Monday Macro: Hedera helix

I haven't posted about my ivies for some time, with good reason. I've downsized my collection considerably. I've found it impossible to keep spider mites at bay if I have to monitor more than five or six Hedera helix plants, so that's what I have now. Finding spider mites on a nearby Hoya, of all things, was the last straw.

Despite the trouble they've caused, I still think Hedera varieties are among the most beautiful plants that one can grow in the home. I think this is a good example:

Hedera helix 'Minty,' also known as Hedera helix 'Mint Kolibri.' This is one of the plants that I lost, and one of the few I will replace if/when I come across another one.

This photo is a little less macro than most, since it is not all that large when opened to full size. But doing so (two clicks) will reveal the beautiful pattern of the leaves.

Monday Macro: Yet another Echeveria

Echeveria pulvinata 'Frosty'

I thought that I had posted a version of this picture at some point, but a check back through the blog archives suggests not. Echeveria pulvinata 'Frosty' has been a very easy plant to care for, though it has been through a few mishaps, such as falling off shelves and having its soil washed almost completely away during heavy rainstorms. These have left the plant looking not as pretty as it once did. But when looking at each rosette of leaves up close, the contrast between those frosty white "hairs" and the shiny green leaf surface is striking. Click twice for the full effect.

A picture of the whole plant can be seen in this post.

Monday Macro: Neoregelia

Neoregelia 'Olens x Diana' with water in the "vase."

It has been several months since I've gone from no Bromeliads except for Tillandsia "air plants," to several plants of various species, and I'm still enchanted. These beauties are far easier to care for than I ever imagined. The only problem I've had is a bit of lower leaf drying among some of the Neoregelia varieties, which has been improved by keeping the "vase" in the center of the rosette filled with water, and the occasional misting on non-watering days.

(As with all Monday Macro posts, click twice for a large full-size photograph.)

Monday Macro:* Anthurium andreanum 'Oklahoma'

I have always had difficulty with Anthuriums, and this one is no exception. It was only a few weeks ago that I managed to free it from an infestation of spider mites. Then today, I noticed that the plant was looking a trifle lackluster, and discovered that scale insects had moved in on the territory the mites had left behind. Aargh! I actually considered just giving up and throwing the plant away, rather than go through the whole treat-quarantine-keep-my-fingers-crossed routine. But, I decided that I must keep an Anthurium alive for more than one year, if only through sheer force of will. I once had an Anthurium andreanum 'Arizona' which lasted for just about a year. It even rebloomed, but shortly after that it declined and just sort of petered out.

Anyway, here are some shots of A. andreanum 'Oklahoma' from happier days in September 2009:

Anthurium andreanum 'Oklahoma' flowers. The first picture was previously posted in compressed form, the second is being posted for the first time.

*I realize that I am probably stretching the definition of "macro" a little bit. Still, these are two of my very favorites among all the pictures I've taken of my houseplants, and opening them to full-size (two clicks) is a different experience from seeing them reduced to fit within the blog text.

Monday Macro, Indoors and Outdoors

Last night, we had our first frost warning. I'm not sure yet if we did have an actual frost, but I wouldn't be surprised. All my cacti and succulents had made it indoors, or at least into the garage, by Saturday, as did the few leafy tropicals which were spending time outdoors. So for the next several days, there will be chaos among the leaves, while I find a place for everything, and then put everything in its place.

Meanwhile here are the Monday macros. Click once to open and a second time for full-size.

An Echeveria cultivar that might be E. 'Afterglow'

Unidentified Hemerocallis flower

I have posted both of these before in compressed form, because they are among my favorites of the plant photos I've taken. But they really are much better, and far more detailed, in their larger versions.

Something New Among the Leaves--Monday Macro

One of my favorite things about blogging is being able to share photographs of my plants. Taking the pictures allows me to view my plants in a new way, and, sometimes, to explore my my creative potential. So, today I'm introducing a new feature: Every Monday, I will post an extreme close-up photo of a plant, or part of a plant, that will fill the screen when opened to full size. Usually, I compress my pictures quite a bit for posting, so there are times when details are lost.

Here is this week's offering. (Click once to open, then a second time for full size.)

Echeveria chihuahuaensis, (tentative ID) after a rain shower

I've owned this Echeveria for about eight or nine months. It has been outdoors since June, and the color of the leaf tips has really intensified in the sun. It seemed to do pretty well indoors, too, in a south window.