Sansevieria Laurentii care indoor: how to grow a Snake plant with yellow edges

When I saw the plant for the first time I fell in love with it. These leaves with yellow edges and light-green horizontal stripes charmed me. Oh! This amazing succulent looks like an green-yellow flame. Therefore I was happy like a child when one of flower lovers gave me a shoot of the "phyto-flame". 

Sansevieria Laurentii

I'm talking about Sansevieria Laurentii (S. trifasciata Laurentii). This is a variegated cultivar of a Snake plant (the succulent also known as a Mother-in-Low tongue and Saint Georgie's sword). It isn't a big plant. My S. Laurentii has a medium size. Therefore this green friend is suited for a small space. And that's not all. This lovely ornamental plant is able to flower! My "yellow Snake plant" is flowering now. It is another reason why I'm writing about the succulent. 

Sansevieria Laurentii in flower

What does Sansevieria trifasciata Laurentii demand indoor?

Care of this houseplant is not a big deal. Green-yellow "phyto-snake" prefers bright diffused light and infrequent watering. Plant lovers, triumph! We may irrigate this plant by tap water. Also this phyto-alien bears dry air. He doesn't need spraying even if he grows near a radiator. However this stoic has an Achilles' heel. He is afraid of over-watering. I water the plant once a week.

Sansevieria trifasciata and S. trifasciata Laurentii are flowering abreast

Also I'd like to speak about flowers of Sansevieria Laurentii. They look like tiny white Bengal flames. The flowers are very fragrant. The scent of the Sansevieria reminds the aroma of lily. A snake plant with yellow edges flowers at night. (It starts to flower in the evening and finishes to bloom in the morning).


P.S. My big Sansevieria trifasciata (a "common" Snake plant with green striped leaves) is flowering too. The plants are smelling sweet together.

How to grow a Miniature Cambria orchid indoor: my yellow Thumbelina

This amazing orchid looks like a toy. The plant is smaller than a palm. Its flowers have size of a coin. It's a Miniature Cambria. This orchid is not a common houseplant. However care of the green friend is not difficult. Today I'm going to tell you about how to grow a Miniature Cambria orchid indoor.

A Miniature Cambria

I bought this plant recently. The seller suggested me to choose one orchid of two. (The flowers had yellow and pink colors). I couldn't make a choice because the orchids were beautiful. "Yellow or pink? Pink or yellow?" - I had hesitated in my choice. At last I decided. "I'd like to buy the yellow orchid!" - I said. The seller packed up the plant. And the phyto-Thumbelina has settled down on my windowsill.

The orchids are talking

Care of this miniature orchid is the same as care of a Cambria with standard size. The "Motherland" of these plants is greenhouses because a Cambria was selected from other orchids (from a Odontoglossum, a Miltonia, a Oncidium, a Cochlioda and a Brassia). This green friend is adapted to home conditions. What does the houseplant demand?

Howeara Chian-Tzy Lovely (My yellow Thumbelina)

This plant prefers diffused light, watering by soft warm water, high humidity (about 40%) and room temperature. I water my yellow Thumbelina once a week. However I' m going to reduce frequency of watering in Fall and in Winter.

My lovely mini orchid is flowering

My Miniature orchid is growing in a commercial soil (I suppose it's a coco soil). Nevertheless I plan to transplant the mini Cambria in a bark mix.

This plant doesn't require a rest period. Therefore a Cambia is able to bloom in any season. 


P.S. Oh, friends! My reader, an orchids lover, said me lately that my houseplant is Howeara Chian-Tzy Lovely! (The plant is hybrid of Leachilus, Oncidium and Rodreiguezia orchids). So, my cambria has a name. The name is Howeara!!!

How to grow Sansevieria sulcata (S. bacularis)

"The town-garden will be here in 4 years", - said Vladimir Mayakovsky. May be, my Sansevieria sulcata (S. bacularis) likes poems of this poet. This succulent has bloomed in 4 years after appearance at my flat. Today I would like to tell you about how to grow Sansevieria sulcata.
 

