This big plant is a main feature in the walkway garden, even when it's not blooming. But it is blooming right now, and there's no way to miss it!
Big white blooms with no noticeable fragrance (to me), but they're loaded with pollen:
I really like heavy pollen producers, as they seem to attract lots of bees!
I think a pollen-covered bee is my favorite photo subject in the garden.
The blooms open for only a day I think, but there are plenty of buds left:
I'm going to deadhead these this year, as although the seed pods are quite beautiful, the seedlings are not wanted -- there are several of them in the area and with a plant this size one is really enough.
An unexpected patch of variegation on one leaf is a bonus:
One of the few Japanese beetles I've seen this year:
I assume this means that in a typical year I'll see lots of beetle damage on these blooms -- but not this year.
Any questions about this plant? It really is quite nice, and I'm glad I put it in front of the house where I (and the neighbors) can enjoy it all day long.
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Interesting...I have this same plant (or at least it's got a very similar flower) and mine has some variegation this year too!
ReplyDeleteFantastic photos - love the dusty bees!! The photo is so sharp, you can see each individual pollen grain.
ReplyDeleteThat's surely just coincidence, right Loree? Or maybe this plant does this every year -- sometimes it's just on a leaf that's not so easy to see?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos
ReplyDeleteThe beetles are well at work her in Vermont. One refused to leave my floral canopy. I had to physically shove him on his way.
The dusty "bee" is not a true bee,
ReplyDeleteI can tell because it has only two wings.
I think it is a hover fly.
Anon: My photos may not show it well, but I do think it is a bee. Agapostemon virescens http://bugguide.net/node/view/21858/bgimage
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