Aesculus x carnea
The showy red horsechestnut Aesculus x carnea is a natural hybrid between horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) and red bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus pavia) that was discovered in Germany in the 1800's. It was a very lucky accident! The tree blooms a this time of year and and makes a memorable sight if you're lucky enough to see one in bloom. Read more about the red chestnut, a slow-growing ornamental shade tree that grows in USDA Zones4-8.

Feijoa Flowers
The feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana) is one of my favorite shrubs for many reasons including it's edible fruits, drought tolerance and handsome flowers that began appearing earlier in the month. The waxy petals of feijoa flowers are succulent and sweet and a treat to eat so sometimes I do. Click to download a large version (800x600) for your computer desktop.

Visit the Wallpaper Browser page to see more than 1,400 larger format (800x600px) plant images. Links to these images are also present in the title area of each Plant Profile.

Part 65
This is the final posting of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii series. We thank Bruce for allowing Floridata to publish this extensive survey of flowering plant species found in the Hawaiian Islands. Bruce will be be updating this series periodically and the pages will be enhanced and re-formatted when we launch Floridata v.3 (sometime in May I hope!). Click to read Part 65 or here for the menu and series introduction.

Butterfly Gallery

Visit Floridata's Resource and Articles page.

Tree Peony
In my Kentucky neighborhood the tree peonies, also called moulan (Paeonia suffruticosa), have just finished blooming. The spectacular blossoms didn't last but a week after being blasted with a couple strong strong wind and rain storms. I saw one with deep red flowers that I seriously need one of... Download images from the Tree Peony Wallpaper Gallery

Peony
The more familiar common or Chinese peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) beginning blooming just as the tree peonies are finishing up. The double-flowered varieties are very pretty but I like the big singles the best. Download images from the Peony Wallpaper Gallery and read the Peony Profile.

Gardenia
The gardenias (Gardenia augusta) back home are blooming now. The shrubs are blanketed with beautiful blossoms that perfume the moist warm air. I miss them. Click to download a large of version (800x600) of this gorgeous gardenia.

More spring-blooming woody shrub species:
butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)
English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)
fuzzy deutzia (Deutzia scabra)
glossy abelia (Abelia X grandiflora)
Japanese mockorange (Pittosporum tobira)
night blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)
oleander (Nerium oleander)
Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
Yulan magnolia (Magnolia heptapeta)

False Plumbago
The bed of false plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) started blooming this week. This low growing perennial is every bit as pretty as the true plumbago (Plumbago auriculata ) and and is much hardier (it grows in USDA Zones 5-9). Click to download a large (800x600) version of this blue beauty for your desktop.

More species to use for large-scale groundcover:
Aaron's beard (Hypericum calycinum)
candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)
chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata)
common periwinkle (Vinca minor)
creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
English ivy ( Hedera helix)
shore juniper (Juniperus conferta)
weeping lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
wintercreeper eunonymous (Euonymus fortunei)
yellow star jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum)

Dahlias: The Easy Way to Fantastic Flowers