Thursday, June 13, 2013

altheas


My youngest grandgirl is here for her week so if anyone is wondering where I am (because I just know that I am first on everyone's mind), I'm busy with her.

In the meantime, enjoy the altheas.


The altheas, also call rose of sharon, are exceptional this year. Or so it seems to me. I think I said the same thing about them last year, the ones in front especially. We have 8 on the property, 4 white and 4 purple.


The white ones started blooming first and they are winding down. Since we built the shop behind it, this one doesn't get much sun once the pecan trees leaf out so I'm surprised it blooms at all.


The purples are in full bloom.



Same small tree, different day

Altheas are a member of the mallow family along with hibiscus and like hibiscus, the flowers last one day only. They can be small trees or shrubs, depends on how or if you prune them.


These are old established specimens for the most part. A couple of them have some serious trunks. 





11 comments:

  1. Gorgeous! For some reason they make me think of my grandmother, although I don't remember one on her property. I mostly remember her crepe myrtle & the persimmon tree.

    Have fun with the grandgirl!

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  2. Love the Buddha sitting under the altheas. Enjoy that grandchild...

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  3. wow, they're gorgeous! enjoy your time with grand #1!

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  4. Of course she's first. We all know your world stops the moment she closest her eyes, and you just kind of sit around waiting for her royal highness to wake up ;-) Kids are just a dream.

    I love altheas. My grandma used to have several of them around the yard. I used to lay under the shade of the biggest one, which was right by the kitchen. Red and perfect, and it seemed to bloom all year long...

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  5. I love rose of sharon. I planted them completely down two sides of the fence at my old house. They were at least fifteen years old when I left 25 years ago. I won't make a special trip, but on my list now, if I pass that way again.

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  6. I do love these. I shaped mine as trees and they are huge.

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  7. I can't remember if I thanked you for explaining to me what altheas are. I have heard of Rose of Sharon, and in fact we had several of them behind my apartment building in New York City. It's funny that I didn't even recognize them here! I think yours are bigger than the ones I've seen before, maybe because of the warmer weather down your way.

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  8. They're gorgeous! Not quite in bloom here yet. This year I'll know their name - rose of Sharon. Cool. Thanks.

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  9. Your Altheas are beautiful. every time I see one I think of my iguana Bob. We had a white althea outside of the window where she basked. Dandelions and althea flowers were her favorite snack. Bob was almost 5 feet long when she went across the rainbow bridge. I know it is bizarre but I miss her very much. Oma Linda

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  10. These are very lovely shrubs, called hibiscus over here.
    I have two but they don’t flower until late summer, sometimes not at all, if the summer is cold and wet.

    We may have similar plants in our gardens but they certainly don’t behave the same.

    It’s wet again, no gardening for me today or yesterday.

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  11. You say Althea. I say Hibicus..

    We could write a song about these beauties. Or we could just call the whole thing off. ;)

    Your blossoms are just gorgeous.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.