Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Former House Plants

Zamia furfurfacea



This former houseplant is part of the Cycad family, and is commonly known as the Cardboard Plant because its leaves feel like cardboard. This odd plant is one of the 'living fossil' plants that have been around since prehistoric times. Another Cycad is the Sago Palm, and although they both resemble palms, they are not really palms at all. I've had this Zamia in the house for awhile, but decided it needed to be outside on the patio instead. It does well outdoors in USDA Zones 9-11, as long as the temperature stays above 28ºF. As much as I love plants, I really don't like to have a lot of plants in the house. I usually end up moving them outside after I get tired of looking at them cluttering up my house. Some survive, some don't, but I think this one has a good shot at thriving as a patio plant. It's drought tolerant and takes very little care.



Sansevieria trifasciata


Although this Snake Plant was a houseplant for only about five days, it still qualifies in my book as a former houseplant. At the time I purchased it, I really thought that for once I'd keep one of these in the house as a plant for a low light area, but after placing it, I decided it needed to be on the patio, just like all the other Snake Plants I've had in the past. I just didn't want to look at it every time I walked by the area I placed it, so out it went. It remained on the patio a few months, then, I decided it would make a good yard plant. I'd never seen these used in a landscape before, and one source warned that the S. trifasciata would quickly get out of control with numerous offshoots if placed in a garden. It's been in the ground for about six months now, and it has, indeed, produced quite a few offshoots. I've let them go as it has a lot of room to spread out. Once it puts out enough offshoots to fill the area to my liking, I'll start removing any new offshoots. I say this with conviction, however, I should know better. I can't seem to keep up with all the Agave pups growing around many of the Agaves in my landscape, and now I've added another garden chore!

Chrysactinia mexicana

Because this is Bloomin' Tuesday, I thought I'd better throw in a photo of one of my blooming landscape shrubs, the Damianita Daisy. When this plant is in bloom, it's gorgeous, but when it's not, it's the ugliest thing you can imagine, with woody gaps of dried stems and foliage that leave bare spots all over the plant. It blooms off and on from late spring to early fall. When the foliage is distrubed, it has a sharp, turpentine-like scent that I think is pleasant. I lost several of these shrubs this past summer, and right now, this is the only one in bloom of those that are left. I just avert my eyes when walking by the others.

20 comments:

Grammy said...

The Daisy is so full of life and color. Thanks for sharing it.

Sweetie said...

I especially like the Damianita Daisy. They are lovely. My mother always had snake plants . Your snake plant gave me a flashback of awonderful memory.
Sweetie

Unknown said...

Very informative, I like info on how others are doing there plants. The snake plant, we call it Mother-in-laws Tongue, (because you can't kill it) never thought of putting itin the ground. I have a hard time with houseplants too. Except the African Violets.

Anonymous said...

It must be nice to be able to grow some of your houseplants outside. When I had houseplants I took them out for the summer. That Damianita Daisy is really stunning in full bloom.

kesslerdee said...

I can't seem to get anything to grow well in my house- but I don't have any real good windows either. I have gradually moved my very few houseplants outside where they seem to thrive. Not sure what I'll do about winter yet as I am sure if I bring them back in they will lose all that lovely growth.
Your snake plant is beautiful! I have one in my front bed under the olive tree, that the previous owners left, but like everything else there, it just doesn't seem to take off.

Carla said...

I MUST have plants inside to 'tide' me over in my zone 7/8! Your Zamia furfurfacea almost looks like my ZZ plant (almost) but of course, ZZ has a fleshy base. Your plants are so healthy and happy looking! (love that mother-in-law plant:)

Teri said...

Isn't it fun when houseplants become outdoor plants! They seem to just love it. And I absolutely love that daisy bush :)

Green thumb said...

Personally, I also avoid putting my plants indoors(unless they cannot survive the outdoor weather). I feel putting plants indoor is like caging a free flying bird, which robs the plant of its vitality. Plants look best outdoors in their natural habitat, in the company of their brethren. And, for indoor decoration, I move them very temporarily when expecting guests.

beckie said...

The Zamia plant is so unusual. I don't think I've ever seen this one. My house plants-except for the violets all go outside in the spring and I bring them back in just before frost. I enjoy them in the winter, but don't want them in during the summer. And they seem to love their time outdoors and show it by growing by leaps and bounds.

Rock rose said...

I think what you say about the Sanseveria is true because I have seen this growing in Florida and it was really a ground cover having spread over the whole area. I also have the same problem with houseplants but have to have a few here and there. The worst is when I bring my citrus inside. I got so tired of them last year that I put them out prematurely and paid the price. We had a frost when one was in full flower and that was it for the lemons this year.

Jean said...

I love the look of the snake plant in the garden. I don't do house plants either. The yellow shrub is lovely and so bright colored! Jean

Gin said...

Great plants. My mom always grew sansaveria. It's an interesting plant.

Julie said...

You crack me up, "averting" your eyes??? LOL. Pretty plant for sure, when in bloom!!!
I almost took a pic of a clump of sanseveria outside in my sideyard, just tonight...but decided mine looked too shabby. It grows wild-like under the cherry bushes! It is a spreader.

Wendy said...

I love the daisy's too. You really have different gardening than we do up here in Canada. We're putting our gardens to bed for the winter. Frost predicted for tonight.

Laurie and Chris said...

I love Damianita Daisy.It is such a great color.

Anne Fannie said...

Hi Aiyana I just love your Damianita Daisy plant. What color! I also have a snake plant as a houseplant. I have also heard it called Mother in law tongue. LOL
Love, Ann

Ashraf sharif said...

i like your garden ,it is big and nice landscape .

Unknown said...

thanks for the comment on trimming the Lantana, just never thought to do that. It's one of those plants that I can neglect and it does great.

Wurzerl said...

Hi Aiyana! I love the Cycas plant. Last week I visited Teneriffa, it' s an island near the African West-North coast. There are a lot of great Cycas. The plants which came in the 18./19. Century from Australia and America had a place here to find a similar clima before a part of it came to Europe. I will tell more over it in one of my next posts.
Have a great time Wurzerl

kate smudges said...

The Damianita Daisy, when not blooming, probably resembles many of the plants in my garden right now ... that is, how they did before covered with snow!! The blooms are well worth having the plant.

I would love to live in a climate where snake plant grew outside. I love this plant but can't seem to grow it well.

The Zamia has beautiful leaves...