tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50737672101461189062012-02-16T03:05:59.021-04:00My own personal blog dedicated to my plants that I grow. I grow Hoya's, Gesneriads (Aeschynanthus, Nematanthus, Episcia, Streptocarpus, Alsobia, Kohleria African Violets), Schlumbergera (Christmas & Thanksgiving Cactus), and a few of everything in between I love flowers, houseplants, foliage, everything about plants!! This is a great way to keep track and log the progress of my own personal plants. To contact the author of this page please email: damnplants@gmail.comTracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.comBlogger1131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-26740666905695955122009-07-15T20:30:00.004-03:002009-07-15T21:50:44.760-03:00

I have never had so many hoya's in bloom at the same time before. It must be the maritime sun.....lol. My lacunosa is in constant bloom......walking by it at night is so nice since it fills the air with a lilac scent. My carnosa, that had no peduncles when i brought it here, now has at least six peduncles all bearing flowers at some time or another. This one hangs at my back door, and fills

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-38124680735599375752009-06-02T16:10:00.003-03:002009-06-02T16:44:28.974-03:00

After dissapearing from the blog scene for a while......I am back.  Nothing was really happening in my plant world, and life got pretty busy there for a while.  I moved again into a more permanent house, and my plants love it!  After watching them all do nothing or die for months, it has been nice to see them take off in this new house.  The lighting in this place is close to perfect, its almost

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-22067572201773985232009-01-24T22:40:00.006-04:002009-01-25T01:40:38.883-04:00

This was the hoya that started it all........from this hoya grew an obsession. I saw my first hoya flowers on this hoya compacta, and I will never forget the chocolate scent.I have been having a lot of trouble with many of my plants lately, the past six months has proved to be quite challenging. I have no way of being able to pinpoint the problem, since there are so many factors involved:

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-84264807665342869752009-01-09T23:39:00.014-04:002009-01-10T02:48:05.880-04:00

I am really starting to miss writing in my blog, I tend to favor the good things that happen around my house, but since I moved to the East coast, I am having a lot of plant troubles......which is really discouraging. I will have to start writing about the good, the bad, and the ugly.My Christmas cacti (actually Thanksgiving cactus) are starting to get buds. Oddly enough, only the ones in the

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-3361695625346714762008-11-26T08:26:00.001-04:002008-11-26T08:26:11.807-04:00

i know a couple people that check my blog every day and I have got to aploigize, I have been dealing with a multiple crashes ]\ I thinkI should get up and going.........Thanks for checking on me everyone, I lost my bookmarks too, so please leave a comment that links back to ur site.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-26022390261696377902008-10-31T03:47:00.000-03:002008-10-31T03:49:11.226-03:00

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-69851773010918982922008-10-31T02:42:00.014-03:002008-10-31T06:51:06.042-03:00

Everything is littered with red and orange leaves........it is really pretty.This is my other favorite tree, I see it outside all the time. Even when the tree wasn't losing all its leaves. There is some kind of climbing plant holding on to the stump. I am thinking Virginia creeper, or clematis.......I'll have to look it up because I don't think these turn red. Anyways, I just like this tree,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-54311888340783943072008-09-09T13:11:00.002-03:002008-09-09T14:39:37.631-03:00

It's been way too long since I have made a post on my blog......I am just really finding it hard to write about plants that aren't doing too much, but recuperating from their move. They seem to be adjusting all right now, and some plants are getting a few flowers.This is my Alsobia Dianthiflora .......the one I nearly killed last year. It is only throwing out a few buds, but a few is better

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-17409788266855133182008-08-20T05:36:00.000-03:002008-08-20T05:36:00.983-03:00

This slide show thing has got me fascinated, I remember doing this in college with power point, and it could get pretty tricky trying to learn all the bells and whistles of the program. Nowadays, it is just too easy. This slide show is all African Violet Flowers from my newly destroyed collection. I may never see these ones bloom again.....unless I got a leaf before they all rotted and babies

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-3119412147642672872008-08-18T03:00:00.002-03:002008-08-18T03:11:05.347-03:00

Ya, Ya....I am a copycat. I have nothing blooming or really happening, but while blog reading today, I came across this post, and absolutely loved the sideshow, so I had to do my own. Mine is different in the sense that I did a puzzle sort of slide show, so it makes for a bit of a guessing game.Look for an AV slide show in the days to come too, I just can't resist.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-4122909789166182552008-08-03T01:11:00.004-03:002008-08-03T01:28:33.200-03:00

I had always thought it was a good idea......but I had no idea someone actually thought of it. For some time I have used small votive candle holders for smaller type flowers with short stems, or even for a small flower or two. But even then, a votive candle holder didn't always work.Today, while browsing through quite a nice store with of the neater knick knacks of the world, I found these; one

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-64360115034559843972008-07-31T08:50:00.000-03:002008-07-31T08:50:00.839-03:00

Well I completely forgot about this post, so I figure I better get it up. It was such a cool plant event at the time, and then with moving I completely forgot about it. I didn't notice this until I went to water the plant one day and saw a long string of fluff coming off the plant. When I went to wipe it away, I found it to be attached.I have no idea what could have pollinated this, but I do

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-47075039698485422782008-07-31T03:15:00.001-03:002008-07-31T03:15:01.387-03:00

So this is where I am now, across the country from where I was originally. I spent close to $400 shipping hoya's and plants across the country.....I know crazy, but I love them.....lol. I think I can finally start getting back to my plants again after a bit of a hiatus. It's a beautiful place here, I went from a zone 2 to like a zone 5.....what an incredible variety of plants I can grow now

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-82915356757130352492008-07-25T22:11:00.004-03:002008-07-31T00:22:37.481-03:00

Pics from our trip to the beach......salt water!!

