Monday, February 4, 2008

Love Lies Bleeding (the amaranthus)

Below is a photo of our namesake desert plant, Love Lies Bleeding. This type of amaranthus can grow to be up to two feet tall and blooms from mid summer to late summer/early fall. In addition to the fuchsia color seen here, the Love Lies Bleeding can also bloom pale pink, red, or purple. The plant always has a general downward motion about it with the leaves drooping towards the ground and the tassels of flowers cascading down.


Here is, from what I've gathered, a close up of the individual blooms the make up the tassels. Notice the heart shape with the tear drop coming down? I'm looking for factual confirmation of this, but it's certainly not a stretch of the imagination to see where the name Love Lies Bleeding came from.

More to come!

Flower Images


Here are images of the desert flowers mentioned throughout our play (particularly in I-10). Check the glossary post for detailed definitions.


Sweetbush


Parish Larkspur


Navajo Tea


Night Blooming Cereus


Paloverde


Sacred Datura


Scarlet Four 0'Clock


Fairy Duster


Indian Paintbrush

Joshua Tree


Jumping Cholla


Larkspur (detail)


Apache Plume



Barrel Cactus


Brittlebush


Brown-eyed Evening Primrose


Desert Mariposa