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I Brake for Ferns

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:58:37 +0000

Corny, yes, but I couldn't help it. The brake ferns hail from the Pteris genus, of which only one is commonly found in cultivation. It's too bad these aren't more common...among ferns, these are hardy, beautiful and don't grow especially large. They are actually perfect for a tabletop or desktop, providing you can give it filtered, bright light and enough humidity.

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A Furry Footed Fern

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:02:58 +0000

Now here's another cool plant you don't see very often: the Davallia species of ferns. Commonly referred to as deer's foot ferns or rabbit's foot ferns, these interesting plants have creeping, fuzzy rhizomes that somewhat resemble animal feet. As far as ferns go, they aren't the easiest to grow. They require loads of humidity, which can be tricky to deliver in an indoor environment. But they are such a novelty, it's probably worth it to keep one for a while.

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European Fan Palms

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:02:26 +0000

If you've read this blog for a while you know that I'm not the world's biggest fan of palm trees (except the coconut palm, which I love with the white hot passion of ten thousand suns). But nevertheless, there is something cool about the European fan palm. First, it's an attractive clumping palm. And second, it's the only palm tree native to Europe, where it grows along the sunny shores of Spain and Italy. No wonder all the other palm trees are jealous of its accent.

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Meet Mr. Stinky's Cousins

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:35:09 +0000

This is one of those plants my wife can't believe I actually grow. "Why on earth would you want something that smells like rotting chicken down the driveway?" she asks. Okay, fair enough. Good question. And the answer is kind of weak: "Because they're indescribably awesome?" So yeah, Amorphophallus might be an acquired taste. But still, they have gorgeous foliage and even the smell is hard not to love a little, if only because it's so unusual.

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Just What I Need: Another Maidenhair Fern

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:08:34 +0000

The Thelypteris genus is a fairly huge group of plants, in part because of the dire confusion surrounding the naming. The Latin names are all goofy, and the most common fern in the United States is frequently called the maidenhair fern, a name that's usually given to another species entirely. No matter what their name, though, these are beautiful and delicate ferns that are worth growing if you can find out.

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Pineapple Ginger

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:58:39 +0000

This is just a flat-out cool plant, at least when it's flowering. Called the pineapple ginger, though it's neither pineapple nor ginger, the flower spikes emerge directly from the ground at the base of the reedlike leaf stems. It's a very dramatic show, and the first time you see it, it's hard to imagine that it's all the same plant. These are rare, however, in part because they are highly tropical and require warmth, humidity, and lots of water.

Indoor Pepper? If You're Lucky ...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:12:49 +0000

I've had the fortune of seeing pepper growing and it's kind of a shock. The berries are so small and kind of inconsequential ... and yet there's no doubt that these inconspicuous fruit changed the course of history. As far as houseplants go, plants from the Piper genus are not exactly ideal. They are typically shrubs or vines and require a great deal of water and often high temperatures and lots of light. But then again, it's such a novelty to be able to say, "Yeah, that's a pepper plant," that I think it's worth it to grow one if you can find it.

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A Tricky Trailing Plant

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:43:46 +0000

This is not a plant you'll see every day. The Peillionia pulchra can be difficult plant to make thrive. It needs very high humidity, high temps and can't tolerate any cool weather. It makes up for this a little bit both through its novelty factor and the beauty of its foliage, with green and silver lanceolate leaves growing in a flat plane off a deeply burnished stem. If you manage to find one, and can provide conditions similar to those a tree fern might enjoy, I say for go for it.

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Kangaroo Paw

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:56:22 +0000

This is an interesting plant. Native only to a rare slice of southwestern Australia, the kangaroo paw features strappy leaves from which arise tall branching flowers stalks with oddly compelling fuzzy flowers that resemble a ... you guessed it ... kangaroo paw. They aren't especially difficult to grow, but can be very hard to find.

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Pineapple Guava Indoors

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:51:30 +0000

If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know I do this sometimes: profile a tropical fruit that has no earthly business being grown indoors (mango, anyone?). The pineapple guava is just such a plant. It's really not an obvious candidate for the indoor gardener, but it's such a pretty plant, it's hard to resist the temptation. One word, though: don't try to grow these from seed. As is so often the case with fruit, they won't reproduce well from seed.

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