I finally tried it! I’ve planted two of my beloved plants in Lechuza pon. In my most recent blog I tried to break down exactly what the Lechuza planters and pon are and how they work. In this blog, I’d like to just take a minute and walk you through the process of repotting a plant into pon and also give you a quick update on the health and happiness of my plants.
The first plant I repotted was a variegated Maranta leuconeura kerchoviana. Well, actually, only one branch of that plant is variegated. But the amount of variegation on those leaves is to die for so I refer to it as “variegated”. Anyhow, I’d been having trouble keeping those highly coveted variegated leaves looking nice and I knew that it was because I’d been inconsistent in my watering. So a Lechuza planter seemed like the perfect fit for me. It keeps a reservoir of water below the plant’s roots and delivers that water as the plant demands it. In other words, I couldn’t mess it up.
I began by finding an appropriately sized planter called the Maxi Cubi planter. Next, I removed all the potting mix from the roots; very, very gently. (My Maranta has really smallish, delicate roots compared to the Philodendrons and Monsteras that I’m used to dealing with.) This part of the process isn’t at all necessary by the way. According to the included booklet and also according to another trusted plant expert I know, plants can be planted in Lechuza pon with all of the potting mix around their roots. I write that here because many of the other soil-less potting media will not be successful if soil is left around the roots of the plant. I wanted to remove the potting mix because it was what I had bought the plant in originally. After the roots were cleaned of potting mix, I planted my Maranta in the pon. It was just as easy as planting in a potting mix.
And as easy as that, my plant was repotted and looking pretty cute. Photo below.
Now it has been 25 days since repotting and I just watered my little Maranta for the first time. I am thrilled to report that none of the leaves of this plant have browned at all. No crispy edges and no leaf loss. So far so good.
Since things went so smoothly with up potting my Maranta I wasn’t as worried about repotting my huge Monstera adansonii large form. This poor beast had been living in the same pot I’d purchased it in, a 10″ hanging basket that it was desperately trying to escape. I dearly love this plant and you can imagine my distress when it began to throw leaves in copious amounts. Always yellowing slowly to intensify my feelings of inadequacy as a plant parent. I knew that I wanted to try this plant in Lechuza pon because it needed to have more consistent watering, but also since it was probably needing some nutrients. The Lechuza pon has fertilizer in its mix and would help with the nutrient deficiency.
Up potting my Monstera ended up being a much bigger project than the Maranta simply due to the size of the plant. Also I was dealing with three poles, tied in a tripod formation, that I used to support the super long stems of the plant. I chose the Lechuza Classico 35 planter in white. The planting process was identical to the Maranta except for the 3 ft. long stems trailing all over the place.
In the end, my Monstera looks so much better and the pon has been really good at holding the climbing poles in place compared to soil. And it hasn’t thrown one single leaf since. I couldn’t be more pleased.
Directly below here are the links to the Lechuza planters and the Lechuza pon I am currently using. But…I do not think that you should purchase these products online unless it’s a last resort. If you are able to find the Lechuza brand products in a garden center, they will be a fraction of the online prices you will find. I’m not sure why, my best guess is that shipping large heavy planters and super heavy pon is extremely expensive. So please use these links to see the products that are available and then try to find a local place to buy them. Only purchased online if you have no other local options. (Some or all links may be affiliate.)
I’ve just begun my journey into Lechuza planters and I decided that I may as well just do it all the way and use the Lechuza substrate (called “pon”) instead of my normal potting mix and see how things go…..
In case you aren’t familiar with Lechuza planters, they are planters that are designed with a reservoir for water at the bottom of the pot. There is an inner planter that is elevated above the water reservoir so that the roots of your plants won’t sit in water. This allows for plant owners to take a bit more of a hands off approach to their plants indoors or outdoors. For houseplants it can extend the time between waterings from 2-12 days, according to the package instruction booklet. For outdoor plants and flowers, the time between waterings will change drastically depending on temperature, amount of sun exposure, amount of wind exposure, rainfall etc.
