This has not been a good week for pictures. Our walks weren’t along routes that were very scenic or that had sights I hadn’t already photographed or shared. I do, however, have a couple of plant photos from my visit to the botanical garden that I didn’t include in last week’s post.
When I was leading garden tours for school groups, I would stay far away from the angel’s trumpets. That’s because every part of the plant is poisonous. When I first learned about this plant, I was told that it got its name because “if you eat it today, you will be hearing the angel’s trumpets tonight.” It is in the Solanaceae, or nightshade family. It contains tropane alkaloids, which can cause hallucinations and paralysis, even if the dose isn’t fatal. I’m not messing with it! It’s pretty, but I prefer to view it from across the garden.
Spider hibiscus is much more benign. The most widely recognized hibiscus species, H. rosa-sinensis is considered the most cultivated flowering ornamental shrub in tropics and subtropics. Spider hibiscus, with its highly dissected, frilly-looking petals, is much less common. It is also known as coral hibiscus. I love how the flower hangs down from the plant.
Here’s hoping I find something interesting for next week!
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