Dem Bells

Today I deviate from my usual thoughts about seasons and the states of our gardens to talk a bit about one of my favorite plants -- Hermannia verticillata. Herman what? you may ask. This small-sized shrub hails from South Africa and is commonly called Honey Bells. It forms a dense two foot high by as much as four foot wide evergreen bush and produces an abundance of nodding, half inch yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. PlantzAfrica reports "The genus Hermannia is named after Paul Hermann (1640-95), born in Halle, Saxony (Germany), for a long time a physician in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), he spent some time at the Cape where he collected many plants, returned to Europe and became Professor of botany at Leyden in Holland." This species is often more commonly referred to now as Hermannia pinnata.
Though it certainly is not obvious at first glance, this genus belongs to the Malvaceae family, which contains such common plants as Hibiscus, Lavatera and Malva. Hermannia's common name owes to the pleasing fragrance its flowers emit. That would of course mean bending over to smell them, unless one raised it up in a tall planter or used it in a large hanging basket. When it blooms there's no missing the event, as even modest-sized plants are smothered in the tiny golden flowers.
Hermannia is tougher than it looks, as long as it doesn't dry out during the bloom season. It makes an ideal sunny garden addition and in our mild climate and with a little regular water will bloom over a long period. So, talk to your local nursery about adding a little 'honey' to your garden.
And now some photos from my garden.

Viburnum plicatum. Here, a bit of filtered sun gives more of an intriguing look to my favorite Viburnum species. I've kept mine pruned hard, sort of bonzai-ing it in a tight spot. That doesn't seem to have bothered it.

Geranium phaeum. The rains caused this species geranium to burst forth with lush foliage and the first of its matte finish purple flowers. Love this guy!

Here is the 'star' of today's blog. As you can see, my Hermannia specimen is in full bloom. I need to find somewhere to elevate the pot, although my sunny real estate is already over-booked!

Plectranthus 'Troy's Gold' + Begonia sutherlandii. It may be a bit hard to spot the single Begonia stem (upper left) but once it produces its creamy orange flowers then it will make itself very beautifully known.

My Thunbergia Arizona Red has continued to bloom through the winter and is showing no sign of slowing down. I love everything about this plant, not only the flowers but the interesting lime-colored calyxes from which the flowers emerge and the verdant green leaves. 

Up, up and away, my Beschorneria queretero bloom spikes keep reaching for the sky. Flowers are sprouting along its central stalk, soon to open and tempt hummingbirds. 

Blue meet red; red, meet blue. The blue daisies (Felicia) seem to be getting along royally with the red flowers of the Mimulus Fiesta Marigold above them.

Rhododendron 'Sappho.' My favorite Rhodie and it keeps getting better and better. This year the bloom clusters are larger and the colors more vivid. A selection from the great collection of rhodies at Sonoma Horticultural Nursery near Sebastopol.

Abelia 'Kaleidoscope.'  The variegated leaf form of the popular and vigorous Abelia genus is really rounding into form. The new growth offers delightful peach tones while the older leaves mix greens and golds.

Phacelia campanularia. Desert Bluebells is one of my favorite blue-flowering plants and here the flowers are a vivid gentian blue. A good cascader, I have it planted at the front of a low rock wall, where it can spill to its heart's content.

Justicia brandegeeana. Already back to blooming, this tough plume flower or shrimp plant depending on your choice, is a real blooming machine. 

Calluna 'Firefly.' My heather has just about outgrown its pot and I better get it out before I have to break the pot to do so. One of my favorite small shrubs, its leaves are constantly changing color. Here they're exhibiting some of the red winter color but also a bit of the spring green. It appears to be as tough as most other heathers.

Here's a shot of the fabled Grevillea 'Moonlight.' I say 'fabled' because it is darned hard to find in the trade. Glad I grabbed mine while I could. A favorite destination for hummers.

It took a couple of years but my Iris douglasii has finally begun to bloom. Here are the first 3 flowers this year, with more on the way. This CA native is one tough customer, able to adapt to a variety of environments. 

Eriogonum giganteum. This tall CA Buckwheat is one sturdy and gorgeous plant. There aren't many large, silver-leaved plants any better. 

Dutch iris. There's probably no richer purple than that of certain Dutch iris and here's Exhibit A. Enough said.

