Tropical Garden # 85

This is the Pink firespike from candela. It is a shame that they bloom in the winter, when it is hidden from view. It is awesome when in full bloom!

Rita, that is so nice of you to offer those two things, but lets wait until Spring. That Firespike is beautiful, and I hope mine makes it thru winter downstairs.

I won three things on ebay.. YAY! I lost the bid on two things too.. BOOOO...
I got a Nancys Revenge and a ...Purple Cloak Alocasia. also a Calathea lancifolia . I can't wait. Happy Christmas to me , falalalaaa .. LOL


I divided the anthurium in the pink pot ( the one I rescued) today. It had 5 plants and one crown with peaks forming. All that in that tiny root bound pot? So, the crown is in a basket with a mix of orchid bark and stuff, and the best part is in a hanging basket in the window, and the other parts are in the pink pot again, and the three baby pups are in a cute little plant holder.
I had fun making this today too, for my little T plant.

Here is my other one.. these are so cute.
Rita, you reminded me of myself this fall, digging plants up in the dark.

This one is my favorite, but I havn't found something cool to put in the seat next to it yet.

T plant, meaning Tillandsia?

OHHH! That one is beautiful! Please send that one to me, okay? :P~ Yes, I have just discovered them. I think they are cute, and I am going to take very good care of mine.

Hello All!

Joeswife, Spring it is then, I hope that I can remember all the promises I made.
Those are all very nice plants that you won on e-bay! I can't wait to see them all potted up. Merry Christmas to you!!!
All of your Tillandsias creations are very cute, the last one with the angel is my favorite. I have been trying to find Spanish Moss to put in the pots with mine, just a idea for something to put in the seat next to your Tillandsia.

Metrosideros, Nice color on your Ti Plant. I have a small plant that I will have to move into the sun to get the coloration like yours.

This Ti plant is getting spindly and need more sunshine as well.

This Anthurium is an old plant that was dying, planted in the ground. This is what it looks like after being transplanted in a basket for 2 months.

Hedychium Tahitian Flame. e-bay

Rita, Ecuagenera sent me a updated list of plants they have available about a month ago. They have a whole lot more plants then what they show on their website. If you want a copy of it, just let me know. I am still yet to find any info. on quite a few Anthuriums and Philodendrons they sell. The last Anthurium you posted is looking real healthy and happy now.

mjs, I hope you are making it ok with the cold snap that is hitting Florida and Debra, you come up with some of the most interesting planters for plants. Congrats on the new plants from Ebay and I wish you better luck than I had growing Purple Cloak. Mine croaked after about 5 months for me.

Very pretty Ti Dave.

Spanish Moss, that is an idea. I will look for that as well. those leaves on the plants you posted Rita and Rachel, are very beautiful. What is the name of yours Rachel?

what kind of flower blooms on that Hedychium Tahitian Flame. The leaves are so pretty!

Rita, that looks like a new green house (or new frame) nice!

Good Evening!!

RachelLF, thanks, I would love to have the updated list of plants from Ecuagenera, it will occupy my time on these cold days. Have you purchased any plants from them yet?

This was my creation for the day. New Bromeliad Aechmea Mendehll with variegated Rosary vine (love those).

Joeswife, what a beautiful healthy philo. I can see the buds on your CC. Anyday now!!

I have this Barleria Philippine violet blooming

and this Yellow Barlenia

LiliMerci, the Tahitian Flame has not bloomed for me as yet but from Plant Files they are a very bright orange.

Rj, that is the same old GH over 10 years old, the frame is made of cedar.

First Bloom on 'Phanomenal' in my very first GH, 25yrs old.

ps, it is good to see you!!!!

Debra, that is one pretty and healthy P. brazil and the Alocasia you asked me about is Mark Campbell. Please post pictures when you receive your newest plants.

Rita, your new Bromeliad and rosary vine look so good together. I did not know there was a more variegated form of that vine. I will send you the list that I have from Ecuagenera and I did purchase the Anthurium lapoanum I showed earlier in this thread along with a Philodendron esmeraldense.

