Gardening in Fuerteventura

[Can the Man]

Can - are you talking yuca or yucca?

Yuca is a root veg (cassava plant) whereas the yucca is the tall spiky plant that grows all over out here (you can eat some parts of it but I can't envisage it being served up in a restaurant).

Yuca 

Yucca 

I'm guessing WMG is talking Yucca. 

Hey Can - Mercadona have launched a new snack, just for you   

Thanks Tamara, can’t wait to try them in September 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

My Hylocereus/Pitahaya/Dragon Fruit is blooming it's heart out at the moment - 8 flowers last night. I remembered to go out for pics as soon as I woke up this morning, before the flowers started looking too sad.

  

 

[Spitfire58]

Beautiful Tamara 🙂🙂

[Emmi Smith]

WOW Tamara,fabulous.You must have a beautiful garden.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Thanks Emmi. Parts are growing well and looking good - the rest is still a building site with loads to do!

[Can the Man]

You seem to have green fingers Tamara

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

some unknown seedlings have appeared where I had a water overflow a couple of weeks ago, looking forward to seeing what they become.

The honeysuckle has really taken off this year after 3 years of just surviving!

  as with so many plants here though, no discernible scent.

My indoor stephanotis has been blooming like mad, but, no scent, very strange. My neighbour's outdoor one has also been blooming it's heart out:

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

 

anyone know the name of this plant? The tiny little pink flowers open about 4.30pm each day.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Today's choice?

Hemerocallis (Day Lily)

Easy to grow, loves full sun, doesn't mind the wind, doesn't need much water (can be left unwatered for months!), poor but well draining soil, loads of flashy flowers, various colours/patterns in mainly yellow, orange, reds ranges. Foliage can be cut almost to ground level after flowering when it gets tatty, you'll get fresh new growth but probably no more flowers until the next season. Every 3 or 4 years if the clump has got quite big it benefits from being lifted and divided. Self seeds if you're lucky, black seeds are fertile, pale seeds not.

I'm surprised not to see these for sale more often in Fuerteventura - very suited to gardens where you aren't in residence all the time, just make sure you're here during flowering season to enjoy the blooms. Each bloom only lasts for one day but each stem bears many flowers. This is an odd flower that has popped out well after this year's main display.



I didn't cut back after flowering this year hoping to get some self seedlings - and there are several little seedlings that look like grass that I have high hopes for!

Update 3rd Sept. I now have 6 new flowering stems growing so it looks like I'm getting a complete second bloom this year, bonus!

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

One of my all time favourites, Platycodon, is today's feature plant. Commonly known as Balloon Flower due to the shape of the buds prior to opening. Comes in blue, white or pink. Needs free draining soil and dies away completely in the 'winter'. Likes full sun but can take late afternoon shade. Doesn't like being disturbed once planted as it has quite a long, sturdy tap root. Seems pretty pest resistant, occasionally the leaves get a bit scorched by strong winds but it soon recovers. If happy it can form a good sized clump but most often stays around 20cm tall by 20-30cm wide.