Hi Mike hope you are feeling better. As usual you have some real beauties. I want to be you when I grow up. lol

I have my usual blooming Armaryllis...
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My Mom gave me this 20 years ago, Hippeastrum Puniceum
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Mother of Thousand
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and in the corner of my Laundry room my fushia seems to be happy again this winter, This is the second year I have brought it in to see if I could get it to survive and flower.
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Hello Everyone!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to you all! : )

Mike...Love all of you pictures, especially the Jades!! My!! The colors on those beauties.. you are really doing a fantastic job!!

Hope you are feeling better Mike!! Josh Too!!!

I just love all of the pics posted..

Marquest, Your Fushia is just lovely!! The Mother of Thousands...beautiful!!!

I dont have many things that are blooming right now, but here are a few that i can contribute to Mike's thread!!!

Tell Sissy that i said "Happy Valentine's Day"

Take Care,

Laura

Desert Rose
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Not sure of the name of this little one?
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Penang Peach Plumeria
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I have four Plumeria that are pushing inflos... I'm really excited.. Lavender : ) Penang Peach, Thai Elsie and Royal Hawaiian
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Happy Valentine's day!!! "Think Chocolate...." : )

Laura

WOW, love the "Lemon Drop" Josh, I have got to find one!
Great pictures everyone, thanks for sharing.
Mike, you always start the best threads!
Tami

Thanks, Laura, I think I'm feeling better! ;-) Nice pics!

Hey, Tami, I'm not sure if it really is "Lemon Drop," but it looks very similar to pics online.
This little plant had sprouted in the soil of a Jade "Hobbit" that Mike sent me....
I was surprised when I saw the leafless seedling stowaway! So I potted it, and it
immediately shot out leaves...and now it has been blooming for many months. A nice surprise.

Josh

Mike, I'm breathess!! Your yellow Jades are the best..Think they're prettier, 'toss-up' than variegated, 'pink/cream/green' Jades.

Where do you find these beautys? lol..

Is that a variegated Thanksgiving Cactus??? OMG!!! Beautiful.

Mike, you have prettier Jades I'd ever seen, in person, the net and nurseries. Including our local Conservatory.

Love your Orchid blooms. Are they fragrant?

I can't believe your Fig Tree has little fig fruit. Is yours a hardy Fig?

Rina, I tried expanding your picture, but it won't open. However, your Orchid looks good, nice blooms.

Tami..Lovely Crown of Thorns. Did you spray leaf shine on the Crown in Pic 2? Its leaves are glowing.. :)

Snappy...Your Gesneriads are doing great..Love your variegated Aeschynanthus..Beautiful foliage.

Josh, the flowers on your Crown are 'The yellow'ist'' I've ever seen. Beautiful. Never saw yellow that is so, well, yellow..:)

Marquest..Very nice Amaryllis, particularly the orange. It's my favorite.

Your Mother of Thousand flowers are absolutely gorgeous. Love their bell-like shapes and colors.

Your Fushia blooms are to die for. Looks like it was just shipped from Fl.

Laura.. All your plants are lovely, but that PLUMERIA!!! Coloring is amazing.

Is your Adenium blooming now?

Your Gold Fish is vivid green, with cute little gold-fish blooms popping out.

Your Murraya has grown thrice in size since you posted its first picture. So many blooms..

Viewing everyones plants makes me think spring. All are beautiful..Foliage and flowers. Toni

Wow..I don't even to know where to begin! This thread has been quite busy:-0)

Beautiful flowering plants everyone! Don't you just love the feeling in the air this time of the year? You can see how our plants are reacting to longer and longer days with more and more sun:-))

Josh! I love that 'Lemon Drop'! I have never seen any quite like it before. It is also very comforting to know that you are doing much better. Hurray:-)
Yes, just is just some of the Orchids.

Tami..Thank you for that. It's a nice way of getting everyone involved here. Besides, I get the feeling we here appreciate each others plants more than the people I have over most of the time, unfortunately:-(

Hey Laura! I hope your man was good to you yesterday! I think a box of chocaltes and maybe another Plumeria whould do just fine..lol
Beautiful flowers I tell you! Look at your 'Murraya Paniculata' go! I love it. The plumies are, well, WOW.

That second pic down is a 'Gold Fish Plants' and boy can they grow fast if left under a tree outside.

