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waichita

What plant is this and why is it looking unhappy?

waichita
9 years ago

Hello,
I recently got these plants for my shady balcony but I don't know what type they are. Does anyone know the name so I can find out what I'm doing wrong with them? Why are the edges going brown?
Thanks!

Comments (14)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    i used to grow them i my gold fish pond.. i think they are a taro ... though it is a tough pic.. could you have gotten a bit further back ... lol ... [hope you have a sense of humor]

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    There are many possibilities becasue it's hard to see the shape and texture of the leaves. Can you take a close up of one? Do you have any more information? You say you 'got' them. Garden centre? Friend? If Garden Centre which section? Perennials? House Plants?Summer bedding?

    As to why they look ill, until they are identified it's hard to say. Could just be the end of their natural season if they are not hardy. Or it could be a function of those planters or of the mix or of your watering.

  • waichita
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the replies and sorry for the bad photo quality. Here is a better photo. I can't give more info on it, the person that sold it to me told me the name in Dutch (I'm in The Netherlands) and I forgot it because I'm not that fluent in Dutch (I'm Spanish). The person that sold it to me told me it should be fine on shady balconies like the one I have.

  • waichita
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here's another photo, hope it helps to identify it.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    not taro .. interesting how a close up of a leaf can change opinion

    ken

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    OK - it's Brunnera macrophylla. Not at all good candidate for a small pot like those. It will produce some blue flowers in spring but the rest of the year you will just have leaves - and yours isn't even one of the silver variegated cultivars. It would be much happier in a border or at least a large pot. It is a tough hardy perennial which will die back to the ground in a harsh Winter although in my climate and probably yours it will retain some leaves over the winter.

    To get it healthy it needs to be replanted in a much bigger container or set out in the garden.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Brunnera macrophylla

  • waichita
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you very much, floral_uk! I will get bigger pots for them. Which other plants would you suggest for cool / cold shady balconies for my smaller pots? I made them myself so I would like to put them to good use :)
    In the link below is a better photo of the pots, the brunneras were in better shape back then...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Better photo of my plant pots

  • RugbyHukr
    9 years ago

    Maybe some small ferns. They would give the faces some interesting hairdos.

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    Cool pots. But quite a small volume of compost so maybe not good as a permanent home. I'd be tempted to find some cheap plastic pots which will fit inside and not show above the lip. Then you could ring the changes through the seasons. Have some cyclamen, winter pansies or polyanthus in them over the winter. Snowdrops in February. Followed by crocus, miniature narcissi and so on. Maybe Impatiens (New Guineas) for summer. And ferns as rugbyhukr suggested.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    9 years ago

    If you wanted to have long hair, you could do a creeping foliage plant like Callisia repens. (The small leaf plant, flowing over the sides.)

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    My impression is that these pots are outdoors, purpleinopp, so Callisia wouldn't last the winter. A blue fescue would make good 'hair' but twee may not be the OP's style.

  • waichita
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm loving blue fescue, floral_uk! I think I'll go for that, thank you so much! That would be perfect hair for my "plant pot heads". I'm quite into plants but don't have much knowledge. I love this website, I will be coming back. What a nice welcome I've had from you guys :)

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    You may need to treat Fescue as a temporary display if the balcony is really shady.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    9 years ago

    My suggestion was in the realm of yours, possibly seasonal, though that plant is hardy here.

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