Hey, Bud.2!

Surprise!

Though the rains of recent weeks seem to be gone for the time being, their effect is still being felt at the Rancho. During my Sunday morning pluck’n’prune I discovered more buds of note. Take the dramatic yucca above. Looking like the flesh-toned cousin of an artichoke, crossed with a deadly space predator, it was a total surprise in the morning sun. A tall stalk with dangling snowy-white bell-shaped blooms will eventually replace this look, making it the front yard’s latest attention-grabber. Moving around …

Serpentine

On the side slope, a reptilian-looking aloe has produced an appropriately snaky flower stalk. Or should I say stalks, as it has smaller branches protruding from its side. I’ve never seen this variety bloom at the Rancho so I can’t say what I’m expecting. If it hisses, however, I won’t be surprised …

Artful camo

Inside the back yard, another aloe’s flower stalk and buds appear to mesh seamlessly with the painting hanging above it. The color coordination will continue once the blossoms appear: they’re a golden yellow that will be a perfect match for the same color on the canvas.

Subtly nested

Outside the back gate, a very demure stalk has found its way out of the ribbony leaves of my aloe plicatilis. I’ve only ever seen a plicatilis in bloom at the Jurupa M0untain Center’s nursery, so I’m excited about this latest addition to the Rancho’s floral repertoire. An early Spring flower show — with surprise entries — now that’s something to see!