This has been a great year for Anthuriums here on The Edge. Early in the year I visited a LGC [Local Garden Center] that is a bit further away and so is only visited about once a year.
'Otazu!' They had this spectacular plant with very dark burgundy flowers. Sexy!
I brought him home and found out that at least three of his blooms had been fertilized.
Look at those bulges on his spadix!
I harvested one to start myself (which I will post about in the future unless ALL the seeds get fungus [can you guess how it's going so far?]) and I mailed one to Mr. Subjunctive over at PATSP. He's much better at seeds than I am. If he has time between routine care for his over 1000 house plants. [and people say I have too many plants! Ha!]
Then, during July, The Husband and I went down to Connecticut for a weekend get a way.
No trip to Connecticut is complete without a trip to Logee's. This is a houseplant fanatic's wet dream. Well, at least humid dream. Their greenhouses are packed with plants. Benches contain plants in pots for sale but planted right in the ground are the show pieces (and probably stock plants). Huge, gorgeous houseplants fill the space. You often have to turn sideways to get past them.
And there, tucked in the back, a PURPLE ANTHURIUM.
This plant has been on my desperately want list since I saw one in a garden in Panama. I'd gotten to the point I was considering ordering one from Hawaii (or Florida if I could find a mail order place there that actually had them in stock) and pay the outrageous shipping.
I wish this one had come fertilized. Maybe I can try to fertilize it myself....
At this point I thought my life was complete. I had my dream Purple Anthurium.
Then I visited another LGC that isn't so L. What did they have?
ORANGE!
Wow!
Now what am I going to lust after?
Oh, yeah.
Tacca chantieri image by Pismire via Wikimedia Commons
TAAACCCCCAAAAA.
I think I might need more plant room though.
You found a purple Anthurium! Yay!
ReplyDeleteThat orange one looks awfully similar to 'Florida,' the one I have. Not that there aren't a million orange Anthuriums, but the huge spathe, and the fact that I know 'Florida' is readily available in wholesale, make me think that might be it. I just wish it were pollinatible. I've tried so many times already, and nothing.
Taccas are bad news, from what I've heard -- my ex-job has gotten them occasionally since I left, and they seem to do fine for a while and then turn brown and crispy once winter arrives. This is probably because of the hot, dry air from the heaters in the greenhouse. On the other hand, I've also seen them manage to rebloom Taccas, so they may not be impossible indoors, just very very difficult.