Plant Collection: Scott's House Part 1

This weekend I went to Scott's house for some R&R. His parents like having plants around, and they have quite a few (so many that they will consume two posts). They have a lot of windows, which helps. I photographed them to show them off. You'll even get to see an old friend!

The first plants to catch my eye were these aloes (seemingly Aloe vera). These plants are young, but they look great. Maybe you can see the window setup in some of the pictures--the kitchen has a 3-sided window, which makes this a very plant-friendly spot.

Next was one of the few flowering plants in the house, an African violet (genus Saintpaulia). We have these at the greenhouse. They're a pain to water, and they don't look very good (they're intensely fragile). This one seems to be thriving, though. Apparently the family has had this one for something like ten years, which is impressive. I would lose my patience with this plant, though it is pretty.

This plant caught my eye because it used to be mine! Sadly, the day this picture was taken was its last, as moving it inside managed to snap the stem. At least it spent its last few days outside, and at least I got to see it one last time. Also, note the flower buds forming. It did a lot better than I ever expected.

The biggest plant enjoying this kitchen window was a nice, big schefflera. I'm no schefflera identification expert, but if I had to guess, I'd say this is Schefflera arboricola because of its smallish, spread out leaflets. Personally, I like that form better than some of the larger-leaved species.

What houseplant collection would be complete without some devil's ivy (Epipremnum aureum)? This particular individual has striking variegation, which I like. I'm not normally into devil's ivy (also known as golden pothos, for some reason), but the whitish leaves are nice. I would be willing to care for a variegated specimen like this. As this is ivy, it will climb up the walls and vine around your belongings. I have mixed feelings about this, but if it became a problem, I could just cut it back.

Also on this (sizeable) countertop was a small ficus tree. These do fairly well at the greenhouse, but it's apparent that this one gets a little more love.

Moving on to another windowsill, here's a plant that I cannot even begin to identify. It is a spineless succulent, maybe a cactus. That's about all I have determined, so I haven't narrowed down much of anything. It's nice to look at, though.

Now here's something you don't see every day in the Midwest--columnar cacti. These little dudes look like they're faring very well. I would like some cacti of this general type someday (for more details, see my post on my dream succulents and cacti).

Next is another cactus: the Christmas cactus (I believe this one is Schlumbergera bridgesii). These are always nice plants to have around. We had one of these when I was small.

And here's another one, only in bloom! This cactus might be Epiphyllum x buckleyi. It seems odd, but Christmas cacti can belong to three different species in two genera. I've never seen such a peach-colored blossom on a Christmas cactus. It's a nice change of pace.

What are your thoughts on finnicky plants? Which of these kinds of plants would you take in, if given the chance?

Next post: the rest of the plants in and around Scott's house.

University Greenhouse, Part IV: The Spikes Strike Back

In the last installment of University Greenhouse, we primarily explored succulents. For those of you who enjoy that sort of thing, you're in luck: today's post will cover more succulents and cacti (which are a type of succulent--that whole "a square is a rectangle" thing applies). But this time, the majority of the selections are spiny, thorny, and/or prickly.

We begin our journey with Aloe longistyla, which translates as "aloe with peculiarly long spikes." I contend that it lives up to its name. Also interesting is its bluish pigmentation. That seems unusual for its genus.

Ouch!

Our next selection is also an aloe, though it isn't Aloe shortistyla, as the picture would suggest. It's actually Aloe aristata. Perhaps this means "Aristotlean aloe" or "aristocratic aloe."

It does look sophisticated, doesn't it?

Now, sadly, we are done with the aloes. So here's...this thing. It was unlabeled, and, though it appears to be succulent, I haven't the foggiest idea of the family to which it belongs. It's certainly fascinating to look at, though!

These next two plants are the odd men out for this post: the first is campanula. Yes, it sounds like a vampire, but it looks and smells like a sunny spring day in Victorian England.

The other oddball today is a species of Amaryllis. This flower is a showstopper. This bloom was as big as my hand. Also, notice the onion flowers behind it.

Inside of the greenhouse's "desert room," there were these cute pupa containers. There was also a papier-mache beehive! I'm guessing these fauna additions aid pollination.

Here's a better shot of the striking pink flowers behind the pupas. Its structure is called a spike, so I guess this fits in with today's spiky theme.

Speaking of spikes, here are two cacti! The one that's just barely in the frame looks like an Opuntia, and the other is similar to a saguaro, but I don't think it is.

Next is a small cactus with springy yellow spikes that's going supernova. That's a camera issue, but it looks pretty neat!

The last spectacular spines of today belong to this flowery bush. It's pretty, but not exactly a cuddly plant. The spikes are about an inch long.

I also promised to show my planted chard seeds, so here they are! I used the rest of my bag of potting soil to fill the basket, so I'm using the bag as a drip tray/soil catcher.

I planted the seeds half an inch below the surface and gave them a good drink. After soaking in water for a day, some of the seeds felt really soft, which I believe is the intended outcome. We'll see!

Next post: tropical paradise-themed greenhouse pictures.

A Dream Garden: Sun-Loving Succulent Collection

As I am still young in my horticultural pursuits, I have yet to actualize most of my gardening dreams. However, I dream up and plan out ideas way too far in advance, so I have several lists of different kinds of "gardens" I wish to cultivate someday.

Since yesterday's post was all about succulents, I'm posting my dream succulent collection.

This list also contains some cacti, to which I am also partial. I'm not sure how I'd want to arrange all these species. I'd probably plant them in three or four different containers. Anyway, here is my dream succulent collection.

Note: I do not have my own pictures of these plants, but the links will take you to pictures.

Jovibarba 'Murtal': The spherical growth habit and clean green coloration draw me to this species. It's cheery and small, making it a good option for a backdrop to a showier plant.

Sempervivum 'Purple Beauty': Green and purple is one of my favorite color combinations. This variety of sempervivum captures perfectly the potential of these two colors occupying adjacent spaces.

Sedum dasyphyllum 'Major': So many succulents are sharp and spiny. This variety of sedum is the exact opposite--it's round and cuddly. It would make a great filler for more show-stopping species (see Aloe dorothea below).

Aloe dorothea: One of the main reasons succulents are so popular is their exotic appearances. What could be more exotic than a prehistoric-looking red aloe? The redder, the better, for me.

Agave parryi 'JC Raulston': As I mentioned the last time I talked about agaves, you can extract nourishment from these plants, but I don't know how. Besides, my interest in this plant is its aesthetic value. I'm no tequila hound. The creamy blue-gray of this variety, along with its fleshy leaves and dark spines, make it the Beauty and the Beast of plants.

Senecio rowleyanus: String of pearls is a very aptly named plant. It is obviously desirable--it is a treasure trove in its own right.

Opuntia compressa: In a shocking twist, only one of the plants listed here is edible. This is it: the Eastern prickly pear cactus. Its pads and fruit are edible, and thankfully there are some spineless varieties.

Opuntia rutila: Not all cacti are edible, but they are still fascinating plants. This Opuntia has very attractive spines, reminiscent of a calico cat. The oval shape of its pads is, in my opinion, one of the best shapes cacti provide.

Cylindropuntia echinocarpa: Another species with flashy spines. These are incredibly white, like stars blinking out from a plant. They have great chartreuse blooms, too. Chartreuse is one of my favorite colors lately.

Does any particular combination of these plants appeal to you? I can imagine that sempervivum with the sedum, the aloe with the jovibarba and the string of pearls, and the agave by itself. If it looked really lonely, you could put a few small sempervivums around it and fill the remaining space with string of pearls.

Next post: my long-awaited seed sowing!