Purple...I think we have the same Datura. Yes, they say the flower is sweetly scented. Datua may be fragrant, but foliage stinks..lol. Sometimes, my Datura flowers droop, too. When Datura is allowed to grow as soon as they sprout, flowers are much larger. 9-12"... But. we get too many..if I didn't pluck, we'd have a Datura field. This pic was taken last year. Again, I kept plucking, but near the end of summer said, 'the heck with it.' Flowers opened, but nowhere as large. Know how I got mine? One summer I was reading the local paper. While browing classified, I came across an ad that said 'Cheap Plants.' Dh and I drove there. An elderly man sowed seeds in his basement, during winter as a hobby. This man had a couple hundred annuals/perennials in Dixie Cups. I paid a whole .10 for a baby Datura. At the time I had NO idea Datura was so invasive. I felt so sorry for that man, he was proud of his hobby. Hey Mike...yep, I remember the winter that felt more like spring. Except for 2/3 weeks, plants could have stayed out all year. Will, out of the plants you mentioned, I'd be most concerned with Plumeria. I lost half-a-dozen several years ago due to frost. They died so fast, I didn't know what hit. Tommy. I usually watch the WC. I believe NY is a little warmer than IL. So far, except for cold-sensitive plants, we have a little more time. Toni

I think this is a true "winter" blooming shrub that needs cold to get it going. Alabama probably doesn't cool down enough until mid-winter. My plant is slightly ahead of last year. We've been in the 50F to 20F range for almost two months, with a few short spells where we stay below freezing during the day. By the way, the color of your flowers is much more intensely yellow than mine. AND, you can prune your shrub hard in early spring to encourage growth down low, and then pinch the growing tips after each shoot produces its third or fourth pair of leaves. You will end up with a more compact shrub with thousands of flowers!

Hi No CLue, MY JL Metallica will open in about two to three days.. I am waiting for this beauty to finally show . This morning i had to go out of town and i won't be home for a couple of days...so i will be heading to the backyard as soon AS I GET HOME. Talking of wanting to see before i left... i kept watching... but it wants to wait to finally make her debut!! I will post when i get home and show you what she looks like, Thanks for asking about this beauty!!! I am so happy that she rooted and now has something else for me!! : ) Take care, Laura

I got some kind of blush one.It actually had its 1st bloom today,then I tried killing it by stretching out from porch to grab it(hanging basket 6 inch)I did see are 3 more buds and its not very big.I've had it sitting in a small starter cup and noticed it wasn't growing anymore so potted it last week.I seen the bud yesterday when watered...missed seeing the bloom,but did peek.Its now re potted and I dunked it in pond.I'd have to check my book,but believe seed was started May 18th.I up potted other stuff but that was the pot it started in a square 4 inch cup.It has lots of roots.maybe pot bound makes them happy.I don't think I fertilized it.If I did right.I fertilized the up sized pots..I doubt its 5 inches tall.I didn't even sow my other seeds,but will be the 1st ones done next yr.