{Our Pinckneya Pubens - Poinsettia Tree}

In our garden we do have this special pink-blooming tree: Pinckneya

Scientific name (Pinckneya pubens)

Common name - Fever tree; Poinsettia tree 

Join me on a Garden Tour with: Mariette's Back to Basics.

Pinckneya is a small deciduous tree native to the coastal plains of the southeastern United States. It is notable for the very showy blossoms borne on the tips of the branches in late spring. Their color is usually pink, but the possible shades range from creamy-white to rose-red. The blossoms occur in large clusters, and a tree in full bloom is a spectacular sight.

Actually the petals of the individual blossoms are small and inconspicuous. The size and color of the bloom comes from the sepals, which can expand to several inches. Because these sepals retain their color for an extended period before fading, the show lasts for several weeks.

This is a plant of the deep south, and it can't be grown in the north except in a greenhouse. Even in the south It isn't common, either in gardens or in the wild. Its native habitat is wet acidic soils on the margins of bays, swamps, and streams, often in the light shade of scattered pine trees. Cultivated plants can grow on drier sites, but may need special attention during droughts. Root rot can be a problem, especially on poorly-drained clay soils.

But in the right conditions the species can grow fairly fast and begin blooming at a young age. It needs a moist acidic soil with good drainage, and does best in light shade. Wild specimens often spread by producing root suckers, and cultivated plants usually have multiple trunks.

A Pinckneya grows rather tall, it was hard to capture its blossoms on camera...

Pinckneya can be grown somewhat north of its native range, in the warmer parts of Zone 7. It can be killed to the ground if the temperature drops below zero (F), but will usually resprout from the roots.

Most blossoms were way up high where we could not reach them!

The scientific name of this species has been changed from Pinckneya bracteata to Pinckneya pubens. An old common name is Fever-bark Tree, and the bitter bark of the plant was formerly used as a home remedy for reducing fever. The species is related to the Cinchona Tree (Cinchona ledgerina) of South America, the original source of quinine.

Trees in our garden are rather tall and also this Pinkneya has its blossoms all the way up in the air. But at least we got you some pictures. Pieter held a branch down for me to catch on camera.

{Our Felines - Sweet Barty...}

Okay, we want to introduce you to our Barty, a male feline who came to our household. After some sad stories; this is a happy one. Even Anita Anggraeni our foster daughter loved Barty to death...

So let's begin with Barty's arrival as a cute little kitten.

As a good Dutch custom, dating from the 17th century, we celebrated that with 'Beschuit met Muisjes' blue and white of course for a boy! Even though we didn't have any Dutch Rusk... so we made do with Wasa crispbread. Of course Barty did not eat this. He just was curious what it was. His fur was not in optimum condition when we first got him but soon it began to shine and he grew stronger.

Snuggling up to his big brother, his protector and mentor who loved him to pieces. One thing we learned from this; never one pet alone! Like humans, they are a lot happier and healthier when there is a playmate! It was endearing to see Spooky act almost like a surrogate mother...

Safe in Papi's strong arms; feeling very sheltered and well loved right from the beginning. Except for when they take me to the vet for shots and other nasty things... don't like that but they say it's good for me! All of us felines have been spayed or neutered and we see the vet regularly. That's the only time we get to travel by car you know.

Whenever they've been away, even for shopping... I put my cutest face on and cuddle with my Mami. You know what? She always gives me cat-treats... I just play the game!

When they say the word 'Snoepie' I really pay attention. Yeah, I'm born in Georgia but I understand Dutch too! Do you know what a Snoepie is? It is 'lekker'... yummy Whiskas Temptations Savory Salmon!

One day, when Spooky and I did go with Mami into the wood garden to collect violets for making candied violets, I ate some big tender grasses. That is so good, like salad for humans. BUT some old dry grass had pricked deep inside my nose and made me sneeze and sneeze... They took me to the vet and she thought I had an allergy and got some medication. But I kept on sneezing and blood came out of my nose. Papi got real upset and went with me back to the vet and I had surgery... Oh my, that was nasty! Look what they found in my nose; this straw-like piece that had been bothering me for weeks. But I never lost my good-natured mood, I always smile you know. Life is good to me and I am a happy cat; I got so lucky to get out of that little cage at the Humane Society. I never forget that and sometimes I do dream about those sad days when they picked my sister up first and than came Papi with Mami. I did nibble on her earlobe and her pinky and she liked that. The trick worked. But you know what, for that piece of straw I got tons of LOVE and WHISKAS...

Can you see the gazebo reflected in the glass? That's also a favorite place for me to be. Oh, I do have lots of favorite places. I love to walk alongside the creek in the back because all kind of critters live there. Sometimes I do bring Mami a gift, a frog or a mouse and I'm even a brave enough cat-man for killing a rat! Yeah really, and they reward me for doing so. But they don't like for me to look at birds, they do feed them too and I guess that means they must love them! Never did they feed the rats or the mice so I got the message. Oh, with that thick black fur-coat I LOVE to stay in the shade.