Sansevieria sulcata (S. bacularis)

This houseplant has an exotic form. Its sharp and long stems look like green arrows. The tips of this "arrows" are dry. It is norm for this succulent.

Sansevieria sulcata is a sister of a Snake plant (S. trifasciata). Therefore care of this exotic Sansevieria is the same as care of the "phyto-snake" in a pot.

The "green arrows"

The houseplant prefers bright diffused light, infrequent watering and poor soil. (When I going to transplant my S. bacularis, I buy a special commercial potting soil mix for cacti and succulents).

Sometimes I locate my plant on my wardrobe, because this green friend is very beautiful and he decorates my room interior. However I keep the houseplant at this shade place a few days. Than I return this succulent on the windowsill.

Exult! You should not filter water for watering. This plant likes a tap water!

My Sansevieria sulcata is blooming

However this green friend hates over-watering. The Sansevieria may rot in this case. Please, water your succulent very carefully. Usually I irrigate my "Arrow plant" once a week.

This houseplant blooms at night. Flowers of S. sulcata smell sweet. The scent is very intensive and nice. However some of people have head attack because of this smell. Fortunately, I can bear this aroma.



Every flower of this plant lives only one night. Nevertheless the buds of S. bacularis flower by turn, as a rule.

How to wake a Caladium: an Elephant ear plant in winter and in spring

A Caladium also known as an Elephant ear plant. But I call this houseplant "big heart" because huge leaves of this tropical phytoalien look like colorful hearts.

Some of plant lovers don't want to grow a Caladium at home because this green friend has a rest period in fall and in winter. (The top part of this plant dies. We should keep the bulbs and wait for spring, when Caladium bulbs wake up). Nevertheless I think it's good quality of this green person. 

A Caladium (an Elephant ear plant).

Many of tropical houseplants are afraid of dry air. Unfortunately they often wither in our houses in winter. However an Elephant ear plant can sleep in a pot and doesn't suffer of dry air in a room. Today I'd like to tell you about how to keep a Caladium bulbs in winter and how to wake a Calladium in spring.


I'm going to share with you my own experience of an Elephant ear plant cultivation indoor.

The bulbs of my Caladium sprouted in the soil at a shade place!

My gorgeous green friend started to fall asleep in last August. His leaves had been withering little by little. I knew this member of Aroid (Araceae) family of plants has a rest period and didn't worry about it. However I reduced frequency of watering. 


When the leaves died I located the pot with Caladium bulbs in a shade place. I wet the soil from time to time because the substrate shouldn't be dry. 

Once they will be big Elephant ears...

Experts say that the perfect temperature for the bulbs is 55.4-66.4 degrees Fahrenheit (13-18 degrees Celsius). But I kept their with room temperature. And they have survived!



4 weeks ago I noticed the bulbs sprouted in the soil. I transplanted
their in a new pot and located on my windowsill. One day the mini "shoots" will became big colorful Elephant ears or huge hearts...

The new leaves.

P.S. (5. 04. 2015).

My Caladium is growing!

Ceratostylis rubra: an amazing ruby orchid

Do you like rubies? I think the best ruby for an orchid lover is flower of Ceratostylis rubra. This ceratostylis is a miniature orchid with thin sharp leaves and red-orange flowers. They are tiny but very colorful. Flowers of this mini orchid shine as small ruby stars. Today I'm going to tell you about how to grow Ceratostylis rubra indoor.

Ceratostylis rubra

I've consulted about care of this flower with Denis Silchenko (mail: dem4ig@ukr.net), who is a collector of rare orchids. Denis has many unusual plants at his home. I will tell you about another miniature orchids from his collection in my next posts. However today our hero is Ceratostylis rubra.

This floral character prefers high humidity (near 80%). Therefore Denis recommend to cultivate Ceratostylis rubra in a mini orchidarium. If you decide to grow your green pet on a windowsill, you have to add moisture to the air or else the plant may die. This green person is afraid of dry air.

