Waitete Bay on the Coromandel grew the biggest oysters ever.
Oysters around here grew exceptionally large and were plentiful when waters were warm and pollution free 25 million years ago.
Humans pollute and they don’t tidy up properly.
A gathering of Gazinias.
Pictures are perfect, even if they aren’t perfect pictures. I can study flowers at leisure and marvel at detail.
Unravelling slowly, protective green bracts peel back, revealing purple plum pink pushy ray flowers.
In Search of the Lost Colour.
A tangled neural network in tune with the cosmic, pink appears. A three chord trick, opsin R, G, and B.
Staffa isn’t a million miles from Muriwai.
Joseph Banks set sail to Aotearoa with Captain Cook on the Endeavour in 1767. He was a botanist and collected plants. He visited Staffa and wrote about it, spreading its popularity. Banks was so impressed with the rocks on Staffa he briefly lost interest in Botany.
I initially found rocks more interesting in Aotearoa. I mostly study flowers now. Life can be funny like that.
I’m a bird, I’m a plane, I’m Epidendrum Pacific Rose
If you like orchids. If you like orchids that are neurodiverse. If you like orchids that won’t rot and die. If you like orchids that just keep throwing out flower spikes that deliver for four or five weeks then Epidendrum Pacific Rose is the answer.
Rainy Day Marigold Show
Bright yellows and deep reds.
Where do the bright yellows and deep reds come from? Ask a chemist and the answer is xanthophyll.
Its a thrilling story of carrots and enzymes
If you can’t be bothered with the chemistry enjoy the pictures anyway.
A gif for chemists follows the pictures.
Stand inside a section through a volcano at Karekare and look around.
The rugged coastline in these parts is stunning.
Volcanic construction and erosional destruction have shaped and reshaped this landscape over millions of years.
The North Island of New Zealand sits on a shaky plate boundary while Auckland is the only city in the world built on an active volcanic field. The twin geological hazards are very real.
Portuluca Grandiflora, a first look.
With a name that suggests a higher status among flowering plants this wee beauty was purchased from my local plant shop in Kumeu. Terrific value at $2.50.
Gazinia, a day in the life.
One bud emerging, another starting to open and a developing composite flower head.
Where have the Monarch butterflies gone?
I studied monarch caterpillars and butterflies closely about five years ago in Rotorua. There were millions of them and we spent a small fortune feeding caterpillars their very restricted swan plant diet.
Since moving to Auckland two years ago we’ve noticed a drastic decline in butterfly numbers. Plant shops don’t stock swan plants in significant numbers. Caterpillar demand is down.
Where have all the butterflies gone? I discovered where they are hiding.
Echinopsis Chamaecerius and Broxi update.
Not too sure of the science here but i do believe my Echinopsis chamaecerius plant predicts a 2-0 win for Rangers at Parkead tomorrow morning NZ time.
It was a while ago but Broxi gave up on watching flowers after Rangers only managed a late draw against Dundee United a month ago.
Echinopsis Chamaecerius has come on greatly, shrugging off its earlier blooms, and is doing really well. Broxi is quite confident of a good result when Celtic play Rangers.
Western Springs AFC, wild spectators behind the goals.
There were wild scenes behind one of the goals at WSAFC Seddon Fields on Meola road.
Life and death on a swan plant
Swan plants are busy places during summer months. Small creatures depend on this plant for survival.
Resources are finite and the plant struggles.
I’m not the Demogorgon, I’m a pretty Cotyledon flower.
I’m not the Demogorgon, I’m a pretty Cotyledon flower. No pretence with this plant. Work clothes on, covered in waxy dust.
Delosperma Cooperi, stigma and pollination
An older flower well past its best. With anthers mostly gone the female flower is exposed.
The ovary is spilt into 5 segments.
I think ridges on the outer surface form the stigma. A kind of stuck on klingon for incoming pollen grains.
Muriwai, Rocks and Birds and plants and things.
If you find your head in need of a wobble, any of Auckland’s West Coast beaches will do the trick.
Delosperma Cooperi, iceplant magic.
Ooh what a tangled web you weave as I first focus to perceive. It was a smart intro in my head but, lost in translation to the page.
Texas Bluebell or Lisianthus.
Soft green leaves. Deep flowers ensure insects will rattle around the interior for a bit before moving on. Nature always has a plan.
Just sitting watching the flowers grow, Echinacea.
Echinacea is such a fun plant to take pics of. It literally explodes into action
Oncidium Twinkle “Pink Profusion”
I picked up this cute little orchid at Tuckers Orchids in June. The wee flowers were stunning and it is showing signs of flowering again. I took some pics but didn’t get around to completing an investigation. I will when it flowers again. Its worth a look.