Category: Specific plant information

Vanilla planifolia

Posted in Orchids, Specific plant information

Vanilla cuttings getting started outside[/caption]

I’ve grown this off and on for years and have yet to manage a single flower. As a vine it is easy to grow.

Grow in dappled shade to shade, burns easily in direct sunlight. Keep planting medium moist, loves high humidity.

Propagate from stem cuttings

Warm climate orchid 65’F minimum – 85’F. I keep it outside in the summer where it handles temperatures as high as 100’F. In the winters I bring it in and curl up the vine inside large terrariums

Native to Mexico, West Indies, Cuba where it grows wild in forests

Why One Island Grows 80% of the World’s Vanilla

Kew Science, Vanilla planifolia

Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Posted in Houston Wild Flowers, Plants in Houston, Shrubs and Trees, Specific plant information

This is a deciduous shrub in zone 5 through 10. It blooms early summer with fragrant white spherical flowers. I’ve only seen it at the edge of wetlands growing wild.

The branches were used by Native Americans in arrows and stick games

Leaves contain glucosides, may cause skin rashes, severe toxin if ingested – keep from humans and pets

Sun to part shade
5′-15′ tall
4′-8′ spread
prefers wet soil, wetlands
Attracts butterflies, bees and hummingbirds

Easily grown from stem cuttings, challenging to grow from seed

Native to US

Sedum morganianum Burrito aka Donkey Tail

Posted in House plants, Specific plant information, Succulent
New cuttings potted up mid April 2018
Early Aug, the growth rate is increasing, once the weather cools a bit it’ll grow faster

First listed by Glasshouse Works in 1988, it’s a species native to eastern Mexico. It’s a smaller, thicker version of Sedum edeveria.

It’s most common use by gardeners is in hanging baskets.

Protect from cold, it prefers temperatures ~ 70’F, anything lower than 45’F will damage or kill plant

Sun to light shade, minimum 4 hours of direct sun daily

Keep damp in growing season, drier in winter

Lightly fertilize

Dropped leaves or yellowing leaves appear if the plant isn’t getting enough light

Tiny red flowers will appear on end of tails

Propagation by cuttings or leaves placed in damp soil and moderate sun. As new growth appears gently cut back on watering and give the plant more sun.

Lepismium Cruciforme Rhipsalis

Posted in House plants, Specific plant information, Succulent
New cuttings potted up mid April 2018
First flower on the new cuttings
New cuttings getting started
Cuttings in Sept, some progress

This is one of those plants I stumbled across a photo of and I had to have it. Once it gets going it looks like an octopus trying to escape the flower pot.

A green to red rhipsalis with small tufts of white with red flowers along plant. Flowers will become small red fruits. A happy plant can have trailing stems up to 4′ long. This is a hanging rhipsalis, it’ll need to be up high enough to let the branches trail. Fast growing once it gets started.

Water lightly but do not let get dry, water more in warm weather less in cold weather. Pot must have good drainage

Light shade, will burn in direct afternoon sun, loves bright morning sun best

Protect from cold, 55’F, and from heat greater than 80’F

Propagate from cuttings, let end callous over before planting in damp soil

Endangered in natural habitat, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, so be sure to pass cuttings along to all the gardeners you know

Manfreda maculosa aka Texas Tuberose aka Deciduous Agave

Posted in Plants in Houston, Specific plant information, Succulent

These were relocated last fall, so that haven’t had time to fill out yet. They’ll look much better once there’s a large group of them. The leaf rosettes will fill out to about 3′ and they’ll send up dozens of stalks from each clump in early May (in Houston). Flower stalks are between 4′-6′ tall. Now that they are getting more sun the leaves will become speckled with purple.

They prefer well-drained soil and are drought tolerant once established.

Native to south eastern Texas through North east Mexica, often found growing wild

Propagate by division and seed

28 known species

Named after an Italian writer, Manfredus de Monte Imperiale

problems: Really hates being wet, plant some where dry and sunny

Papaver rhoeas aka Poppies

Posted in Houston Wild Flowers, Specific plant information

You see these often in Austin, it’s a bit too warm for them in Houston. They bloom in March each year. Poppies are annual but will reseed themselves. If you are purchasing seeds plant them in the fall after it gets chilly.

Seeds will survive in the soil for years, plants appear when the soil is disturbed exposing the seeds to some light. This is why they were so commonly seen near the trenches of WWI

Poppies produce prodigious amounts of pollen making them a great addition to a bee garden.

Native to Africa, extensively found throughout Middle East and the colder parts of Europe

Callistemon ‘Little John’ aka Little John Dwarf Bottlebrush

Posted in Butterflies, Bees, Hummingbirds, Plants in Houston, Shrubs and Trees, Specific plant information
Just planted bottlebrush April 2018

This is the compact Bottlebrush reaching 3′-5′ ( top photo ), the bottom two photos are of the larger form and were taken at Lady Bird Johnson Gardens in Austin. The red flowers are most common, there is also a pink flowering variety.

Protect from cold, it will sometimes return from roots after a frost.

Full sun, possibly drought tolerant once established, opinions vary. It prefers to be in moist soil.

Blooms when weather is warm, loved by butterflies and hummingbirds

Considered an invasive in Florida, also considered to be a good plant for bonsai.

Native to Australia, unclear if it should be in Myrtaceae family or Callistemons.

Propagate by cuttings

June ’18

Note: I also purchased several traditional Bottlebrushes (Callistemon) and placed them along fences to use to cover the fence. I have some in shade, full sun, a mix of both and dry and wet areas. So far they all seem to be settling in despite the late planting.

These can be kept trimmed as a hedge, let grow up as trees by removing lower branches, or shaped as a topiary.

I’ll add more photos and notes as they grow