here in Ontario most of us need grow lights if we want enough light to keep succulents from getting leggy. but grow lights can be difficult to set up.
this one here is a common grow light from Home Depot, fastened to what is actually a cheap shoe rack. turns out it's the perfect height to suspend the light, & it fits in tight spaces.
today's plant is a variegated Portulacaria Afra. this one started from cuttings off my tiny bonsai version. the cuttings now dwarf the mother plant.
P. afra (elephant bush) is a great succulent because it's easy care, responds well to pruning, and is nontoxic to humans and pets. in fact the leaves are edible, and some people sprinkle them on salads etc. for a bit of tang. the variegated types are slower growing than the 'wild' type.
#SevenOnSunday#houseplant edition + #MothersDay edition! Happy Mother's Day to all: here's to all who have nurtured and raised us- whether they were birth mothers, adoptive or foster mothers, grandmothers, big sisters, aunts, house mothers, Great Earth Mother or any kind of mother! and may we all find in ourselves the spirit of nurturing and encouraging for one another, our fellow species and planet! plant details in replies @plants#florespondence#IndoorGardening#succulents#tropicals
#SixOnSaturday After dry warm #weather (up to 29C a time or two) we had a cooler week + several good #rains. With the warmth/moisture things have been #greening and bursting into flower rapidly- 1st wave in the #garden is already done or on the way out, next waves growing daily! Heading into another warm spell now, mid 20's to 30C or so forecast for the next week, lows 4-10C; averages are 16/2-so spring will continue to race ahead! #florespondence#Alberta@plants@nature
Wish I could capture the scent of these. They're from a Trachelospermum (jasminoides, aka Star Jasmine) that grows down the driveway, and smell amazing when you walk past. Almost finished for the season now, though ๐ข
Dear fellow- #plant -lovers #succulent enthusiasts and experts: what does it mean when the beads of pearls turn white? A few nights ago, I was thinking, โ what if thereโs a variety that really looks like pearls (white) vs. green, and now this? Does it mean I have a plant fairy godmother?!๐คฏ@plants
learning about how the highly-invasive strawberry guava (psidium cattleianum, also called waiawi) got introduced to the hawaiian islands and the story is just as bad as one would expect...