Oh Rita those are beautiful plants. I really like your newest creation. Rachel thank you for the compliment , you are all so kind to let me post my pictures.
RJ, so good to know you are still around, we miss you.


Tonight as I was "touring" ( looking for bugs) I had a nice surprise, this plant is two years old, has been outside two summers, and still nothing. Like the strictocardia, it has decided to bloom for me..
I am so happy. I only found one bug.

I have some seeds to that Philippine violet, I have not planted them yet. I really want one bad. LOL All my hibiscus are still budding and blooming. So nice to come home to a warm sunny basement full of green.It is worth every step I take up and down the stairs.

ALL the EEs and all the caladiums are awake again. I thought they would sleep all winter.

I gave the big ones the best spot in this room...
too bad they are so... BIG

I just am so happy to see them all..

When the moon vines start blooming , I will be really excited..

This plant just keeps on blooming, I keep trying for cuttings, it keeps making buds.. no pods yet, dang it. The goji berry "shrub" sure acts like a vine in here too..

This is a picture I am hoping someone will help me identify.. I lost the little tag on the ones to the right and left of this blue tub.

Debra, those last little fellas need WATER! LOL

Debra your plants are doing great ! I guess I will see how much damage there is when i go back outside. There is Ice in the water tubs in the pastures, and heavy frost everywhere. I had moved everything that was movable inside the the greenhouse, barn or inside the house and covered as much as I could of things in the ground. So much is...well was...blooming. Very early for us to have a freeze, and it's depressing.

Debra, I love the Black Eyed Susan Vine. They love full sun, but they never came back. I had a hard time getting seeds because it's hollow in the middle. I did manage to hand pollinate them.

RachelLF, I did find those variegated rosary vines at Lowe's. I will check with a few other stores in my area. I may get lucky and find a few more.
I can't wait to get that list from Ecuagenera. Now is the time to order everything I want using the Christmas present excuse.

Joeswife, We do appreciate you, I look forward to your pictures and growth update everyday. Thanks!
Only you, would have Caladiums looking that good at this time of the season. One of your plants in the blue pot is a Alocasia Hilo Beauty, maybe Rachel can ID the other.

My prettiest Ti Plant.

Kay Jones, Hi!! I like to keep my Alocasias on the dry side as well.


mjsponies, I feel for you, it has been very cold here already, I am dreading the high electricity bill.
I have a Blue Eranthemum Sage. Would you be interested in a start of that one, in trade for the white sky vine? No pictures of it yet, maybe in a week or so, it is covered in buds.

LiliMerci, like Joeswife I dug mine up and brought it in. It is in the old drafty GH, maybe it will come back from the roots if it does not freeze in there.
GAgirl showed the biggest and most beautiful vine I have ever seen of
the Black eyed susan.

This is my show and tell plant for the night.
Piper Nigrum (black pepper)

I've been browsing around the DG Garden the past hour or so and came across this thread ... I just had to comment on all the wonderful plants y'all are growing! Really beautiful!

Debra: That Stictocardia is really amazing ... really one beautiful plant! What an inspiration you are, growing all those tropical plants in your basement! Do you have lights on timers? Boy, what a job it must be trying to care for so many plants. Great growing!

prita: What is the gorgeous plant with blue flowers in your photo here? http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=8241101 I love the color of those blooms!

mjsponies: Love that Hoya mindorensis ... that bloom is really pretty, is that a fragrant Hoya? H. lacunosa is extremely fragrant, one of my favorites! I have one that just finished blooming a few days ago and sometimes with that plant inside the fragrance can become overpowering and my allergies act up so I have to move it back outside. Wow, I saw your picture with all the frost and I first thought I was looking at a photo from somewhere up north! We haven't had any frost that I've noticed yet but the bird baths have been almost solid ice the past couple of mornings. We've had lows of 30º and 31º the past two nights, but luckily it's only lasted for a couple of hours at most.
Brrr ... too cold for this time of year! I sure hope this isn't a sign of what the winter is going to be like! It's supposed to be back to the mid 70's by the weekend, but then next week the weather reports predict lows in the mid to upper 20's for us here in Daytona Beach!! We usually only have brief cold snaps in January and February and no one wants to see another winter like the record breaking cold we had last year! I lost many plants last winter, some I'd had for 25-30 years. and I think I will probably end up losing a few this winter as well, if the past few nights are a sign of whats to come and the weather folks predictions are correct. My house is real small and there's not a lot of room for plants. I have a wooden rod strung across a window in the guest room where I hang my orchids and hoyas but everything else has to be crammed into the unheated back porch and my husband hung heavy tarps on the north side of the wood deck where other large plants are kept. Everything is covered in blankets but if we have extreme cold like last winter I know many things will not survive.

