My Houseplants.

Happy 4th of July everyone! We are having a family bbq tonight, as part of a "reunion" this week. We had to cancel our plans to stay a few nights in a cabin up Scofield, do to fires there. And we certainly will have no fireworks this year. All disappointing. But I am enjoying the day anyways. :) 

This post is to intorduce you to a few friends of mine. My houseplants. I have always been a plant/garden/nature person. Working for a florist, where there is a whole jungle of live plants to take care of, has refreshed that in me. And I have brought home a couple favorites, and am always spotting some that I am tempted to have. But I am waiting until I have money, even though I have a 30% employee discount. And besides that I really shouldn't get carried away. I've only had my own home for about four months, and what I have is plenty for now. 

So here they are.

 First. This is Steve. He's actually Jordon's plant. We got him at Walmart on a whim shortly after we got married. I'm not sure what he is, other than some type of fern. There were a few weeks where we neglected him. I guess we weren't ready for the responsibility. That was before I had a job, and I was going through an overwhelmed transition stage.So he is now less lush and healthy than at first. I have been working hard to help him recover though, and I am past worrying about him dying. He even has a healthy new shoot. :)

Next up. This is my Silver Nerve Plant. I don't know the scientific name for this one. But isn't she pretty? This one came in a tiny little plastic pot that it was overflowing out of, and I transferred it to this larger one. It's still a small pot though. Only like 6 inches. Jordon calls this one "nerd plant". I expect it to grow into a lovely trailing, viney thing. :)

This one is my favorite. It's called a Peperomia, which is a great name. Or "baby rubber plant", but that's not as pretty. Jordon just calls it "Peperoni plant". There are lots of varieties of Peperomia's, including more low, viney ones. But I love this taller, rounder kind. It has thick succulent type leaves. And it's so healthy and pretty. It's not very big yet. Like as tall as my hand maybe. 

It's kind of ridiculous how much I love this plant. I find myself admiring it all the time. 

 This one is more of an experiment. I took a cutting from a plant at work. I'm not even sure what it is. But it was pretty. So I stuck a piece in a wet paper towel wrapped in plastic until I got home, where I quickly transfered it to a cup of dirt. I covered it with plastic to keep it humid. It has been alive for about 1 1/2 weeks. However, the leaves are now looking a little wrinkly and unhealhty. So this experiment may fail. 

But I'll leave it in there until it dies, and then try again with a different plant. I know some are easy to take cuttings from, and others you need a rooting hormone to get them going. 

Hopefully it will live, but at least for now it looks cute in my window.

There are two plants at work that I really want now. One is a type of Ficus, with thick dark, purplish/blackish/greenish leaves. The other is a little tree called an Aralia. Not sure what variety it is, but it has lacy delicate leaves, and a thick knotty little trunk. 

I also want a peace lily. And maybe a Pothos. And potted snapdragons, and potted mums, and I am going to make a little indoor garden of herbs to cook with.

But Jordon wants a Juniper Bonsai for his birthday, so that has to come first. I am a little concerned. Because they are expensive I will want to take extra care not to kill it. Lucky though. That's the type that's easier to care for than other bonsai's which can be pretty needy.

 Now you all know I love houseplants. :D I hope you enjoyed meeting them!