u/IntroductionNaive773

About 70 days since I first noticed it initiating and it looks like the inflorescence is basically maxed out at 17" for this round of blooming, though I may get an inch or two more as the paddles lengthen. I was hoping for the 3' it is capable of producing, but I can't say I'm disappointed with its first flowering.

In 'Fireworks' photos I've seen online there does appear to be more internodal distance on the stalk. Some of the compact growth may be due to the led panels I'm using, which do tend to induce very compact growth in most of my succulents, Dyckia and Tillandsia. I guess I'll find out in a couple years after this one pups!

A hybrid I bought from Thailand last year of unknown lineage. There is definitely some geohringii in there, but beyond that who knows. Still, I'm a sucker for almost any geo hybrid with a good silvery dusting of trichomes, and it rounded out my order. It has yet to disappoint.

This particular bed is where I grow my sturdiest most storm-proof flava and moorei hybrids because it is front and center. The flava ('Lois' x 'Bontanique') is incredibly sturdy with roughly 2' tall pitchers. It takes a truly abusive storm to knock down even a few pitchers. It also tends to make a second round of tube growth later in the season, which I really like.

A fun project I did in my garden a couple years ago. There's something about Sarracenia as rock garden plants that I find particularly appeals. Culturally they are bog plants, but aesthetically their architectural look pairs so beautifully with stone.

40 days since the last post and the inflorescence is taking shape. Though this can supposedly get 3' in bloom I highly suspect that it will only get a bit taller than its current 16". If it hits 2' I'll be more than satisfied for its first bloom.

I imported this from Thailand last year and it has grown very well. Though I'm equally obsessed with all Dyckia, I greatly favor goehringii, delicata and marnier-lapostellei and their hybrids. Part of my love for them as species/parents is their slow growth and slow offsetting habit. Many of the more common Dyckia on the market are prolific growers that make abundant offsets, and in doing so they end up looking more like a stiff spiky grass. These species and their hybrids really show off the rosette forming nature of the family.

Someone forgot to tell all the pollinators swarming the nonnative and differently colored flowers that they are supposed to confuse them so much that they won't feed. Don't they realize they're embarrassing us?!

I posted a previous pic of this species blooming with one flower and in less than two weeks it exploded into bloom. I'm genuinely surprised how quickly it grew these flowers considering how large they are compared to the plant.

This isn't your grandmas Solomon Seal. This species is well known for making dark leaf forms, and my selection 'Black Opal' is about as dark as you can get. The color only lasts until the growth matures and hardens off, but in that time it is a deep bluish-black with an iridescent sheen. But because nature is a tease it is also one of the slowest to multiple out of any plant I own. If this cultivar would grow prolifically I could probably retire off of it, but frustratingly it is happy to make an incredibly long rhizome with only one growth point. Even cutting the rhizome barely induces extra plants. These three growths represent 8 years of cultivation.

It's funny, I spent a decade looking for a variegated Viola with zero luck. Starting like 7 years ago I started digging several every year. I guess I'm making up for lost time. 😜

I tossed this planter together back in April
Because I was curious how well Coleus would perform under my Viparspectra LED lights, and it has gone beyond my expectations. I modified it recently by pulling out an eyelash Begonia I felt would get too big long-trees and replaced it with another dwarf Coleus and Oxalis.

I love the dark foliage in this one, and I especially love the massive flowers compared to the miniature plant size.

One of the rarer and most beautiful plants in my collection. Variegation in ferns is quite rare, and even rarer in cold hardy species. To me Polystichum tripteron is one of the most elegant species with its trident shaped foliage and compact habit. Unfortunately it is a fairly slow fern to offset.

If I could only grow one Rex it might be this mass market hybrid. The shape and colors look about as goth as you can get. And it's nice when something stunning doesn't cost an obscene about of money for a tiny rooted cutting. 🤣

A couple months ago I made a mixed pot with Shadow King 'Cool White' surrounding a 'Benito Chiba'. I rarely do mixed pots because I don't usually know which plant will smother the other, but with this combo I knew BC would take an overstory role with CW taking up the understory. Plus the color combo is just stunning.

Grabbed this as an unlabeled Primulina in a greenhouse, though I suspect it is a 'Piccolo' that lost its tag. Initially it had a bit of gold splashing, but it is trying to stabilize into some margin variegated forms. I'm curious to see where it goes down the line.

This selection was named by Barry Yinger of Monstera 'Thai Constellation' fame. This was the companion plant of the margin variegated Pueraria 'Sherman's Ghost', which he also named. No two leaves are ever the same and can express with white and/or gold variegation. Not for the faint of heart. But still easier to manage than Wisteria or Trumpet Vine.

So it begins.... I've had this for about a year now growing under LED panels potted in coconut husk chips. I bought it as a large specimen, but it's still managed to get about 50% more foliage since last summer. One of the things I really enjoy about growing them under LED panels is that the foliage perpetually blushes mauve. Given that the spike can get over 3' I've moved it off the shelves to give it more head room. Naturally I'll update in the future once it achieves more size.

I grabbed this Pep from a greenhouse growing in too much sun. At first I thought it was a 'Burbella' that was sun stressed, but months later it is twice as big and still a glowing garnet color. It has the texture of 'Burbella' and the color of 'Cayan'.

Update: I figured it out. It seems to be going under the name 'Red Burbella'