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-11150377327506912692008-07-14T04:00:00.000-03:002008-07-14T04:00:01.066-03:00

My compacta just had an umbel of flowers open up, and I actually caught a few pics of the flowers opening. They look so neat when they are in the process of opening, which only lasts a few hours. Even though I have seen this hoya flower a few times, I still love seeing it's flowers and I still love the smell of this one the best (chocolate).

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-60708848251672063032008-07-03T04:37:00.003-03:002008-07-14T03:55:50.022-03:00

Blooming right now:Pink & white azaleahoya shepperdihoya lacunosahoya carnosahoya compactalipstick plant (lobbianus)lipstick plant (mona lisa)lipstick plant (black pagoda)numerous african violetsgoldfish plant (nematanthus)red philodendroncalamondin

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-63619168273531335252008-06-27T05:26:00.005-03:002008-08-18T05:41:10.964-03:00

Noid African VioletCrown of Thorns ( this has bloomed non stop since I got it a year ago,it is never without some flowers)CalamondinHoya ShepperdiHoya Lacunosa Noid African violetAeschynanthus "Black Pagoda"Hoya CompactaHoya HeuschkelianaNematanthus aka Goldfish plant

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-29526560209797595342008-06-17T02:52:00.004-03:002008-06-23T04:56:30.719-03:00

I love Spring & Summer so much, except for the bugs. Everything seems to bloom and flower, and there is always something so colorful to find and examine and admire.To make a long story short (see here & here & here) the above pic is supposed to be an Aeschynanthus "Black Pagoda" hybrid. I am still a little hesitant, but it's still the coolest flower for miles around. It has no scent at all,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-43876764080066594982008-06-16T04:00:00.000-03:002008-06-16T04:00:06.427-03:00

The hoya's are on a role on my house. Lately I haven't been without a bloom somewhere. This is my hoya shepherdii blooming away for me. This one has tried to bloom before for me a few times, but also blasted it's buds a few times.The flowers are so simple. They are white and the inner flower has some purple in it. They are not as strong smelling as some of the other hoya's I have smelled.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-25282250240981510382008-06-15T02:19:00.004-03:002008-06-15T04:55:46.965-03:00

This is one of the hoya's I got in the DL order. It is the yellow flowered (obviously) hoya heuschkeliana. This is such a cute flower. Pictures definitely make this one look a lot larger than it is in real life. Kudos to the people on the net that have photos of this one. I found it really hard to photograph, and I just don't think my cam can get too much closer. My cam is only 6 months old

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-13818464993654139182008-05-28T23:14:00.000-03:002008-06-15T04:54:50.825-03:00

Again here is the pic from a previous post. I asked if anyone could name the plant.The answer is a Lipstick plant or Aeschynanthus.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-11365165254664904372008-05-27T21:11:00.004-03:002008-05-27T23:03:07.669-03:00

I opened the baggies for the second time since arrival to check out the hoya's I got through the D. Liddle order. This is the first real update, and I am so excited to see good stuff happening in those baggies.Purpureo FuscaThis is a cutting of purepureo fusca. I gave it a little tug, and it seemed firm. I wonder how long this one takes to bloom, the flowers on this one are purple on purple,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-17321956978850552012008-05-25T23:09:00.000-03:002008-05-25T23:09:00.845-03:00

Macro photography is so cool. Anyone know what this is a pic of? It is of a plant. I will post the answer in a few days. Have Fun!!

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-40231210390853934302008-05-24T21:20:00.006-03:002008-05-25T00:27:19.180-03:00

I had so many random pics that didn't necessarily need a whole post, so I lumped them together and one whole post. So many little things are going on right now, and so other things just are and deserve a pic. My lipstick plant has a few flowers coming these past few weeks. It looked liked it might go into full bloom, but it has blasted many buds. It might get to partial bloom, and still put on

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-37300544543207522632008-05-24T06:43:00.001-03:002008-05-25T00:27:31.853-03:00

I don't normally indulge in watching others "do it", and I don't normally like bugs.....but it was different to see.Better pics next time I see two bugs "doing it". It was a pretty creepy experience for me, in more ways than one....lol. Pics were a little hard to get.....due to....ummm.....heebie jeebies.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-50071170923119368672008-05-23T05:52:00.004-03:002008-05-25T00:25:24.856-03:00

We took a walk to the local dog park / duck pond and spent a while feeding the geese this past weekend. We saw a couple species of ducks but mostly geese.The geese, not the seagulls were not scared at all. They were close enough to take the bread right from my girls hands.My youngest even tried making one do a trick, being so used to having dogs around that can do tricks. It was so natural of