Marquest, Marquest..Wow. Look at your plants go as always.
If Jodik could see your flowers! She loves Amaryllis. They are so lovely. I had NO idea you could even make them last that many years. How in the world do you do it? Everything you grow loves you:-)

Mark, where did you get that variegated 'gesneriad'? I love it. If my plants don't flower, then the next best thing is variegated. To have both at the same time is a gift.
I also love the Santpaulia Rupicola. I have never seen one sold here.

Val: Growing it is not difficult at all. The key is to keep them on the drier side towards fall and then watering them regularly in a fast draining mix when the winter begins up till next fall. These don't like to dry out to the point of wilt and LOVE a very course mix.

Linda! Hello. Good to see you. How are your Jades doing? Did you see the color of the cutting from the Mama jade?
It is the 4th picture down.
Lots of light Linda, lots of light!

Luv: My Jades are my Babies. I have a personal attatchment to these I tell you.lol Thanks you so much.
I have been thinking spring and it sure feels like it these days. What are those blue flowers? They are different.

Beverly: Thank you so very much.

Just ignore your Orchids but once a week.
When you do pay attention to them, provide plenty of food and light, and they will grow.
Don't forget to flush your Orchids once a month at least 5 minutes with lots of FRESH water, either rain or distlled to rid the harmful salts.
When watering, take your time. Don't just pour water, but some sort of sprayer and spray the roots with WARM water at least 2 minutes or more when you throughly water.:-)
In between those waterings, you can mist them lightly so the top dry pary of the mix gets a bit moist.
That is what works for me:-)

Rina: Very nice. You will learn to post more pics here someday.
Those figs I didn't chill. To me they were still too young but still are giving me great fruit.
By the way, if you have a room with lot's of sunshine, or a greenhouse, it is not too early to take your fig out of dormant stage. An earlier start the better! More fruit.
Some figs require only a certain amount of chill hours. Mine only need about a months worth.

Kemistry! Where have you been at teh fragrance forums? You should see my 'Michella Alba' breaking out in bud!

I will post more pic or more flowering plants very soon.

Thanks. I hope there are much more to come everyone.

Mike

Mike,

The Aeschynanthus came from Lowe's of all places. The variegation you see on the tops of the leaves is actually a result of the pattern of red and green on the backs of the leaves bleeding through. Bluebird Greenhouse sells several Saintpaulia species, but I believe they only have leaves to offer at this time. I was lucky and got a plant when I was a member of an AV club in Houston.

Snappy! GREAT deal I must say and such a nice looking plant. Good job with that one:-)

Hello Toni! Now, how did I mss your post yesterday? Thank you so much for your kind words and help of course.
I must say you really know your plants and the right questions to ask???:-)

Toni! You know where I find these beuats..lol certainly not in the U.S.A.lol
Don't worry, the cuttings I sent you will be colorful in no time if givin lots of sunshine with cool temps!

By the way, you KNOW that 99% of my orchids are fragrant.lol
I will post you a few pics as soon as the sun comes out. Look here on Saturday for sure:-)

That Fig is a miniature 'Petite Negra'. It gives LOTS of fruit with such a short stature. It can be grown as a Bonsai and produce abundant fresh sweet fruit!

Mike

Hey, thanks, Mike :-)
Feeling a little better everyday.

Thanks, Toni. I have Mike to thank for this "Lemon Drop" ;-)

Josh

Mike:

Gorgeous plants, as usual. Didn't know your orchids were in bloom, very nice. That fig tree, so small but with figs already? What variety is that?

Laura:

Nice Plumeria flowers, and that small Crown of Thorns in bloom...I have 3 Crown of Thorns cuttings I have had for at least 3 years, only one bloomed for me yet!

I have absolutely nothing in bloom now...oh, I tell a lie, a Haworthia is blooming, but the blooms are insignificant. My ZZ Plant has two new leaf stalks unfurling, but that is about it.

Nice plants, everyone!

Christopher

I just have a few AV's (Noids)
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Great pictures, it is so nice to see blooms while waiting for winter to take a hike!

Mike, the flowers in my last picture, with the bee, are Columbines. I have a number of them in a rock garden in front of my house.

Val, I have 3 String of hearts. My variegated one isn't doing nearly as well as the green ones are.

Laura, your little gold fish plant is too cute. I have a large one that hasn't bloomed yet, I am getting pretty impatient with it! Another yellow Crown of Thorns, you and Josh are making me jealous! LOL

Toni, the second COT hasn't had a "bath" for a while so no water spots. I kind of hate to give it a shower and take away the shine.
Tami

Tami! You are so right. That is why I love threads like this.

Hopefully I will get more time over this weekend to take more and many others here will share. I love the variety.

I have Columbines and never saw anything quite like those. Very nice.