This is the garage, it is for the cars but tell you what: 'It is OUR bedroom too. Look at all the pet-beds to the left. Underneath are rugs with leopard prints on them. Mami bought them for us in Coral Gables, Florida, as a gift when they went there on vacation. We stay home and can get in and out through the cat door. Yeah, I used to go with Spooky to a Pet Lodge and we had to stay in a cage. Stupid person called it a Pent House! We could barely move in there and we were very sad and Papi and Mami even had to pay for that. No, I'm happy the way it is now. A close friend did convince them to get us a cat door. But at first they hesitated because one cat-girl got killed on the road. Me, I never go on the road... Mami told me not to and I listen! By the way, this photo was taken by Papi - two days before he had his open heart surgery... That scared all of us. And you know, I am now the Cat-Leader for the other kittens. You can read about the boys {You like to meet our 3 Feline Boys?} and the girls {Telling YOU the Tale of our 4 Feline Girls}.

Yeah, I am worried about my Papi and Mami because they are working so hard in this huge garden where we can roam freely. This is in the end of March but not long before those weeds start growing again... We all do help as much as we can, we're always looking what they are doing and join them.

Bye for now; thanks for visiting and listening to me!

Barty

{Our Felines - Sweet Spooky II...}

As promised yesterday, here is the sequel about our Spooky I and II... I forgot to mention yesterday the reason why sweet Spooky I got killed. She had a very special friend; the black dachshund Daisy from across the street. They were both not allowed to go on the road but Spooky made her daily trips to look her up. They frolicked around and talked to each other, they were inseparable. When Daisy broke her leg and had to wear a cast, she could not come outside. The day that the cast came off, Daisy's Mami carried her out of the car into the house. Daisy made a loud noise, that they never had heard from her before... she was calling for Spooky, who sat next to the front door window to wait for her! That was only days before the one fatal car accident when she'd visited Daisy for the last time. Pieter was on the lawn with ant killer when it happened almost in front of him. Daisy did mourn for a long time. Spooky I was missed by so many. A couple of months later when I was in bed with Vertigo, Pieter went to the Humane Society and got us the pet of the week. And thus we had another feline; Spooky II.

Here he is; a cute tuxedo cat!

After our sad experience with Spooky I we decided this little guy would be an indoor cat only. He could smell the world from the screen door and listen to the birds and so on.

Spooky with his tongue sticking out... eager to walk with his Mami on the leash; his daily treat!

Looking at the birds who were nesting in the Confederate Jasmine, while cuddling his panda...

He grew into a happy cat and was very much loved.

Walking to the mail box he sat on my hip and of course was amazed at those birds flying around over head... What a big world out there!

He would always lead me towards the pond area for his balancing act, after we walked the trail through the wood garden and behind the house.

In his oak pet bed on top of the armoire in our bedroom. He loved to jump and I had to put him his bed up high... Leaping from the window sill up there...

When Spooky II was almost two years old we got him a brother from the Humane Society; again the pet of the week that was in the newspaper. He LOVED his baby-brother and did actually raise him! That was so funny and how concerned he was about that little guy.

Behind the screen door listening to the birds and exploring the smells of the big world...

Unwrapping Christmas gifts with {Anita Anggraeni our Foster Daughter} from Indonesia.

Talking about a 'Copy Cat'... Barty was one!

Oh, and we did succumb to having outdoor cats again... got us a cat door, right behind where Spooky II is standing. He is telling Barty: 'Look, this is how you sharpen your paws on the raw wall...'

Oh, in the laundry room, Mami let me drink from the faucet... I LOVED that!

But this Spooky did die suddenly from a very surprising cause: heart worm disease!

In the morning he came to me for some cuddling, very special as it really was not such a cuddle boy. Little did I know that he came to cuddle me one last time; that was his farewell... We found him the next day, after searching in the wood garden and everywhere. He had died under my Toyota RAV4.

Our vet had prescribed Advantage against fleas and such and we took that, even though we used to give them Revolution. Well, you trust a vet isn't it? After the autopsy we learned about the real cause and we were shocked. I was even more surprised to learn that Revolution does protect them against feline heart worm disease but Advantage does NOT. We switched right away to get Barty safe and we never ever will use Advantage again! The price was too high, again only 4½ years old...

Barty by the way did hide in the back of the garden under a pile of tree branches. There he stayed for a couple of months; mourning his big brother. The one that nourished him and protected him.

Yes, animals do mourn too.

My comment to sparklecat got deleted.

Her owner is way too much centered about advertising on her blog!

As for Pieter and me, it is JUST kitty love and no strings attached.

My blog is NOT intended to make any profits.