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-16017102232715016322008-05-20T22:14:00.003-03:002008-05-23T06:55:52.116-03:00

A few months ago I could not figure out why my azalea kept wilting on me. All of a sudden it would just be limp, and the whole plant looked close to its death. Not having much experience with azalea's, I didn't understand what was going on. Now that I own a few, and have also seen a friend caring for hers, I have it figured out.I bought the above pictured azalea a couple weeks ago. I couldn't

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-89313803961247890422008-05-14T22:34:00.004-03:002008-05-16T06:42:50.136-03:00

I think hell froze over, and I swear some pigs flew by my window. I think the flying pigs were attracted by the scent of my hoya lacunosa.......the one that has been blasting buds for months and months and months. I had almost given up hope on this one. There must be at least 20 peduncles on it now, and it still is forming buds and blasting them. One umbel has finally opened up, and one more

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-41722324433565613292008-05-10T20:48:00.004-03:002008-05-10T23:12:37.521-03:00

I just love it when any hoya in the house flowers. They have such stunning flowers. They almost look fake, like they are made of wax. And the smell........some can smell unappealing, but so far from my limited experiences with hoya flowers, they smell amazing........it is so amazing that a flower can produce such a smell. This is a Hoya "Krimson Princess". This is the cultivar that has some

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-12346160606925862662008-05-03T23:01:00.006-03:002008-05-10T20:47:14.636-03:00

Lately I have been so busy with so many things that my poor plants are getting neglected, and my blog has been getting neglected even more. Every day when I am checking out my plants, I think about my blog. When I check my email, I think of my blog. When I take a picture, I think about my blog. I have got to start writing more often on my blog, especially since it is the perfect plant journal

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-69694590152496389722008-04-26T18:26:00.005-03:002008-04-28T18:42:54.123-03:00

I have been spending less time on my blog lately. I have had a few glitches over the past couple weeks with my computer, and with my pictures, The fact that I am working too, makes it even harder.So, it is that time of the year, when plant addicts start buying more plants, and trading cuttings or seed. It is also that time of year when a bunch of people (hoya lovers) get together and place an

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-6895434502122010272008-04-19T08:57:00.006-03:002008-04-21T14:36:57.358-03:00

Right off the get go, I have to say I got a little lazy this week with my blog......I have joined the Rock Band / Guitar hero Craze. OMG it is addictive!! And so much fun!! I promise to make more time for my plants and my blog.....bad plant mommy, I have neglected them too all week. Being a Rock Star is hard work.....lol.Anyways..........Back in March I decided that I had to have an orchid.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-87289194439508541812008-04-13T06:25:00.005-03:002008-05-23T06:55:52.117-03:00

Recently I noticed some odd looking dust on a few of my African Violets. I thought at first that maybe this was a trait some of them had, it didn't look terrible, just hairier. I noticed it again a few days later on a couple other AV's and decided to look more into it, it just didn't look right. I went to Dr.Optimara, and ruled out alot of things. I was left with either botrytis or powdery

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-52576669858822565342008-04-12T02:48:00.006-03:002008-04-21T09:27:31.840-03:00

A couple of months ago, I noticed some odd growth on a red philo I had. Mr. S thought it could be a flower, and he was right. It has taken close to three months from the first time I noticed "something", to opening up into a flower like the pic below. It's......umm......different than most flowers I see. It is a pretty cool thing to see, it's the first time in my life I have ever seen a philo

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-42252534169220103592008-04-09T08:11:00.005-03:002008-04-12T02:47:32.578-03:00

As I promised, here are more pic's of the Av's that are blooming for me right now. I left 3 out because I don't find them to be the nicest ones.....they are kind of plain. I also have duplicates of a few.The Av in the above pic has bloomed for me once before, a couple months ago. It is one of my favorites. The Av in the pic below has flowered for me before as well. Again, one of my

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-27944231441156154132008-04-07T00:47:00.004-03:002008-04-12T02:47:32.579-03:00

OMG! The past three weeks have been horrible without internet. I have missed so many posts from my numerous favorite blogs, and missed so many threads from the forums I frequent. I am going to need a week just to catch up. I am so glad to be back and posting again, and I am so glad to be back in the World Wide Web.So many of my plants are starting to take off again, while many others are

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-43358217414680297592008-03-05T04:20:00.006-04:002008-03-05T04:49:14.285-04:00

So some of my Episcia is taking over in my humidity domes, rooting itself into other plants, rooting itself into the thin layer of water at the bottom, pretty much rooting itself into anything it can. So to make more space (it's always about space....lol) I decided to root some in a bit of sphagnum moss in a jar. I also decided to try and take some out to live in my home environment, on a

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-34533069057629789702008-03-04T00:36:00.006-04:002008-03-04T01:55:39.867-04:00

I get creeped out pretty easily when it comes to bugs.....I can handle small insects, but anything big, fuzzy or weird......and I am outta there. So far it hasn't caused too many problems with my plants, but I admit that each time I find a mealy bug, I love my plants a little less for a couple days because they gross me out. So today while checking out the plants in my humidity dome, I found