One big advantage that I am anticipating is being able to track the water levels in the reservoir. All of the Lechuza planters have a water gauge that shows clearly the amount of water that is available to the plant/plants. (See photo below)
The water gauge on a Lechuza planter.
Many of the “plant people” that I interact with on social media use Lechuza planters with LECA pebbles as a substrate. Since I’ve seen that done so much, I thought I’d give the Lechuza substrate (pon) a try. But before I put any of my beloved plants into some unknown substrate, you’d better believe that I did my research first.
So here’s what I’ve found. Lechuza pon is a mix of four ingredients; pumice, zeolites, lava rock and fertilizer. Pumice, lava rock and fertilizer I use frequently in my potting mixes, but zeolites is a new one to me.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicate materials that are similar to feldspar minerals except that zeolites have larger cavities and usually contain water. So my understanding of their purpose in this mix is that they work like the pumice and lava rocks; they all soak up excess water and then hold that water away from the roots of your plant until it needs the water. I use crushed pumice and lava rock in all of my succulent and cacti potting mixes for exactly this reason.
I have a couple houseplants that I have been struggling with and I really think that inconsistent watering has been the issue. So the combination of the pon and a planter that delivers water on demand…well that seems like exactly the answer I’ve been looking for. Yay!
Directly below here are the links to the Lechuza planters and the Lechuza pon I am currently using. But…I do not think that you should purchase these products online unless it’s a last resort. If you are able to find the Lechuza brand products in a garden center, they will be a fraction of the online prices you will find. I’m not sure why, my best guess is that shipping large heavy planters and super heavy pon is extremely expensive. So please use these links to see the products that are available and then try to find a local place to buy them. Only purchase online if you have no other local options. (Some or all links may be affiliate.)
Make sure to comment if you have any experiences with these planters or planting in pon. Also, make sure to let me know if you’d be interested in follow-up articles about how my plants are fairing in the pon. And, as always, thank you for reading!
Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.
Products I use and (therefore) recommend:
Planty friends – Feel free to use these links to the products that I use for my houseplants. I receive a small percentage of any sales through these links, so feel free not to use them if that bothers you.
Full disclosure – the last three product links will be much cheaper if you can find them in your local garden center. I’ve put them here so that you can see what they are called and what they look like, but I’d advise that you buy from these links only as a last resort.
This potting mix is a must have in my household. And no better day to talk about String of Hearts care than on Valentine’s Day. Right?
This recipe is the potting mix I use for my String of Hearts plants (I currently own three) but it would be a great mix for most of the caudiciform plants that are popular right now. I’m thinking of all of the Desert Rose plants (Adeniums) especially. If you own a very young SOH plant, you may not even be aware that they will form a caudex. Plants that have been started by cuttings may not even have developed a caudex yet, but fear not, they will form in a year or so as your plant matures.
Well, let’s get to the potting mix recipe. Also for your convenience, I will include links to the products I use below. These are the products that I use in my own home with my own plants. I trust these brands or I would not recommend them to you. But always feel free to do your due diligence and research brands and products before purchasing. Some or all of these links may be affiliate links.
Let’s begin with Coco coir. Add any amount you want to a bowl or container. The coir should be moistened (it always cracks me up to see how much water it can hold) and will equal 50% of our mix. If you do not like coco coir, add peat instead. I use coir because I believe that using coir is much less impactful on our planet than using peat.
The next ingredient for our potting mix is lava rock. The lava rock should equal approximately 40% of the total mixture. I am very particular about what type of lava rocks I use, mostly because of the size of the pieces. A lot of lava rock comes in large pieces which messes up the total surface area of the lava compared to the other ingredients. Whether you choose to use the Bonsai Jack lava or your own brand, aim to buy pieces between 1/4″ to 1/2″ pieces.
Horticultural charcoal is the next ingredient. It should equal about 5% of the total mix. Charcoal is an important ingredient because it will help with the prevention of root rot. I’ve stated this before for other potting mix recipes but I’ll say it again here too; make sure to use horticultural grade charcoal when adding it to a potting mix. Using just any old charcoal can potentially introduce insects or diseases to your plant.
