Wallpaper Photos for December 2011

For a splash of Christmas color, no other "native" plant in Florida can rival Turkscap. While it is considered native from Mexico south through Central America, it has naturally migrated up through Texas and on throughout the Southeast. It has also been cultivated as an ornamental shrub all through its native habitat so it is quite common to find large stands of the shrubs growing at old homesteads long after non-native plants died out. The bright red blooms are vibrant and resemble their close relative, hibiscus (it is also known as "sleeping hibiscus"), but they remain tightly curled and never open.


I found the stand photographed growing wild in the woods near a mangrove filled tidal plain on the shore of Tampa Bay. The plants were from three to ten feet in height and covered an area about 20 feet long and 12 feet deep. They bloom on and off throughout the year but are especially numerous and brilliant in the early winter.

About the Wallpapers

The above image is 800x600. There are larger sizes and widescreen aspects below. To use any of the images, select the size you want, then right-click the image. The pop-up menu will allow you to either save the image or directly set it as desktop background. All of the image's are shown as relative miniatures of their actual size and shape.


800 x 600 - Aspect 4:3



1024 x 768 - Aspect 4:3



1280 x 1024 - Aspect 5:4



1600 x 1200 - Aspect 4:3



1680 x 1050 - Aspect 16:10



1920 x 1200 - Aspect 16:10


I hope you enjoy the wallpaper image. Be sure to check back next month for another.