Backyard Jacaranda and surrounding Jacarandas in East Maitland
Front yard Jacaranda
The Jacarandas are out in full force in our suburb at the moment. My back yard tree is loved by all the birds that sit in it and sing or squabble – honeyeaters, wattlebirds, parrots, doves, willy wagtails, peewees and magpies. Peewees built a nest in it last year but we had high winds and it was blown out. I also have tree orchards and “air plant” on this tree.
The front yard Jacaranda is only half the tree it used to be as council cuts them in half because of power lines. At the moment it houses about 10 magpies that love to sing and at twilight you can hear them calling. So far we haven’t been bombed by them so I’m hoping that they are used to us. My neighbour over the road has the peewee nest in her Jacaranda this year but I have the magpies.
“Air plant” growing on Jacaranda.This is a piece of Spanish moss growing on the Jacaranda in our backyard. It is also called an “Air plant” and it is epiphytic, drawing it’s nutrients and water from the air and rainfall.
Spanish moss in flower on Jacaranda.I was at our local show one year and came across a fellow known as the Bromeliad Man. He is from out of town and he propagates and sells bromeliads. I was talking to him and asking him about the various bromeliads he had on display and I spotted the Spanish moss. I told him that I had some of that at home and that it was such a weird plant – I thought it was moss like in the fact that it doesn’t have any roots. He said that it is a bromeliad – now I was confused. He said it flowers and they are small and green. Since then I looked out for when my bromeliad flowers and here are photographs of two tiny green flowers. The Bromeliad Man also told me the bromeliads in South America are worth seeing. That would be a great experience.
dianamidnight 