A Little Life and Color in Winter

Sea onion taking off!

I don't grow only bonsai. This sea onion, besides making a nice accent plant in a bonsai display, is an interesting critter in its own right.

Sea onion (Bowiea volubilis) is not a true onion, tho, like true onions, it's in the lily family. Nor is it a marine plant: the "sea" reference comes from its particular shade of green.  It is in fact a native of the tropical deserts and semi-deserts of southern Africa.

Mine is just coming out of dormancy, and it's growing like a rocket: that new shoot grew 1-1/2 inches in less than 24 hours!


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All but one my orchids was lost to "forced neglect" some
years back during some major life changes. But if there had to be only one to survive, I'm glad it was this oncidium hybrid, hands-down my favorite.

Oncidium blooms opening

It was late to bloom this year; I'm not sure why. It will go in with the tropicals once bloom is finished, but for now it's in the living room, where we can all enjoy it. Set-but-unbaited mousetraps have ensured that the cats enjoy it at an appropriate distance!

My 'Snow Rose' serissa was de-wired yesterday, and is now in the warmth and humidity of the Bonsai Crate, my basement enclosure for my tropicals. It's looking happy, if these two new flower buds are any indication!

New buds on 'Snow Rose' serissa.

:-)  :-)  :-)