We have 5% of this mix left and I’m squishing two ingredients into that percentage. SOH need to be fed so I like to add worm castings because it is a fertilizer that will be immediately available to the plant. Then for an extended release fertilizer, I add some Nutricote. The combination of the castings and the Nutricote should equal 5% of the potting mix.
So that’s it, my friends. I hope this was interesting and helpful to you. If it was, make sure to follow this blog. Simply head to the Home page, scroll to the bottom and press the Subscribe button. It will ask you to add your email and you’ll be notified when a new article is published. Thanks for reading!
Oh, and if you are new to houseplants in general or String of Hearts in particular, here is a link to my String of Hearts care guide.
I wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Potting Mix for String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
Soft pink leaves make this a great choice for a Valentine’s Day gift.
Let’s start this list with a super easy care houseplant. This one needs medium/bright indirect light and water every 7-10 days. And they are available as really large full plants or as a small windowsill plant, whatever you’d like. A sweet plant for your sweet Valentine.
Pink plant #9 – Begonia ‘Hugh McLauchlan’
There are so many Begonias out there and many of them have pink on their leaves. I used a photo of this Begonia as an example, but there are hundreds of varieties from which to choose. If your Valentine is a Begonia lover, one of the pink Begonias would make a fantastic Valentine’s Day gift.
Pink plant #8 – Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi variegata
Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi variegata has bright pink margins around blue and white leaves.
If your Valentine is a succulent lover, this is a great choice. Each plant has its own unique patterns of variegation. These plants grow babies along their leaf margins and the babies tend to be bright pink in color also.
Pink plant #7 – Cordyline fruticosa ‘Maria’
That pink!!!
Bright and beautiful color on these leaves makes this plant irresistible. At least for me. Cordyline require a lot of sun, so if you have a South facing window or some grow lights, this plant is a great choice for you (or your Valentine).
Pink Plant #6 – Aglaonema ‘Two Tone Moonstone’
The sectoral coloration on this leaf is…well…
Aglaonemas are super easy care plants with tons of different cultivars. Many plant collectors are fiercely devoted to the Aglaonema genus. All they require is medium bright light and water once every 7-10 days and the payoff is some of the most gorgeous foliage in the houseplant market.
Pink plant #5 – Calathea roseopicta ‘Dottie’
Calathea roseopicta ‘Dottie’ is one of my favorites of this genus.
Dottie is so gorgeous on her own, but I have noticed that she has this ability to make the plants around her look amazing as well. The leaves are a deep purple with bright pink markings and a large rounded shape. If you have a medium light location with 50% (or higher) humidity, this is a perfect plant for you.
Pink plant #4 – Hoya kentiana variegata
New leaves on the Hoya kentiana variegata can come in a very bright pink color. They’ll lose the pink color with age.
For all those Hoya Heads out there, I felt the need to represent. Most Hoyas don’t have pink on their leaves but this one can achieve a brilliant pink color in high light situations. Perfect someone who has room for a new plant in a West facing window.
Pink plant #3 – Peperomia ‘Pink Lady’
Peperomia ‘Pink Lady’
One of the “Ripple Peperomias”, this fancy girl is easy on the eyes and easy care. This plant can be difficult to find in some areas of the U.S., so if you see one make sure to snatch it up. Those pink stems and blushing leaves are the perfect way to tell your Valentine, “I love you.”
Pink plant #2 – Episcia ‘Strawberry Patch’
Episcias don’t just have gorgeous foliage, they also have pretty flowers.
If your Valentine is a fan of African Violets, an Episcia would be a great plant gift. They are in the same plant family and require similar care. And their leaves speak for themselves.
Pink plant #1 – Calathea ‘White Star’
These leaves actually look like they’re blushing.
I saved my favorite pink leaves for last. Don’t let the name trick you, White Star has loads of pink coloring. These leaves actually look like they’re blushing. Can you think of anything more charming??? Any plant lover will appreciate this beauty.
I hope this was a fun for you. It was fun for me! I’d love to know which pink plants would be on your wish list. Please comment if you’d like to share your most desired pink plants.