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-27380970295530237342008-03-02T03:20:00.004-04:002008-03-04T01:53:29.374-04:00

What a wonderful surprise I got today. I checked in on my Datura's, and one of the flowers was in the process of opening. And yay, because they are the double purple flowers I had hoped for. This might possibly be the most spectacular flower I have ever seen.So from seed to flower, it only took approx 4 or 5 months, which is totally amazing to me. I can't wait to put these babies outside, and

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-89563290813685836082008-02-29T22:11:00.002-04:002008-02-29T22:31:32.414-04:00

When I was doing the daily blog read thing, I came across this post.Since this intrigued me, I had to read more about it......here. I had no idea this type of thing was going on. A seed vault, protected from global disasters, in the event that a country's vegetation is threatened and destroyed. It is really scary to think that such a disaster could even occur. We're talking a global

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-58399350488742013792008-02-29T04:09:00.010-04:002008-05-23T06:55:52.118-03:00

What a graceful life it had. I never knew it's name up until a few weeks ago. It decided to put on an inquisitive show, which made me question it's character.....I didn't know it well.....What iwas it? Luckily, GardenWeb has a "Name that plant" forum, and they identified it as a Pepperomia (possibly glabella). What ever, it was one of those plants that I didn't really like, but my daughter

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-48427793434307581672008-02-28T03:01:00.004-04:002008-02-28T03:36:34.644-04:00

I don't think I have ever planted seeds that came up as fast as these "Dragon Fruit" seeds (hylocereus). It has only been a few days, and all three cups of seeds have signs of life. In each cup I used, there are at least 6 seedlings. I am going to let them grow a couple more weeks before I transplant them into separate pots.Another one of my Lipstick plants (Aeschynanthus) is starting to

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-76481337088423214512008-02-25T04:07:00.009-04:002008-02-25T05:57:19.625-04:00

It was bound to happen, I have no self control at all when it comes to plants. I am pretty cheap though, so that helps a bit. I have been eying Orchids for a couple months now, but the fact that they cost at least $25 turns me off a bit. They are quite stunning flowers, but because of the price, I had never even considered buying one. Over the past week or so, I have noticed that the Orchids

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-91682985034123016122008-02-24T04:00:00.006-04:002008-02-28T02:56:44.118-04:00

I remember a movie where all these rich folk would come together to watch this "rare" plant open it's flower. They had to do it at night because the flower opened at dusk and closed up again before morning. I was always intrigued by the idea of this......but honestly I didn't even know if it really existed.I had never tried a Dragon fruit before..I always look in the "weird fruit & veggie"

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-31802185577578576422008-02-20T06:33:00.005-04:002008-02-21T05:34:00.193-04:00

I can feel Spring coming on. The air smells fresher, the snow is melting and plants around the house are starting to take off. I am more of an indoor plant enthusiast, rather than an outdoor one, therefore I don't plant things that require a lot of extra care. Here is where Nasturtiums come in.I bought a package of seeds last year and spread them into a couple containers, and in my pitiful

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-2867400388217882572008-02-20T03:21:00.006-04:002008-05-23T06:55:52.120-03:00

Damn I hate these things. They make my skin crawl, and it grosses me out to no end when I see them. Really, what is their purpose? Do they really need to be part of the food chain? Would the world collapse without them? Can they at least stay off MY plants? Especially the Hoya's?!?I took it as a photo opportunity, and grabbed a couple pics. If you really want to see them up close and

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-82947226324196301602008-02-19T16:14:00.006-04:002008-02-20T03:09:01.997-04:00

Beauty is in the Eye of the BeholderOne sees a small boy standing in the Orchid(the yellow being his face)I see an Eskimo standing in the Orchid.One sees Jerry Garcia,while the other sees a Mexican wearing a Sombrero.Fingers lined with blood, holding up the flower(Ya I know it's creepy, but that's what I see)

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-81003659388508523532008-02-19T15:16:00.005-04:002008-02-20T02:23:46.730-04:00

Such wonderful, reliable bloomers. Even in the dead of Winter they bring a smile to my face.This pink AV has been camera shy for the past few weeks. (Can't get a decent pic.....dammit)I have a couple clones of this one. It was one of my firsts, and has proven to be a steady reliable bloomer.This is the first time I have seen this flower. Grown from a leaf 10 months ago. Something Victorian

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-39726927360541540592008-02-19T02:41:00.004-04:002008-02-20T02:22:19.709-04:00

This evening when I went to WM, I noticed they had their seeds in already. As I was checking them out, I noticed Passiflora seeds. I already have one and would love to have a second, so I had to grab them. I mean look at the flower, who can resist that.Now that I had the seeds, I figured I better read up a little. Some seeds need a cold period (stratification), some need bottom heat and some

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-24862020062392340862008-02-16T04:48:00.008-04:002008-02-19T16:13:31.747-04:00

The pic below is a picture of my Hoya pubicalyx. Again I am not sure about which pubicalyx it is, but I will be able to identify it one day when it flowers. I would love for it to be the "Red Buttons" cultivar, but "Pink Silver" is more popular, and this one does not have foliage that reddens. I can't wait to see this hoya take over and cover the bamboo hoop. Onto my