Physocarpus 'Nugget.' My Ninebark went from deciduous to full leafed out in three weeks then to full bloom in another two. This is one impatient shrub! It sports tiny heads of white, spirea-like flowers that are rich in nectar. Nugget is the golden-leaved variety, this specimen providing a nice eyeful for those coming up our main walkway.

Speaking of golden, my Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' rebounded very quickly from being hacked back in January. No truth to the rumor that I be a pirate but I do likes me 'gold.'

Pieris japonica 'Flaming Silver.' Another shot of my new Pieris. The pinkish leaves are the newest growth, contrasting nicely with the variegated older leaves and the white heather-like unopened flowers.

Goldfish out of water! Goldfish out of water! Okay, it's only a goldfish plant (Nemantanthus nervosus) but in this case it's more accurate to exclaim "Goldfish plant found outdoors!" This plant is mostly grown as a houseplant but it's mild enough in Oakland that I've trained mine to live outdoors. So far so good.

Rivers of Life

Well, I guess El Nino officially showed up this last two weeks. While no one expected one wet winter to wipe out our drought, I think we're all breathing easier. And of course our gardens have welcomed the rains with open arms. It almost seemed like everything sprouted overnight. That doesn't mean we shouldn't abandon good gardening principles, such as mulching, deep watering, planting drought tolerant plants, making sure we don't have leaking hoses or faucets etc. That said, it's sure nice when Mother Nature helps with spring rains.
The weather is warming too, making for a great one-two spring punch. We've gone seemingly overnight from staring longingly at our gardens, encouraging a few things to grow or bloom to suddenly having nearly everything shoot up. Of course that also includes weeds. I'm now convinced that weeds are just regular plants hopped up on growth hormones! In any case, to paraphrase the Byrds (Turn, Turn, Turn), it's weed, weed, weed!
Lots of upside. And proof of that is shown in the bounty of this week's photos. Here they are, a random collection of what's in bloom or of interest this week.

Though always a subtle treat, I didn't want to forget about my Ledebouria socialis. The foliage is always interesting then it puts out sprays of perhaps the tiniest flowers in the world. 

The perspective is a bit confusing but there are two Autumn ferns here, slowly being overrun by Toad lilies (Tricyrtis). 

My Begonia rex 'Escargot' sometimes does funny things, like putting out one monstrous leaf before the other tiny leaves catch up. 

There aren't many more beautiful ferns than Japanese Painted ferns (Arthyrium). In the center is a purple colored variety and to the right, barely in view, is one of the so-called Ghost varieties. Their beauty and silky leaves belie their toughness. They go deciduous but come back faithfully ever year.

I've had mixed results with Rhodies but one that's survived tough conditions and is now thriving is my R. Sappho. First viewed at (and purchased from) Sonoma Horticulture Nursery, this variety is otherwise hard to find. I call it my 'Raspberry Swirl' rhodie, as it looks a bit like Raspberry Swirl ice cream.

This dense mass is my Black bamboo, which is finally getting a toehold and developing some dark culms. I've learned two things. They like a deep watering on a semi-regular basis and they like regular doses of a high nitrogen fertilizer to be happy.

Camellia 'Lila Naff.' Simple but I love the coral/salmon tones. It displays the wavy petals so common to reticulata hybrids.

Gladiolus 'Lemon Moon.' Okay, not the greatest shot but this is one very lovely South African gladiola. As you may know, the South African gladiola flowers are small but often have intricate markings at their centers, as this variety does.

Here are two shots of my slender front yard bed, as it hugs the walkway leading to the back apartments. This shot shows purple Freesias, double yellow Gazanias, orange Sparaxis and blue Ipheions.

Further down toward the street in the same bed, this section shows off deep purple Dutch iris, short, pink Dianthus and just opening deep pink Ixias (Corn lilies). 

Speaking of Dutch iris, here's a relatively new variety called Apollo. The yellow falls are evident but this photo doesn't quite capture the lovely light violet upper petals.

Felicia amelloides. This genus is aptly named (from the Spanish 'Feliz' for happy). The periwinkle blue flowers of this tough evergreen shrub appear in spring and it will continue blooming all summer.

Silene uniflorus. This tough little ground cover (the genus is commonly called bladderworts) also happens to have charming tubular white flowers. Here it's spilling out of a pot containing a Pavonia.