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I’m so excited! I have several Hoya plants growing all over the house, but none have bloomed for me. Until now. My Hoya sp. aff burtoniae has opened up its first bloom with many more growing. Let me show you what its blooms look like.
The first bloom on my Hoya sp. aff burtoniae
This isn’t going to be a long blog about the specifics of achieving blooms on your Hoya plants, I just figured that my Garden Girls and Guys would understand the unadulterated joy of Hoya blooms. It feels like I’ve earned a trophy.
It all happened much more quickly than I would have imagined. I very first noticed a peduncle forming on December 10th. At that time I was checking for water and it was literally hanging in my face. My jaw was hanging open, my friends. My husband actually asked me if I was doing OK. Ha.
This is moments after I discovered this first peduncle.
I was immediately filled with joy. And then I was immediately filled with fear. What if I am supposed to provide different care once I’ve seen a peduncle? Do I need to water more? Should I fertilize? Aaahhhhh!
Ultimately, I did the only thing that made sense to me…I continued caring for my plant the exact same way I had been up to that point. I’m happy to say that it worked. Here is the peduncle on December 27th.
Finally, the blooms opened on January 14th. They’re so pretty and strange all at the same time.
Let me share the most surprising thing about the blooms on Hoya sp. aff burtoniae. The scent…which really gave me a surprise. They smell exactly like movie popcorn. Isn’t that funny? I recognized the scent immediately, but decided to ask for other opinions. I had two others come up with popcorn without any hints from me. Another interesting fact is that the scent is only strong at night and during the early morning.
Last picture, I swear. I’m like a proud parent. This one shows some of the sweet sap that forms on the blooms.
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Sap forms on the blooms to attract ants to the plant.
Red is a color of passion. So if you have a significant other who is a plant lover, why not combine the color of passion with a plant and give your Valentine the perfect gift?
Here are a few plants that have either red flowers or red foliage…
#5 – Nerve plant (Fittonia ‘Red Anne’)
My photography doesn’t show the deep red veining in these leaves properly. Though they look pink in this pic, they are truly a deep red.
Isn’t she pretty? This plant will tell you when it wants to be watered. She can be dramatic. The leaves and stems will droop down in the saddest display you’ve ever seen. Just give it some water and within an hour or two she’ll be right as rain.
#4 – Bromeliad (Guzmania lingulata)
This burgundy beauty will inspire romance in any plant lover.
This plant is a beautiful Bromeliad. The color will persist on the plant for several months, at which time the plant will begin to form pups around its base. The pups will begin to grow up and the mother plant will begin to die. Mother plant will give all its energy to the pups until it dies and you will be left with many new Bromeliads.
#3 – Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
If you are looking for a succulent plant with gorgeous red color, this is it. Yes, it’s the Jade plant that you’ve seen in offices and businesses everywhere. And most often, its leaves are a deep, dark green. To bring out the red color, the plant must be stressed. Simply place it directly in a West facing window and water only after the soil goes completely dry. (I didn’t have any good photos to include here…sorry.)
#2 – Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema ‘Siam Aurora’)
The colors on Aglaonema ‘Siam Aurora’ don’t even look real, they are so stunningly beautiful.
The Aglaonema family of plants is an easy going group. They are happiest if given a bright location in the house and watered only once the top of the soil has dried out. They can have many different leaf colors; red, pink, chartreuse, white, and mint.
#1 – Lithops optica cv. ‘Rubra’
As weird as they look, I find Lithops plants to be charming.
What could be more romantic than to give your lover a plant that looks like a pair of rosy red buttocks??? In all honesty, this plant is highly desirable to any plant lover who collects lithops, mesembs, conophytums or succulents. Probably not a good gift if the recipient isn’t an experienced grower of Lithops. It is also the most expensive of the five plants I chose for this blog.
I hope this list was fun for you to look at and maybe gave you an idea for a creative red plant gift for your Valentine.
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My name isn’t Amber, if that’s what you were thinking.
I am asked this question fairly frequently across all of my social media platforms. In my comment sections on YouTube I am called Amber all the time. (My name is Bridget, by the way.)
Actually, the name “Liquidambar” belongs to my favorite tree, the Sweet Gum. It’s Latin name is Liquidambar styraciflua.
