My Top Ten Plants of 2010

There have been lots of ups and downs among the leaves this year. I've embraced a whole new category of plants (Bromeliads) and all but given up on others (Hedera, Begonia.) At various times, I've battled fungus gnats, aphids, spider mites, mealy bug, scale and white flies. (Out of these, only the mealies prevailed: I had to throw away my Hoya multiflora because I just could not get rid of the damned things. Over the years, I have occasionally had plants succumb to scale or spider mites, but with diligence, I can usually get the upper hand with them. But I've never won a battle with mealies, ever.) I've dealt with sunburn, root rot, and naughty cats (apparently, Nolina recurvata looks like something good to nibble on.) But there have been a few plants that have done well, caused or attracted minimal trouble, and just made me consistently happy over the past year. Here, in alphabetical order, (because I couldn't make up my mind how to rank them otherwise) are my top ten favorite houseplants of 2010.

1. Aechmea fasciata: This is a plant I was once afraid to try. I was sure that once I got one home, the flowers would immediate fade, the inflorescence would shrivel, and the plant would die soon after. Instead, the little blue flowers lasted a good while, the pink inflorescence lasted for months, and not only is the mother plant still looking good, there is also a good sized offset.

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2. Aloe greenii x lineata: This made the list as a first time bloomer this year.

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3. Astrophytum capricorne: This is another first time bloomer. The flower was impressive, but I think my favorite thing about this plant is its crown of thorns. (Yes, I know cactus have spines, not thorns, but crown of spines doesn't have the same ring to it.)

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4. x Chamaelovibia 'Captain Jessop': I'm not 100% certain of the ID. What I am certain about is that this little cactus put on a hell of a show this year. It is only 2.5 inches tall, but it bloomed three times, each time with flowers bigger than the plant itself.

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5. Epiphyllum 'David W. Grant' : Cacti were a big hit with me this year, apparently. At any rate, after several years with no flowers whatever, my only Epi bloomed twice, once in May, then again in October. The plant itself is rather ugly, but the flowers are wonderful.

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6. Hoya carnosa 'Krimson Queen': This plant needs no special care, continues to grow like a weed, has beautiful leaves, and bloomed all summer long. It also inspired one of my favorite posts and accompanying photo series: Six out of Seven

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7. Mammillaria formosa subsp. microthele: Once again the ID is a bit tentative, but there is nothing tentative about my love for what will always be Mom's Plant

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8. Monstera deliciosa: Another perennial sentimental favorite, because I grew it from seed, and because it is awesome. It survived a scale infestation this year, and keeps on putting out big, beautiful leaves.

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9. Sansevieria hallii: A handsome, trouble-free plant that grows slowly, but steadily. This year's new leaf ended up being taller and thicker than all the others that came before it.

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10. Vriesea splendens: The plant that started my successful entry into the wonderful world of Bromeliads. It went seamlessly from blooming to pupping, and continues to grow larger. And I love the dark patterned foliage.

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Honorable mention: Aglaonema. I can't single out a particular plant or species. Every one of my Ags is doing well and remains trouble free.


I'm looking forward to the coming year of growing. I know there are going to be difficulties. But I know just as certainly that there will be delights.

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.

It Might Just Make it After All

When we last saw my Vriesea splendens, it was a new purchase, and I was concerned, given my track record with Bromeliads, (dismal) that it wouldn't survive. I was somewhat reassured when I noticed that it already had a pup, since its inflorescence started to fade soon after I purchased the plant. Here is that pup back in January:

Tiny bit of new growth in the very center of the "cup"

and here it is today:

Two views of my Vriesea splendens, from the top, and a side view. The pup is very much larger, and blends well with the mature foliage, making the regeneration of the plant appear nearly seamless.

In other Bromeliad news, my Neoregelia 'Zoe' is coloring up, just a little. It was mostly green and white when I purchased it, but now it is showing a hint of a blush:

Neoregelia 'Zoe' has been coloring up a bit in the spring sun

Bromeliads seem to be the hot thing in houseplant fashion, at least locally. At first I was thinking that I was just noticing them more, since I've become willing to try them. But now after some reflection, I do think they have become more readily available. It wasn't too surprising when the local nurseries began carrying more of them--they have to have a variety of plants to stay competitive in the houseplant market. But I've been seeing more and more at the box stores as well, and not just the typical Aechmea fasciata and Guzmania varieties either: both the nearby Home Depot and Lowe's have had some striking Neoregelia cultivars for sale.

Following up on Recent Posts

Just a couple of updates on things I've posted in the last week or so.

1. My Monstera deliciosa made it out of the bathroom in one piece:

Monstera deliciosa, back in its spot in front of the French doors

Maneuvering it out of the bathroom was even more difficult than getting it in, and getting it back on its stand was even tougher. It is a very heavy plant. But it is looking healthier and happier after its shower, so the struggle was worth it. I have moved it a bit farther from the doors, in hope of minimizing sun stress.

2. My variegated Aspidistra elatior has a new leaf:

Aspidistra elatior variegata

If I believed in that sort of thing, I would probably say that I jinxed this plant. You see, it has developed a similar problem with scale-like insects to what my plain Aspidistra had all those years ago. Honestly, houseplant pests make one understand why people used to believe in "spontaneous generation." (Wikipedia link.) Those buggers seem to come from nowhere. Anyway, I will not be using cooking spray to treat the plant. I've well and truly learned my lesson.

3. My new Vriesea splendens has a pup:

Vriesea splendens pup nestled within the foliage

Maybe I can be successful with this plant after all; if not with this generation, maybe with the next. This was a nice surprise. I thought I had pretty thoroughly examined the plant before I bought it, but somehow I missed this very obvious pup.

Just What I Needed...

...A new plant. Despite having denied it in a previous post, I am suffering from a slight case of plant burnout. In this case, I'm slightly overwhelmed by the number of plants that are needing extra attention. My luck in keeping my Hedera helix plants free from spider mites has run out, the Coleus Experiment is not going particularly well, (I am down to four plants, none of which are looking all that good) and I have just recently gotten a plague of fungus gnats back down to manageable amounts.

But I have been looking for a Vriesea splendens forever, and today I found one at the supermarket. So of course it came home with me, triple-bagged against the cold.

My new Vriesea splendens

Let's hope it doesn't add to my malaise; my record with Bromeliads (except for Tillandsia Air Plants) has been abysmal. I have yet to keep one for more than six months.