Plant Collection: Scott's House Part 2

I take a lot of pictures when it comes to plants, so I've broken down my trip to Scott's house into two posts to keep my post sizes reasonable. This is the second edition of plants owned by Scott's parents.

This is a foliage plant with which I am not familiar. It seems to be going crazy on its perch, which is good to see.

Let it look deep into your soul.

Next is some variety of arrowhead vine (possibly Syngonium podophyllum). Fun fact: this plant is poisonous to marsupials. Keep your wallabies away!

This big guy is a rubber plant (Ficus elastica: yes, that ficus). I had one of these when I was little. They make good additions to one's home, as long as one has room. Variegated varieties are fun too.

The blue ribbon suggests that this plant has had some balancing problems. It looks like it might topple over at any minute. Luckily, rubber plants can be pruned easily and at any time of year. (Maybe I should offer to prune this baby for Scott's parents and take a cutting...)

 

 After I photographed the rubber plant, I went outside. When I did so, I was sad to see a Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) in the yard. while the plant does have decorative flowers, they smell horrible, and this tree is so invasive that citizens are prohibited from planting it. At least it's nice to look at.

 

 

For happier news, look no further than the redbud tree, which is also flowering about this time. These are Missouri natives, and sometimes you drive through forests that look entirely pink because of them. Unfortunately, most redbuds only live 20-25 years because of disease problems (although the university has one that's at least twice that age). That said, there were some great-looking ones around Scott's neighborhood.

 

 

Here's another redbud tree! Note: this is not Scott's house. It's just nearby. Also, you can see in this picture the pods that these trees produce. Yes, they are legumes. Hooray for nitrogen fixation!

 

 

These trees are just beginning to bloom--they get much fuller as the days go on, though the blooms only last a week or two each year. Here's a close-up on those flowers.

 

 

That's it for my spring adventures at Scott's place! Are Bradford pears a problem where you live? Do you enjoy the short-lived bliss of redbud season? What kinds of houseplants do you enjoy?

 

Next post: green glory from around the grounds.