Pretty Plants and Fantastic Flowers

This spectacular sunset was the final golden touch to a beautiful walk I had this afternoon. I focused on the plant life around me because I had lunch with a lady who knows about the local plant life. The people I meet on South Padre Island really know their stuff. This is how much I know...










I know the red flowering plants are called "Kalanches" in Spanish and the purple ones are super hardy.



































Answer the following question to see how much you know...

Trees wear these bands because:

a) They're sexy.
b) They are too slippery for bugs to climb up the tree on.
c) White is the new black.




















There are many types of palm trees. This is the California Fan palm tree.
















This is the "Cousin It" variety of palm tree. It makes a funny sound.























This is another beautiful species with gorgeous fronds.

This next tree was one of my childhood favorites because it seems as soft as cotton.

This is a close-up of the leaves.

This next flowering plant is called a "laurel" in Spanish and "oleander" in English. People have died from making cooking utensils out of its branches. It is very poisonous. Horses eat the leaves and die.

This is the carrot plant, or have I been dieting too much?

This beautiful Hibiscus flower is the epitome of tropical beauty.

One of my many talents is that of cake decorator and this is something that reminded me of a cake's border. Boy, have I been dieting too much or what?

This beautiful plant is called "noche buena" in Spanish, I believe. If it is, it flowers at night. Its counterpart, the "dia buena" flowers in the daytime. I love the way this one spills over and "outside the box."

This plant is called the "OMG! There are red worms taking over the planet!" plant, I think.

I could be wrong... maybe.

This plant lost its leaves but kept the flowers. How nice of it.