Well.. Not quite but they are heading that way. They've dropped a lot of leaves in the last couple of days. Already on the larger of the two I can see some dead wood. This happens every year. Some of the lower branches turn whiter progressively through the winter. But they are always replaced by new growth at the top. Once the leaves have all fallen off, I'll remove them. Then I can decide if any "untrainable" new branches need to be removed or others wired to fill up any gaps left by the dead branches. I will probably put a net over the large one tied down to stakes to get it to retain the "dome shape" I like. The smaller one is O.K. I got into training that one from the day we bought it. The larger one was ten years old before I decided to train it.
Now THAT is a catchy title for a post! Here "Bare Naked Ladies" are a type of lily that suddenly appears, puts out a lovely red bloom, and then disappears until the next blooming season. They are also known as "Surprise Lilies". Botanically they are known as Amaryllis Belladonna They pop up in yards and are lovely for a while, then go away. Ladies are so fickle . . . .
Oh....I was expecting something different . I don't have any naked ladies in the yard as the yard is rated 'PG'. I do have a Acer palmatum though. It has a checkered history because a nasty oak tree shed a branch one year and it severed the branches on one side of the maple. The poor tree was very lopsided. Persevering though, the maple grew another branch, it looked 'better'. Then, a few years later, it happened again same side. The maple again looked lopsided. A chain saw eliminated the oak and for the third time the little maple grew several new branches, better than any of the others.This year the maple had lots of seeds. I will plant them this spring and we will see if they grow true. The seeds will spend the winter in the seed drawer of the refrigerator. Spring is an eon away. I should grow something weird for winter amusement.....hmmm.....one year I grew pop corn...... I will look in the seed drawer.....the seeds go back 30 years.....there has to be something. Say good night to the Acer palmatum seeds. Zzzzzzz Jerry
I have Bare Naked ladies also called Amaryllis Belladonna. Mine are a very delicate pink. Every year when they come up it is such a delight. The leaves wilt and die before the flowers come up. The name Belladonna is synonymous with death or deadly, which is true, because they are very poisonous. if your dog or cat chews plants there is a very real danger.
