Tropical Illusions

Winter is here. The calendar says it doesn't officially arrive for three more weeks, but the brisk winds and occasionally snow flurries don't pay attention to that. Neither do the two tropical hibiscus that are blooming in the house right now.


Both 'Reggae Breeze' and 'Carolina 'Breeze' are blooming, as they've done outside all summer. Blooms are fewer and both lose a fair amount of leaves when they're brought in for the winter, but they still have cheery orange faces that put a smile on mine.

'Carolina Breeze'

They'll eventually slow down to the point that there aren't any blooms at all because it's really hard to get enough natural light from even a south window during a northern winter. At that point, they'll be taken to the basement greenhouse, where they'll go semi-dormant in the cool temperatures. Next spring, they'll go back outside and they'll get all pretty with blooms again.

'Reggae Breeze'
(has the dark eye)

Not bad for plants that were purchased at KMart two years ago for five dollars each.