New Plant: Midnight Among the Leaves

Every so often, my local Home Depot surprises me. Over the years, I've found it to be a decent place to find common houseplants, but not the place to go for anything exotic or out of the ordinary. But last week I found this plant, labeled, of course, as a generic "Tropical Houseplant"

Alpinia malaysianum, sometimes called Alpinia 'Midnight'

I've had one of these before, and it didn't fare all that well. Alpinia, and its relatives in the Zingiberaceae, (ginger family) like a lot of moisture, and wilt and shrivel and carry on if they don't get it. My first specimen was very small (only a few leaves) and wasn't vigorous enough to put up with my tendency to underwater. (My Alpinia zerumbet variegata, which was kind of large when I bought it, has flagged and bounced back a few times, after I cut off some pretty ugly old foliage. It's looking pretty good now.) I'll try to be more careful with this one.

New foliage, with its dark caramel color contrasting against the nearly black older leaves

And of course, it wouldn't be a weekend without a pet picture:

A spicy duo: Peppermint and the Alpinia. (Yes, the plant does have a gingery scent, if the stems are cut, or the roots are handled.)

If Luke had posed, I would have had a nice black and orange shot for Halloween. Also, a ginger cat with a ginger plant would be a nice visual pun. But the constant doorbell ringing from trick-or-treaters has scared my shy orange boy into hiding. The ever-intrepid Peppermint obliged by sitting next to the plant. but the effect is not quite the same.

Epi Encore

Late last May, I posted about my Epiphyllum 'David W. Grant', which was putting on an unprecedented blooming extravaganza. There were twelve flowers in all. Well, Mr. Grant has taken the stage again, this time with only a single bloom. But since there have been several years when this plant didn't flower at all, I'm especially pleased with the repeat performance in 2010.

Epiphyllum 'David W. Grant' from three different angles

After a summer spent hanging in the tree outdoors, Mr. Grant is back in his usual spot in the spare room. (AKA the "Cats' Room", since that is where we keep their litter boxes and other accoutrements.) Perhaps, after a winter with the same care as last year, there will be a return engagement next May.

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.

Wistful at the Window

Peppermint, the mighty hunter turned indoor kitty, surveys his former domain, and plots his triumphant return. (Oh yeah, there are plants in the pictures too, most notably Strelitzia reginae and Epipremnum aureum on the inside, with Strobilanthes dyerianus and Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' on the outside.)

Photographs courtesy of my husband, Bob.

Variegated Haworthias, Expected and Unexpected

Some months ago, I saw a picture of a variegated Haworthia limifolia, and knew that I just had to have one. The regular green H. limifolia is probably my favorite Haworthia anyway, and variegation just seemed like icing on the cake. So I started looking. Nothing was available locally. None of my usual mail-order sources seemed to have any. And while there were plants available on eBay, either they had been bid up to a level beyond which I felt comfortable, or they were too small for the price + shipping, or they were from overseas sellers. I am not comfortable with buying plants from private sellers located outside of the United States at this time. I want to be as sure as I can that all customs and conservation regulations are being complied with. It is the least I can do to help protect the environment and natural habitats, both here and abroad.

But just recently, I found a nice-sized plant from an eBay seller in California that wasn't overpriced or the subject of a bidding war. The variegation isn't as bold as many I've seen, but it is still pretty nice.

Variegated Haworthia limifolia

And then just the other day, when I was rearranging my plants to accommodate those that had been brought in from outdoors, I noticed something. One of the Haworthia fasciata plants that I had bought a few years back, probably from Home Depot of all places, had grown a variegated offset.

Haworthia fasciata, with four white-striped leaves.
(The variegation can be seen in better detail when the photo is clicked for the larger version.)

So I'm going to be keeping an eye on all of my Haworthia plants, to see if anymore have surprises in store for me.

Return of the Bromeliads, New and Old

Even though it seems like most of my attention was on my succulents during the summer and fall, my love for Bromeliads remains unabated. While I was singing their praises in Monday's post, I remembered that I never posted about my latest acquisition:

Cryptanthus 'Black Mystic'

Another view. It is a fairly small plant in a 4-inch pot.

I love the color and striped pattern, and it has been extremely easy to care for. I had seen pictures of similar Cryptanthus in vintage houseplant books, but never any for sale until recently. I had just purchased this one by mail order, when I visited a new nursery and saw a few for sale there as well. I hope more species and varieties become more readily available; they are wonderful plants.

And now some updates on my older plants:

My other Cryptanthus, a more commonly available red and green variety, which I've had for a few months. It bloomed over the summer.

This is what my Aechmea fasciata looked like in May, with it's blue "true" flowers showing through the pink inflorescence:

Previously posted photograph of Aechmea fasciata

This is what it looks like now, spent, but still showy. The blooming rosette itself should still last for months, and there is a large pup coming up on the side to carry on when "mom" succumbs.

Speaking of pups, this Neoregelia has developed a large one:

Neoregelia 'Toucan' The original rosette is on the left, the new offset is on the right.

This plant seems to be the most easygoing of my Neoregelia varieties. There have been no drying leaves on the original plant, and the offset is growing fast. It is just starting to get the little red points on the leaf tips, and has a nice blush in the center that the original plant didn't have.

Last but not least, here is the plant that kicked off my Bromeliadmania, a Vriesea splendens I found in the grocery store last January. Not only has it survived for more than the six months I rather pessimistically predicted, it has done really well.

Vriesea splendens. The outer ring of leaves is the original plant, the center leaves are new growth. Apparently pups form more or less in the center of the "vase" rather than to the side. So the plant seems to constantly renew itself.

