Split Leaf Philodendron Like Swallows to Capistrano

Seems like the split leaf philodendron bloom is a bit early this year; but maybe not.  It seems to have opened in years past between now and sometime in June.  My mental note is to watch for this around Memorial Day.



Split Leaf Philodendron - 2013

This year, there are two buds/pods. I'm not sure temperature has anything to do with the process. It's been pleasantly cool/warm lately. I'm certain my fellow San Joaquin Valley gardeners are enjoying this refreshing weather before the bondage of summer forces us to do most of our outside work around sunrise and sunset.  The scent of this unusual bloom along with jasmine and the asparagus fern blooms make the shady side of the house full of potent perfume.  Very sweet stuff.  It's on the same side of the house as my BBQ.  The sweet perfume mixed with burning mesquite signals the fact that summer is here.

Garden Update:

• Boysenberry harvest is winding down with a final take of about 6 gallons of berries.  Pretty good for young canes.
• Plums are ripening.  Birds have started to  help themselves.  Netting was thrown over the tree this week.
• Apricots will be the next tree to ripen and will need netting to protect the bounty from the birds.

Not Again!

Is that a Split Leaf in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

The first of three pods on the Split Leaf Philodendron has burst open.  It is the weirdest plant in the garden.  The scent is very, tropically sweet.  I suppose that is an attractant.  After Mama Nature has done her thing, then this phallic symbol retreats into its hooded pod and starts producing some sort of fruit.

Don't know if I have the courage to sample the fruit.  Let me know if you've tried this and what you think.

Happy Mamas' Day!

Mourning doves nesting directly below scare tape!

Because I can't properly irrigate the basket at the front door, the plants are suffering at the expence of a squatter family.  They should be on their way soon and the basket will get replanted.  My gift for Mamas' Day from Farmer MacGregor came in the form of power equipment.

Don't be too quick to judge Old MacGregor on his choice of gifts.  He knows that I like the lawn to have a crisp, clean edging.  The string edger didn't do the job as well.  Besides, it's not running right.  Now here's the best part:  I don't operate this machinery.  MacGregor was up early this morning putting the edger through its paces.  THAT is a great gift...plus he got a cash discount.

Hope all the mamas have a nice day.

Split Leaf Update:
The weird growth on the Split Leaf Philodendron is ahead of schedule this year.  I noticed the pod last weekend and finally got around to recording the image today.  And there are now 2  3 pods.  Progress will be posted here regualarly.

Podcast

Maybelline’s Garden will be having regular podcasts for a short time.  Not those “techy” kind of podcasts.  Nope.  I’ll be chronicling the progress of a special pod in the garden.

Remember last June when my split leaf philodendron produced a very unusual flower that morphed into a very unusual fruit?   Well, it’s doing it again except about 3 weeks later this year.

 

Updates will be made as this thing progresses.  In the meantime, I would like ideas on how to use the fruit.  This is a strange one to me and if it’s edible, I would like to give it a try (if it’s good).  Research commences.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers - Epilogue

Remember when my granddaddy Split Leaf Philodendron had this strangely phallic blossom back on June 7?   It had a sweet, delicate, tropical scent.  More interestingly, it had an odd protrusion from a lily-like casing.  Is that a Split Leaf Philodendron or are you just glad to see me?

On June 8, the XXX visitor began to retreat into its casing.  Kind of looked like a hooded monk at that point. 

As the casing began to surround the center like a tortilla forming a burrito,  the white interior began to ruffle like a pom pom.  This happened in a matter of a few hours that evening.

The entire interior was swallowed up by the casing and it just lay  there for a few weeks.  Today, I noticed that the “pod” was almost completely detached from the plant and the casing had opened to reveal a different interior. I pitched it into the compost bin.  It’s a pretty pathetic ending to  a very strange happening in an ordinary garden.

But now you know ….

…the rest of the story.  GOOD DAY!

Invasion of the Body Snatchers Part II

I had to chronicle an update on the split leaf philodendron blossom.  It looks like it’s devolving.  This is definitely one of the most unique occurrences in the garden in a long, long time.

Here’s 24 hours worth of photos:

June 7, 2010  8:30pm

June 8, 2010  5:30pm

June 8, 2010  8:30pm

The tip of this hooded thing has curled up like a loofa and the scent has subsided.

I’ve had this plant for years.  I mean years.  When the backyard was remodeled, it was dug up and eventually potted into a gigantic ceramic pot.  The pot is so big and heavy that it’s pretty much where it’s going to stay.  I wonder if transplanting this beast trigger the blossom a year after the fact.  Don’t know.  It’s certainly interesting to watch.

A comment was left on yesterday’s post linking to facts of this fruit.  It is edible; but I’m not touching it.  Especially since it can be poisonous if it’s not ripe enough.  I’ll just enjoy watching the evolution.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

This evening I could smell something mildly sweet.  It was tropical.  It wasn’t jasmine.  It wasn’t gardenia.  What the heck?

It’s my split leaf philodendron, for Pete’s sake.  I’ve never seen this before.  Well, I’m not counting watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  This is really  bizarro.  Take a look and make of it what you will.

Okay.  That’s enough. 

You know, over at A Sonoma Garden a suggestion was made to make a bouquet each week for your home.  I think I would win a prize if I brought this into the house and set the table.