Swamp Hibiscus

Here's Willow inspecting the finished stairway project and wondering how long it will take her to demolish the finish with her witch-like toe nails. She's been passive-aggressive throughout the project, wanting to supervise and wanting to destroy. She is literally drooling at the possibilities.

If only she would wear socks or some slippers...

I know what some of you are thinking. The swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus) to the right looks like a plant that, if found growing in your yard, could prompt a DEA helicopter firestorm attack and an onslaught of men wearing matching jackets and caps and carrying machine guns and talking into radios and being very serious about it.

Cheryl and I saw first this plant in the everglades. It has a gorgeous scarlet flower, and I am very reluctant to use the word "gorgeous".

We've had this one for about 3 years now. It grows in a pot in the fish pond, dies back in the fall and comes back in January. Last year the dreaded Sri Lankan biobot weevils infested the plant, but this year I have a surprise for them. We'll get some blooms in April or May. Until then, I throw up whenever a helicopter passes overhead.