r/matureplants

My grandmother-in-law’s over 15 year old philodendron

My family has had this plant for at least 36 years and it seemed on the verge of death for the last 10 years until maybe the past two years. It looks healthy to me now? Can someone confirm the species/cultivar?

Hi Ive recently put my old girl back outside.
Leaves are all standing up…..which I’ve seen before
But now they are curved.!
Does anyone know what strain my jade is ? and if she has sun stress or something?

Last night I finally got to watch my Trichocereus bloom, and I swear it instantly became my favorite houseplant... at least until another one catches my eye.

Honestly, my favorite plant is usually whichever one I'm currently looking at. They all have their own personality, and it's impossible to pick just one.

So now I'm curious—what's your favorite houseplant, and what makes it your favorite? Bonus points if you've got a picture. I love seeing what everyone else is growing.

Some plants can live far longer than any animal on Earth.

Here's a rough longevity tier list.

🌱 Around 100 years.
Many fruit trees, including apple and pear trees, can easily reach a century with good conditions.

🌳 Around 500 years.
Large oak trees and giant sequoias often live for several centuries, becoming entire ecosystems for other species.

🌲 Around 1,000 years.
Some cedar and cypress trees have survived for over a thousand years and are still growing today.

🌿 Around 5,000 years.
The Great Basin bristlecone pine is one of the oldest individual trees ever recorded. Some living specimens are over 4,800 years old.

But there's one organism that completely changes the conversation.

A colony called Pando in Utah isn't just one tree. It's a massive colony of genetically identical quaking aspens connected by a single underground root system.

The visible trees die and are replaced over time, but the root system keeps producing new trunks.

Scientists estimate that Pando may be around 14,000 years old, and some estimates suggest it could be even older.

In a way, it never really "dies." Individual trees come and go, but the organism itself survives.

It makes me wonder if longevity is really about keeping one body alive...

Or about finding a way for life to keep going, even when individual parts are constantly replaced.

Which do you think is the more impressive achievement: a single organism living for thousands of years, or an organism that continuously renews itself?

Owner is a Bonsai guy

This is Ellen. She is a 51 year old split leaf philodendron from Missouri.

My Mom got her in a Christmas gift exchange in college in 1975 as a single leaf in a styrofoam cup. She was one of the most contentious parts of my parent’s divorce.

My parents passed away and now I have the privilege of caring for her.

Isn’t she incredible??

When my office moved, the boss told us to get rid of this "thing". Needless to say I called dibs. It was about this size at the time. As I was heading down the elevator, someone offered me $100 for it. I was tempted (that's over $260 in today's money) but turned him down.

Sadly, my wife won't let me hang it from the ceiling.

My Peruvian, Apple cactus always seems to have flowers during the day

Literally nearly drove off the road with my gawking. Just growing away, totally wild on the side of the road. You see pothos everywhere here, but i've never seen anything like this with a philo.

Oh, the cuttings that shall be taken.

Anyone in Northern Taiwan looking for cuttings, let me know and ill send ya the location!

Planted seeds around 1985. The split trunk is 8’ tall and the single trunk is 7’.

Obsessed 🤩