This last week has proven to be more than I'd expected. The house is abuzz with blooms, the Norfolk Pine lights are twinkling, the Espelette pepper is finally ripe, and we made some unexpected headway on my rare illness.
In other news, let's bring on the blooms while I recover, yet again, from my most recent health flare-up. This little jewel we purchased up in Seattle last year when we went to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. I neglect it all of the time and yet it rewards me again and again with its blooms. I highly recommend these for dependable re-blooming houseplants. Not everyone loves the color fuchsia, but it does work wonders during the dark of winter.
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| Monkey Plant (Ruellia makoyana) |
I posted a single bloom from this little gift a week ago but since then it has been joined by a friend.
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| Streptocarpus, Butter Blues, with 2 blooms! |
This is a single bloom on a rather sprawling plant that seems to be in bloom almost continually just so long as I listen to its needs. My friend gave me this plant in the form of a cutting and it grew really well and quickly. I will have to post pictures again when it is covered in these tiny little hovering lilac kisses.
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Sinningia, not sure which
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We bought this Norfolk Pink years ago to use as a small Christmas tree. It was very small when we purchased it and now it is large enough to wear 20 battery-operated lights all on its own. They are so cute.
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| Twinkle, twinkle little star! |
The Black Jewel Orchid and I have not been great friends though I have read that these are easy plants to live with. This picture makes the leaf look really dusty, but it wasn't that bad. Notice those amazing pinstriped lines. Even if these are a bit picky, the leaves alone make them worth it. They really add to the plant's year-round interest.
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| Leaf of the Black Jewel Orchid, (Ludisia discolor) |
This is our very first bloom on our Black Jewel Orchid. When the plant grows larger, there will be many more of these spikes. I hope that it will add more than one spike per year though. They bloom during winter so I guess no matter what I should not complain right now. It really is beautiful to look at when it is so cold outside.
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| First blooms on our Black Jewel Orchid (Ludisia discolor) |
Lastly, the Espelette Pepper I wrote about a post or two ago is finally ripe. I am so happy that I brought it inside and gave it a chance. Sometimes we too don't make it on time and need a bit of encouragement to keep up.
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Ripe Espelette Pepper ready for Christmas harvest!
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Hopefully I will be able to keep up with all of the seed catalogs coming in the mail. Nothing makes me happier at this time of the year than my seed starting! Hope you are all excited for the coming season too. We have planters to plan, structures to straighten and so much to do.
I'm glad to see some sturdy houseplants recommended because I'm moving soon and will be able to have them again! How can there be people who don't like fuchsia?! Awesome that you have a pepper to harvest in December, too!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, especially the black jewel orchid leaf. I hope you have a very healthy holiday. Carolyn
ReplyDeleteI liked expecially Streptocarpus and Sinnigia. I didn't know them, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat great plants you have. Blooms and a pepper! My mom had a Norfolk Pine. We decked it out with little red bows for Chrismas the last year she had it. It was in a large pot on wheels and got over 5 feet. She just didn't have room for it. It found a new home in a church. Love the little battery lights. Wish they'd had those when mom had her plant.
ReplyDeleteI hadnt thought of Salvias as houseplants, I tend to treat them as tender perennials and put them in the greenhouse or garage to overwinter. They are kept just moist and they sort of going dormanant. I might try them as a houseplant to see what happpens.
ReplyDeleteI love the Black Orchid - not seen anything like that here
As for seed catalogues - there is a steady thump of them through the letterbox which is beginning to sound expensive!!
Those battery lights are cool. Wish they had those here. Get well soon!
ReplyDeleteBlack Jewel Orchid. What a lovely exotic name. Hope you're feeling healthy and happy for this upcoming holiday season.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
I have never seen a Black Jewel orchid. I have orchids, but nothing so beautiful. That leaf is eye catching. PS. See the post after the one you picked. The conflict is over! Oh and thanks for the pick too. Have a great holiday and hope you are feeling better and get a healthy New Year.
ReplyDeleteWishing a merry Christmas to all my followers!
ReplyDelete