Hey Chris. How have you been? I owe you an e-mail or is it you that owes me one?lol
Thanks man! I appreciate your comments. That is a 'Petite Negra' fig. You can keep it Bonsai while it produces large amounts of figs. Yes, the orchids are blooming to my surprise and very fragrant!

Josh, it's GREAT to have you back and to see you in much better spirits. You were missed:-)

Elkay, not bad for (NOIDS), in fact beautiful. I have no success with AV's no matter what I do for them.

MIke

Marquest...Before I forget, would you happen to know the species of your MOT?

Mike!!! I felt so hurt..cried myself to sleep when you ignored me...lol...j/k

You've received so many replies you were bound to miss one..which happened to be me.. :(

Mike, thanks for your kind words.
You know, that I know, that you know, that I know your plants are breath-taking.
A rose is a rose..........

Yep, think I know where you get your plants..places I've never been nor will 'probably/most likely' never go.
That is unless I'm reincarnated as a bird. :)

Okay, your Orchids are fragrant..don't boast..lol..kiddin' again. Between your Orchids and Citrus, your home has to have the scent of natural air freshener. So Sweet!

One last question about your fig. Does it need chilling during winter? Also, are you planning to grow as a Bonsai?

Josh..I wasn't aware you weren't feeling well. Hope you're okay..just a little cold or flu.

Christopher. I agree Haworthia flowers aren't the prettiest in the world, but they're very cute and interesting. When my Haw's and Aloes bloom, 'even though Aloe's too are said to be insignificant,' I run for the camera. lol. Have you ever seen a Haworthia flower growing in-ground??? Stalks are super thick..Beautiful. :)
Also, it's good seeing you. You haven't been around much.

Elkay..Your AV's are doing great..Nice flowers, especially the mid-pink with little purple/blue speckles. I also love the first w/red blooms. Yours is as close to true red as any so-called red I've seen. Do you know if it's called Witch Doctor 2?

Tami..Your COT's leaves are super-shiny. Even if it hadn't been bathed. Bath or no bath, my COT leaves are green, but nowhere as shiny as yours. Very nice.

Mike, forgot to add...I for one am looking foreward to seeing more plant pics. Take care, Toni

Hi Toni how are you doing? I have had it so long it said something about zebra if that helps. or It could be one that Jeff sent me back in the day when he was sending out boxes of cuttings.

Hi Mike, you always post such good happy topics.

Toni - thank you for your kind words.
Mike - I have a fig, but have no name since was a gift. Do not know anything about growing them (will read on Fig forum...); but I was told they need to rest in winter & my was 'dormant' for all of 2 wks (?). Dropped the leaves at the end of summer. I was afraid to leave it in a garage, so brought it in, but it started leafing out & has 5 fruits...I wonder if they will ripen at all, they are smaller than yours.

Few more pics of what grows in my house...

Did not get it right...trying again. Rina

http://s1168.photobucket.com/albums/r488/Rina_TO/

Marquest..I'm doing okay..sunny and warm for Feb which lifts my mood..Thanks for asking..And you? How are you doing?

Unfortunately, zebra doesn't help, lol. Do you have a pic of its leaves?
My Kalanchoe flowers are small. One Kal, prolifera, grows off a stalk, but looks nothing like yours.

These Kalanchoe pics were taken last Apr 2011. Flowers, common, so unlike yours.

Kalanchoe,

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K prolifera

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K. kewensis

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Although each Kal bloom differs, none are bell-shaped.

Rina, you're welcome...you forgot to add more pics, lol. Toni

Toni;

I followed with another message right after (you were probably posting yours at the same time) & there is a link. I was hoping to post photo directly, but it did not work for me. Back to instructions...Rina

Hey Toni I am fine. You know me and names. I just like plants. Names escape me. lol

I cropped the leaf so you can see it close and a pic of the entire plant. Maybe the flowers looked big to you because it was a close up of the flowers. I like the color of the flowers they are such a pretty pinkish color.

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Howdy, all!
Mike, it's good to be back! I think I missed a call from you...we'll catch up soon.
This week has been busy, and I'm pretty exhausted after work. I have next week off.

Toni, I had a nasty Flu that turned into a secondary ear infection. Been ill three weeks,
and I'm still congested and half-deaf in one ear. Every day I feel a little better, though.
A lot of students have been dealing with far more serious illness this Winter.

I'll get another pic of my "Lemon Drop" this weekend. A whole new spate of flowers opening!

Josh

Here are a few more pics friends!

