Desert mountain flora
Now that the landscape is bleak, the ground is dusty, the plants are bare, the few flowers are even sweeter. A few that we haven’t seen before, and some that look like thirsty versions of wildflowers we’ve been enjoying.
These might be faboideae? Rosary pea? Any ideas?
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The prickly pears bloom throughout the year, though I’m no longer tempted to harvest them.
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These are funky flowers, periptera punicea, a member of the mallow family - anyone know if they’re edible? The grasshoppers are still enjoying them.
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Finally, loquat, which I bet is useful for something.
5 Comments:
January 17, 2019
Have you seen monarchs yet? I forget how far they are from you…. I’m looking forward to THOSE pictures!!!!! :) And I’d be interested to hear what you think of loquats, when you try them. I don’t think I’ve ever had one…
January 17, 2019
are loquats related to kumquats?
January 20, 2019
We haven’t found any ripe ones yet, which I think means someone else is picking them on the hillsides. But I hope we get the chance because I’ve read that they’re delicious! Loquats and kumquats aren’t genetically related, but their names are linguistically related in Cantonese.’
January 21, 2019
Thank you, google: Fresh from the tree, the loquat is juicy, sweet, and bursting with juice and flavor. … The flavor is a pleasant blend of apricot, plum and cherry with floral overtones, and is quite sweet when ripe. Yum!
January 21, 2019
Now I seriously hope we find some!