The Voice of Mother Blossom
Cultivating Wisdom, Beauty, and Joy Through Gardening
Bring in Some Yellow
Cassia Tree Cultivars
Yellow is often associated with happiness, positivity, and energy. Adding yellow flowers or foliage can instantly brighten up your garden, creating a cheerful atmosphere that uplifts the mood of anyone who visits.
Cassia fistula, also known as the Golden Shower Tree is a genuine showstopper. It is both the national tree and national flower of Thailand. I didn’t think it grew in our 9b zone – but was delightfully mistaken when I saw it in a New Port Richey, FL yard.
This ornamental plant is considered to be a medium sized tree. Although it can grow much taller, it is easiest to maintain at 15 feet. The Cassia fistua is deciduous and is relatively drought-tolerant and slightly salt-tolerant. It will tolerate a light brief frost, but can get damaged if the cold persists and it is not protected.
Senna surattensis, once known as a Butterfly Cassia or Cassia surattensis, is a small flowering tree. It is a popular ornamental in places such as Hawaii, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
This tree will have evergreen leaves in sunny locations where temperatures remain above freezing. The branches are brittle and can split when pruned. Annual pruning is recommended to keep this beauty in a desired lollipop shape.
Senna Alata/Cassia Alata – a continual bloomer. It is an important medicinial tree, as well as an ornamental flowering plant. You may also hear it called emperor’s candlesticks, candle bush, candelabra bush, Christmas candles, empress candle plant, candletree or ringworm shrub (because it has very effective funicidal properties for treating ringworm). It an evergreen unless it gets cold. It has an irregular shape and dies back in winter. This tree propagates easily by seed.
It has also been referred to as the Scrambled Egg Tree – A friend of mine, Maria, wanted to plant a tree as a memorial to her mother who suffered schizophrenia and other mental disorders. My friend Maria’s upbringing was deeply affected by such. This beauty, this everblooming beauty, honored the moment in true style… and Maria was not able to kill it.
Scrambled eggs – scrambled brains. It is a cool plant. The leaves close up at night as if to say their prayers and open during the day as if to bask in the sun’s light.
Maria takes the seeds from this plant and spreads them signifying her resiliency and joy.
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Knowing Your Soil Matters
Land is not merely soil, it is a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants and animals. -Aldo Leopold
Soil composition is VERY important. Seeds that land on good soil take hold and grow.
Oh, Deer!
We love to see them at a distance…. but when the deer are up close in our flower beds, munching away… well that’s just not okay!!
Container Garden Extraordinaire
Container Gardening at its finest.
This is the most outrageous container garden I have done to date.
The Voice of Mother Blossom: Cultivating Wisdom, Beauty, and Joy Through Gardening
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