My of my Orchids producing a new spray of flower buds.

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One of my succulents ready to flower

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More original bubble gum smelling orchid flowers just opening.

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Natal Plum starting to flower

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A variegated Fuchsia

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Another Orchid that smells like vanilla and nutmeg together.

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A variegated citrus starting to flower.

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An orchid that smells like chocolate

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Mike

Hello Josh, Toni, Marquest and Rina!

Very very nice additions here!

Josh, sounds great buddy. Got's lots to tell you:-)

Toni: You are always welcome to come along for the ride..lol No crying now. YOu know when you come out my way, we are hitting up some of the most unusual garden centers that sell the most unusual plants! Maybe you can come with me to an Orchid or Succulent meeting.
Looks like you need no help in growing them. Just amazing you plants look here! Look at those tall flowers:-)

Marquest: That is the first time I have ever seen a Mother of MIllions look so good. I had no idea they flowered. Beautiful and yes, we should all find many things to make us happy:-))))) I hope you have been doing ok these last few weeks.

Rina! Great job. You are getting it. Let's get you posting even more!

Mike

Good morning, Mike! :-D

I bet it smells like a candy shop in that greenhouse of yours! Citrs, chocolate, vanilla, nutmeg!
Your collection of orchids is nicely varied in color and shape. I hope you are able to add that
bright orange BLC "Golden Tang" orchid soon. I've been looking...and can't find one for you :-(

Josh

Hello Everyone!!!

Mike,

The pictures that you keep posting always get better and better! Those Orchids are just beautiful.... I just wish i could smell all of your fragrant flowers. Must smell wonderful in your greenhouse and home. : )

LOL... Yes, i did have a nice Valentine's Day!! "My Man" did give me some delicious "Chocolates" but..the Plumeria are probably still on order.. LOL.. He would say that i have enough..
I say.. "Never.." LOL.. I hope you enjoyed the day? Sissy too!

Josh.. Glad to hear that you are feeling better.. Seems everyone around me has had the same bug as you.. It seems to be around everywhere. Glad its getting better tho. How about your hearing? Was that a temporary loss?
Loved your pics.. Always beautiful.

Hey Toni,

Thanks for the name of my Gold Fish Plant. I wasn't sure of the name..so thank you!!! Your pictures are just beautiful!!! WOW!!! My Adeniums are blooming. All of the pics that i posted were taken within the last two weeks. My Plumeria dropped the blooms on the Penang Peach, but i do have 4 more inflos that have appeared and my Taj Mahal will open next week sometime. I will post for you here on this thread when she finally opens!! I can't wait for this one!! The Murraya has really grown pretty fast. Thanks to Mike for giving me this beauty!! : ) Take care!!

Hi Christopher!!

Thank you for the kind comments. The Penang Peach was a real beauty but not much scent at this time of the year. I miss the "peach frangrance" that it usually has when it blooms during the summer. My Crown of Thorns has done really well for me. It started out just a little plant when i recieved it from a friend and the little plants were lost in the mail for a week. So it had a rough start as well as the Gold Fish. They are all doing great now. Hope you are doing well. Nice to see you!!

Tami,

Love all of your pics. Quite beautiful!!!
Thank you for the kind comments on my plants. I do love those little blooms on the Crown of Thorns. The little Gold fish has really started to show the yellow in the center of the bloom. This pic was taken tonight.
Again, your pics are lovely!!!
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Elkay... I love your Av's...just beautiful!!!

Take care everyone...

Laura

Howdy,

Rina...found your pics..Your Orchid is gorgeous. And that Fig Tree!! Absolutely Amazing!

Hope someone helps instruct posting on GW from PB. My pics are on Flickr, took months to figure uploading, downloading, and every other type of loading..lol.

Marquest..There's so many different Mother of Thousands/Millions.
Think I explained my MOT's flowers differ than bell-shape. I can't tell from the leaf since there are numerous types, many look similar.
Anyway, I love its blooms.

Josh, glad you're feeling better but the flu you have/d sounds awful..ear infections are no fun. Very painful.
Hope you saw a doctor? You probably needed antibiotics, ear drops and a low dose pain med.

I'd love to see your Lemon Drop in bloom, but if you're not up to it, it can wait.

Mike, Mike, oh Mike..your plants are soooooo beautiful. Apparently, my variegated Lemon isn't getting enough light..the colors are nowhere as vivid as yours.

I didn't know you had Natal Plum..it looks rather tall. When did Natal join your family? :)

What are you feeding your Orchids?