I found this name while memorizing the Ohio plants and trees for my Master Gardener certification. In the middle of studying what felt like thousands of common names and scientific names, I was reintroduced to a tree that I had been fascinated with as a child. Again, I’m referring to the Sweet Gum.
You see, our city park is filled with Sweet Gum trees. They are easily recognizable with their star-shaped leaves and those crazy spiky balls (notice that I have a purple spiky ball as the icon for this webpage). Many don’t like Sweet Gum trees because of their spiky fruit, but that’s one of my favorite parts of the tree. As a child, they were fun to collect with friends. My childhood bestie, Faith, and I used them as currency in our imaginary play. And I think I may recall a game or two of tag that involved the throwing of spiky balls. (Don’t tell my mom.)
Star-shaped leaves paired with fantastic Fall color makes these trees highly desirable for the landscape.
As an adult, the charms of the Sweet Gum abide. If you haven’t seen one colored up for the Fall, well, you are missing out my friend. These trees can display every color of the rainbow on the same tree. At the same time. Each year their colors can vary so you never know what colors you will see, but it is a guaranteed feast for the eyes.
So there it is, my business is named for the Sweet Gum tree. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Make sure to comment below if you would be interested in a blog with in depth information and care for the Sweet Gum tree as a landscape plant. Also, make sure to follow this blog if you enjoyed this content. Thanks for reading!
If you are new to the String of Hearts or have struggled with caring for this plant in the past, this article should give you some guidance. We will discuss; watering, light, best location in the house, temperature, fertilizer, humidity, flowers, insects, diseases, pruning, propagation and toxicity.
It’s not difficult to see why this is one of the most beloved houseplants. I mean…that variegation. And those darling heart shaped leaves. C’mon.
Some trailing vines from one of my variegated SOH plants.
The beauty of this plant isn’t its only charm. It’s incredibly low maintenance which is wonderful. It’s a plant that makes me look like an amazing plant parent.
This plant has many synonyms including String of Hearts, Chain of Hearts and Rosary Vine. In this article I will refer to this plant as String of Hearts or even just SOH.
The scientific name of String of Hearts is Ceropegia linearis subs. woodii. Say that five times fast. Oddly, I don’t think I’ve ever heard or seen this plant labeled correctly. When referred to by its scientific name on social media or on almost every other website, it’s always called Ceropegia woodii. I’ve even considered labeling this one correctly on my Instagram, but I figure no one would know what plant I was talking about.
Another thing many don’t know about the String of Hearts is that it is a caudiciform plant. Everywhere I look people call the SOH a succulent. It does have succulent leaves and occasionally grows little onion-like bulbs along its stems, but the fact that it forms a caudex eclipses the “succulent” label. For many it may be hard to tell initially that your SOH is caudiciform, especially if your plant is young and/or was started from cuttings. No worries, the caudex will form in a few years. As your SOH plant matures the caudex can grow quite large in fact.
Let’s talk about how to care for this plant.
If you really want to rock your variegated String of Hearts game, there are 3 key issues you must focus on. This article will cover all of the care details, but these are the three things that must be in place to keep your SOH thriving; light, watering and temperature. Master those three points for this plant and you will have your Variegated SOH until you are so old that you can be pass it down to your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I promise.
The String of Hearts and many of its other relatives are native to Southern Africa. So that will give us some clues about its care needs.
Watering – Water deeply but only once the soil has dried out in the pot. Using a finger to check the moisture level is a must. I make sure that the potting mix is dried out down several inches before I even consider watering. Also, a drainage hole in the planter is a must. Caudiciform plants will not tolerate overly moist potting mix. Make sure to provide it a fast-draining potting mix and let all excess water drain out of the pot after watering.
Light requirements – Bright light is a must for this plant. Too much direct sun can burn those variegated leaves though, so only a few hours of direct sunlight is best.
Best Location in the House – Place your variegated SOH directly in an East facing window and it will love you forever.
