Counting Your Chickens

Day 327: Hens-and-chicks Sempervivums delight kids of all ages, but are particularly suited for introducing youngsters to the joys of gardening. Simple to grow and requiring only minimal care, they will quickly overrun the edges of any pot in which they are planted. Adults should take that last phrase as a word of advice: confine them to a small space (the Sempervivums, I mean...although it might also be applicable to your children as well).

The perfect container for Hens-and-Chicks is an old-fashioned "pocket pot," aka a "strawberry jar." Plants set around the edge of the main container will soon send offshoots out on trailing stems, and these "pups" will root of their own accord in the secondary pockets. Likewise, Hens-and-Chicks are good for filling in dull spots in a rockery, but keep in mind that they spread readily and may crowd out other plants with their densely packed, succulent rosettes. Give them plenty of sun and don't overwater. Many varieties are available commercially and fairly cheaply, but ask your friends if they have them in their garden. I've given away dozens.

Huernia Zebrina, Lifesaver Plant

Day 307: Earlier this year, I ordered a "Lifesaver Plant" from one of my favourite suppliers. It arrived with several of the smaller branches broken off and loose in the packing, so when I repotted the parent plant, I tucked them into a second pot and have been pleased to see that they all took root readily and began growing. However, I wondered whether or not I'd ever be able to bring this unusual succulent into bloom, and just a few days ago, noticed a single small bud emerging from the parent plant. I expected it to develop slowly, so was caught completely by surprise today when I rotated the pot and found myself being stared down by a huge red eye. At least two more buds are developing on other branches.

According to the information provided by the supplier, Huernia zebrina is easy to grow. I've heard those words too many times to trust them, but in this case, I have to say they proved true. Like most succulents and cacti, Lifesaver enjoys dryness between watering and full sun. Mine sits in the south exposure of my kitchen window where it gets absolutely baked on 85-90° days. Obviously, it's quite happy in that environment! Its blooming cycle is intermittent, and the "lifesaver" in the center of the flower is as large as a nickel; the points surrounding the center extend beyond the rim of an American quarter. The spines on the foliage are soft to the touch, not at all prickly. What a rewarding plant!

Something Fishy

Day 51: The common name "Goldfish Plant" refers to a wide array of both Columnea and Nematanthus, and I apologize to my readers for having misidentified this particular one as a Columnea previously. I kept thinking something was fishy with what I had been told. Columnea flower form is generally open rather than pouch-shaped. A bit of searching on the internet revealed that my "potted piscine" is indeed Nematanthus "Black Gold."

This rewarding houseplant is characterized by stiff stems and waxy, thick, dark green leaves which often have a reddish blush as well as its distinctive "goldfish" flowers. It blooms almost constantly once established, but has a tendency to become rather leggy unless pinched early. It branches readily and has a semi-cascading habit. Flowering occurs at nodes along the stem, and the tips often display clusters of two or three blooms. Care is easy! Keep it a little on the dry side and give it plenty of sun, and you'll have a whole school of goldfish to grace your window.