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-89974562651647699302008-02-16T02:46:00.002-04:002008-02-16T04:23:13.801-04:00

Last night as I was checking my Passion for mites (I am positive now that we do have mites), my daughter asked me what is this on your Passion vine? She pointed at the little slinky-ish, coiled up spirals.(photo courtesy of Wikipedia)I knew what they were, I remember learning this stuff in school, but I could not for the life of me remember what they were called. Because it was late I never

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-35568912826289487132008-02-16T02:08:00.004-04:002008-02-16T02:30:31.167-04:00

Spring is just around the corner......the plants seem like they might be starting to wake up.Some of my Hoya's are starting to grow again after doing nothing for the past few months. Tsangii (ds-70), pictured above has not grown in months, just kind of stayed dormant. This one has cute little flowers as well. Pic can be seen hereMy Hoya australis, pictured above, is starting to grow too. This

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-30649578966466761542008-02-16T00:42:00.005-04:002008-05-23T06:55:52.121-03:00

SPIDER MITES!!Well, I always wanted to see what these look like, other than their tell tale webs.......I finally got my chance.....lol. To the naked eye, any of what you see in this pic is a mere spec, other than the leaf veins.. I couldn't even say how much zoom was used, as it a combination of zoom & Photoshop (no editing was done to the pic, only resizing to blow up the pic).Clicking on the

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-54193290054197655422008-02-15T03:55:00.003-04:002008-02-15T04:42:06.604-04:00

So thinking I was buying Brugmansia seeds, I ended up with Datura seeds. Same Family, same idea, but not quite the same. Both have the trumpet shaped flowers I want, only a Brugs faces down and a Dutura's faces up. A Brug is more of a large shrub or tree, whereas a Datura is grown more as an annual. Thanks to the wonderful people in the Brug forum over at GardenWeb for correcting me on this.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-20060681552789318012008-02-15T03:45:00.004-04:002008-02-19T17:23:45.307-04:00

I have been trying to avoid the pull of the Orchid obsession, but it is really starting to pull me in. I am so close to giving in and buying one, but I just know it will turn into more than one.Look at these things, they are just stunning.It is almost unreal that nature can create something this intricate & beautiful.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-79672917848690154872008-02-10T21:54:00.005-04:002008-02-15T03:45:47.025-04:00

I laid my first African leaf in the Spring of 2007. I didn't do anything special them and I did not give them any special treatment at all, and yet they have all done well. When I first started laying the leaves, I used a mix of peat, perlite and a tiny bit of vermiculite (I have since cut out the use of peat and moved to coir, and I no longer use vermiculite). I started out by putting several

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-35295053130620398052008-02-10T10:20:00.000-04:002008-02-11T00:01:03.293-04:00

I think it would be fun for the people I "blog" with to tell others what they find are the most important objects or tools used for their plant addiciton. I believe we could all learn some pretty neat things.I am going to tag a couple people and hope they return to my blog to share with me and others what they use the most when it comes to your houseplant hobby.Here are my top 5 handies that I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-52304468079186644222008-02-10T08:02:00.000-04:002008-02-10T09:36:11.612-04:00

I am so glad that there are certain types of plants that can and will bloom in the dark days of Winter. I get nervous when the days get colder and darker thinking it will be months before I see flowers, but this never happens. Reason......because there are plants that flower under less light than others, and there are plants that are considered short day plants (which means they need so many

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-62925402441906296542008-02-07T01:56:00.001-04:002008-02-08T02:19:41.751-04:00

I thought my Passion Vine (Passiflora) was a goner after I brought in from outside this past fall, since I let the frost get to it. I took a few cuttings in hopes to save some of it. Thankfully the plant itself made it (the cuttings did not). I set it aside for the winter off to the side of the 400W, and surprise surprise, it started blooming.I had my doubts about even keeping this alive for

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-13868545296044116592008-02-06T02:18:00.000-04:002008-02-07T03:25:43.026-04:00

My Hoya lacunosa is now up to 3 peduncles, as the pic shows. The peduncle on the left keeps getting buds, then dropping them off (normally right about this size too), the peduncle in the middle is only a couple weeks old, so this is the first time I have seen buds on it, and the one on the left was just discovered today, it is barely a cm long. It has teased and taunted me for months, but now

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-82271415552704029592008-02-05T03:07:00.001-04:002008-02-06T02:54:34.901-04:00

It felt like a little tiny piece of my Thanksgiving cactus slapped me in the face....lol. I have seven of these guys in various places of my home, all growing nicely. My daughter came to me yesterday and said "Oh, by the way, my Thanksgiving cactus is getting flowers again." WHAT!! So off I go, camera in hand, and sure enough....buds. **Slap** WTF?? So now I am mad at all my other plants (

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-60491177314155097892008-02-05T02:02:00.000-04:002008-02-05T21:36:42.650-04:00

My "cupped" African Violet finally opened a flower. I don't think any of my AV's are this pretty, maybe it is just the thrill of the unknown, but WOW, this one almost took my breath away.It is just so perfect in every way. The purple is bright, and full of sparkles. The white star in the middle is such a perfect star shape. And the pollen sacks form a perfect circle. I have never seen such a

