I checked the Camellias, and not only are the japonicas setting flower buds, for the upcoming winter, the fall blooming sasanquas are also beginning the set flower buds. I continue to be amazed at how japonicas, which bloom later, sets flower buds BEFORE sasanquas.

Believe it or not, I had my first "chilly" low of the late summer. The temp dipped in the area to upper 40s to the low 50s. The official low was 50.
If you remember, there was a freeze in South Florida, back in February. Huge numbers of tropical fruit trees were severely damaged, or killed, because, even there, too many growers either planted their fruit trees in the wrong way, pending a deep freeze, or failed to protect their trees properly. The freeze even extended across the Tropic of Cancer. Parts of Jamaica dipped to about 50 degrees (the low I had a few days ago). Although well above freezing, the people on the island thought it was cold. Breadfruit trees are considered ultra-tropicals, and can be damaged by temps, not much lower than 50 degrees. I'm sure they are happy that their snap only lasted a couple days, because their ultra-tropical fruit trees would be damaged, EVEN THERE, IN THE TROPICS.
I threw a tarp over my Breadfruit tree, and it seems to have helped. Usually, I gradually start bringing my tropicals inside, in a month-long process, beginning in early October, and ends with the less tender subtropicals, in November. Here is my Ma A'Falla Breadfruit tree, after I removed the tarp. No leaf bronzing. Even the growing tip looks good:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/Eh1p2ZH3pgEsn9bq6



Recently, I discussed starting some seeds of subtropicals, and exotic plants. Here's how they are progressing. Pictured are seedlings of: Prairie Acacia, Red Kidney Vetch, and Sophora davidii...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/e88oWC1yMnimLWLK6



BULGARIAN Trachycarpus fortunei, in late summer:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/6i5kdiUJsNUfH2ZKA



The Fudingzhu TEA OLIVE, or Osmanthus fragrans, is beginning to bloom again. Fudingzhu is an unusual strain of tea olive, in that, unlike most tea olives, it blooms nearly year'round. If you have never smelled the flowers of this subtropical, you are missing a treat. The tiny flowers are powerfully scented. Just a few bloom clusters will perfume your yard!


https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ztoJTrHAYzxhqmC6



The HARDY GLOXINIA, or Gloxinia nematanthodes 'Evita', is blooming! Like Cupid's Bow, these plants are dried off, in fall, and wintered inside in their pot. They "give the sign", in spring, when ready to break dormancy, and bloom in late summer to fall, every year...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/CXiQF4Xv2tN9fWWj6



The SWEET AUTUMN CLEMATIS or Clematis paniculata, is in its full glory, now:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/WBZrSFjhBV6YfMFj8



New foliage is forming on the CHOCOLATE TREE, or Theobroma cacao. For anyone unfamiliar with this plant, it is a tropical fruit tree, that produces the fruit from which chocolate comes...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/xqbXU4Go7cXbW58z9



The ESPERANZA 'Orange Chicklet', or Tecoma stans hybridus is blooming. For those unfamiliar with this plant, it is a flowering subtropical or tropical shrub. It produces its trumpet-like flowers, here, in late summer and fall...



https://photos.app.goo.gl/ck5amLaWgNS35ZH68



ANTONOW'S HONEYBUSH, a strain of Melianthus major, is reputed to be the cold-hardiest form of Honeybush. The plant is native to subtropical/tropical areas, "Down Under". Here it is near the variegated CHINABERRY (another subtropical tree)...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/PG6NXWHpwzaQ8PMy6



Hard to believe that the time to take cutting from certain annuals, is upon me. Here are some COLEUS, I just "pinched" the growing tips out, to encourage branching and bushiness, as well as prevent flowering (which weakens Coleus plants)...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/G3AvJj7b8HBYQ1ff7



- NEW PLANTS -


SABAL MINOR 'McCurtain'

https://photos.app.goo.gl/n5tXPBEuc8UNYiMT9



MANGO 'Kent'


https://photos.app.goo.gl/s5pVk4XYsZkoSytBA



SILVER SAW PALMETTO or Serenoa repens cineria:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/nM8h54eBnS43J2Ga8



VANUATU FAN PALM or Licuala grandis:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/PZxtn9JrYEgQuCaq5



PRINCESS FLOWER TREE or Tibouchina urvilleana, a subtropical/tropical shrub:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/2TKL2fHMCVWmiUJX7



The HARDY AGERATUM or Conoclinium coelestinum, is blooming! These are hardy perennials that flower in late summer to early fall:


https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jej5yiqjPNYLLhHY7