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Cassia Alata
My Own Alata
My 1st Sprouts growing among the Covesii (notice the size. Sprouts are 2 days, Covesii is 2.5 months)
My Alata in Ground (July 12, 2000 . Note the MASSIVE growth compared to the potted version next to it. These are the exact same age. I kept these inside in a bathroom for about 3 months before the wife made me put them outside. So, neglected they went outside and one got lucky and rooted. No, container gardening isn't very beneficial to this species, in my opinion.)
Impressive growth after 4 months in ground Well, I didn't get around to taking pics of my 1st alata with blooms... they were ok, but kind came and went quicky. This is the view on Nov 5, 2000. Counting for the 1 month as it escaped from the pot and rooted, this would represent about 5 months of growth.
Lumsden Rd in Valrico, Fl (original photos on Sept. 22, 1999)
The 1st Alata I spotted in the Tampa area (with 5 foot chain link fence for scale)
View from over the Fence
Closeup of several blooms with my hand shown for scale
View of the same plant after Winter (Taken May 1, 2000 . This is why my wife doesn't like this plant... because it looks like a dead stick when dormant. It also explains why the 1st time I viewed THIS specimen, I wondered why it looked like it had been cut back near the ground (I could see short, dead stalks with clean cuts). Now, I think I'll cut mine back at winter just so it doesn't look so ugly. Since its a fast grower, it will come back in a season once established below ground.)New growth coming in from ground after Winter (Taken May 1, 2000 . Its late into the warm months, so perhaps the slow/late growth is due to heavy drought that the Tampa area had this Spring.
The same Alata is suffering from lack of water (Taken Nov. 5, 2000. I think this really got neglected this year. I saw this as it had a VERY quick bloom cycle - perhaps from stress due to Tampa's low rainfall this season. Now, the owner just isn't watering and this is what happens.)
Bell Shoals Rd in Valrico, Fl (blooms taken Aug 23, 1999 & seed pods on Oct 28, 1999)
Just one mile from above I spotted these beauties in bloom
Closeup of a Bloom
Seedpods opened and still on the stalk (one has actually sprouted!)
Closeup of two seedpods with ballpoint pen (Star Wars!) show for scale
Photos I found on the net, from J.R. Manhart