"A small red star". Ceratostylis rubra in the Denis Silchenko's mini orchidarium

Also this ruby orchid likes bright diffused light. It needs sun ray in morning or in evening. Nevertheless if you grow the mini plant on a southerly windowsill, you have to shade your flower at noon. 

In addition this mini orchid demands temperature drop. Difference between day and night temperatures should be 41-44.6 degrees Fahrenheit (5-7 degrees Celsius).

Watering of this plant should be very gingerly. Ceratostylis rubra doesn't stand over watering and under filling. The substrate should always be slightly wet. 

As a lot of tropical orchids, the plant loves warm wind but doesn't bear cool draught. Many flower lovers grow this "ruby star" near a fan. My consultant makes wind for his orchids by the instrumentality of... computer coolers.


If you cultivate the ceratostylis on a windowsill you may plant it in a pot. However if you grow the orchid in a mini orchidarium, block planting is correct for this mini houseplant.

On the pictures: The orchid from the Denis Silchenko's collection. The photos was taken by the orchids collector specially for my blog.
 

A hyacinth in a pot: how to grow Hyacinthus indoor

The tender flowers of this plant look like colorful rain. A hyacinth in a pot is a popular gift for the spring days. My mother adores this flower. When I give her a hyacinth (Hyacinthus) she is very happy. Today I'm going to tell you about how to grow Hyacinthus indoor.

A hyacinth in a pot

This spring duke is beautiful in all respects. He has got amazing leaves and flowers. Even the bulb of a hyacinth is nice. It looks like a wonderful dome. However many of plant lovers value scent of plant first of all. As you know, hyacinth flowers smell sweet. The scent is a component of many luxury perfume compounds. For example, Cristalle Chanel has aroma of hyacinth in the middle notes.

Our spring duke

A hyacinth is an outdoor plant. This creature of Nature often is a decoration of gardens and parks. Nevertheless this flower can grow at our houses not long. Care of Hyacinthus is not very difficult.

A pink hyacinth (Hyacintus)

A hyacinth in a pot prefers a light place. Cool is better than warm for this green friend. This spring duke may fade fast in a warm room. If you locate your blooming flower at a room with low temperature (46-50 degrees Fahrenheit/ 8-10 degrees Celsius) the flowering will be long-continued. But this plant requires room temperature before the blooming.

Also this flower loves regular watering. But water shouldn't drop on the bulbs. We have to water this plant very gingerly.


Our green friend likes to play hide-and-seek. The top of the plant dies after the blossom fading. However the bulb is live. It can grow in a garden. We should cut a dead part of a hyacinth, keep the bulb and plant it outdoor in a warm season.

Banana water for fertilizing a Miniature rose

Today I'm going to tell you about an unusual method of fertilizing a Miniature rose. It's feeding the flower by... banana water. A Miniature rose really adores this fruit. As you know, a banana contains potassium (K). This chemical element is necessary for rose blooming. I'd like to tell you about how to make banana water for fertilizing a Miniature rose.

My lovely red rose

1. Take a banana and peel it.

2. Cover a banana peel with 0,26 gallon (1 litre) of water. You may use an jar or another vessel.

Bananas: a pulp for you; a peel for your rose

3. Put the vessel at a dark warm place. Keep a banana peel in water during 20-24 hours. 

4. When banana water becomes dark, it will be prepared for use. Pour the water from the jar to a watering can and water your rose.

  

My beautiful white rose

How to fertilize a Miniature rose by banana water.

1. Water the flower before the fertilizing.


2. Wait at least a half an hour. Then add  banana water to the flower pot.

3. Use banana water twice a month instead of a commercial fertilizer. Usually I alternate these fertilizers.

4. Fertilize a Miniature rose only in Spring and in Summer.

My Miniature rose adores banana water

My own experience of usage banana water for fertilizing Miniature roses. I found out about this method from one of rose lovers. My flowers adore banana water. Last Spring I counted 9 buds on my lovely red rose!

