The mexican marigold, Tagetes lemmonii, never fails to bloom in time for Day of the Dead and Halloween; it blooms its heart out to brighten the ever-shortening daylight hours; it provides November food for honeybees and a large array of pollen and nectar feeding insects. The predators that are still kicking this close to winter also favor the bright bush tops for good hunting. This green lynx spider, Peucetia viridans, strikes her defensive posture as I get too close with the camera.
Elsewhere in the shade, the tagetes contrasts with its neighbor salvia clevelandii.
A gardener I know laughs at crazy Americans that grow this weed on purpose; he says back home in Mexico there is "too much" of it. I guess it's a glorious pest.
No comments:
Post a Comment