Monday, September 14, 2020

Go stand by that whatever it is...

Yes, here we have another of the many photographs and postcards that I've received from my husband over the years. Don't they look excited to be there?

Ha, not so much really—but then again people rarely looked happy when posing for photos back in the day. So what is it that's blooming anyway? My first thought was dasylirion, but in my (limited) research I can't find any with such a wide swath of blooms. So perhaps it's a yucca, it definitely doesn't look like any agave bloom I've seen. What do you think? 

***Update, several smart people (here and on Facebook) identified the bloomer as Hesperoyucca whipplei***

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Weather Diary, Sept 13: Hi 63 (the thick smoke is keeping the temperature down), Low 51/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

18 comments:

  1. Looks very agave-like with it's super tall inflorescence. Usually it's just the kids that look unhappy when a photo is being taken. Must have been hot.

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    1. Ha, I hadn't thought about the heat, that's probably true.

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  2. I'm sure had it been you in the picture, there'd be a very big smile on your face. There are two more blooms, one on either side of that ginormous one. I wish that photo was in color, I would have enjoyed the sight of blue sky. As it is, it reminisce of the yellow gray dust we are breathing these days.

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    1. Blue sky... ya, wouldn't that be wonderful?

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  3. A particularly great Hesperoyucca whipplei?
    Funny, because the old photo made the pioneer name "our lord's candle" come to mind first.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesperoyucca_whipplei

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    1. Thank you! And yes, I see what you mean about the "pioneer name"...

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  4. Yucca is a good guess. I note that the lower leaves seem to have been cut away but otherwise the "happy" family couldn't have gotten so close to the flower.

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    1. Well I was almost right with my yuccca guess: Hesperoyucca whipplei

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  5. I agree with Mr. Seth--Hesperoyucca whipplei. They are local to the hills around here.

    Cool postcard! Andrew has a great eye.

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    1. Thanks! Several others said the same on Facebook. Such a cool—spiky—plant.

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  6. I think one could write a novel based on that photo. Who are they? Where are they going? Why?

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  7. https://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0509+2127

    Nolina parryi

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    1. Wow, that's a stunner and definitely looks similar.

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  8. Where does he find all these cool photos anyway? Clever man!
    Been thinking of you lately - it must be so smoky there right now... I heard that Portland has the worst air quality in the world today. Stay safe and I hope a good clean wind comes your way pronto.

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    1. He spends a lot of time searching online. I usually get the mail so I watch the envelopes from all over the world coming in.

      The air is so bad! I saw a bit of the sun clear enough to see clouds around it yesterday evening. It gave me hope. So far today is back to thick.

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  9. Love this postcard--and your caption! Hoping the rain arrives sooner rather than later.

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  10. You should work on a book of vintage photos featuring succulents!

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