what's blooming in january

DECEMBER   |  FEBRUARY

Botanical Name:
Clerodendrum x speciosum

Common Name:
Glory Bowers or Pagoda Flower

Family:
Verbenaceae

Native Region:
Hybrid (parents native to tropical Africa)

Description:
A member of Verbenaceae, a family of mainly tropical and warm temperate plants (notable for clusters of small flowers), Clerodendrum x speciosum is a hybrid grown for its long lasting rosy red bracts and bright red flowers. A hybrid species occurs when two species of the same genus cross to produce a new species. Clerodendrum x speciosum is a hybrid between C. splendens and C. thomsoniae. The name Clerodendrum is from the Greek kleros, chance, and dendron, a tree, and alludes to a native legend that the plants possessed medicinal properties, which were a possible cure for certain ailments. Clerodendrums are grown for their pretty flowers and attractive, opposite leaves. 

Garden Location:
Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory

Botanical Name:
Cylindropuntia imbricata 

Common Name:
Cholla cactus

Family:
Cactaceae

Native Region:
Mexico to Southwest United States

Description:
Many tree-form cacti thrive throughout our desert southwest. Of these, our native cholla is the most tolerant of cold, and begins to appear on the hills and prairies just south of Colorado Springs, extending southward into New Mexico and beyond. These shrubby cacti stand tall above the shortgrass prairies, often forming large colonies. Their sculptural form adds year ‘round structure to dry gardens as well, but handle with care—their barbed spines are quite vicious and reluctant to let go! Flowering begins in late June or early July, and fresh blooms open each day for several weeks, ranging from deep purple-pink to soft pink and occasionally a rare white form. Their fruits develop slowly through the heat of summer and persist for a year or more. As they mature, they brighten the winter in brilliant shades of yellow, and occasionally orange, adding welcome color to the prairie and to water-smart landscapes.

Garden Location:
Dryland Mesa, Plains Garden