Wildflowers!

Firewheel or Indian Blanket flower

Here in Florida we are lucky enough to have flowers blooming most of the year. Spring brings a bright array.  Here are some native flowers that we've enjoyed recently.   



The firewheel (or indian blanket) is being used more in landscapes around Florida because they are drought-tolerant.



 

We have beautiful magnolias that are also in bloom right now. What strikes us is that in all of it's stages, the flower is so beautiful. All of these photos were taken at the same time of flowers on the same tree. 

The photos are of a new bud, one just opening, one in full bloom, and an older bloom. They were all on the same tree.


New bud



Flower just opening

Fully open bloom

Past its prime, but still beautiful!

Coral bean is also known as Cherokee bean, and it attracts hummingbirds. From Wikipedia: Native American people had many medicinal uses for this plant, varying between nations and localities. Creek women used an infusion of the root for bowel pain; the Choctaw used a decoction of the leaves as a general tonic; the Seminole used an extract of the roots for digestive problems, and extracts of the seeds, or of the inner bark, as an external rub for rheumatic disorders.

In Mexico, the seeds are used as a rat poison, while a fish poison is made from the bark and leaves. 

Coral bean