The Purple Milkweed

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The Purple Milkweed. It sounds like a badly filmed horror movie in which pod people emerge and, in the guise of cabbage patch dolls, slowly take over the world. If anything, it doesn’t sound all that beautiful.

In reality, it’s a very pretty plant from the Sierra Nevada meadows. Also known as asclepias cordifolia or heart-leaf milkweed, it blooms in early July. Native to western California, the plant is known to thrive in California, Oregon, and Nevada. The milkweed prefers to grow at an elevation of 50 to 2,000 meters in local mountain ranges, such as the Cascade and Sierra Mountains. It particularly thrives on rocky slopes, mixed coniferous forest, and shady woodlands.

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Los Angeles in Bloom

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Don't believe what they say about southern California and the seasons; Los Angeles has seasons, and they're very much marked by the flowers visible almost everywhere you look. You'd never know you were in a dessert. Spring is heralded by the appearance first of the Coral trees (especially along San Vicente Boulevard). Coral Trees or Erythrina are the official tree of Los Angeles. Their blooms are soon followed by the Jacarandas and Bottle Brush (Callistemon) trees blooming. CallistemonCallistemonThese trees are permanent residents now, but none are native plants. You'll see Magolias with a few blooms all year round, but they burst into full bloom in the summer, as do Paradise Vine and vivid purple hybrid Clematis and Morning Glory and Passion Fruit vines. Passion fruit vinePassion fruit vineSeveral varieties of Jasmin mark the late spring and early summer, and scent the air especially at dawn and dusk. There are houses that are almost consumed by the giant Bougainvillea vines, in pink or scarlet, Wisteria, and Honeysuckle. Roses thrive in Los Angeles, and most roses bloom at least twice

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Beautiful LA flowers!

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Beautiful LA flowers!: by cobalt123  - flickrBeautiful LA flowers!: by cobalt123 - flickr

Jacarandas, Los Angeles, California

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Jacarandas, Los Angeles, California: by lumierefl - flickrJacarandas, Los Angeles, California: by lumierefl - flickr