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KPOV – The Point
Gardening: Get Good At It
Houseplants - The Unusual, The Weird, The Wonderful
March 10. 2015
Segment II
In our second installment about houseplants, let’s take a look at some of the more
unique ones not often found in most homes. While our late winter weather keeps us
inside, why not try adding some variety to your house plant collection? Find some that
may do strange things or look, wellll, different or perhaps add a wonderful treasure that
blooms all year. Here are a few to consider with comments about their uniqueness and
some tips on care needs.
The Venus Flytrap may not be as quick as a fly swatter, but it can get the job done.
Whenever a bug walks across the “jaws” or tiny hairs along the edge of the leaf, the leaf
closes quickly enough to capture the insect and then it’s digested and absorbed by the
leaf. These are one of easiest carnivorous plants to grow and their few requirements
are wet roots, high humidity, and, poor, acidic soil. One way to grow the Flytrap is to
keep it in a terrarium or fish tank with an opening to allow insects to enter. Or you can
simply feed it a slug and a couple of insects (live ones) every month. No hamburger,
please. Only insects.
Another strange little plant, the caput medusae or octopus plant has several names and
but is commonly known as the flowering air plant. Its snake-like leaves and
appearance remind one of its namesake, the Greek myth character, Medusa. Mount
this Medusa on wood, tree fern fiber, rock, cork or something similar and place it
horizontal, upside down or upright. Simply put the plant where there is bright filtered
light, water by misting regularly with a sprayer, especially in summer. The caput prefers
humid conditions, something to be aware of during the winter months, too, when the
heat is turned up.
If you’re into “weird” consider the Mimosa pudica with the common names “Touch-menot” or fainting plant. When the feathery leaves are touched, no matter how lightly, they
will fall onto one another and collapse a small section of the plant. Recovery usually
occurs within half an hour as long as the plant isn’t played with too frequently. Beautiful
pom-pom like flowers arrive in mid spring and last till early fall. The plant does become
unsightly by autumn and many gardeners prefer to start over with a new plant in the
spring. What a great way to introduce children to fascinating plant behavior and so
much easier than keeping a fainting goat in the yard.
Ferns are a popular plant to have in the home and the Davallia offers a distinctly
different look from the usual fern. These have a furry rhizome, or stem-like apparatus,
which creeps over the pot, around the pot, and around each other giving the
appearance of a large furry hedgehog with fern attachments. My Davallia has been an
easy-care plant that elicits many comments when anyone approaches. One friend
refuses to try touching the rhizomes saying they remind her of a tarantula spider. Grow
these in medium light, water moderately and use a standard liquid fertilizer every two to
three weeks.
Now for the wonderful: Take a look at the attributes of the Columnea plant which has
long trailing stems, beautiful shiny dark-green foliage and can flower year round. One
of the common names for the Columnea is goldfish plant and there are several varieties
with different colored flowers. Positive attributes include being easily repotted,
requiring little water and having fish-shaped flowers. My Columnea plant receives many
compliments especially when it’s still blooming during the winter months.
Since these plants all have many common names, you will be able to further research
then through their scientific titles by reading this presentation on our KPOV website.
Keep in mind each of these are a more specialized and require different methods of
watering, amounts of light and, in some cases, different kinds of winter care. For
information regarding this segment or for any other gardening topics, go to
gocomga.com and click on the KPOV tab on the orange bar. Our OSU Extension Plant
Clinic will open again this spring for other garden questions. This has been gardening,
get good at it. Thanks for listening.
Resources:
“Success With Houseplants” - Reader’s Digest Assoc., Inc. 1979, Pleasantville, New
York/Montreal
Unusual House Plants Selection – Growing and Caring
http://www,houseplantsexpert.com
International Carnivorous Plant Society
http://www.carnivorousplants.org/howto/GrowingGuides
Botanical Society of America
http://botany.org/Carnivorous_Plants