Week of November 3

November should be the quiet period for our Florida garden, between the summer blooms and the fruit tree and camellia blossoms of the early spring.  Certainly, a few bushes like the fire bush, fire spike, Pentas, plumbagos, Cestrum, gingers, and salvias are hanging on with blooms that color the garden until first frost.  The plants I am featuring here are LATE BLOOMERS that bloom specifically during this slow month.  One delightful newcomer is the Cassia, a member of the legume family, that grows to a tall bush 8+ feet tall and covered with large clusters of bright yellow flowers.  Another late fall addition are several varieties of Sasanqua camellias, with smaller leaves and blooms than the Japonica  varieties.  They foretell the coming of the other camellia varieties, now showing many buds.  The Turk’s cap hibiscus, with their bright red sack-like flowers, also show-up in the shady parts of the yard.  The loquat tree we planted six years ago also is blooming, producing citrus-like fruit that the squirrels relish.  Finally, the bushy Mexican heathers have banks of small lavender flowers at their peak right now.  This is the wonderful part of the Florida garden, new flowers blooming when the rest of the country is going to take a winter’s sleep.