Mike, although I love Orchids, if/when we shopped it'd have to be to the succulent nursery..lol.

Laura, you and I had a very nice Valentine's Day..One Valentine Eve, dh took me to HD. Although they had very few plants, those available were those not normally sold there.
On Valentine's Day, dh took me to Ted's Nursery, a local green house. Ted's had Plumes, but wanted 25.00...if I have luck w/the cutting, then and only then will I spend a few more $$$.

INFLO...need to stop the other forum to keep up on terms. lol.

Yes, please post your Peach Plumeria and Adeniums in bloom.

Your Goldfish is doing great..love orange flowers. Is Goldfish hardy outdoors year round there? Toni

I chilled some Spring bulbs that I found on sale at Lowes for 75% off in Oct, I put them in the pots of all my plants that have colorful foliage. The first to bloom is the Narcissus. I still have Hyaciths and Daffodils that are coming up and have buds.

They will be taken out of the pots this summer and placed in the garden to bloom next Spring. I will repeat the process again next fall by purchasing new bulbs to chill to bloom early indoors.

Narcissus
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Thanks, Laura and Toni!
yes, this illness (and similar) is really prevalent this year. Take your vitamin C! ;-D
I'm still not back to 100 percent...but I'm grudging getting there. Sinus congestion won't depart.
My hearing is improving, too. Not permanent loss...fingers crossed.

Toni, you bet I saw a doctor! After more than a week with a fever, I knew it wasn't "just a cold,"
which is what I had been saying to myself. I took some anti-biotics and the fever broke 5 days later.
Now I'm dealing with the after effects...lung and sinus congestion, and the fuzzy hearing.

Thankfully, none of my plants caught the Flu ;-)

Josh

Rina I had to see and share your plants with everyone here!
I will be back to address everyone and say hello to my pals! They are BEAUTIFUL As Toni says!

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I had to run, but I will be back:-)

Mike

Not too much indoors, just Euphorbia splendens (Crown of Thorns). Outdoors, Camellia japonica has been blooming since December. Flowers are actually pink but appear bleached out in photo due to sun.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Mike

Thank you - I was so surprised to see "my" plants.
I have been reading thru the instructions & even tested on the test gallery how to post, so hopefully I'll be able to do it from now on. I am so "proud" of orchids i have now simply because this is first time they are alive for more than 3 yrs! Not too many buds/flowers, but they are alive. I have 2 blooming now, 3rd has a flower stalk comming out.
There is also a small olive in the group photo (that one is not very clear), and a small rosemary. In the front is a passion flower growing from a cutting - have another that is much bigger & also grown from a cutting.
The succulent is Sedum Burrito.
And the fig - was given to me by friends, but no name/instructions. So I am just trying to keep it alive (had one from them before - went to plant Heaven after first winter...)

(Anybody with any suggestions as how to care for fig & olive please just go for it, even if this thread is not about that...).

Thnx. Rina

Mike, you continue to amaze me with the quality and variety of your plants. I really have to see that magic greenhouse of yours one day. Variegated citrus? Variegated fuchsia? Where on earth do you find these things? I am so jealous of your orchids...I have my orchids inside, and none shows a hint of blooming. Oh, I stopped by Lake Street today. They had a few nice orchids, nothing too exotic, a couple of nice small agaves as well. BTW, you owe me an email, buddy!

Toni, relationship problems on two continents, past and present, cutting deeply into my time here! Worry, worry and more worry lately. Ah, I am always taking a photo when my Aloe blooms, but the Haworthia pygmaea that just bloomed, nah. I've never seen a Haworthia bloom in the ground.

Laura, You certainly are the Plumeria expert on this forum, I know. BTW, that cutting from you gave up the ghost a while ago, could not get it to root, don't know what happened. I love Crown of Thorns as well, hope to get more blooms on my cuttings this year.

Here are a couple of pics from today, a 'Pink Blush' Aloe from Mike, and my Kalanchoe beharensis, 'Fang.'

Christopher.

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These are not inside, but can't wait to see them again (2011 garden):

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...and many more...

Thnx for looking. Rina

Hey Christopher... LOL!!! Im definately not an expert, but i try my best!!! : ) Thank you for saying that though!!! You know how much i love my Plumeria!!!
I wanted to let you know that i have one rooting for you. So , we will talk more this spring and find when its best to send it up to Bar Harbor ok? Now you wont have to mess with rooting!!! Love you pictures..especially the one from Mike!! What a beauty!!!

Hey Toni!! You make me chuckle.."Inflo" is what we call an "Inflorescence" meaning a group of blooms.

