I found three flowering trees I've been photographing, and the bees love them as much as I do! Can someone tell me if this is "A Redbud", or is it possibly some sort of fruit tree?
I had a sensational day photographing enough flowers to last me forever, as Ken took me to a beautiful nursery that was also a botanical garden!
...and then there was the sunset... it put me over the top with more photos than I could possibly post! I'd put my cameras away this weekend (and let them cool down!) but this is one of those "Carpe Diem Locations" with endless choices.
I'm preparing for some week when I'm in a closet and have nothing to photograph! Think that ever will happen?! (yah...me neither...)
Louise I believe this is a Cercis. The flowers do not look like the Redbud flowers. The Cercis is a small tree or shrub, does that describe the one you are photographing? If all else fails, just to make sure, you can cut off a branch tip with a few flowers attached and take it to a local nursery for identification. Lovely photo, so great that the bees love it too!
@louannwarren Thanks SO much Lou Ann! It was you I was hoping could tell me since you'd posted your redbud tree! It IS a small tree, as all three are, but I don't know how long it's been since they were planted. If any of them grow large, they'll be crowded.
@louannwarren Thank you for that vote of confidence! I wish I has places to post more, but then everyone has their own beautiful photos, and we all want to share them! I may throw some fillers in...some of the many gorgeous flowers I've had the pleasure to photograph today! (Because Ashley likes having us here to be with the boys, she said she doesn't want us to go home! Because I love everything about being here, too, I don't want to return home either! The next visits are already in the works however...)
What a lovely colour for the blossom of this tree whatever it is. You are having such a great time there with Ashley and the boys! They all love you being there! It sounds like you are in Photographers heaven! Fav!
@jyokota Thanks for the assist and asking @vankrey to look, Junko! It does have a purple stem like our "flowering plum" (that wasn't fruit bearing) but those flowers weren't nearly as full as these where they cluster together.
@Weezilou The bark seems to have the texture and patterning of a cherry tree, but deeper intensity in color, as does the flower. WE just got back from a 15 day trip in Japan with 22 teens, and one of our highlights was being there for plum season. @vankrey is knowledgeable about plants and flowers so let's see what he says when he wakes up (it's just past midnight in Chicago but I'm in Poland and awake)
@pamknowler Thank you for that fave! I'm still looking at all the flower photos I took today, but am fading fast! Ken decided we won't return home until Mon morning, so two more full days...yea!
Beautiful, beautiful image. Not a redbud, that's all I do know - not the right flower. Lou Ann sounds as if she knows what she's talking about though. 365 is such a wonderful community. :-)
That's a very nice picture. Funny how the color palette of the bee and bud seem so disparate, that they almost seem like they're from two different photos, or even worlds. I am wondering, do you use a tripod when you take your wonderful closeup shots? Of do you rely on a fast shutter speed? Many thanks.
@Weezilou I'm with jyokota on this, it could be the Japanese Plum, it's flowers are certainly not redbud. Is it far to that nursery/botanical garden? If not maybe you could take a sprig there? I love it and if you figure out what it is I might ask my garden center if it would grow here. I love the interaction on 365, just wonderful.
@jyokota@louannwarren I had to let you kno9w that we returned to the nursery today - with a twig & flowers - and came up empty handed! They said that around here those red flowers could be any of a number of fruit trees. I prompted that several friends thought it might be a plum, but he still said they couldn't be sure. What I'm learning about this Santa Barbara coastal region is that it has it's own micro climate, and is often referred to as "The American Riviera". It's true that around here, housing is almost scarce (or far beyond the moon expensive!) because so much land is used for avocado & fruit groves as well as nurseries. Not finding the fruit tree I was looking for, I asked about plants for butterflies & hummingbirds and left with a Pincushion Plant (from So Africa) and a couple of sage plants that I'm told the hummies will love! ...and then I spent another hour+ taking more photos in the gardens!
@Weezilou Isn't that something! I can't believe they could only say "fruit tree". Does your daughter remember what fruit they bore last year?! Maybe your grandsons can watch them this year and you will finally know what fruit. Ha. A little mystery in life is a good thing. I've flown in to Santa Barbara, what a beautiful town, had no idea they had so much land devoted to crops. Looking forward to your garden photos!
@louannwarren We'll be back next month and I can check out all three trees! They're in the neighbor's yard, but they're relatively new neighbors and currently out of town, so no help there. I'll be watching to see what grows!
@aglennc Oh Anita, I understand! At the nursery we were given information about what attracted bees, butterflies and hummers. We took a pass on inviting many bees into the yard on ground level because of the boys, but we do get them in the flowering trees... Might it be worth trying to add something they love to your yard?
@Weezilou We're going to have to. We do try not to plant anything toxic to our animals, especially our desert tortoises. I'll have to do some research. Others in the neighborhood have also complained the past two years too. No bees. Consequently, we aren't getting our fruit trees pollinated.
@gaylewood Thank you for liking it that much! I could be content just building an album of photos like this, but then, that's why I make cards! I can see the prints and when I want to send a note, I have something I'd love to share!