Temperature requirements – Like most houseplants, the variegated SOH will live happily in the same temperatures that we humans like to live in. It can tolerate surprisingly cold temperatures, but that is not what I’d advise for this plant’s care. Another important temperature concern is that even though the SOH can live in regular household temperatures, it prefers heat (remember it is endemic to South Africa). So if you are puzzled as to why your variegated SOH is not growing as quickly as others you see online or elsewhere, it may be that your plant is desiring a bit more heat through its active growing season.
Fertilizer – Dilute fertilizer by half. Apply fertilizer during Spring and Summer as a general guideline. I personally use fertilizer as long as my SOH is showing new growth, even if the new growth is happening in the middle of winter. That may be a slightly controversial stance, but there it is.
Humidity – Normal household humidity levels are completely appropriate. However, if you own other houseplants that require higher humidity (like I do) and have humidifiers running in your house for those other plants, I would not personally recommend keeping your SOH too close to the humidifier. The more humid its environment, the slower its potting mix will dry out – which is not what our SOH wants at all.
Flowers – The Variegated String of Hearts does flower when it’s happy. So if you see these strange little pink/white flowers (pictured below), you are doing well my friend. It seems that they will flower for months as long as conditions are favorable. My plants had flowers from the mid-summer all the way up until Christmas this year.
SOH blooms are super cute. These are (obviously) on my regular SOH, not the variegated plant, but the blooms are basically identical.
Insects – Mealy bugs appear to be the most common insect complaint for this plant. Aphids and scale are also a potential threat. I have not had pests on any of my SOH plants (I’m knocking on wood right now!) which leads me to believe that they are not terribly insect prone.
Diseases – The SOH doesn’t seem to suffer many diseases. If you have lost a SOH plant, it was almost certainly lost because of rot.
Pruning – Obviously, one of the attractions of this plant are its long, trailing stems. If you want to take cuttings for propagation, it will not harm your plant. As long as you don’t take more than 20% or so of the plant’s foliage.
Propagation – Variegated String of Hearts is really easy to propagate, which is lovely. I simply take cuttings. I’ve seen many who use water to propagate SOH cuttings, I use soil. Do whatever works for you. I’ve never lost a single SOH cutting using soil, so that’s the method I’ll continue using. But again, use whatever method works best for you. I do also use a Ziploc bag as a “terrarium” of sorts and that actually works really well too.
Toxicity – I have done lots of research, my friends, but I cannot find a website that says definitively that this plant is or is not toxic to humans or pets. Personally, if I do not know the toxicity of a plant I choose to treat it as though it is highly toxic. Why? Because safety first. What does that mean? I do two things; first, I keep it out of the reach of my dog, Matilda, and any other young child that may come through our household. Second, I make sure to wash my hands after any direct contact with plants of unknown toxicity. I just think that it’s peace of mind to err on the side of caution and responsibility. (I will edit this post if I ever find out toxicity of this plant.)
Link to my Etsy shop, Matilda and Clementine which often (but not always) has variegated String of Hearts cuttings available.
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Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.
Products I use and (therefore) recommend:
Planty friends – Feel free to use these links to the products that I use for my houseplants. I receive a small percentage of any sales through these links, so feel free not to use them if that bothers you.
Full disclosure – the last three product links will be much cheaper if you can find them in your local garden center. I’ve put them here so that you can see what they are called and what they look like, but I’d advise that you buy from these links only as a last resort.
The other day I was wondering which wish list plants I had found this year. I couldn’t even remember which plants had been on my wish list in the first place. So I thought it might be fun to look back through my wish list, plant by plant, and see what I found and didn’t find. Sound good to you?
Yep! Actually, I purchased three of these plants in this past year. Rhaphis are becoming much easier to find, have you noticed? The first one I purchased on Etsy (seriously tempted to put a crappy seller on blast here) ended up dying within 7 or 8 days. Huge waste of money. There wasn’t even a node to save. It was tragic. The other two are happy and healthy. Let me know in the comments if you’d be interested on a detailed blog on caring for a Rhaphidophora tetrasperma.
