After patiently waiting for about two years from the time the cuttings took root, my Solandra grandiflora bushes have rewarded me with these amazing blooms. Before this, I've threathened to chop them down many times as I just don't understand why they refused to bloom in my new garden. The mother plant has never stopped blooming. Anyway all is forgiven now and I'm absolutely thrilled with these maiden blooms.
The flowers of Golden Chalice are dramatic in size and appearance. It measures about eight inches in length and four inches wide.
Chocolate markings run down the whole length of the funnel.
A pair of drenched Golden Chalice just after a shower.
It has a large and deep funnel which houses five anthers at the ends of curved stamens and a green-headed stigma.
The stigma protrudes out of the flower away from its own anthers and pollens.
The flower starts of in a pale cream colour which increases in intensity ...
over the next three days into a deep yellow colour.
The mouth of this bud popped open the day after.
The rim is frilled.
Three days later, the rim of the chalice starts to droop.
A tree frog has taken refuge on one of the stems.
The second digit of the webbed feet seems to be more pronounced.
An icky, yucky critter grazing on the underside of a Golden Chalice leaf.
The aftermath is akin to the crop circles seen on fields in certain parts of the world.
A single stalk of Solandra grandiflora makes a dramatic statement.
A single stalk of Solandra grandiflora makes a dramatic statement.
A plate of Cuttle-fish and Water Convolulus salad (Sotong-kangkong) in sweet, hot chilli sauce and topped with roasted sesame seeds and crushed peanuts.
They're stunning flowers Stiletto! They remind me a little of trumpet flowers/datura. Love the frontal views that show the lines inside. Love the artwork by that critter too! :) That's my kind of dish!!:P
ReplyDeleteHi Ngeun, welcome back to my blog. You were absent for a while. Daturas are droopy but the Golden Chalice are more upright and the funnels are open. The artwork by the critter gives me the creeps. I much prefer yours :D Looks like your Asian roots made you hanker after this type of dish. Anyway its yummy especially with lots of peanuts and sesame. in fact, I feel like having it right now.
DeleteŚliczny kwiat. Podoba mi się ich kształt i paski w środku kwiatka. Żabka wie co piękne i patrzy na kwiat. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeletePretty flower. I like the shape and the stripes in the middle of the flower. Frog knows what is beautiful and looks at a flower. Yours.
The stripes remind me of chocolate streaks in sundae or cakes. The frog could be admiring the flower while waiting to flick its tongue at insects flying past.
DeleteI have seen this flower in Asia....I think in Australia....the critter trails are cool! that plate of squid looks sooo yummy!
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon, I have not seen this plant while travelling in Australia but it is possible that it can be cultivated there. I have seen many of our tropical plants being planted with great success there. Yes, this is a great dish.
DeleteThis flower is completely new to me - the Solandra grandiflora is very beautiful, I wish I could grow it. The flowers actually remind me of the Cobea scandens but the blooms of the solandra are much bigger. Really lovely, I enjoyed seeing it - thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw it in the nursery, I wanted to have it at any cost. It look so exotic. I imagine drinking from the flower like the way we do with a goblet.
Deletewow that is a really pretty flower - I am sure you are glad now that you persevered.
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy with the performance of this bush. Now I'm waiting for the two other bushes to follow suit in this floral splendor.
DeleteIt's a beautiful showy flower, and except for the frilly edges, reminds me of the orange and the pink trumpet flowers on two climbers in my garden.
ReplyDeleteIt's essential that we propagate, and I'm pleased for you that your new plants finally produced some flowers:) I love the Tree Frog photo too, it's an excellent shot.
I'm glad I didn't chopped off the plants. My patience finally paid off. The photo of the frog is good as the frog stayed still throughout the photography sessions.
DeleteOnce again stunning pictures! What a beautiful flower and I like that frog picture.
ReplyDeleteSatu
Thanks Satu. I've noticed that you have changed your profile picture. The frog looks cute but I don't think it will turn into prince charming with a smooch :)
DeleteEven the shape of the bud is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThe bud looks like a balloon which is about to pop.
DeleteThe flowers is stunning indeed but I'm fascinated by that strange hairy bug eating crop circles on the underside of the leaves! It looks like some type of caterpillar and I wonder what it turns into after this.
ReplyDeleteUsually pests will just gnaw, and chew all over in an irregular manner, so this is rather strange. I really wish someone can throw a light on this. It is a pest which eats in a fixed pattern; quite artistic, I should say.
DeleteWhat a nice bloom! I love that you have frogs in your garden. I wish I had that kind of wildlife in my own garden. How long do the blooms on this plant last?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about having frogs in the garden especially here where they can help themselves to all the mosquitoes. Because of the intense heat here in Malaysia, so by the fourth day it looks a bit droopy. I heard that in the highlands where the temperature is cooler, it can last up to a week or more.
DeleteBeautiful photos! Love the garden frog :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and the kind words. Perhaps you are besotted by its dark liquid eyes, but I must remind you that there is a high possibility that it is not Prince Charming ;)
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