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-1190511805816450152008-02-02T23:57:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:10:57.403-04:00

For Green Thumb Sunday I am going to post some pictures of my Goldfish plant (Nematanthus). I am not sure which cultivar it is, but the foliage on this one is just so pretty. The leaves are so plump and so glossy, and such a wonderful dark green color.Even the undersides of the leaves are gorgeous on this plant. They have deep red undertones that blend nicely with the flower's calyx.Because

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-67188695675360064252008-01-30T06:17:00.001-04:002008-02-06T02:52:33.927-04:00

I just can't win with my Hoya lacunosa. I have had one peduncle for months, and it forms buds, then drops them before it even gets close to flowering. The peduncle on the right is the one that keeps dropping it's buds. Hoya peduncles are like trees in a sense. They leave a ring after a flowering cycle (well trees don't grow rings after they flower, but they do grow rings every year of their

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-78371243269820620332008-01-30T05:05:00.002-04:002008-05-23T06:55:52.122-03:00

Let's talk about my Hoya compacta. It is in a 6inch pot, in the same mix that it came in from the nursery (which normally I change, because it tends to rot my plants over time). Although it is mostly a peat based mix, I have not had too many problems. It goes through water quite quickly because it is nearly potbound. I also have a severe under watering problem, as mentioned before, so I am

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-75918458411261334122008-01-30T04:32:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:18:24.116-04:00

If only every plant propagated as well as the Christmas or Thanksgiving cactus. I have not lost a cutting of this ever, even when I can't get around to it right away. I have two humidity domes for high humidity plants, or for rooting some plants. I had totally forgotten about a few cuttings that I had pretty much thrown in the humidity dome, and today I found it laying at the bottom, hidden

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-2153467380542793622008-01-29T03:24:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:03:11.070-04:00

I like Jades (Crassula), and there are more varieties out there than I knew about. I have had the regular type, crassula ovata fro some time now. When I got it, I split it up into a few pots, giving my daughter a couple, and leaving myself with one. Well that one got severly damaged by the frost this past fall, and it might have made it, but it slowly kept rotting away and I eventually threw

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-87302689373876910682008-01-28T01:39:00.000-04:002008-01-28T06:27:32.029-04:00

I left the house only briefly today, it was bitter cold. I haven't felt this kind of cold in a really long time. Thanks everyone for giving me wonderful things to read on the chilliest Sunday posssibly EVER!! Notice the feels like temp.....it's friggin' cold!And for everyone one across the border, here it is in Fahrenheit. Fahrenheit is like Greek to me, so I assume Celsius is Greek to

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-60832326210781219162008-01-27T08:09:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:04:06.018-04:00

Lately, I have been day dreaming a lot about fruit trees. They always catch my eye when I see them, but they can be pricey, and well they can be tricky as houseplants. Not too many fruit trees can grow here, I think I am in Zone 2, maybe 3, but that is pushing it...lol. A couple of my neighbours have a hardy apple tree, and one has a Nanking Cherry that is hardy, and I am going to try and take

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-36508063952287363472008-01-25T07:38:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:04:22.835-04:00

This challenge is in reference to a previous post a couple days ago. This pic he was trying to "create" was a huge ordeal in my house. It first started when he asked me to do this for him in Photo shop. I am a novice when it comes to Photo shop, but I can navigate and play around with it. He can navigate it, but really can't even play. It is quite the program, and it can take hours to do

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-49315904450688412652008-01-25T06:47:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:04:37.729-04:00

Sometimes African Violets get a bad reputation for being slightly harder to grow than some other common houseplants. When I realized there was this "thing", like a whole other world, that existed on African Violets, I had to give them a go. I didn't like them very much. I saw them as untidy, dusty, old looking plants. I was not a fan of fuzzy leaves, and still have only come to more or less

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-84444311054696719842008-01-25T05:41:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:04:52.821-04:00

I think Azalea's are beautiful. I could easily fill my house with them. They come in so many different colors now, much like roses do. I only have a couple; a white one, and a pink and white one. Now the reason I don't fill my house with them.....they need a cold period to induce flowering. I am not sure how hardy the ones I have are, but I really don't think they can handle -30 Celsius. I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-58264651726686858112008-01-25T05:07:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:06:13.230-04:00

Even though I have never seen my Hoya pubicalyx flower, it is still one of my favorite hoya's. It is one of the hoya's that shows it's climbing/twining habit quite well. Every few days I have to untangle it's long vines from other nearby plants. I hesitate to twine them around the bamboo hoop until they are nearly a foot long; this way I can twine it around the hoop and still leave 4 or five

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-2515623641190709522008-01-24T04:45:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.738-04:00

For a plant I kind of did not like in the beginning, this one certainly has grown on me. The whole plant is in bloom now, there must be at least 50 flowers on it. And even though the flowers are not showy, I have really come to like them as well. This is close up pic of a couple flowers standing right up on my Aeschynanthus Longicaulis. All of the flowers on this plant seem to stand straight

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-66922900326814159572008-01-24T04:07:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:07:22.207-04:00

