Sunday, February 3, 2008

Mesemb Madness

While everyone else in Phoenix seems to be busy with Super Bowl paries and activities, I was out and about, attending an Open House hosted by a serious Mesembryanthemaceae (Mesemb) collector. He had thousands of unusual plants displayed on tables in his small back yard. I'd never heard of most of them. The sight of all these plants made my cactus and succulent collection look puny by comparison!

This was just one of about ten tables, with every available inch covered with plants. There were plants on the tables, under the tables, and in every nook and cranny in his garden.

These Mesembs look like little buttons, and are they sometimes called living rocks. They are winter growers, and shouldn't be watered in summer.

This odd-looking South African plant can be grown from a bulb or seed. The collector grows many of his Mesembs from seed.


I liked this plant, and wouldn't mind trying my hand at growing one. All plants in the Albuca genus are grown from bulbs. The small table that held plants for sale didn't include this species, so rather than leave empty handed, I had to buy a tiny arrangement of living rocks. Although I've never been a fan of these plants, for two bucks, I just couldn't walk away.


P.S. Go Patriots! I'm only 10 miles from the stadium, and that's close enough for me!

25 comments:

PAULE said...

Great collection ! Thanks for sharing...

Carol Michel said...

Those are fascinating plants, all of them. So different from what I can grow here in central Indiana. Central Indiana where our motto for the Super Bowl is ANYONE but the Patriots.

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

What a wonderful collection! All the plants look so healthy and are very nicely presented in their pots with labels and all.

I like that Albuca spiralis too, what a pity there weren't any for sale!

Anonymous said...

Wow i am impress of your flowers and plants. They look very healthy. I dont know about our plants in the house now because our caretaker is the one who is there. Happy GTS!

Unknown said...

Oh, WOW! I want all of them...even though they wouldn't do well here except indoors under lights in the winter, and outdoors in the summer might make them sad with all the rain and fog. I have only annual ice plants for mesembs these days--had one lithops but it died a couple of years back and I never thought to replace it. Now, I'll be looking for more of them.

Pudgeduck said...

Exacly what do you eat for breakfast? You seem to be on the go attending open houses,volunteering, clinics,writing daily on your blog, keeping up with your yard full of cactus and not even a spec of dust on your indoor plant!!!!! We want to know!

Jocelyn H. Chilvers said...

What a fun way too spend an afternoon! It was kind of your friend to open his home and share his collection, although typical of gardeners - like you too, Aiyana - to want to include everyone in their passion for plants.

Who cares who wins? Bring on the party!

Unknown said...

What an awesome collection! Lovely photos, too :D

kate said...

This was a much better way to spend your time, in my books, than going to Super Bowl activities. Seeing all of these Mesemb. specimens would have been quite the experience.

I am in awe of anyone who can be so neat and use all the same size pots and label every plant so accurately.

The Albuca spiralis reminded my of a Juncus effusus 'spiralis'. I've had that growing in my pond some years, but it doesn't like spending the winter residing on the bottom shelf of my fridge, as the other pond plants do.

Mark said...

Great collection of native plants, I bet you came away with quite a few...

Teri said...

Wowee, I just saw cacti heaven. The first one knocked my socks off, I know what I am painting next.

mightymatt1313 said...

This Albuca is great and should provide ou with contiued opportunities for great pics.

kml said...

What a great place to visit - I would take that over the superbowl any day! The first photo is really pretty!

Anonymous said...

*whistles* What a collection!!! Wonderful to see so many at the same time. I love that Massonia.

Marc said...

Mesembs, huh? Those are fascinating! When I first saw the pictures I thought they were rocks!

Thanks for coming by my GardenDesk blog.

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous display of flowers. sara from farmingfriends

Muum said...

These are great! I'll bet you can hear the game from your place (ok,maybe not) love the last 'spiralis' plant, too. It is fun without being freaky! Happy GTS.

Wurzerl said...

What a wonderful collection!! I have some living stones they are so fascinating for me. The last 'spiralis' plant is great!
How did the Patriots play?
Have a nice week, Wurzerl

Anonymous said...

What a terrific way to spend your day! I'm amazed at the beautifully displayed plants - what a collection!

Julie said...

I just ordered some sort of living rock succulent...these button type ones are really cool! What a collection. Are you going to try and locate one of those curley-Q plants to buy? It sure is awesome looking!
I agree...10 miles away from the stadium is close enough!!!

Unknown said...

How beautiful the blooms are. I can't wait... growing season is just around the corner for me!

Anonymous said...

What Superbowl?
Your collection is anything but puny.
I would have loved to go to this open house.
How wonderful.

Shady Gardener said...

What an amazing collection. I agree that it would have been fun to attend this open house. And I probably would have brought home some "living rocks" as well. :-)

lerdchai said...

Hi,
I'm from Thailand,can u offer your mesemb's seeds for trying to sow in Thailand?
If possible.Pls contact me ;lerdchai_kwan@hotmail.com

Silly Little Sheep said...

Wonderful cllection.