Not sure why my variegated mint bush (Prostanthera) waited three years to bloom but this year it's gone berserk, making for quite the show. I imagine it must be the winter rains.

Spring brings lot of floral treasures but it also provides anticipation for the progress of one of my favorite shrubs -- this Leucospermum 'Veldfire.' Here are the developing buds, soon to provide spectacular furry yellow pincushion flowers.

I know, I know, another photo of my Aloe striata but here it is at the very peak of its flowering. BTW, aloes are beloved by hummingbirds so make sure to include a few in your garden.

Pieris japonica 'Flaming Silver.' I've wanted one of these showy shrubs for quite awhile and I finally gave in and brought one home last week. I have a place in mind for it (very near where it was placed for this photo). 

I know Abutilons seem like the easiest possible shrub/tree to grow but they do take some care to get them to look their best. In our mild Oakland climate they prefer some sun and some regular watering to get established. Fertilize once in awhile and prune as necessary to keep them bushy (if that's your preference). This shrub is another hummer favorite.

This strange looking plant is an Arisaema ringens. Jack-in-the-Pulpits have become more popular but this A. ringens is harder to find. I don't know why. It makes a sturdy and lovely, striped green and white spathe and the leaves are large and tropical. I couldn't get the right angle to really show off the spathe here.

As readers of this blog know, I love dwarf conifers (and have a bed full of them). Youngblood Nursery sells a limited selection of 4" species and I recently brought three home and have created a dwarf conifer pot (kind of like a mixed succulent bowl only with slow growing, dwarf conifers).

Yeah, it's just a photo of a Ranunculus but I love them and they're so cheerful.

Speaking of mixed succulent bowls, here's a hanging basket with 3 different ones. Though it's hard to see there's an Aeonium, Crassula and Jelly Beans sedum in there.

'Spirit' plants

In many traditions, such as many of our Native American tribes, animals played both a physical and spiritual role in their lives. Certain animals embodied important qualities and aspects of life and were revered for these associations. In a way, a little bit of that remains in the world of gardening. As gardeners, we play a small role in the greater ecosystem around us and hopefully we include and honor the variety of wildlife we come into contact with. These creatures are part of our world and even for we urban gardeners they have an integral place in our gardening worlds.
This is all to say that the fauna in our world have woven themselves into the very language of gardening, be that by association or by actual interactions. These associations are reflected in the common names of many plants. Such common names as Butterfly Bush (Buddleja or Asclepias) and Baboon flower (Babiana) reflect direct relationships to the natural world. Or plants may invoke a certain animal's form or function as with names such as Canary Creeper nasturtium, where the bright yellow flowers remind some of canaries. Those some of these names may on the surface be playful or stretching one's imagination, they nonetheless invoke our positive relationships with the wildlife around us.
Regular readers may remember that awhile back I constructed a list of such common names for plants that reflected these relationships. That was part one and now here is part two. I should clarify that this list contains 'common names,' not variety names. That is, 'Hens and Chicks' as a common name for Sempervivums (succulent) but not Impatiens niamniamensis 'Congo Cockatoo.' The former describes a whole genus or at least species, while the latter is a particular variety of a species. The latter may invoke a particular animal but the former tends to describe a broader and deeper relationship.
Okay, onto the names! As with part one of the list, I'm indicating only the common names. Can you guess their botanical designations?

