Plant of the Month – Ficus Triangularis

In the interior world it’s not that often that we get a plant that’s new and different from the common Palm or Dracaena.  That’s why, Ficus triangularis is definitely a top pick when it comes to an unusual specimen plant that will stand out and woo your guests. My Mom just fell in love with this plant the first time she saw it, reminding her of her Gingko biloba trees and their fan-shaped leaves.

The leaves of Ficus triangularis are by far the main attraction, with their very cool triangle shape and dark stem coming out of the tips creates contrast on this free-formed plant.

These native Malaysian plants are rare, so when you see them, I would recommend grabbing them while you can.  I bought a beautiful 6 foot specimen for my Mom on Mother’s Day and told her that I’d take care of it for her (knowing how little care it would need).

Being in the Ficus family, these plants need at least medium to bright light and don’t want to be over watered.  I sub-irrigated my Mom’s in a Jardiner and water it about every other week, right now since it’s been hot.   The dark green, fleshy leaves seem to de-tract dust and only fall when you’ve stressed it out, unlike it’s Ficus benjamina relative that seem to rain leaves on a regular basis. I’d consider Ficus triangularis to be a clean interior plant, even with it’s yearly production of pea-sized green figs that dry up and fall off the tree in the summer months. This small nuisance is forgivable given all of the other wonderful aspects of this beauty.  It can grow about 8 feet max and 4 feet wide, but with their slow growth they could easily controlled at shorter heights making Ficus triangularis an excellent choice for any amateur interior plant enthusiast.

Plant of the Month – Bromeliad Neoregelia

Neoregelia Bromeliads, part of the Pineapple family, are native to eastern Brazil and come in a variety of fantastic forms, sizes and colors.  Bromeliads are epiphytes, which means that in the wild they live attached to trees catching nutrients from the air and will thrive with little care.  A slight dampening of the soil every three weeks, less than an ounce in the “cup” and you have a hardy plant that will brighten your dwelling for months to come.

The symmetry of the foliage emerging out from the center of these painted rosettes makes this something to stop and admire.  The interior Neoregelia species don’t have towering flower bracts like other Bromeliads you may be familiar with (like Guzmania and Aechmea), their flowers stay closer to the central cup and their new leaves emerge from this blushing center in purple, pink, orange, red, burgundy, chartreuse, yellow, green, grey, stripped, spotted and variegated colors.  They grow in a flat pattern, usually under 10 inches and spreading between 8-20 inches depending on the variety.

Neoregelias can be planted in mass to make a dramatic statement, but are equally as brilliant as a stand-alone plant on your coffee table or paired with other foliage plants. Talk about a conversation piece, it’s practically living sculpture!  Place them in bright indirect light and you’ll get a thriving color plant for 6-12 months or longer!

For more detailed information, check out this site on Bromeliads.

Plant of the Month – Chamaedorea falcifera

Chamaedorea falcifera is an elegant and durable new plant related to the Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii).  Bred with thicker pinnate leaflets and similar bamboo style multiple-trunks, this graceful plant can act as a medium sized specimen that won’t overcrowd your personal yoga retreat and only add to the chi of your space. Chamaedorea falcifera’s tropical, upright stature would fit any room of the house or office usually grown 5-7‘ tall and 3-4’ wide.

Chamaedorea is a genus of 107 species of palms, native to subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas.  They are small palms and grow naturally in the understory of the rain forests, making these plants ideal for use indoors. They are durable, clean and easy to care for when they are given the proper care (and love).

When I was first introduced to this plant 2 years ago, it looked like a fragile plant that would surely die a slow death, but after purchasing one and seeing it thrive with little care I was convinced that it was a keeper.  I love this plant for narrow walkways, offices, bedrooms, and yes of course my one-day-Zen-yoga-retreat!

Plant of the Month – Poinsettia ‘Monet’

‘Tis the season to honor, Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly named Poinsettia, indigenous to Mexico but mass-produced as the staple icon of Christmas.  Poinsettias have been cultivated into almost every color imaginable (white, cream, pink, red, orange, burgundy, salmon, yellow, peach and a multitude of variegated varieties), but most people still prefer the common RED varieties.  Although, for me, I tend to like something a little unusual and unique but still keeping with the spirit of Christmas.  This is why I’ve chosen Poinsettia ‘Monet’ as our Christmas Plant of the Month. 

‘Monet’ is a blue-ribbon winner in the Society of American Florists’ new varieties competition. Its multicolored bracts (modified leaves, not flowers) are daubed with shades of red, deep rose, and cream reminding some of Claude Monet’s paintings, hence the name.  Poinsettia ‘Monet’ reminds me of a white poinsettia that has been meticulously sprayed with a can of red spray paint.  It’s gorgeous and pairs wonderfully with both Red and White Poinsettia varieties.

Are Poinsettias’ poisonous?

One common misconception about poinsettias is that they are poisonous.  I did a little research and found out that this is not true.  And although, the sap may cause an allergic reaction, The Poisindex Information Service states that over 500 leaves ingested by a 50-pound child would demonstrate no toxicity.  And honestly, if you plan to ingest 500 poinsettia leaves, I really think that toxicity is the least of your problems. 

The Legend of Poinsettias

The last note I want to leave you with is a charming story I came across about the origin of Poinsettias.  The story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve services. As Pepita walked sorrowfully to church, her cousin Pedro tried to console her. “Pepita,” he said, “I am certain that even the most humble gift, given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.” Pepita gathered a bouquet of common weeds from the roadside, for this was the only gift she could give. As she entered the chapel and approached the alter, her spirits lifted. Forgetting the humbleness of her gift, the girl laid the weeds at the feet of the Christ Child. Suddenly, Pepita’s ordinary weeds burst into brilliant red blooms! This miraculous event was named the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night. Today, we call these flowers poinsettias.

For more info on your poinsettia, the Do’s and Don’ts, How to re-bloom your plant and other varieties.  Visit the company that popularized this beautiful holiday flower and has been leading the industry for over 75 years.  PAUL ECKE RANCH

If you have any questions or comments about Poinsettias or anything at all, we would love to hear your feedback!

Plant of the Month – Sansevieria trifasciata Golden Hahnii

PLANT OF THE MONTH – Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Golden Hahnii’

This stunning little gem of a plant may be small in stature, only growing 4-6 inches, but can really make a beautiful and striking impact in your home. Its architectural beauty and natural rosette form gives you the sense of a flower for your indoor garden all year round! Great things come in small packages making ‘Golden Hahnii’ one of my favorite small package plants!

Sansevieria trifasciata ’Golden Hahnii’ is drought tolerant, clean and can thrive in many indoor light conditions. I just love a plant that you can stick in a room and not have to mess with every other day, easy and simple. Plus it has this unique and soft cream variegation which I would always contrast with a dark pot, wall or other plant material to enhance its character. For example, combining, ‘Golden Hahnii’ with its taller, deep green relative, Sansevieria trifasciata (aka Snake Plant or Mother-In-Law’s tongue), dress the soil with river stones and Ta-Da an instant Zen Garden in a pot!

Does this plant interest  you?  Let us know!

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