Journey to the center of a plant

Most of my other Bromeliads are also doing fine. I've kind of decided that right now, I have about as many plants (of all types) as I can handle. (Maybe more, if you've read my rather self-pitying reply in the comments to my recent Anthurium post.) But a being a crazy plant lady, I can always be tempted if the right plant comes along. Especially if it is a Brom.

Oops! Another Bloom Day Got Past Me

Once again, I missed Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day on the 15th. But since I still have plenty of plants putting on a show in my outdoor garden, I thought I would post some pictures anyway.

From the front yard:

This Rubeckia hirta, which has been in its second bloom cycle of the year for more than a month, has acquired a white ring on the petals as it ages.

Chysanthemum cultivar. I love the orange color.

More Chrysanthemums, which have flopped over a bit. Next year, I might try to keep them trimmed back early in the year ("knee high until the fourth of July") to produce more upright, compact plants. Besides, the cuttings root easily, so I'll have more plants.

A solitary late Lychnis coronaria bloom

We have a new bed in the backyard, which has been a couple of years in the making. Our yard is sloped, so my husband built a retaining wall so that we could have a level bed in this area. However, getting it finished and planted hasn't been our priority until recently. So for about a year, anytime I repotted or discarded a plant, the old potting mix got dumped into the bed. Then when we did decide to finish, we added bagged soil, peat and compost, and Bob tilled everything together with the native soil. The result is a rich, but looser planting medium than the heavy black clay soil on the rest of our property. That, combined with a warm fall, has resulted in fast growth and reblooming of plants that might normally have been done for the season. This is especially gratifying, since along with the fresh new perennials, I purchased some rather ragged discount plants in August, and I wasn't expecting much from them until next year.

From the backyard:

Sedum 'Autumn Fire'

Gallardia x grandiflora 'Dazzler' with some Nepeta x faassenii 'Blue Wonder' (Catmint) on the left.

Another shot of the Gaillardia

Salvia 'May Night,' still going strong in October. I only wish that my Salvia plants out front were this prolific.

Another view of the Salvia, showing part of the wall that Bob built

The Salvia, Nepeta and Gaillardia have been attracting lots and lots of bees for the past few weeks. My stepson Dave, who is my go-to guy for insect identification, tells me that they are honeybees, which makes me happy and hopeful.

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.)

Bringing In, Bringing On the Blooms

Maybe they are feeling a bit stressed by the change in the environment, since they've been brought indoors where it is warmer and less sunny. Maybe it is just the right time of year. But anyway, several of my succulents have decided that now is the time for producing flowers.

Aloe 'Doran Black'

Aloe greenii x lineata with bloom stalk. This will be the first time this plant has flowered in the four years I've owned it.

Unidentified Euphorbia. This is the third round of buds since early spring for this plant.

I meant to cut the rosette of this Echeveria runyonii from its leggy stem to re-root, but never got around to it. Small offsets are forming at the base of the stem.

E. runyonii blooms up close. It is hard to get a good picture because of the reflective nature of the plant's glaucous coating, which is why the flowers seem washed out in both pictures. They are much more orange in person. Also your blogger needs hand lotion, since her fingertips appear to have developed a glaucous coating of their own.

Echeveria 'Black Prince' just getting started. Its flowers will be red-orange, if I recall correctly.

Unidentified Echeveria. The "rosette" to the left is actually atop a bloom stalk, which is hard to see at this angle. I think this will be the first time for flowers from this plant.

One thing that makes me think that it just happens to be blooming season, for the Aloes at least, is a recent trip to the Chicago Botanic Gardens, where their grouping of Aloe thraskii either in bud or in flower.

Aloe thraskii group at the CBG earlier this year

Plants in bud yesterday, with a blooming Yucca (I think) in the background

Closer pictures of an A. thraskii in bud

Plant in bloom

Finally, at least one cat's curiosity got the better of him during today's photo session:

Luke says "Hi!"

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.

Bringing Them Back In, Again

My inaugural blog pot last October 8 was about bringing my succulents back in for the fall. Well, that time of year has returned. Once again, I'm using the system of placing my plants in trays with diatomaceous earth for a few days, to make sure that no creepy crawlies escape into my house.

Things were a little more rushed this year, as frost warnings came earlier than expected. I moved everything from the front and back yards last Saturday. There was considerable muttering under my breath while doing so. "Yeah, you really just had to buy all those new plants this summer," I scolded myself. "You know damn good and well that you have to bring them all in eventually." Not only do I have quite a few more plants, but many of my succulents were moved up a pot-size or two while outdoors, so they don't fit into the same spots as they did last winter. (And the hell of it is, the cold snap was short-lived. We have had a couple of days of above average temperatures, and there are several more to come, according to the forecast.)

Succulents have taken over my dining room...

During the move, some plants wound up in the garage instead of the living/dining room, since I didn't have enough trays available. The plan is to transfer a few plants from the dining area to their permanent positions each day, and then move a like number of plants from the garage into the prepared trays.

...And my garage. My poor husband won't be able to get his car in until these seasonal shenanigans are done with. (A few plants other than succulents can be seen, like Dracaena, Hippeastrum and Tradescantia pallida.)

My Hibiscus rosa-sinensis have already been placed in their permanent spots, as has my Araucaria heterophylla. The cold-hardy Hedera, Fatsia, Asparagus, and Aspidistra will remain outdoors for a while longer.

I keep thinking that I've got to work out new systems for both moving the plants out, and bringing them in. Every year, the sheer amount of work has me wondering why I have so many plants, anyway. Well, at least until I get everything settled, and then I go back to loving what I have, and lusting after more.