I am running out of flowering plants to show on my blog, so I am going to have to start writing about the ones that don't.One of my favorite Hoya's is the Hoya Bella. It is so delicate looking compared to some of the other hoya's I have. The leaves on this one never really grow succulent-ty. I can tell through touch which leaves are more succulent, but they never really appear it. I have

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-52362516519170322912008-01-20T21:20:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.734-04:00

Most of my plants that are in my windows have slowed in growth considerably, but the ones under lights have continued to grow. I had my small Hoya Curtisii cutting on the window sill but since it was doing nothing, I moved it under my lights. It has been under my lights for a couple weeks now, and since it was moved, it has begun to put on some new growth. Ever since my Hoya obsession has

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-11256581941183866802008-01-20T19:31:00.002-04:002008-02-05T04:08:33.550-04:00

I am so excited to finally be a part of Green Thumb Sunday. I have been reading about it for weeks, and each Sunday I visit the blogs of some of those that participate......I don't know why I didn't join sooner.....fear of commitment maybe...lol.My first pic is of my Brugmansia that I am growing from seed. I have four seedlings on the go, but this is the healthiest one. For a while it seemed

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-28871957716895591392008-01-13T19:19:00.001-04:002008-02-06T02:52:33.927-04:00

I absolutely love close up pictures. I think they give a plant or flower a whole new perspective. It almost makes me see the plant in a way that is different than just looking at the whole plant. This pic is of a Christmas cactus flower.Again a Christmas cactus close up.This is a picture of a new leaf on one of my hoyas. The leaves on this one come out red, and gradually fade back to green. The

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-77661880051971240652008-01-13T18:55:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.738-04:00

In my perfect world, flowers can be whatever color I want.I find the rarest colored flowers are the ones that don't exist in the plant I want.If only Shlums cames in green and blue and bright yellow.I have to admit the green and blue are my favorites,probably because they are the ones I can't have....lol. Why do we always want what we can't have?

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-73189150450175883002008-01-09T17:16:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:11:28.997-04:00

Well this has nothing to do with plants, but I had to do it, since I have friends and family that check out my blog. This is my dog Gonda. Every time she hears this song she comes running and has to sing along with it. She has been doing it for months, but this is the first time I thought to get her on video. Enjoy......back to my plants.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-20165464439129176092008-01-09T02:56:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:12:20.477-04:00

I bought some Kohleria rhizomes a while back, they have all sprouted, but some are doing better than others. It seems that some of them are going dry and crispy at the bottom. The picture shows the lower leaves going brown and crisp.I am thinking it has to be a humidity problem, as the couple I put under humidity domes seem to be doing much better than the ones that are not under my dome. I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-67647649700186587172008-01-09T02:56:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:12:20.477-04:00

I bought some Kohleria rhizomes a while back, they have all sprouted, but some are doing better than others. It seems that some of them are going dry and crispy at the bottom. The picture shows the lower leaves going brown and crisp.I am thinking it has to be a humidity problem, as the couple I put under humidity domes seem to be doing much better than the ones that are not under my dome. I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-73607812468889891672008-01-08T13:24:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.734-04:00

Over the course of the past few months, maybe close to a year, I have been watching this lipstick plant grow a few buds, only to lose them before they bloom. I can not for the life of me figure out what causes bud blast on various plants, but it happens quite often in my house. Well it finally decided to keep a bud and let me see a flower. I believe it to be an Aeschynanthus Radicans, although

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-57609105296993401462008-01-08T13:01:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:13:01.212-04:00

I have been meaning to do it for months, adding a humidifier to my indoor jungle. It is pretty dry here, especially in the winter, so it will be a great addition not only for the plants, but for my family as well. Of course, I kept putting it off, there is always nicer things to buy than a humidifier, but then I came across a Winnie the Pooh humidifier, and being a Pooh fan, I had to grab it.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-36660362786765659352008-01-06T10:17:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:13:39.398-04:00

Well I felt a little bad for all the leaves, old and new that didn't get their minute in the spotlight like the flowers did in my last post.....lol. My camera takes wonderful close up pics of the foliage as well. It is able to capture hairs that are near invisible to my own eyes. The pic below is a variegated AV crown.This close up is of a new leaf growing on one of my hoya's. This leaf is

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-55260893659522496022008-01-06T09:26:00.002-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.735-04:00

Santa was very nice to me this year, she brought me a new digital cam. Well I had just recently begun to learn how to take pretty nice shots with it, and now I have to learn on a new one. But oh Wow!! Can I ever get close, and get clear detailed pics. I can see more in the pics than I can with my own eyes on these plants.The pic above is a close up shot of a peduncle on a hoya, the peduncle

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-27988535008474057942008-01-06T08:57:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:14:39.420-04:00

I could scream every time I see one of these generic plant tags. I mean c'mon, wtf? This helps......how?? LOL.Had to vent.......I am okay now.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-37591778215499178422008-01-03T02:11:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:15:07.287-04:00