Blue Bear's Paw fern. Definitely a little imagination at work here but this wide-lobed fern could easily be seen as the footprint of one very large animal and the fronds have a lovely blue cast.
Speaking of ferns, there are two species of a particular genus that are known as Squirrel's Foot and Rabbit's Foot. I'm a bit puzzled by these common names. Since both feature white, hairy rhizomes that creep out from underneath the foliage, I think the name Tarantula fern makes more sense.
One very common bulb that visually demonstrates its animal association is Tiger lily. Actually there are several species of lily that use this moniker (or the similar Leopard lily). They all feature orange petals with dark spots, most with recurved petals.
Another apt common name is the lovely Gooseneck strife. This deciduous perennial produces spires of pure white flowers that curve and bend at the tops, invoking a curving goose's neck.
Many people are familiar with the CA native Sticky Monkey flower, given its common name because the flowers are said to resemble monkey's faces.
One example of a plant's common name owing to its use is the Mosquito plant. It is perhaps better known as Hummingbird mint. This plant is said to be used to repel mosquitoes though as someone who is popular with mosquitoes I have my doubts.
Some common names are amusing. There is an Arum family member that's known as Mousetail plant. Do you know it? It derives its common name from the appearance of the flowers, which are brown and white, with long curving 'tails.' I have it in my garden and it's one of the most delightful flowers in my collection.
Octopus tree may seem like it's stretching the boundaries of our imagination but this single conifer in Oregon is shaped like an upside down octopus. The plaque there raises the possibility that Native Americans may have shaped the tree this way for ritual purposes but in any case it is quite the sight to behold. You might google it to get a look.
Much more common, do you know the identity of so-called Moth orchids? Their name derives from the appearance of the flowers, said to resemble moths in flight.
Oxslip meanwhile owes its common name to the fact that this perennial is found in meadows throughout Europe, where cattle and yes ox were cultivated. One doesn't need to imagine where they sprung up (cowpies).
Speaking of cows, there's a not-too-common plant with the common name of Cow Parsley. If the leaves look familiar it's because this genus has a different species that is grown as an herb in many gardens. So, do you know the ID of either plant?
Oyster plant. This perennial member of the Borage family isn't well known but in fact is found over regions of North America. It derives its common name from the fact that it's leaves taste like oysters. Does that mean it's the only plant you want to eat with BBQ sauce?
While it's well known that Pandas only eat a certain type of bamboo, that hasn't stopped their name being invoked for a very curious member of the Arum family. It's known as Panda Face ginger and it possesses one of nature's truly odd flowers. Round, tri-petaled flowers are a deep, velvety purple on the outer edges, with alabaster-colored centers. This is meant somehow to resemble a panda's face. The flowers are also rubbery and the combination of color and texture makes them unique in the plant world (or at least what we're commonly exposed to).
Given how popular birds are in many gardener's lives, it should come as no surprise that bird names show up frequently in common names. Three of them in fact invoke parrots. First up is the popular Parrot's Beak plant, whose name owes to the shape of these red or orange flowers. A bit less known is the plant called Parrot's Bill. This shrub offers up multitudes of larger red or white flowers that are, yep, shaped like beaks (though for me they look more like macaw beaks). Lastly, there's a plant that many would recognize immediately, even if they wouldn't know its botanical or common name. It's Parrot's Feather and this time it's the soft, lacy foliage of this aquatic plant that's the connection.
This next plant has an unusual name (Pelican flower). That alone would not be much of a clue. Here's one, these large flowers can sometimes smell of rotting flesh. Got it? No? How about this, the leaves of the grandiflora species of this genus provide a food source for the Swallowtail butterfly.
Speaking of curious common names, how about Hedgehog rose? I've been trying to find the common name derivation of this species rose but the closest I've come is that this rose was often used as a hedge by British gardeners. Maybe hedgehogs hid in the hedge? (say that phrase fast ten times).
Back to functional common names for a moment, there's a plant used by southern gardeners to keep away flies. Lo and behold, it's common name is Shoo-fly plant and it's the sap that's mixed with milk to kill flies. Here's a clue as to how. This genus is a member of the Nightshade family, many of which are quite poisonous. So, now, do you know this blue-flowering annual?
Another 'functional' common name is Skunk cabbage. You can probably deduce that this name refers to its unpleasant smell. True. It turns out there are several genera with this common name and even the most recognizable one has species endemic to various regions in the world. The clue for our western species is that it is one of the few native species of the Arum family. And of course, nature being very deliberate, the smell serves a purpose, in this case to attract certain flies and beetles that will pollinate it.
Shrimp plant is an evocative name but for the plant that it is most commonly associated with, it's also very descriptive of the colorful flowers.
Likewise, the Snail vine's pretty purple and white flowers are very representative of snail shells. Ironically, real snails love to eat this plant, even climbing up 20' to munch on its leaves.
There may or may not be a lot of snakes in South Africa but there's a plant hailing from this region that's simply called Snake plant. Although it grows outside there here in our cooler climate this tough as nails plant is commonly grown as a houseplant. Know it? No? You might ask your husband's mother. She'll know.
Naturally, spiders figure into the lexicon of gardening names. Start with Spider flower. This popular annual flower comes in a variety of pink, salmon and white colors. Need another clue? It's stems are a bit thorny, meaning one is advised to wear gloves in handling them.
Spider lily anyone? Actually, that common name applies to three different plants, all belonging to the Amaryllis family. The other two are Crinum and Lycoris. Can you name the third? Here's a clue. The genus is a compound word and the Greek word for the first half means 'membrane' and the Greek for the second means 'beautiful.' The common name owes to the flowers that, with a central cup and the six curving, narrow petals, the combination looking very much like an elegant spider.
A much more familiar common name would be Spiderwort. It too is often grown as a houseplant. Its common name owes to the babies it makes, which cascade out from the mother plant.
Sometimes, there is really poetry in the choice of common names. One example of this is Three Birds Flying. Here's a reciprocal clue. There's another species of the same genus whose common name is better known - Toadflax. Wait, toads eat flax? I guess that explains there not being any constipated toads. So have you guessed the genus of these two plants?
Sticking with birds for a moment, did you know there is a Whippoorwill flower? And here's a rather obscure but potentially helpful clue to the name of this genus. It's name is very similar to that of the female lead in the wildly popular book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 
Finally (mercifully?) two last entries. The common name Wormwood will be familiar to a lot of gardeners. Did you know that the drink Absinthe is derived from a type of wormwood?
And we end with a Z (or is it with zzzzs) and the plant known as the Zebra plant. The clue here is that it's a houseplant, unless you have a tropical green house that is. They are one of the few houseplants to flower, the bright yellow flowers providing a colorful contrast to the glossy green leaves, veined yellow.