A myrtle care: How to grow Myrtus communis at home

Today I'm going to tell you about how to grow Myrtus communis (a Common myrtle) indoor. Plant lovers say that growing of a this tree is difficult. I agree with this statement. Nevertheless I have been cultivating the houseplant for 4 years! I want to betray you the secret: a myrtle care depends on a season.

A Common myrtle (Myrtus communis)

  In Spring

Spring is a good time for the green person. As a rule, in this season a myrtle doesn't give a plant grower a lot of trouble because the houseplant gets everything required. Spring pampers our green pet by the caressing sun, humid air and warm days without oppressive heat.

My lovely myrtle tree

We should locate a myrtle at a light place and water the plant when the topsoil dries out. (I water my myrtle daily in a warm season). Also we have to protect our green friend from plant pests.The enemies of Myrtus communis are red spiders, thrips, aphids, coccids, tortoise scales etc.


! In Spring we often transplant our "phytopets". Please, transplant a Common myrtle only by a transposition method because this houseplant has a fragile root system.

In Summer

A myrtle in Summer

A myrtle needs bright light all year round. However if the plant grows on a sunny windowsill in summertime this green person often suffers from the heat. This luxuriant tree may shed the leaves of the overheat.

 ! A common myrtle isn't deciduous houseplant. If our green pet sheds the leaves we have to rescue the tree as soon as possible.



If you cultivate the plant indoor I recommend you to shade the plant in hot days. You may use a tulle, a jalousie, another gadgets for shading. They are able to protect a myrtle from overheat. Also we should spray the plant regularly. 

In addition we may locate a Common myrtle in a garden or on a veranda. In Summer this plant grows outdoor perfectly well.

In Fall

A Common myrtle in Fall

A myrtle tree fells fine on a windowsill in Fall. In September and October care of this plant is the same as in Spring. However in November we have to locate Myrtus communis in a cool room. This green person is afraid of dry air. Our green pet may die near a radiator in a cool season.

! This houseplant bears pruning. We may prune a Common myrtle even in Autumn. Usually I clip my myrtle tree in Spring and in Fall. 

A lot of plant lovers like topiary gardens of myrtles on the windowsills. However I prefer "artistic confusion" in a pot. I prune my Common myrtle only for regulation of its size.

In Winter

Myrtus communis in Winter

This green friend needs cool wintering. We should locate a Common myrtle in a room with temperature 41-44,6 degrees Fahrenheit (5-7 degrees Celsius). In addition we have to reduce frequency of watering. 

If you decide to grow your tree in a warm room, place it far from radiators. You have to spay a myrtle frequently and water the plant daily in this case.

Let's sum up:

In a warm season a Common myrtle needs:

- light place (with shading in the hot days),
- room temperature (if the tree grows indoor),
- regular watering and spraying,
- fertilizing twice a month,
- plant pests protection,
- location outdoor (if it's possible).



In a cool season Myrtus communis requires:

- light place,
- cool temperature,
- diminished frequency of watering.
- draught protection.
 

Benefits of Orchids

Why do you grow orchids indoor? I have to confess that I do it for my esthetic delight. I really adore flowers and leaves of these wonderful plants. However these amazing creatures are not so idle. They do good to us! Let's talk about benefits of orchids.

A rose Phalaenopsis

1. They clean the air. Members of the Orchids Family can improve indoor air quality. According to NASA researches, matchless Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium orchids absorb tolyene and xylene. We can breathe clean air thank to our green friends. May be, that is a reason why a Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis) and a Dendrobium are widespread houseplants.

Moth Orchids clean air

2. They feed us. We may eat some of orchid "fruits". For example, we often add to dishes "fruits" of a vanilla orchid. As you know, vanilla is produced from vanilla pods. Caution! We have to remember that most orchids are toxic. I don't recommend eat these plants.

My fragrant orchids in winter

3. They cure diseases. Some of orchids are "green doctors". They can cure our ailments. For example, a purple orchid (Orchis mascula I.) is a medicinal plant.


4. They keep our youth. Orchid extract is a valuable component of some of anti-aging creams. This extract can improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles.


5. They smell sweet. Many orchids are fragrant plants. They smell sweet and may substitute synthetic home fragrances. Also scent of orchids is a component of many luxury perfume compounds.