Wish List Plant #2 – Calathea musaica
Yes, I bought two of these plants this past year. The first one died a slow and terrible death. I strongly suspect that it was spider mites but I didn’t discover the infestation until later and therefore cannot state that for sure. But, my poor Calathea was in the same area as the infestation and the damage on the leaves looked similar to the damage I found on other plants later.
The initial death of my first musaica really put me off of Calatheas in general and is the reason I didn’t pursue any of the other Calatheas on my wish list. Until I had the opportunity to buy another. My sweet husband talked me into trying it again and I’m so glad I listened to him. It really is a wonderful, easy-going plant. As long as it’s not suffering a spider mite infestation. Be sure to comment below if you would be interested in a detailed care blog for the Calathea musaica.
Wish List Plant #3 – Stromanthe ‘Magic Star’
No, I never brought one of these plants home. I did actually have several chances to buy this plant. I only have ever seen it at one garden center in Columbus, but each time I found some Stromanthe they seemed to be unhealthy plants. Honestly, I had so much fear from dealing with pest issues that I didn’t want to risk any further infestations. On a side note, I haven’t seen any Stromanthe in garden centers recently. I’m not sure why.
Wish List Plant #4 – Philodendron ‘Red Emerald’
I did buy this plant. It was the first plant I crossed off of my wish list this year. I found it on an Etsy shop right after I uploaded my video and had it about a week later. Would I buy it again? That’s a good question. My plant hasn’t wow’d me with crazy growth so I haven’t staked it yet. Because I haven’t given it a stake (I think), it hasn’t been giving me decently sized leaves. Instead I keep getting excited when a new leaf is emerging only to be disappointed when it opens as a small and rather unexciting leaf. So far I’d say it’s been an underwhelming plant. But I do reserve the option to change my mind.
Mind changing is a woman’s prerogative after all.
Wish List Plant #5 – Jungle Cacti
That is not a plant. It is many plants and I’m not sure why I was so vague on my wish list but I have added several jungle cacti to my plant collection. The crazy thing is I found a whole load of jungle cacti all at the same garden center. I did make a video showing them all (here’s the video link). Let’s see…I a found Rhipsalis pilocarpa also know as a Pencil Cactus and two small cuttings of an Orchid cactus. Those were just labeled as Epiphyllum Orchid Cactus. Which I find really annoying, but I have no other way to ID these plants until they bloom. The next plants I found there were two Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa. I potted them up together and they are growing beautifully. Another really great grower I got in that haul is my Rhipsalis teres also commonly called Old Man’s Beard. It’s like the classic Rhipsalis plant that can look like a green version of Cousin It. I’m sure you’ve seen it on Instagram. My favorite plant from that fantastic epiphyte haul is my Rhipsalis paradoxa also known commonly as a Chain Cactus. These started as three small cuttings and have grown out beautifully. There really isn’t any other epiphyte quite like it and I’m completely smitten. All of the plants in this group are super easy care plants that I’d recommend to anyone who likes low maintenance plants. If you are interested in a detailed care blog on any of these jungle cacti, please list which ones in the comments section of this blog.
Wish List Plant #6 – Hoya obovata
Got it! This was another Etsy purchase and it is an okay plant. I haven’t owned it for too long, a couple of months at the most, and no new growth as of yet. If you know anything about this plant, it is said to be extremely slow growing. And so far, I find that to be very true. I won’t be doing a care video or blog on this one yet because I haven’t really owned it long enough to be a reliable source of experience and information.
Wish List Plant #7 – Hoya matilde
Got it! This one really felt like a victory. I had a terrible time finding one of these darling Hoyas. Again, it was an Etsy purchase. And again, I’m not terribly pleased with this purchase. The plant is a small cutting and has done zero growing in my care. If I had the chance to buy a larger, healthier plant, I would.
Wish List Plant #8 – Calathea rotundifolia
Wow is this a pretty Calathea. But I did not buy this plant. I had the chance to buy it twice this year but chose not to based on my aforementioned aversion to hard-to-grow Calathea plants.
Wish List Plant #9 – Hoya pubicalyx ‘Royal Hawaiian Purple’
Yes! I found this plant just a week ago and it still hasn’t even arrived yet. But I’m so excited to have it on the way. I do have another Hoya pubicalyx, but it is a different cultivar and I have no idea which one it is. Again, I probably won’t know until it decides to give me flowers.
