Plant Update A

Much has changed in the two months that I've let this blog slide. Plants have grown. Plant have been eaten by rabid bugs. I've a new job. But let's get right to it. Content oriented, I am!

1. Aloe

This aloe plant has been through quite a bit. It's survived overwatering and rotting. It now has three pups. I also just noticed how yellow some of my pictures look with white balance :( apologies in advance. I didn't know!!

2. Prickly Pear Cactus

This is ma cactus pear! Doesn't like too much water. Doesn't like too little water. Cacti shouldn't be this picky! It's also annoying that I have to clean it of spider webs every few weeks. Of all the plants, the spider chooses the topographically boring one....

3. Daphne Odora

Flower clusters smell like fruit loops. Famous for being difficult to grow. Requires ridiculously fast drainage, but needs quite a bit of water. Enchanting. In case you didn't notice, those are two different plants.

4. Stargazer

Here lies the stalks of my venerable Stargazer lilies. Spent flowers and listless leaves, they wait for winter's wrath. But oh, how I enjoy their green.

5. Mini Rose

My once great rose bush was torn up by ravaging Japanese beetles. I was distraught enough that I didn't quickly notice how they plowed through the neighboring holly bushes as well. Well, only a tiny piece of what was once a quad of miniroses remains. It's growing again, but only thus. Pray for it. And for a bug's death.

6. Confederate Jasmine

The smell of star jasmine is indeed intoxicating. The plant twines, and reaches for other plants to help support it, although it's remarkably stable and strong for a vine. It likes constant food - probably hungry now...

7. Dipladenia

Now considered just a form of Mandevilla, it looks like just a smaller of the Allamanda and Mandevilla you normally see. By now, considering my other plants, I seem to have a fascination with the Apocynaceae family. Pretty things...

8. Peperomia

Peperomia has quite the charming texture. It feels alive. The bigger one came first, and was my nearly my first spider mite fatality. Luckily, I found it in time to let it heal from the damage, which is visible as the countless brown spots. The smaller one is a different peperomia species. Doesn't do much. Barely grows. At least it doesn't complain :)

9. Ruscaceae?

Still haven't figured this one out. It's definitely like a snake plant. Sanseviara? Can't quite place it....

Instinctively, I can tell it needs medium light, doesn't mind dark, and that I doesn't need much water.

10. Ivy

Hedera helix. English Ivy. This plant just wont die. I can let it dry out for an entire months, and it just....stays there. Unbelievable. It doesn't like too much light, however, which could explain it's absence in the deserts.