Sooner than Later

To paraphrase that Grass Roots song (Sooner or Later), our recent combination of sun and rain has put many of our gardens into overdrive. Deciduous shrubs such as Viburnums, Spireas and Physocarpus have not only leafed out almost overnight but some are already producing flower buds. Why is that you may ask? The simple answer is that it is built into many shrubs' DNA to take advantage of spring rains to not only leaf out but flower as quickly as possible in order to attract pollinators, before the rains are gone and the dry season begins. Of course it isn't just deciduous shrubs that do this. Bulbs are the classic example of this manic push to bloom as quickly as possible before the rains disappear.
In any case, spring has clearly arrived for most of us here in the Bay Area. That means not just a wonderful proliferation of flowering bulbs and early annuals but perennials that are responding to our unusually warm weather. The photos of my garden today reflect all of these conditions and so provides a nice cross section of how wonderful our early spring gardens can be.

A northern friend was sharing that her Forsythia is in bloom right now. It's not cold enough here in Oakland for that deciduous, yellow-flowering shrub so my substitute is the equally sunny Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora.' As mentioned above, it leafed out and began blooming within a mere few weeks. The 'Pleniflora' variety has the double flowers. Both this and the species are very vigorous.

Wow and double wow, my new Camellia reticulata 'Bill Woodruff' has produced its first flower and it's incredible. Not only that rich color but it is a fully double flower and the petals are extravagantly ruffled. Why do we grow camellias? This is why.

Proving that plants that like regular moisture just aren't going to be as happy without it, my Ribes sanguineum 'Claremont' has resumed its profuse blooming, stimulated by our winter rains. This part shade loving CA native is easy as pie to grow. A favorite with hummingbirds.

File Agapetes serpens as one tough plant. My specimen has survived two location changes, periods of dryness, two attacks of thrips and who knows what else. It's having its best year ever this spring, producing tons of papery red flowers. 

Somehow the dappled sun here brings out the charms of Asarina procumbens, a hard to find cascading Asarina. It features tubular, almost snapdragon-like white flowers that have soft yellow throats. Its leaves too have a soft felty texture, leading a sweetness to this vigorous evergreen species.

A recent trip to Annie's Annuals unearthed this violet-flowering Lachenalia. I keep finding new ones to bring home.

Sparaxis variety. I love Sparaxis for their sheer exuberance and color combinations. Here's the one I liken to Orange soda, with a yellow center but no dark dividing line between the two colors as is common with sparaxis. 

This is the walkway leading back to the studio apts in the rear. On the right side, pictured here, I've planted a host of bulbs, as well as a low Scabiosa, a spreading Lotus and other ground covers. Already in early March you can see the blue Ipheions in bloom as well Freesias and the first Sparaxis. Soon to follow will be Dutch iris, Ixias, species Tulips and eventually Lilies.

