A Rose By Any Other Name

As we rounded the corner of our condo unit, we noticed it immediately. Beautiful red blooms on a plant we'd never seen bloom before. They were gorgeous and I wondered how they had developed and bloomed so quickly. I'd not seen any kind of buds on the plant but not being a native Floridian, I had no idea how the plant cycled. We admired it a moment and took a picture.

The next day we passed by the plant again and I was disappointed to see that the blooms were already fading. Well, I thought, it must not bloom for long and with the warm days and no rain perhaps the blooms just couldn't survive long.

The next time we passed the plant, it was blooming again. I marveled at its resilience and fortitude. Maybe someone watered it, I thought.

Then on my way back to the condo, I saw the answer to the resilient plant. The couple whose door is right next to the plant were putting blooms on the leaves of the plant. They were caught in the act! They were taking blooms from the bottle brush tree near our parking lot and putting them on what they said was a yucca plant.

"Shhh!" they said together, a finger to their lips. "Our friend has never seen a yucca plant with these kind of blooms before."

"Neither have I," I said. "And I took a picture! I thought it was a beautiful blooming plant."

We all laughed and I went on my way shaking my head. Duped! Wonder how long their friend will believe it?