It's rare that I can't identify a flower, either on my own or after perusing my gardening library, but there's a vining flower outside the entrance to the San Diego Zoo that I have not been able to identify yet.
Bob Stewart has offered 10,000 points to the person who identifies it.
It's too beautiful to keep from y'all for too long, so here is a short slide show of the flower.
If the slide show here doesn't work on your computer, click here to watch it at slide.com.
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Click here to see the contest entries and to vote.
Hey, Rita - I was just over at your blog commenting on the urban legend about cell phones. Anyway, glad to see that the slide show works on your computer for a change. You weren't the only one having problems, though. Interestingly, I didn't have any problems on my older Windows 95, Millenium, and XP computers, so I can't explain why it didn't work. I suspect that slide.com probably knew about the problem and has resolved whatever problem there was.
Hey, Judy - I really like the stripe pattern on the flower, and it's a very large flower, leading me to believe that it's in the trumpet flower/trumpet vine family, but I have not been able to find it in my gardening books. I also asked a couple of workers at the Zoo but they didn't know either. The blossoms before they open also are quite interesting with their little dimples on each side, kind of like Kirk Douglas -- LOL.
Hi Russel - What an interesting flower! Unusual with its different looking bud and the star stripe on the trumpet shape, but also special because of the way the petals curl back. I have no idea what it is, but I'd like to know. Is it on some kind of a stalk or a round bush?
It looks like it's in the family of gardenia's... I have no idea what the scientific name is. But even the pre-opened blossom looks like a gardenia. Are they very fragrant?
Russel - Just by looking at the leaves and the flower bud, it looks like Allamanda Cathartica commonly called Golden Trumpet. It is a strong growing climber, can reach a height of 15 ft. All parts of the plant are poisonous, hence the name cathartica. Sensitive to frost. If you want to go technical, it is in the family Apocynaceae (Dogbane family).
Hey, Rosalinda - Thanks for your guess. Dogbane was my first guess while I was at the Zoo, but after getting back home and looking it up in all my books, I don't think so. The dogbane flowers have five overlapping petals whereas the flower here definitely has five separate petals.
I had to come back and see if anybody figured it out yet. Oh and I deleted the re-blog. And maybe the slide show is now working as I updated my Firefox to the newest version? Not sure - I have Vista. ~Rita
The flowers resemble platycodon or balloonflower but the leaves are serrated. They are also mostly blue, pale pink or white. So that could not be it. I think it is ENKIANTHUS CAMPANULATUS. The leaves are the same. There is a variety named "E. Hiraethlyn" that bears cream flowers with dark red veins. There is another variety named "E. deflexus" that has cream flowers with pink veins. Another variety called "E. Tokyo Masquerade" has variegated leaves of deep green with yellow margins.
Hey, Rosalinda - I think eventually you and I are going to find out what it is. Enkianthus sp. is a bush, though, and my plant is a vine growing all over a trellis and a building. The Enkianthus flowers also are on racemes, whereas my vine's flowers are individual, very large flowers. The stamen/pistol setup is different, too. Keep working. Maybe Bob will let me give you some of my points if you find the name -- LOL.
Russel - Could it be GELSEMIUM SEMPERVIRENS? This plant is a high climbing vine, funnel-shaped yellow flowers. Common name can include yellow Jessamine, Carolina jasmine (state flower of South Carolina), evening trumpetflower, gelsemium and woodbine. All parts of the plants are toxic. One source says it belongs to Gelsemiaceae and another source says it belongs to Loganiaceae.
Russel - I got it!. It is SOLANDRA MAXIMA commonly called Cup of Gold. Its trumpet-shaped yellow flowers, 6-8 inches long has purple veins and is a tropical climber. You will see them growing in Hawaii, Mexico, the West Indies and South America.
Solandra maxima it is, right there on p. 1346 of Flora: The Gardener's Bible. I don't like pictures that are in the bottom left corner because those are the ones I always miss. Take a look at Solandra longiflora, too. I'd love to see that one.
Russel - I do not have the book Flora: The Gardener's Bible but I have The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants and it is on page 964 with the picture like yours. I have to check Solandra longiflora. The AHS book does not list that but it lists Solandra grandiflora but no picture. I wonder what's the difference.
Hey, Rosalinda - I used to have the AHS Encyclopedia but I lent it to a friend. You know what happens when you lend things to friends -- LOL. I haven't replaced it; I should.
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It looks like a nose :) and I am so happy this is the first time the slide show works and I don't have to click to go away! YAY! ~Rita