Dendrobium Nobile hybrid keiki care: Why my Dendrobium offspring blooms

Do you grow orchid keikeis? As you know, orchid ofshoots often doesn't flower. Nevertheless my Dendrobium Nobile hybrid keiki makes me happy. It has been flowering since last month! I'd like to devote this entry to Dendrobium Nobile hybrid keiki care. I'm going to tell you about why my Dendrobium offspring blooms.

"Waltz of the Flowers"

I got the keiki from one of flower lovers in September 2014. "I planted it in July. The keiki feels fine. However it has not bloomed yet", - the plant lover lamented. "But this plant is too young! I think that it isn't able for blooming", - I said. I didn't believe that the offspring can bloom.

"Born in Winter". The first flowers of my Dendr. bloomed in December

I brought the orchid keiki home and located the plant at a light place on my glassed loggia. And in October I detected the buds! When I detected them I was glad like a child. "My little orchid is going to bloom!", - I exclaimed. The first couple of flowers bloomed in December.

My Dendrobium Nobile hybrid keiki is blooming

Why does my Dendrobium Nobile hybrid keiki bloom? First of all, it lives in the sunlight. This orchid adores bright diffused light. I never locate the offspring in the shade.

Couples of the Flowers

In November I relocated my orchid keiki from the loggia to the room because this hybrid orchid is afraid of cold. Orchid lovers say that Dendr. Nobile needs a rest period without watering. They say that this contrivance stimulates the flowering. 

However I think that Dendrobium Nobile hybrid care differs from "pure-blooded" Dendrobium Nobile care. I didn't give a rest period for my orchid keiki. The beautiful "hard worker" has bloomed without this "floricultural trick"!

I water the plant when the soil dry fully.

Happy New Orchid!

My green pet has tender lilac-white flowers. This orchid is aromatic. The flowers smell sweet like luxury fresh scent perfumes. Also this hybrid Dendr. is a sociable green person. Flowers of the plant bloom in pairs, as a rule. 


It seems like they are dancing the Waltz.

How to plant a vanilla orchid

Do you like scent of vanilla? Do you want to grow this spice on your windowsill? I've told you about a simple method of a vanilla vine rooting in one of my post. As you might guess, this amazing vine is one of my favorite houseplants. Today I'd like to tell you about how to plant a vanilla orchid. 

Vanilla planifolia variegata

I planted my Vanilla planifolia variegata cutting last year. And I want to share with you my own experience of "transfer" a rooted vanilla cutting.


Step 1. Choose the flowerpot. We may plant the vine in a pottery pot, in a plastic pot or in a special orchids basket. I've chosen last item. The basket is good for a vanilla orchid because the roots breathe in this "house". However it isn't good for cleanness of the room because the soil may fall through basket's holes. I think that a pottery pot is suitable for a vanilla vine as well. Also some of plant lovers use a coco shell as an orchid pot. 

A plastic orchids basket

Step 2. Prepare the soil. A suitable soil for V.planifolia is chunks of bark, a coco coir or coco chips. One of advanced orchid lovers recommends to use a "coco soil". I use a coco coir for planting my vanilla orchid.

A vanilla orchid needs a support

You have to wet the soil before using. As you remember, we've told about planting a vanilla orchid. If you want to transplant the flower you should not wet the soil.

Step 3. Take the soil to the pot. 

Step 4. Plant the orchid. We should earth only the roots. Please, don't deep the stem. 

The plant needs a support. It may be a bamboo stick, a plastik stick or even a pen.

My vanilla orchid in the "mini hothouse"

Step 5. Make a mini hothouse. Vanilla planifolia needs period of adaptation after the planting. You ought to locate the plant in a mini hothouse. Take out the plant from the hothouse for a short while in order that the orchid may breathe air.


I use a plastic bag. I had located my vanilla vine in the bag after the planting. I had been keeping my vanilla orchid in the mini hothouse for 2 weeks and then I located it on my windowsill without the plastic bag.