Dave: Is the Hoya in your photo here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=8239784 a Hoya australis? I have a very large australis that's budding up right now. I look forward every winter to those fragrant blooms!

I am loving the pictures y'all are posting of your gorgeous plants. Great growing everyone!

... I think I need to ask Santa for a greenhouse!

I took this picture last week, Alocasia Frydek usually goes dormant in January/February and re-sprouts sometime in April.

Debra, all your plants are so healthy and growing so well for you again through the Winter months. As far as the other plant that Rita was not sure about well, I'm not either. Do you have any pictures of the plant when it was in a more mature stage of growth? If not then give it a little more time and repost it again please. I'm curious and perhaps Dave will recognize it at the stage the plant is now.

Rita, I agree, that is one of the prettiest Ti plant's I have seen and if you do find another one of the variegated rosary vine that you showed please let me know and I will send you the money for it. Have you been lucky enough to get any pepper corns from your Nigrum yet? I "think" I had Piper ornatum a few years ago but unfortunately I lost it. It sure was a beauty of a plant and I wish to goodness I could find it again.

Plantladylin, it's good to see you posting here again and that is a nice looking Frydek. Stay warm down there. It's so odd to hear on the news that you all are experiencing some cold temp's so early.

Rachel: Is that beautiful plant a Syngonium??

Hi all,
Well, I have some pretty sad looking plants today. Foliage is pretty toasted. Even things I covered.

Plantladylin, since we are more inland than you I think we are more susceptible to frost. Doubtful that we really 'lost" anything, just put it into dormancy much sooner than normal, and looking at all the sad foliage. And we can't cut it back yet, as our normal times to have cold weather is still to come.

Prita - Actually I have Blue Eranthemum Sage, it " was " covered in buds about to open. It's about 3 1/2 feet tall and wide. Got pretty burnt, so I won't be seeing any blooms. I would however love a start of your blue Iochroma ! My Purple Queen is hanging out in the extra bedroom in front of a big window. And I know what you mean about the electric bill, running the heater in the greenhouse. I think all my Philippine Violets , purple, white and variegated are ok. I covered them all. But both the Sky vines are toasted brown. They are hardy here, but both were blooming so beautiful.
I'll try to take a picture of all the plants in the barn. My boarders walk in and say it looks like an indoor jungle in there. The part where I stashed the plants is insulated walls and roof, get's chilly since it's not heated, but nothing they can't handle.

Rachel, I have variegated String of hearts, it's living in the extra bathroom right now. Remind me and I will send some cuttings for you when I send the Incense.
here's a pic from summer

I love the peper nigrum, I gave mine to my sister in law and I am sure it has grown five times bigger this year. She takes very good care of her plants that I give her ... ( the plant lover sister in law) the other sister in law I have did dig up her double red tropical hibiscus like I advised her, she said it is still blooming. I am thrilled for her.
Hi Lin, I really LOVE my varigated Bower vine , it is really super happy!
Here is my little itty bitty sting ray, it has grown a whole two inches and getting FAT. I am hoping that is good.

Mj, do you remember sending me a thunbergia? ( I mite have spelled that wrong)


well, it is growing.... FAST. it is the middle pot, your tag still on the edge. I had totally forgotten about it until I saw the yellowing leaves on the double pink ROS cutting I had started, which is in the same pot.

Upon a closer look, I found the yellowed leaves were from those dang white mealey bugs,and I got rid of those fast. Out of all those sticks I started, only one took. darn.