I'm seeing.....red!

Since the birding expeditions are not very fruitful as far as photographing goes, I have been taking pictures of nature from another angle...flowers. And lots of them. Today, I'm seeing red.

The first two images were taken at Hans Suter Wildlife Refuge near Oso Bay in Corpus Christi, just on the other side of the Texas A&M south campus which you can see from across the bay. The last one, the one photo of the wild poinsettia was taken in Port Aransas this weekend. Now, to be honest, I've seen the sign of this plant that is placed below the bush for identification for those interested, but I've never seen it 'bloom'. Actually the color of a poinsettia bracket is NOT the blossom. But in all cases, this wild poinsettia is kinda pretty. The colored brackets are partially green AND red. I've tried several times to no avail, to plant the Christmas time poinsettia plant outdoors. The longest I've had them survive and actually get new leaves was when we lived in Tucson. They lasted one season after the first planting, planted in the ground, and then shriveled up to nothing. Have you ever been to Old Mexico where the plant originated? I remember driving south from the USA/Mexico border from California, and the road was beautifully lined with poinsettia TREES!!! Never forget that. Of course, I understand that the ones you purchase for the holiday season are actually hybrids from the Mexican original plants, but what I'd give to have one survive outdoors in the ground. Florida has them. Even one bush at the Alamo in San Antonio, it's huge. But no, not Anni's!!  This wild poinsettia is 'native' to Texas.  Read more...


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