Mandarin tree update

We had my Texas satsuma tree (Citrus unshiu 'Miho') in the garage all winter. In the past week or so, it put on loads of blossoms. So if I want fruit this fall, I decided I'd better get it outside for some sex.....I mean, pollination. Right away, the bees and other winged insects showed up. And oh man, if you could only INHALE the sweet aroma of those flowers! Wow-we-zowee!

Mournful thyris (Pseudothyris sepulchralis)

Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Bee

Mandarin time!

Yesterday, we picked our first three mandarins from our Texas satsuma tree (Citrus unshiu 'Miho'). Not a great photo of mine peeled. But it sure tasted good! (For more on the potted tree, see August 2, 2008 post.) There's at least 17 or so yet to be picked.

James was more artistic with arranging his mandarin slices...

Orange and green

Last year, our neighbors, the Murrahs, gave us eight little trumpet vines. We planted them along the chain-link fence in the front yard. They did well last summer. The other day, James noticed our very first blooms. I took some "before" shots this morning.

Trumpet vine (I think)

For Mother's Day in 2004, my favorite son, Patrick, gave me a satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu 'Miho') tree. At first, I just knew I'd kill it. But miraculously, it survived! I was even more amazed when it put on fruit in 2006. Around Halloween that year, we had a lot of sweet fruit. The mandarins were really good! In the winter every year, I move the tree into our garage, which has a window. So it gets some sun and seems happy. This spring, James and I repotted my tree, which I thought would really upset it. It already had lots of fruit. And it did drop a lot. But there's more still there, so looks like we'll have some more mandarins this fall to enjoy.


More orange and green... More queens are arriving to feast on our blue mist and butterfly weed. Not as many butterflies this season, but we'll welcome whoever comes!