A stark fact: I suck at growing plants. No, this isn't false modesty. I would never make it as a horticulturist. To make matters worse, my mother has a house full of plants. She even works in a plant nursery... on top of a mountain where it snows. I live in sunny SoCal and can't grow a thing. Worse yet, on those rare occasions when I do get something to grow my cats invariably eat it.
Even cacti. I think they have issues about sharing the house with other living things.
Still, plants look nice and I'd like to have some. So I'm trying again. And I'm doing the smart thing this time: I'm basing my plant buying on movies I like. Basically this means just one thing: Sanseveria. Lost Highway is one of my all time favorite films. Sure, the couple portrayed in that story line is a bit more dysfunctional than Gabriel and I... but they seem like they have about the same level of plant expertise
Not to mention the fact that this plant seems to be all over the TV show Mad Men. We are trying for a sort of Atomic Ranch vibe for our place, so...
After I bought one I did a little research and learned that not only are they
often called snake plants (much cooler than your average non-ophidian plant) but they are also named after Raimond de Sangro, a prince of Sanseviero who was a horticultural patron during the 18th century. Too bad he wasn't the patron saint of horticulture, because I need all the help I can get.
It's all about keeping plants that are hard to kill! My husband and I both kill plants, usually from neglect. So I am much more selective now. We inherited 2 palm-type plants that are about as tall as I am, very established - and they can go weeks without watering (they don't like it, but they bounce back quickly!). Ditto with a little African Violet. Then there is the tiny cactus that could - it was once an ornamental display with 2 other cactuses that had died long before I found it at work a few years ago. The dead ones still had their carcasses in the pot, so nobody liked having it around. I took it home, cleaned out the dead guys, and the solo-artist seems quite happy! Now the mini-rose my hubby got me for V-Day last year? That I have NO idea why it's still alive!
ReplyDeleteHaha, wow! I need some of your magic! Thanks for the story, I loved reading it. I think I have killed at least 4 of those mini roses myself...
ReplyDeleteThey are also called Mother-in-Law's Tongue. Good luck with your plant!
ReplyDeletehahaha - I love this post. I am also quite excellent at massacring plants. I got a few cuttings to root from my boyfriend's mother over Thanksgiving, and my cats already ate one!!!
ReplyDeleteMother-in-Law's Tongue? Hmm. I think I better stick to calling them snake plants! Shrimp Salad, I'm glad I'm not the only who has cats that snack on plants!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your plants. I've managed to kill everything in my terrarium but the moss, if that makes you feel a bit better about your plant skills! :)
ReplyDeleteI always felt that when I brought plants home, they took one look around and decided to commit suicide.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I think we have found the answer! Suicidal plants!
ReplyDeleteI think there are two types of plant killers: ones who neglect them (forget to water them, replant them in bigger pots, forget to prune/trim them) and those that kill them with love (they end up drowning the poor things and messing with them to much). And hardy plants that do best indoors tend to be a little hardier than say roses or orchids. I guess it really depends on the habitat the plants are from and if you can replicate it in your house. Oh, and those that you can root from cuttings are also great in case the parent plant starts looking really sad. Ok, that's my two cents :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha - thanks for the story-it was entertaining! I dont' feel so bad now, but am going to stick to my silk plants!
ReplyDelete