This is the back view of my Mirabilis jalapa. From the front, it looked like a monster to me, especially since it suddenly grew so fast and so big. Yet it has not produced a single floral bud and to me, this is exasperating because I love my flowering plants to reward me with my efforts by flowering profusely.On the other hand, when I bought the Impatiens walleriana, there were already lots of unopened floral buds. And it has been flowering non-stop since then.
The orange tubular flowers of the Hamelia patens is so strange and is somewhat an anti-climax. It lacks the large showy petals that would otherwise make it a very attractive shrub, and at best I can only describe the flowers and small reddish fruits as interesting. Right after taking the photos, I pruned off these 2 branches, so that there is enough light for the other plants hidden under it.
The Symphyotrichum laeve (synonym: Aster laevis; common name: Smooth Blue Aster, Glaucous Aster; Family: Asteraceae) is also starting to flower after some months. Links on this shrub are attached here:
- http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/sm_asterx.htm
- http://ontariowildflowers.com/main/species.php?id=16
- http://www.abnativeplants.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantdetail&plant_id=86
