So Excited!

Okay, first you might ask, why in the world has it been SO long since I posted here! Well, I am trying to build a business from scratch with no capital, remember? And part of that is increasing my inventory and future inventory. I now have 110 varieties of upright fuchsias.
Another big part of that is redirecting the puplics preconcieved ideas about fuchsias as something in a hanging basket that fries in the heat and then freezes to death in the winter!
Which requires allot of time in forums talking about fuchsias.
Another part is to feed the database at DavesGarden.com with original photos of the varieties of upright fuchsias I am growing that are not yet in their database. And adding photos of my fuchsias even when they do already have it listed.

Today's post though, is about one of the original plants I went in search of years ago to be one of the main plants I wanted Pedricks Corner to be a source for. It took a long time, as the internet was not that user friendly back then and informational websites like DavesGarden.com did not yet exist. Or were just getting started.

I found a twig of a Braziliann Plume Flower - Justicia carnea 'Huntington' in a pot full of weeds in a little nursery going out of business up in northern California.
I have propigated it over and over and created lots of stock plants from which I can produce all the cuttings I need now.
The first photo is of one I gave to a friend last year and has a close up of the flowers.


Aren't they beautiful? And hummingbirds love them!
Back in the years I worked for a large commercial nursery, we grew these as houseplants. I had no idea they could be grown outdoors. But the only space inside the house for plants is occupied by dendrobiums and cane begonias....
These guys turned out to be strong though, and have survived freezes that killed many other perennials I thought were made of tougher stuff!
They even bloom in December and January here.
The picture below is of one of my current stock plants in bloom.
But wait until you see the photo below this one!!!!!

This is the Papa stock plant below!

I had absolutely no idea they were capable of getting this big! I finally had enough stock plants that I haven't needed to cut him since Febuary and now look at him go!

That is a 15 gallon black pot he is in!

And he is not only covered with what one person described as "purple pine cones," they are all starting to show the pink buds.

I am just stunned.....

I can't wait to see it everymorning and take another photo of it as it starts to bloom.

Check back in soon to see it covered with pink!!!!

The hummingbirds have been working over time to secure their territory from others coming by to check this out ;-)