Fiesta Wear

Hot blossoms

Today is Cinco de Mayo — a time for celebrating the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on the same day in 1862! Or, for a lot of people — a time to hit the local Mexican restaurant chain for cheap margaritas and nachos! Sadly, I won’t have time for either. Instead, I’m delighting in the amazing blossoms that appeared like festive party wear on my gasteria. Don’t these colors say “it’s fiesta time”? They even look like tiny dangling chili peppers hung out to dry, right?

Dressed-up gasteria

I’ve had this particular gasteria plant for a relatively short time, so I didn’t expect it would bloom so soon, or so spectacularly. Then suddenly a week or so ago, a central stem had sprouted and by week’s end, sent out perpendicular stems. Buds on those stems became blossoms, and this is the result. In a day or two the chili-shapes should open and the flowers will take on an elongated bell shape. Originally from South Africa, where they neither celebrate Cinco de Mayo, or eat nachos, I’d still like to think my gasteria’s making like a local, and is dressed up to party.

Star shine

Sporting some pretty festive buds in the same area, is my aloe arborescence variegata. A mutation with coolly color-contrasted leaves, it’s a known slow grower. So, as with the gasteria, I wasn’t expecting any blooms until maybe next Spring. And, I surely wasn’t expecting such beautiful gold blossoms like these. The star-like aloe with the gently up-curving flower stalk really lights up its place on the aloe slope of the Rancho.

Weighty torch bearer

Lighting up the slope even more are these aloe blossom torches. This more-common aloe has produced an amazing number of these huge, fiery topped stalks; in fact, some of stalks have been so top-heavy they’ve toppled over. Don’t you love how the lower, more open, blossoms seem to be lit from within? And, isn’t the range of colors from pale yellow, to gold, lime green, and pinkish-red, phenomenal?  Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! Have one for me … the gasteria, aloes, and myself, will have to sit this one out.