File under the 'It's warm and I'm being watered' category. This Mimulus 'Fiesta Marigold' is already in bloom. Our native mimulus are a great example of a hardy plant that responds almost immediately to the advent of rain. When it's dry it toughs it out and when it gets moisture from spring forward it responds by blooming.

I'm trying to expand out from photographing individual flowers so with that in mind, here's a photo of one of my median strips. Most notably, that's a Beschorneria sp. 'Queretaro' in front with the two tall bloom spikes. Also in this bed is a double yellow Gazania,  an Eriogonum crocatum, the CA native Abutilon palmeri, a Caryopteris 'Hint of Gold' and two flowering quince (Chaenomeles). Anchoring the bed is a Magnolia 'Butterflies.'

Speaking of the Eriogonum crocatum, here it is in the early morning sun. I love the pure silver foliage and the way this will eventually show off the sulphur-yellow summer flowers. Of course, CA Buckwheats, as the species in this genus are known, are great landscape plants for all manner of pollinators.

A top down view of my ever changing Sun King bed. That's a Pittosporum crassifolium (chartreuse leaves) to the front left. To its right a variegated blue daisy (Felicia) and then a pot of lilies that also holds some orangish-red Freesia. In the bed itself, that mass of yellow is Osteospermum 'Voltage Yellow.' In front, starting to spill over the low wall, is a Phacelia campanularia. Packed behind are the now blooming Ferraria crispa ssp nortieri (I call them Chocolate ferrarias because of the flower color), a CA native Salvia spathacea, another CA native, Epilobium canum plus a Scuttelaria, purple and white flowering Verbena, a Satureja mimuloides (species mate to Yerba Buena), Maritime CA poppy and both Iris and Dutch iris. Oh, and the Peacock moraea. I did mention the bed was packed!

For some reason, my Prostanthera variegata (Variegated mint bush) waited three years to bloom but the flowers on it now represent a second straight year. This hardy genus, all 90 species are endemic to Australia, thrives in sun and is quite drought tolerant. The genus name derives from the Greek word for appendage, thus our word Prosthesis. Of course its common name owes to its wonderfully fragrant leaves.

I never get tired of photographing my Euphorbia atropurpurea, especially now that it's finally hit its stride. Of course its species name owes to the purplish-red flowers, instead of the typical chartreuse. It likes a little more sun than some species but rewards its caretaker with huge rosettes of leaves and those vividly colored flowers. Hard to come by in the trade, which is odd given how lovely and durable it is.

I now have five succulent bowls and since I keep a list of all my plants in my computer and where they're found I decided it was easiest to just number them. So, meet succulent bowl #3. It likes its location so has prospered, especially the Watch chain crassula in the rear. 

Viburnum is an interesting and varied genus and one of the ones that's certainly less common is V. x burkwoodii. It's a cross of V. carlesii and V. utile and the cross was intended to produce, among other things, especially fragrant flowers. Check. These spherical clusters of pure white flowers appear before the leaves in early spring and are sweetly aromatic. This deciduous shrub can get to ten feet tall but is more likely to settle in the 6-8' height range.

Speaking of 'Phoenix' plants (those back from the dead), my Melianthus pectinatus looked to be a goner at the end of 2015 but now is vibrant and bushy. It's a smaller species than the common M. major, both its leaves and its flowers, which makes it a more practical selection for smaller gardens. Still has the same odd peanut-butter smell to the leaves.

My favorite garden 'monster,' this Pelargonium crispum 'Variegated Golden Lemon' has decided to range far and wide, not behaving like any pel I've ever grown. Fun, plus there's that lovely scent.

No, someone didn't hack my computer and insert this ... um, what the heck is that? It's a Porcupine Puffer fish (Diodon holocanthus), or rather it's the skeleton of one. I ordered it from a site that specializes in seashells. They've shellacked it to preserve the skeleton. And it does earn its common name -- those spines are really, really sharp! He's either the greeter to my back yard or something to scare people off. Oh, and of course the live fish are poisonous.

No, this is not MY Acer Beni Maiko Japanese maple but though mine is leafing out and the new growth is really this brilliant red (soon to fade to green), it's too early to get a good photo of it. So here's one grabbed from the web for maple fans to enjoy.