The Tropical Paradise canopy

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It's the first week of September here at The Tropical Paradise, and even though it's still miserably hot, it's not as bad as it was in August. And the tropical plants are responding beautifully. This is the view from the dining room window, which looks like it will be completely blocked again this year by Elephant Ears (alocasia). The cannas have a nice orange tropical flower, which I enjoy for a short while but am quick to snip off, as flowers sap energy from the plant which I prefer to go to the tropical purplish leaves. But still, how can you just go chop off a flower like that? By tomorrow, it will be ratty and I won't feel so bad about snipping it off.

Down below this canopy are the understory plants, which are doing well, too. Under the protection of the canopy above, plants like caladiums can be grown. The struggle for survival has been the careful balance of light for photosynthesis, and shade, to keep from getting burned up. In the winter, the canopy provides some protection against frost, for while it doesn't snow here in the desert, it can get bitterly cold. And tropical plants don't like that!
View from below the canopy


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