Here are a few... I have 5 pushing now... Lavender, Penang Peach, Royal Hawaiian. Taj Mahal and Miami Rose. Here is a pic of an "inflo" for you!!! : )

Was the Plumie at the nursery a named variety? Just curious!!! Its so hard to find Plumeria even in my area. Usually you can only find them in the nurseries in CA or in FLA. Glad u had a great Valentine's Day!!! Sounds like fun!!! Still eating my "chocolate" YUM!!! : )
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And another with a ittle one watching for other insects for dinner!!!
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About the Gold Fish... I dont believe it would survive the winters here. I will defineately take it inside during the fall and winter. This little guy has even changed in just the last two days...im so pleased with the colors of the foliage and the blooms!!! What a special treat!!! I had no idea it was a "Gold Fish" : )

Hope all is well!!!

Take care,

Laura

Rina, Im so glad you posted those beautiful pics!! I was going to ask you if you needed my help to post usuing Photobucket..but i see you have figured it out!!! : )

Mike I just noticed it looks like you have a red Epiphyllum bud. Is this normal for this time of year? Do you have a secret fertilizer? lol

I have 3 and I do not get blooms until summer. These are the 3 I have... all bloom summer.

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and this one sent from a friend last yr I have not seen bloom yet.
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Marquest!!!!!! How in the world do you get everything you touch to look so beautiful!!? I have never seen anything of yours less than perfect and plants that most people have a hard time to produce good results. Wonderful and great work:-))))
I am still waiting for a couple from you...It would be an honor for me:-))0
Lol.I was about to ask you what you do to get such great results! I have some that NEVER flower in the summer and in fact, this is the only one that has done anything for me. Ok, now, tell me.lol
Marquest, there is NO Nacissus allowed around here. They smell like pee to me.lol

Laura! Good to see you had time to stop by again. LOl. Don't the little flowers look lik gold fish? That plant is going to take off in your area, trust me. They grow fast, especially if you give them lots of root room.
Look at the plumies getting ready. Wow and boy, make very sure to watch for insects! Spider mites look at them like cotton candy.
Missing you around these parts of Ma.;(

Rina! Congrats on learning how to post pictures. Yahoo! Now we will expect more from you. The flowers you post are so refreshing here:-)

Chris, thank you so much! I am always happy to share with someone like you who has such an appreciation for plants as I do. It is a good thing we live so close. I feel bad that Toni doesn't.lol Hi Toni!
I could hook Toni up with so many things as I know she would me.
How have you been? How are the orchids these days? What a beautiful weather streak we are getting, right? I hope it lasts right until spring.;-)

Your plants look so nice! It looks like they are responding to the hotter sun and longer days. I love them!

Njoasis! What a pleasant surprise to see you stop by! LOVE those Cammelia. I have never told anyone here that I have three. I just have a problem getting them to flower.
What is your secret? I would love to get them to look like yours. They are amazing as so are your other tropicals and citrus. Looks like you and I also have a passion for the same kinds of plants. Gotta love your weather lately, right? You just may be able to leave many tropiclas outside without having to winter indoors if this keeps up.

Josh, sheesh, I can't wait till you are at 100% copacity again. I feel so bad buddy. I think I will call you tonight if you are around:-)

Toni! Thank you, thank you:-) That Natel plum is only a year and a half old and it was only 6 inches high when I got it. It decided to cascade on me and I love it! I have others I am going to train as Bonsai and I got one for a friend. They smell SO GOOD!

Yes, I feed my Orchids every week. I think that is the key to lots of blooms other than bright light and a flush or fresh rain water once a month. They HATE salt and residue from tap water and fertilizers.

They smell so good Toni!:-)

Sorry, not enough time to do word check, preview.

Mike

Aww thank you Mike. I thought you had a winter bloom secret for my Epis. lol

I learned to grow plants from my Mom and her training has never failed me. The plants I have killed needed to be moist and I was on the road so much that some did not get watered for 3 weeks. I lost a few that year. Lucky for me none of my Mom's pass down died. They all survived.

You will get a surprise box one day soon. It looks like we are not going to get winter. So it might be safe to send plants.

Oh boy! I love surprises, when you least expect it Marquest!
Of course, I am a bit anxious now.lol

I have an Epi I am trying to root that give a very red flower. You saw the one I speak of. If you would like, I can root a cutting for you. The original plant is over 60 years old! It's a classic:-)

It loves blooming this time of the year!

Mike

Marquest, how did you chill bulbs? In the fridge?
Are leaves variegated? I see variegated foliage. Hmm.

