Nature Pictures of Flowers

       Okay you guys need to know that I love taking pictures of nature, especially magnificent scenaries, water flowing, animals, and plants. Critque on my pictures of flowers found in my community and pick out the best and your favorite. There's a difference between them....

• Common names Silk Flower, Satin Flower, Godetia, Farewell-to-spring
• Scientific name: Clarkia amoena (amoena means beautiful/pleasing)
• Commonly found from S.F. Bay Area to British Columbia (native to California)
• Annual flower, pale pink to dark red
• Start seeding 6-8 weeks before the last frost date
• Prefer sunny and partial shade areas with good air circulation and well-drained soil
• Drought Tolerant
•  Beneficial for bees and butterflies, Ethnobotanic ( its seeds can be pounded for a dry seed meal

• Common names: Yellow Cosmos, Sulfur Cosmos
• Scientific name: Cosmos  sulphureus
• Commonly found in Korean, Japan   (native to Central America, especially Mexico)
• Annual, some colors are in red, orange, or yellow
• Prefer to be in alkaline well-drained soil (6.0-8.5 pH) and sunny areas (make sure it's not invasive in your area e.g Tennessee)
• Drought tolerant( may be stunted)  and pest tolerant and a survivor!
• Attract butterflies and birds

• Common name: Blue Plumbago, Cape Plumbago, Cape Leadwort
• Scientific name: Plumbago auriculata
• Commonly found in Florida, California, India, and other warm parts of the world ( native to South Africa)
• Evergreen, Various shades of blue, yellow (due to manganese deficiency but can be cured with MnSO4)
• Prefer to grow in fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil in less windy areas unless has a trellis for support , easily grown but need two years to flower, full sun ( can be partial shade but have less flowers), and should be often prune
• Drought Tolerant and can survive frost
• Attract butterflies, birds (e.g hummingbirds), and unfortunately mites, mealybugs and more

• Common names:Bougainvillea, buganvilla, Santa Rita, Paper Flower 
• Scientific name: Bougainvillea spectabilis
• Commonly found over the world like England, Grenada (in fact it's the national flower) (native to Central and South America)
• Evergreen, small, white...confused? The magenta "petals" are actually magenta bracts ( colors like pink, salmon, red, white and orange)
• Prefer a lot of water ( do water sparely) and well-drained, slightly acidic (5.5-6. pH) fertile soil, do prune it( Warning: the sap can be irritating)
• Usually Pest free ( suffer from aphids, worms, etc), frost-resistant and hardy
• Attract butterflies and birds

• Common name: Pink Dragon Fruit Flower,epis, epiphyllum "Wendy" 曇花
• Scientific name:Hylocereus undatus
• Commonly found in Central America ( are artificial plants)
• Evergreen, colors vary from red to pink flowers on the cacti
• Prefer to grow in well-drained soil, in sun( not too much or the color may fade ) sometimes partial shade
• Drought Tolerant
• Attract ants, bees, Interesting way to eat it to freshly remove its fruit, cut off the ends of it and
•  place it in tea or some shaved ice. Never tried if  before..We'll see how it tastes.

Enjoy!