Houseplant I did buy

I'm going to try to limit houseplant post now so I can spend more time with hardy plants (and so I'll have something for the winter!) but this is a good follow up to the previous post.

So instead of the Aglaonema 'Crete' (yes, the colours are accurate on that picture - also the plants seem to be very fast to produce new shoots. Each 6" pot had about 4 new shoots barely popping out of the soil but definitely present) I had been considering I spent my $20 on an Asplenium sp. (nidus?) that I've been eying even longer.



Asplenium sp.

I've been growing another Asplenium for a year and a half now with no problems so assuming care is the same this should be happy with me as well. Which is to say water by filling the container it's sitting in with water, waiting half and hour and filling it again - sometimes with the weak fertilizer water I'll have mixed up for the orchids. Also my house is very humid all the time. Bright (direct!) light from a south window has worked but the new one will have to live with lower light. Possibly let sit in water then drain instead of refilling? Mine has been forgiving when it dries out so I will err on the dry side with this one until I get to know it better.



Asplenium sp.

PATSP has a picture that suggests I may have the same two - A. nidus and A. antiguum but I do not know enough about the genus to even know how to begin confirming this.

We do also carry a hardy Asplenium at work which tempts me from time to time... but there are so many other ferns I think that come before it that it will just have to wait.

I did start taking pictures at work for a series of posts on the Asteraceae family which I'll be writing soon. Depending on how busy it is tomorrow I'll maybe finish my pictures for that and start on hydrangeas.

Houseplant I didn't buy

Aglaonema 'Crete'

It's new and it's interesting but I've decided I don't really want one. Actually I don't even think it even looks very attractive... The red doesn't seem to belong and it's a little jarring to look at (possibly because of the yellow?). Also I think it's $25 for a 6" pot which doesn't help its case much.

I'm glad I decided against it because space is limited and I'm sure by now I'd be thinking of all the other things I could have bought with that money (I think it's going to be a 6" asplenium nidus).

Colocasia 'Black Beauty'

Super excited! My Colocasia 'Black Beauty' which I thought died this spring has just started to grow again.



Two new shoots from last years (rotten) bulb in a 4" pot

Last year this almost flowered for me twice but didn't quite open either time. I doubt it will try this year because of its size but next year it might get another shot.



Last years flowering attempt

Since we're already off topic... Other than plants hardy to zone 5 I keep Aroids (including this Colocasia, several members of the Cryptocoryne genus and off and on Anubias species, none right now), Ferns, Orchids and Bromeliads (Tillandsias and Vrieseas). Actually from that list I suppose I also keep Ferns, orchids and aroids that are hardy to zone 5... My orchid and Jack in the Pulpit were both just recently planted so I can't comment on them too much but maybe expect a fern post in the future?