After all the confusion with my Aeschynanthus Longicaulis, I think I have finally found the "true" Black Pagoda. Black Pagoda is supposed to be a cross between speciosa and longicaulis, with the flowers of speciosa, and similar foliage to the Logicaulis. In the pic below both plants are side by side, the one on the right being the one I believe to be the Black Pagoda cultivar.This is a pic of

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-69603685065795738962007-12-24T00:54:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.732-04:00

Merry Christmas to me !! As I was fighting the crowds in Walmart yesterday I came across the most beautiful Lipstick plant. I couldn't pass it up as I don't have this particular one.The leaves and flowers are much larger than any lipstick plant I have. The leaves are almost 2 inches across and almost 4 inches long. The flowers are a couple inches long as well.Inside the mouth of the flower

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-64533513480073895512007-12-21T01:20:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.737-04:00

When I got my gold flowering schlum, "Thor Alex", I also got a cutting of "Thor Livia". It was an unrooted cutting, so I probably should not have let it bloom, but you know how hard it is to remove a bud before it opens. Well, it bloomed yesterday, but before I could even start my day, a migraine from hell ended it. I finally took pics today, but I have noticed the cutting has started to wilt,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-12637880219249955152007-12-17T21:14:00.001-04:002008-02-06T02:52:33.928-04:00

Today, on my search for new buds on my Schlum's, I found a very odd growing segment on one. Instead of being flat like they normally are, this one has three sides. If you look closely at the center of this pic, it can be seen. It is not standing erect like the other segments, so in the pic, it's top is facing towards you. I have never seen this before , so I don't know what could possibly

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-77594477926091224992007-12-17T03:27:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:16:54.137-04:00

Well it's official. My space violet is dead. By the time I noticed the rot, it must have been to late. I took of all the rot and re potted the crown, and now the whole thing has rotted. I took a couple good leaves in hopes that they give me some babies. It again might be too late, they still don't look the healthiest. This is the first AV that I have lost to rot......so I am blaming it on

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-66581603273259757682007-12-15T21:59:00.000-04:002008-02-15T04:42:06.605-04:00

Up until a few months ago, I did not even know what a brugmansia was. I had seen one in a hydroponics store I frequent. It was a massive tree that was almost 12 feet tall. One day I walked in and **voila** there before me were these huge hanging flowers. The owner told me to smell one......it was just heavenly.Since then, I have received some seeds and planted them. I have four baby brug

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-34056654325119304942007-12-14T18:06:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:17:22.935-04:00

A few months ago I took a couple cuttings from my Hoya Krimson queen. They soon put on some new growth, but the growth wall all white. Three leaves, one in the shape of an oven mitt, all pure white. Now there are theories out there that say you should remove the white leaves as it is draining on the plant's energy. Others disagree and leave them on. I think they are pretty and generally I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-38051769330811201402007-12-14T14:58:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.733-04:00

WooHoo!! I went to the nursery today to wander around and drink my coffee. I was kind of disappointed when I walked in and saw poinsettias as far as the eye can see. Don't get me wrong, there are some really beautiful cultivars out there, but I am not that much into them. I was on the prowl for hoya's and gessie's.Well never mind the hoya's or gessie's for now, I found a gold zygocactus from

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-88072144343706064322007-12-14T01:28:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:18:50.359-04:00

I paid a pretty penny for this plant. I got it labeled as episcia dianthiflora, but turns out, the name has changed to alsobia dianthiflora. I was so proud of this plant, it bloomed faithfully all summer. It never needed a lot of attention.The other day it looked to be drying up under the outer layer of leaves.....so I started picking away dead leaves and dead stem material. Well this plant

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-47636512188001392007-12-12T16:13:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:28:23.736-04:00

Every plant lover knows that once you have a plant that is going to flower or going to seed, you have to check it every day, and if your a little neurotic like me, several times a day. I was getting my third cup of coffee when it hit me to check my plant formerly known as a black pagoda lipstick plant (It is now known as Aeschynanthus Longicaulis). The flower opened!! YaY!! Well because I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-57259306798493466372007-12-11T21:10:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:19:32.926-04:00

For as long as I can remember I had a plant that I thought was a heart leaf philo, even though they looked slightly different (. It wasn't until I actually gave a crap about my plants, and found my hidden hobby inside myself, that I realized this was a potho's."Marble Queen"Now I am a Google junkie.....if I have a question I know Google will help me It was when I started researching potho's

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-49674266122284289402007-12-11T15:29:00.000-04:002008-02-05T04:19:58.089-04:00

I guess to some people, having the real botanical name for their plant may not be as important as it is to others. But once a person dives deeper into the world of plants and starts collecting different cultivars, or different plants in the same family, the botanical names become more important. Honestly, the only plants I want and need to be correctly named are my gesneriads and my hoya's,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073767210146118906.post-17879615596881299972007-12-11T00:42:00.001-04:002008-02-05T04:20:18.526-04:00

As I was admiring my one single flower on my goldfish plant I noticed that only some of the leaves appear red underneath. Then, of course, I hit the flower and it falls off. Let me tell you in my house lately if I can get a plant to flower, I normally knock the flower off too. I think me and my plants need some space......lol.Anyways, I got to really looking at my plant, and I noticed two that

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12576909568589166072noreply@blogger.com2