Money Tree Flower

Money Tree

Pachira aquatica

(pak-EYE-ruh) (a-KWA-tee-kuh)

Synonyms: Malabar Chestnut, French Peanut, Bombax glabrum

Dreaming about Florida so here is the beautiful flower of Pachira aquatica. This is the tree that is often subject to braiding and being sold in a 4-inch pot. It actually turns into a fine looking big tree. Now I have never seen a captured specimen flower but am going to try and get mine to bloom in the greenhouse.

This shot of the Parrots is just for fun. I wasn’t sure if the blue and gold was going to peck my eyes out or give me a kiss. 

 

Blue-and-Yellow Macaw

Ara ararauna

Flower Buds

Zinnia elegans 'Zowie Yellow Flame'

Since my friend in Germany turned me on to bud photography I have been enjoying trying to capture emerging flowers. Sometimes they are as pretty as the flowers themselves. This is a little collection of flower buds I got on Saturday at the Queens Botanical Garden. Since I have had a little more time to reflect on my visit I have to admit how much I enjoyed it.

Rose Mallow Bud

Weird Clerodendron Bud Abstract

Karen and I went to the Irish Festival yesterday and it was a fun afternoon. We saw some dancing and a couple of bands. One thing that was not happy, we both agreed it made it long to return to Ireland. Lucky I didn’t drink too much, I only had a pint of Guinness so there are no after effects today. It takes awhile these days to bounce back from drinking too much. I have a big week at work planned and I have to start to think about my winterizing plans. There still is a good bit left to the season but I have found in the large garden it pays to think ahead.

Squash Bud from the Senior Garden

I bought Karen a Money Tree (Pachira aquatica) the other day when I was at the nursery. I have been urging it to grow, if you know what I mean. It actually has grown several inches already. I am going to have to research how to grow it as a houseplant. I really hope it flowers as I would love to take a picture of the beautiful blooms. Whenever I have seen them blooming in the tropics the flowers are way off the ground making it impossible to get a good photo of them. Here is a link if you haven’t seen a money tree before.
Pachira aquatica

More Chihuly Glass at Fairchild

More Chihuly Glass at Fairchild

Here are a few more pictures from the Chihuly exhibit.
This was the piece in front of the Jean duPont Shehan Visitor Center. The building has a beautiful limestone exterior (this is what they call ‘coral’ rock).



I had lunch on a bench in the shade of this Money Tree (Pachira aquatica). How cool was that. I didn’t see any flowers or fruit on this one. This tree is also known as the Guiana chestnut and is in the bombax or baobab Family (Bombacaceae).






This piece is in the Conservatory and will be on permanent display at Fairchild. They told me it was made up of different pieces from all the displays.