Josh, thankfully your plants are okay. :)

Actually, I'm allergic to Vit C. Weird huh?

Five days w/a fever..yep, that'd prompt me to see the doc, too. lol.

Don't know if you'd want to give this old remedy a try, but here goes.
BTW, either my parents did this when I was sick or I read it in one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Possibly both.

Find an old, small pot. Not a plant pot, lol, a cooking pot.
Add 1-2 Tbsp of Vick's Vaporub to 2-3 cups boiling water. Place a towel over your head and face, lean closest to the pot then inhale. Repeat as needed.

Josh, believe me, your sinus will open! Be careful when leaning over the pot..you don't want the towel catching fire. Oh God...

Nope, you sure didn't have a common cold. Apparently a bacterial infection?? Thankfully, the fever is gone.

Sometimes standing in the shower, running water over your face, 'door closed, and of course shower curtain,' helps with congestion/stuffiness, too.

Nj, your Camellia is beautiul and so big! Another plant I can't grow. Love the flowers.

Christopher..No wonder there's worry. Two continents. Too much concern for me, lol.

Your Aloe is sooo nice..Is it 'Pink Blush?' Has it yet flowered?
Mike gave you some true beautys.
Duh, just scrolled up..yes, your Aloe is Pink Blush.
Your Fang looks so big! Fangs are fast-growers, so beware..lol.

Laura..Problem is, if a term is used more than once, it sinks in..lol.
There are a zillion and one terms per type of plant. If you ever go to AV forum, they use certain terms, same w/Begonias and other forums.

Is the Plume posted here the same plant in the other forum?
If so, it's really grown! My God, what a difference. Looks great,, too..no bugs will attack your plants, Laura. :)

All the sign said was variegated Plumeria..I could have asked, but my cart was fairly loaded, and $ was adding up. lol.
But, I'd really like one variegated Plume. Soon, weather permitting, I'm going to the link you sent and choose one or two..lol.

And Laura, you are the Expert Plumeria Grower here. :)

Mike, I thought Natals were slow-growing??
You fertilize Orchids weekly? Weak, weekly or weak, full-strength?

Mike, after you finish your plants, why not stop over and fertilize mine?? It'll only take a couple days..lol. Toni

Laura- Your gold fish plant is a Nematanthus sp. It belongs to the family Gesneriaceae, which includes Aeschynanthus (lipstick vine,) and most famously, the African violet (Saintpaulia sp.) among many others. They are native to tropical South America, Brazil in particular if I remember correctly. The blooms are likely to be unscented, but it is still a very attractive plant. There is one scented Nematanthus that I know of, N. albus. It is white flowered and is said to give off a musky aroma.

Mark

For me here are a few!

Den. Chrysotoxum
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Am. 'Evergreen'

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Some noid African Violets

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Am. Papillio

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Tommy, on your Dendrobium that is mounted to wood, how often do you water it? Do you soak it, or what?

Hi Laura: I beg to differ, you ARE the Plumeria expert, and Toni agrees with me, so there! Thanks for rooting one for me, after my failure! By the way, I don't live in Bar Harbor, just visited, I am in southern NH, only about 10 miles from Mike...

Hey Mike! Feeling a bit better in spirits, up and down. Nothing doing on my orchids, except for a new psuedobulb forming on the Blc. Tsiku Orpheus "Fu Cai" I got from Lowe's a while ago. Still hoping my little Philippine Dendrobium survives. Yes, for sure, we can't complain about the winter in New England this year!

Hi Toni! Yes, hard dealing with past and present at the same time, especially when the present is so far away! (Try to figure THAT one out!) I have only had the Pink Blush less than 2 months, no flowers yet. My 'Fang' was started from a single leaf years ago, acually I have two or 3 plants from that one leaf. One I decapitated as it had lost many of its lower leaves, and it rooted and branched for me. Love the fuzzy Kalanchoes!

Christopher

Hello Everyone,

Tommy,

Those pictures are absolutely gorgeous!!! I love all of them. The colors are quite beautiful..

Christopher,

Thank you!!! ( Toni too!) : ) Please send me you addy again so i have it once the weather breaks. You know how i love these babies...glad to help you..i think i always see your "Bar Harbor" and i think you are in Maine. Sorry!!! Its nice to be so close to Mike!!! Lucky!! I had the pleasure of meeting Mike annd Sissy in September. Had a great time..