Wish List Plant #10 – Calathea ‘White Star’
No. I’m sorry to say I still have not even seen this plant for sale in the U.S. I’m sure that it will make its way over here eventually. Have you seen it anywhere in the U.S.? If so, and you don’t mind sharing, I’d love to know where you’ve run across this beauty. I guess I will have to add this Calathea to my 2020 Wish List.
Wish List Plant #11 – Peperomia piccolo banda
I have wanted this plant for a looooong time. I’ve had several chances to buy this plant recently but haven’t. And as I am writing this, I’m not even sure why I haven’t pulled the trigger. I still drool when I see this plant on Instagram. I still think it’s one of the coolest Peperomias out there. I don’t know, my friends. I’m just not gaga anymore. So I didn’t get this plant and it’s also not going to be on my 2020 wish list.
Wish List Plant #12 – Calathea leopardina
I didn’t find this plant. I haven’t even really been seeing it around in garden centers or on social media. Which is puzzling because this plant is seriously gorgeous. I hope it gains in popularity because it is going on my 2020 wish list for sure.
Wish List Plant #13 – Philodendron hastatum ‘Silver Sword’
I am thrilled to say I do have a Silver Sword. It is one of my most houseplants. The leaves of this Philo are so unique in color while being familiar in shape to many other Philodendrons. What a beautiful plant.
Did you get all of the plants on your 2019 wish list? I hope so! I want to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2020. And…of course…
This will be a quick one, my friends. Just sharing a few of my favorite plant babies with a few of my favorite planty friends. Here are my five favorite plants right at the moment.
My choice for plant #5 is my Xerocisyos danguyi, commonly known as Silver Dollar Vine.
You can see the perfectly round, deliciously plump leaves that have captured my fancy. It’s a simple beauty; one of those plants that compliments the foliage of all of the other plants around it. Do you have any of those plants? The ones who make every other plant look great? (Comment down below if you have a plant that makes everything around it look good.) My Xerocisyos does that so well.
Coming in at #4 on this list is my Philodendron ‘Florida Beauty’.
A new leaf coming through…it should be opening right in time for Christmas 🙂
We had a really rough start when this plant came in the mail with (I’m 99.9% positive) a spider mite infestation. I’ve spent months getting the spider mites under control and several other plants were compromised in the process. That wasn’t fun. But this plant really is a lovely Philodendron with an attractive growth habit and fantastic leaves. The only problem with my P. ‘Florida Beauty’ is it’s made me wish for a P. ‘Florida Ghost’.
For the #3 plant, I’ve chosen my Calathea musaica.
My Calathea musaica 2.0
Well…if you’ve read my very first blog (here’s the link), you’ll know that I’ve killed one of these before. To be more specific, I think my first C. musaica was a victim of the sneaky spider mite infestation started by my P. ‘Florida Beauty’. (Insert head banging against the wall.) I’m pleased to report my second musaica is doing well. I figure if I can get her through winter successfully, we’re golden.
Plant #2 is my Rhaphidophora tetrasperma.
I actually have two Rhaphis; one that is a tissue culture plant and one grown from a cutting. They are drastically different in their growth patterns, which I’ve previously blogged about (here’s the link), but the one doing the majority of the growing is my tissue culture plant. Its growth is lightening fast and has not slowed at all for winter. I’m actually going to have to replace it’s climbing pole with a taller one really soon.
My #1 plant for the winter of 2019 is my Philodendron plowmanii.
Leaves shaped like huge hearts with beautiful mint green detail are so appealing to me, especially when I am missing the warmth of the growing season. As this plant matures, it will develop ruffles (yes, ruffles!) down the stems. I’ll be sure and post some information and photos when she decides to start giving me new growth. For now, I’m happy to just sit and stare at my precious gift from my precious husband.
I hope this was fun to read. Let me know in the comments your top 5 favorite plants for the winter of 2019. I’d love to see your favs!
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Liquidambar Girl Gardening 