Showing posts with label Silk Tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Silk Tree. Show all posts

Friday 14 December 2018

Big rain


Droplets of rain hang from eucalyptus flowers in the garden. 

More than 50 mm of rain fell on Canberra yesterday, 29 mm before 0900 hr and final figures not in yet. A great relief after such a long dry winter and spring, but I would rather less fell more frequently to give the land a chance to re-invigorate itself, the plants to grow and animals to prosper. Too much rain at once is of limited good.

During a break between the heaviest downpours, the water clung tight, running slowly down the long tapering leaves.

Eucalyptus bark shines when wet. Many species of eucalypt cast their bark in summer and these had only just begun to do so.

The old bark of this tree has been heavily scratched by possums who climb these trees every night. A new skin is long overdue.

While I was out between showers, I checked the leaves of the silk tree for eggs or small caterpillars of Tailed Emperor butterflies. These magnificent butterflies have laid eggs on, and new adults have successfully flown from this tree in most recent years, so I was anxious that any eggs or caterpillars might have been lost in the torrential rain. No sign, but expect updates to the blog when they do appear.

The flowers on the silk tree had only began to open the day before, and in the rain their finery looked rather bedraggled.

Wet pink fur-balls.



Wednesday 19 December 2012

Silk Tree


The weather is hotting up for summer now, so I am spending more time around the house. And when coming home yesterday I noticed that our Silk Tree Albizia is now not only escaping out of the back yard but seems to want to come into the front door.


Having spread its branches through the fence, it is now reaching over to the doorstep, but we like it, so it is welcome. These trees grow to fifteen metres or so in height up in Queensland, where there are native species. But here in Canberra they are not native and pretty rare. Our one came with the house when we moved in and it is a bit bonsai-ed as it is growing in  a walled section on the patio.