Catching Up On Odds & Ends

Strawberry Begonia

I added this picture and more to my Pinterest Board "Beautiful Foliage"

For the record, a strawberry begonia is neither a strawberry nor a begonia.  I do not know why it is called this except that it has a begonia looking leaf and it has marvelous runners like a strawberry that can grow up to two feet long.  

This plant is a Saxifraga Stolonifera which is an all together different family.  The runners make it a good grown cover in the frost zones between 7 and 10, but is favored as a houseplant because of it's beautifully marked foliage and the runners that will trail over the lip of a hanging pot. 

To grow inside, the Saxifraga Stolonifera likes a cool filtered sun.  It will grow in height to about eight inches.  You should feed it a standard fertilizer during the growing season.  Cut back on both fertilizer and water over the winter rest period.

Gardenia radicans?

 I have added some new pictures of this flower to

 my Pinterest Board "The Gardenias Are In Bloom".

Remember me telling you that the Gardenia is a large genus of plants?  Well here is one that I think is a good one to find.  As you see, the blossom is much smaller than the Gardenia jasminoides that I mentioned in a previous post.  This is a miniature Gardenia.  It grows in my neighbors yard and smells divine. Unfortunately, I am having difficulty finding out anything about this variety. It might be part of the radicans family but the ones I find on line do not have as many petals.  I am hoping that there is someone out there who might recognize it and tell us all more about it.  The plant is only about 3 feet tall which would make it a good plant for a conservatory or a large sunny window.  I will keep searching for answers.

I Guess I Know More Than I Thought

In February, I mentioned that sometimes plants do things that we don't think they should do.  My example was a flower stem of a phalaenopsis that I had cut off the plant after it was finished blooming.  I had stuck it in the dirt and to my surprise I watched it create two new buds.  I did not know what to think but hoped that the buds would become the beginning of plants, since I was sure that they could not really be flower buds.

Here is the update on this strange phenomena.  The buds dried out without producing anything.  Two more developed with the same results.  I finally removed the stem from the soil to see what was going on below and there was nothing.  So, my plant was the liar not me.  Do not let this discuorage you from trying something new.  My friend Rhona thinks that you can stick anything in the soil and it will grow.  Many times she is right.

Next time, we will talk about the wonderful world of colorful coleus.  These are great plants that can bring a myriad of color to the house. Until then, write me at houseplantsos@gmail.com or add any comments right here.

The Care of a Phalaenopsis Orchid

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Light Exposure

The Phalaenopsis orchid does not need a lot of sun and will be quite happy in an eastern facing window.  If you plan to place it in a western or southern window, I would recommend that you place it behind a shear drape or blind.  A good way of knowing if the lighting is correct is the shade of the leaves.  Dark green leaves say that the plant is not getting enough sun.  Be careful when you start adding light because the leaves will burn if they get too much sun.

Planting Medium

Your Phalaenopsis will usually come in one of two mediums (stuff that is in the pot).  One is a combination of bark and charcoal.  The other is peat moss.  Both of these mediums will hold water for the orchid's use and allow the roots to be free of too much water.  It is important that the roots not sit in water for any length of time or the orchid will drown.  If you find that your medium has dried out sit the pot in warm water for about 20 minutes and then drain completely.

Watering

It is best to water all your orchids in the morning.  This is important especially for the Phalaenopsis because of its leaf formation.  The leaves come out from the center and create a cup that holds water when it is misted and it loves to be misted.  If the plant does not get a chance to dry off by nightfall it could be exposed to a fungus called crown rot.

Depending on the humidity of the plant, water your Phalaenopsis from twice a week to every day.  Water and let drain.  Check the medium for moisture and mist any exposed roots. 

More Information

There is so much I could tell you about the Phalaenopsis that I am just not sure where to stop.  So here is just a little more information to get you started.  If you have any questions I did not answer just ask.

Cinnamon is a known anti-fungal and have been sprinkled on plants to kill active fungus.  This should be done with care because if it is too thick on your plant it will interfere with the photosynthesis. 

I have learned a watering tip from an orchid grower when I received a new Phalaenopsis for my wedding.  This is simple and easy for all us busy gardeners.  One or two ice cubes in the pot will slowly melt and water the roots.

Mature Phalaenopsis Orchids can develop bloom spikes two to three times a year and blooms can last up to six months. As you learned last week, there is a possibility that an old spike will through off a new spike and bloom again.

Thanks for reading this blog.  I hope that it has been helpful.  Please give me some feedback.  Any questions can be added to this blog or sent to me at houseplantsos@gmail.com .

Sincerely,
k.k.jones

The Plant That Called Me A Liar

 I have always felt that no matter what I tell you about plants there will be one stubborn plant that will call me a liar.  If I tell you it likes the sun, your plant will tell you it likes only partial sun.  If I tell you that a plant should do one thing, it will do the opposite.  But I can explain that.  Plants are living, breathing entities.  Each plant is a little different.  Each has its own "personality".

Here is my newest independent thinker.  This is a Phalaenopsis Orchid.  For those of you who do not know what a Phalaenopsis is I have added a picture of the bloom so you will recognise it.  The plant is usually made up of large leaves near the pot and then flowers form on a long spike towering over them. After the blossoms fall I have always been taught to leave the long empty stalk on the plant until it grows brown because the green stalk is full of nutrients that the plant will continue to use for the next blooming.  Sometimes, though I have not seen it very often the stalk will send off a side stalk and will bloom again.  Usually, it just sits there looking ugly.  So what the heck, I cut it off and stuck it in the dirt of a large plant to see what would happen.

Well, I did do a little more than that.  I started with three stalks.  Cutting them just under a flower node, I dusted them with rooting hormone and then I stuck them in the dirt.  I did not expect anything.  I watched two of the stalks turn brown and waited for the third to follow suit.  You can imagine my delight when it did not turn brown but developed buds.   Phalaenopsis are not suppose to like dirt.  They like their roots to be able to breath in moss or bark or coconut fiber.  I am not sure how this will turn out.  It is not wise to disturb the roots of a flowering plant so I cannot tell you what is happening down there yet. But I will keep you posted.

Next week I will tell you about the care and feeding of the Phalaenopsis Orchid so stay tuned.  I hopefully will have an update on my buds. 

Please tell me about your plant and its unusual behaviour.  Send me photos that I can post here along with your story.  You can post them yourself on this blog or email me at joneskathee@gmail.com

Until next time,
k.k.jones