Turk’s cap in our yard
We have a few Turk’s cap plants (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) in our front yard, including the one that displayed this flower and others on May 31.
© 2016 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers
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Portraits of Wildflowers 
You can really see the beauty and texture here, Steve.
elmdriveimages
June 26, 2016 at 5:17 AM
It’s true. Where would we nature photographers be without texture?
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 6:24 AM
That’s a vivid red.
Jim Ruebush
June 26, 2016 at 6:45 AM
This species grows primarily in shaded places, so a wanderer in the woods here at this time of year often sees small but bright daubs of red among the predominant green of the foliage.
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 6:55 AM
Such clear, pure colors: both the red and the green. You’ve captured the nice, firm feel of the petals, too. I like that you included the details in the upper right. I can’t quite decide if it’s a bud coming or a flower gone, but it’s a nice counterpoint to the bloom, which soon will be gone.
it always surprises me how first sightings stay in mind. I recognized my first Turk’s cap at the Audubon information center in High Island. Now, I see them often. In fact, there are some in front of Lindheimer’s cottage in New Braunfels.
shoreacres
June 26, 2016 at 6:56 AM
In Austin these flowers don’t normally appear till late spring, but then you can usually find at least some all through the summer and well into the fall. They’re especially welcome in our hottest months; when so much else seems wilted and faded from the heat, Turk’s cap flowers keep right on with their rich red.
I take the structure in the upper right to be the prelude to a flower but I don’t know if I’m correct.
I remember a lot of my first sightings of species, too. In some cases I knew nothing about the plant before coming across it. In other cases I’d seen the species in a book (usually Marshall Enquist’s) and wondered when I would finally encounter it in the wild. One vividly colored wildflower in that second group is eryngo, which is due on the scene soon. I remember finding my first one near Lake Georgetown.
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 7:17 AM
Now that I’ve finally seen liatris in bloom, I’ve got my fingers crossed for eryngo. It’s on the plant list for Nash prairie, so the odds ought to be in my favor.
shoreacres
June 26, 2016 at 7:21 AM
I can’t help imagining you rambling over to that prairie in an old Nash. Maybe you’ll even encounter Ringo Starr there.
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 7:29 AM
I wouldn’t mind that sort of encounter. I’m still not quite over encountering a K-9 unit and several squad cars at my favorite local nature center last Saturday when I went over for my morning stroll. A woman jogger had been assaulted on the path and was badly enough hurt to be taken away by ambulance. I suppose it’s the downside of isolated, heavily wooded urban areas — they’re isolated, and heavily wooded. A friend asked what defensive measures I was going to take. I said I was going to stick with my point-and-shoot for the time being. No one’s getting my good Canon. 🙂
shoreacres
June 26, 2016 at 7:43 AM
I’m sorry to hear about that. Maybe you should carry Mace or pepper spray (if you don’t already).
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 7:49 AM
That is a nice color~it looks just as you and Linda described it.
melissabluefineart
June 26, 2016 at 8:30 AM
And they’re still blooming in our front yard. The local branch of Wells Fargo has a bunch of these as well.
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 9:58 AM
A fantastic shot (again), Steve! Have a wonderful Sunday,
Pit
Pit
June 26, 2016 at 8:35 AM
With this species, the hard part, photographically, is keeping the stamen column in focus.
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 10:19 AM
Such a brilliant red ..
Julie@frogpondfarm
June 26, 2016 at 2:09 PM
It’s a color that’s not afraid to shout its name.
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 3:04 PM
These are beautiful – sort of looks related to the hibuscus
norasphotos4u
June 26, 2016 at 6:46 PM
It is: both are in the mallow family, so the resemblance is real.
Steve Schwartzman
June 26, 2016 at 9:04 PM
Another case of pareidolia…this time on Mars. 🙂
http://www.m2now.co.nz/4-conspiracy-theorists-think-nasa-hiding-city-mars/
Jim Ruebush
June 27, 2016 at 7:19 AM
Ah, conspiracy theorists. I’ll bet psychologists have taken a good look at the mental traits that make some people susceptible to conspiracy theories.
Steve Schwartzman
June 27, 2016 at 7:30 AM
There may be conspiracy even in that analysis. Another Mars story from years ago was the Face On Mars. Did you ever see it?
Jim Ruebush
June 27, 2016 at 7:40 AM
Yes. The Wikipedia entry for pareidolia includes that photograph near the beginning of the article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia
Steve Schwartzman
June 27, 2016 at 7:45 AM
These are lovely flowers. At least the ones in your yard are safe from development.
Steve Gingold
June 28, 2016 at 4:26 AM
Fortunately these shade-preferring plants are pretty common in the woods here, including in nearby Great Hills Park and various nature preserves.
Steve Schwartzman
June 28, 2016 at 4:38 AM
Well, that just decided what I’m going to do today. The paints have got to come out. Now the only question is: watercolor? Oil? Acrylic?
Judy
June 28, 2016 at 8:07 AM
Happy painting. I never have to choose among media, only among lenses, and I often use several on the same outing.
Steve Schwartzman
June 28, 2016 at 8:21 AM