Bloom Day - January 2025

Under current circumstances, with a fire emergency ongoing in Los Angeles County, I might be expected to skip blog posts but frankly I need something to divert my attention from TV newscasts and scrolling fire reports online.  My South Bay area has not experienced a fire as so many other areas have but, with conditions tinder dry in a terrain riddled with rocky canyons, the risk of fire is a serious concern.  My husband and I updated our disaster plan and restocked our emergency go-bags, including one we have for the cat, this past weekend.  We remain vigilant, monitoring the Cal Fire site, wind conditions, and our own horizon.  A new fire emerged on Monday in adjacent Ventura County - it's not close but it's a reminder that, with red flag warnings once again in effect, we can't be complacent.

I've thrown the majority of my Bloom Day photos into collages this month.  I'll start as usual with the most prolific bloomers this month.

Aeonium arboreum flowers en masse at this time of year.  Their arrival always makes me think of the 1963 British science fiction/horror film, The Day of the Triffids.

Aloe 'Moonglow', divisions given to me by fellow blogger, Denise of A Growing Obsession, years ago are coming into their own

I picked up 2 Aloe hybrids at my local botanic garden years ago when they still held plant sales.  Aloe vanbalenii x ferox is on the left and A. striata x vanbalenii is on the right.

Our Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia x blakeana) is covered in flowers despite our high winds but, as the tree has grown taller, its flowers are harder to photograph

Some of the Crassulas are in full flower.  Clockwise from the left are: Crassula ovata, C. orbicularis var rosularis, and C. 'Springtime'

The flowers of Gomphrena decumbens 'Itsy Bitsy' are tiny but plentiful

The small-flowered Grevilleas join the year-round bloomers at this time of year.
Top row: Grevillea 'Peaches & Cream', G. 'Poorinda Leane', and G. alpina x rosmarinifolia
Middle: G. lavandulacea 'Penola', G. rosmarinifolia 'Dwarf Form', and G. 'Scarlet Sprite'
Bottom: G. sericea and 2 photos of G. 'Superb'

Leptospermum scoparium 'Pink Pearl'

Leucadendrons often substitute colorful bracts for flowers.
Top row: Leucadendron salignum 'Blush' and L. 'Safari Sunset'
Middle: 2 shots of L. s. 'Chief', now over 10 feet tall
Bottom: L. s. 'Summer Red' and L. 'Wilson's Wonder'

Metrosideros collina 'Springfire' is starting off its bloom cycle with a bang

The Osteospermums are coming back slowly.  Clockwise from the upper left: O. '4D Sunburst', a noID hybrid, O. 4D Silver', O. '4D Pink', and O. '4D White'.

Polygala myrtifolia (aka sweet pea shrub) has self-seeded freely in both my front and back gardens

A couple of plants are coming to the end of their season.

Protea neriifolia 'Claire' and Camellia sasanqua are just about done flowering

Several other plants are just getting started.

Top row: Anemone coronaria 'Mistral Grape' and 'Mount Everest'
Middle: The first Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' and Leucospermum 'Sunrise' blooms
Bottom: Echium handiense, Narcissus papyraceus, and N. 'Geranium'

There's one surprise bloom in progress.

This is the best shot of the Mangave 'Silver Fox' bloom stalk I could get

All the smaller stuff has been groups into categories by color.

Clockwise from the upper left, the blues include: Eustoma grandiflorum, Felicia aethiopica, Nemesia 'Bicolor', Pelargonium peltatum 'Lavender Blizzard', noID Viola, and Salvia rosmarinus (aka rosemary)

Clockwise, the white and yellow flowers include: Alstroemeria 'Inca Sundance', Eustoma grandiflorum 'Green', Argyranthemum frutescens 'Mount Everest', Antirrhinum majus, Correa 'Ivory Bells', Fuchsia 'Windchimes White', and noID Cyclamen

Clockwise, pinkish blooms include: succulent groundcover Ruschia 'Nana', noID Kalanchoe, Argyranthemum frutescens 'Aramis Apricot', Alstroemeria 'Inca Vienna', Hebe 'Wiri Blush', noID Cineraria, and Boronia crenulata 'Shark Bay'

Clockwise, flowers with orange and red tones include: noID Anthurium, Bignonia capreolata (I think), Cuphea 'Vermillionaire', noID Echeveria, Pelargonium peltatum 'Dark Coral', P. p. 'Red Ice', Primula vulgaris, and Ribes viburnifolium

That's it for my bloom survey this month.  Although there's little to nothing in our forecast, hopefully we'll get some rain in February to take the edge off this exceptionally dry year in Southern California.  It's been over eight months since we've had any real rain.

Visit the host of Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, Carol at May Dreams Gardens, to find other florific posts.

All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party