Thanks Mark for the info on my Goldfish!!! I will make a note on the name. I really appreciate the info!!! : )

Here is a pic that i took tonight. I am so pleased everytime i look at this little guy. It is looking more and more like a Goldfish. I love it!!! : )

Thanks again!!!

Laura
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Have a great evening...

Laura

Laura that is pretty. I have never seen a goldfish plant with red on the back of the leaves. That is one I have to go and hunt down. lol

Sheesh! Hello friends!!!

I have been trying so hard to get over here, but because there is so much to see on this thread, my WORK computer locks up everytime.lol I finally did it.

Wow, look at all the happenings around here.

Laura, I must say that you have yourself quite a 'Gold Fish' there! I'll bet they will just love looking at the water of your pool this summer.lol I love it. I need to transplant mine again since it is showing signs of decline due to very very tight roots.

Laura, by the way, when are we going to hook up again? Next time, it's my treat. Mom sends her love too!

Marquest...I can always send you a few cuttings if you would like or start a small plant for you. Let me know.
I hope you are doing ok these days.

Chris, its so nice to see you here again and in better spirits!:-) By the way, we should get together again, it would do us both good. I'll bet that orchid will make it just fine. If it needs lots of humidty ti survive, talk to me and we can work something out. Your plants are so beautiful. By the way, the cuttings you gave me are rooting!

Tommy! SPETACULAR!!!!!WOW. THE COLORS and that Am. Papillio doesn't look real! Oh, I have to send one over here who would love to see that! It looks like it was photo cropped onto your kitchen. Amazing:-)

As for that orchid. What do you do to keep it alive on that bark? Are you growing it in your house or a greenhouse? How do you keep enough water at the roots? Good job. I would love to try that if it isn't a lot of work.

Toni! Thank you so much. I would love to see more of your plants in flower. Stop holding back...:-)))

Have a great day all and pay NO mind to the price of GAS these days.

Mike

Mike you have that goldfish plant. Where did you find it? It is gorgeous. Is it easy to root? I know I am full of questions today.

It is cold and getting ready to snow so I am hanging out on the net today.

Myermike and hopeful author, camellias are actually pretty easy to grow if you keep some points in mind--

1. They are acid-loving so I regularly dump my waste coffee grains on them and feed annually with Holly Tone.
2. They appreciate some degree of shading from both winter and summer sun. The ones in the photo get summer shade but not as much winter shade as they would like. The ones on the other side of the house have a greener color but the cooler location means they will take a few more weeks to bloom.
3. They need a winter chill period in order to induce blooming, but can be grown containerized. They are surface rooters so azalea-style pots are probably best.
4. They prefer moderate temperatures, do well in humid heat, but resent hot, dry, windy sites.

P.S. My biggest surprise, is that the deer have not touched them--they are in the tea family and are on lists for shrubs to avoid if deer are an issue.

Hey Njoasis! Can I ask you a HUGE favor? Can you e-mail me? I have a few questions to ask you if I could about your citrus.

I would really appreciate that. My e-mail is in my profile.
Thanks for that and for your help with my Cammelia:-)

Marquest, Thank you!

I got mine at Logee's when it was just 3inches big.lol I love this plant! The more sunlight you give it, the more gold fish and red leaves!
They are easy to root. I just started a variegated one that only took 2 weeks to root in my special mix.

Mike:-))))

Mike

Hello Everyone!!!

Mike, I would really enjoy seeing you and your mom again this fall. I will definately let you know when we will visit!! My mom has her mind set on visiting BOS sometime this fall!!! You can take her from Boston...but you cant keep her from coming back... : ) She loves that city!!!

Marquest,

Thank you for the nice comments on my Gold Fish Plant!! I really love this cute little plant. A very nice person gave me some cuttings and this little one has done really well : )

I just love your Epis....they are another love of mine. They dont seem to bloom like yours. YOu have a way with these beauties!!! They are all gorgeous!!! I bought about eight different varieties from a flower show out in California and i cant wait until i see some blooms like yours. I have had a NBC bloom for me, but it was white. I really was happy with this lovely plant, but i cant wait to see the blooms with some color...

Mike, i just rec my Logee's Catalog... Uggg You are an ENABLER!!! LOL... Thai Giant is next for me this spring.

I just went to my local nursery and picked up another Ponderosa Lemon and a Lime tree. Like i need more!! : )
Slipped those babies right in while DH was doing something else!!! : ) LOL...

Take care,

Laura

Mike,
Hope all is well. I'm amazed at your variegated Jade. I just love them. I don't grow many flowering plants. My Peace Lily is blooming, and it kind of pales compared to some of the other pictures posted.

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Rob