe Pye Weed inflorescences had expanded, but the flowers were not yet open. I haven't checked them since then; maybe I've missed them now. Here are some photos from June 28. Acaena cf. microphylla, bronze-leaf New Zealand burr. This is in the Rose family - note the tiny leaves that do look like rose leaves, but I was still very surprised. This looks so nice cascading over a wall. Acaena magellanica subsp. laevigata buzzy burr, is in the South American section of the Alpine Garden. Also in the South American section of the Alpine Garden, Sisyrinchium striatum. Berkheya purpurea-South African thistle. Gaura lindheimeri 'Graceful White' at UBC Botanical Garden. I didn't see the label, and it's not on Garden Explorer at this location on the entrance plaza, but it's listed at another location, so I'm guessing here. Penstemon digitalis in the Carolinian Garden.
I'm trying to catch up here. I have this named as Ballota acetabulosa as labelled, but Garden Explorer shows that as a synonym for Pseudodictamnus acetabulosus. Trifolium rubens Here is one from the Cactus House, the North American Sphaeralcea munroana, Munro's globemallow. I haven't posted Fabiana imbricata f. violacea in ages. This is along the fence at the top of the Alpine Garden. I think my biggest excitement that day was in the food garden, seeing what rye looks like, Secale cereale.
