| Image | Plant | Status | Notes | Events |
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Crinkle Leaf Plant (Adromischus cristatus) |
Have Cactus, Xeriscape Houseplants and Tropicals Perennials Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
Grew well in 2023 as a new plant. Is overwintering well and making babies. Looking forward to potting up more this spring in 2024. | February 3, 2023: Obtained plant (To replace the one the squirrels attacked & destroyed.) July 17, 2023: Maintenance performed (Moved to the greenhouse from the garden window. Doing well. Flourishing. Did well in the garden window indoors during the winter.) |
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Spider Aloe (Aloe humilis) |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals Perennials Sedums and Succulents |
Purchased this plant in 2019, three succulents in the pot, Costco. Lovely, spiky aloe. | |
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Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) |
Have Cutting garden Houseplants and Tropicals Landscaping Plant New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Pollinators, Natives, Wildflowers |
Tender perennial, grown as an annual, received from Kirk Jones. New to me in 2023. Makes an excellent cut flower, bouquet flower with orange-red flowers accented with yellow hoods. BIG PLUS: a very long blooming season, early summer to fall. In the tropics, it is an evergreen subshrub. Excellent pollinator: butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other beneficial insects. |
June 3, 2023: Obtained plant (Received from Kirk Jones, former PG director who used to run a cut flower business. He recommends this plant for cut flower bouquets.) June 8, 2023: Transplanted (Planted in north flower bed by the Pennsylvania Sedge and wildflowers.) |
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King Begonia (Begonia 'Escargot') |
Have Feature plant Houseplants and Tropicals Shade Garden |
As of July 22nd, has grown in size, doing well. Protected from some cold nights (around 40 degrees) in June. Doing well even in the heat of July. | June 14, 2022: Obtained plant (At Turner's Nursery. Purchased several plants including two Rex Begonias.) June 15, 2022: Potted up (Potted up, placed in dappled shade by greenhouse.) |
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Begonia Jurassic™ Silver Point |
Have Container Garden Feature plant Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Shade Garden |
May 17, 2023: Obtained plant (Purchased at the Holland Farmers Market, opening day. Two musicians, hard structure roofs to protect vendors from rain. Nice setup! Holland is a lovely place to visit, and we lucked out missing the crowds and still enjoying the late tulips.) |
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Rex Begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum Shadow King™ Strawberry Sherbet) |
Have Feature plant Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Shade Garden |
As of July 22nd, has grown in size, doing well on green chair on patio, dappled shade. Protected from some cold nights (around 40 degrees) in June. Doing well even in the heat of July. | June 14, 2022: Obtained plant (Purchased at local nursery, Turners. What a beauty!) June 15, 2022: Transplanted (Potted up. Have a shady spot for it (dappled shade) on the patio. ) September 29, 2022: Cuttings stuck (Took leaf and stalk cuttings and put indoors or in the greenhouse.) October 1, 2022: Cuttings stuck (Put in humid domes (covered containers) in greenhouse. Also took cuttings for for indoor water sprouting.) October 5, 2022: Winterized (Soaked in water with some Dawn dish soap to deal with bugs. Also watered afterwards with "Mosquito Bits." Will see if this helps the fungus gnats problem. Plan to retreat in 10 -15 days. Plant is now indoors and is being misted to help maintain higher humidity.) |
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Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Vines & Creeping Shrubs |
Receiving seeds from a seed swap. Notes: Calliandra californica Shrub Height – 6 to 13 feet (2 to 4 meters) Exposure – full sun, part sun Soil – well-drained Foliage – deciduous or evergreen, depending on the climate Flowering – April to August Soak the seeds in warm water (same temperature you'd get a baby's bottle) for a day. Plant the seeds in soil mix and keep it moist but not too wet to avoid mold. Sprouting should occur after 10-20 days. Native to tropical climates, this plant needs sun and moisture to develop well. Growing calliandra: Choose a mostly sheltered spot, preferably endowed with a lot of light. Calliandra presents high needs in terms of moisture since it comes from tropical climates. To compensate the dryness of the air, you can rest the pot on a bed of gravel or clay pebbles that are doused with water: evaporation will rise and weave through the leaves. Watering is required frequently in summer, especially if the weather is warm. Slowly reduce the amount of water you provide in fall, matching the waning days and temperatures. Avoid heat sources such as radiators. Source: https://www.nature-and-garden.... |
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Swallowtail Plant (Christia obcordata) |
Want (Love to have)Houseplants and Tropicals Tender Perennial (Michigan) Want to Have |
Incredible plant, needs high humidity. Does go dormant. | |
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Rosary Vine (Crassula 'Baby's Necklace') |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
January 2023: Plant is thriving in winter quarters indoors and growing tall. Will break some off and do some starts in small pots soon. | September 29, 2022: Obtained plant (Ordered from Mountain Crest Gardens. Plant arrived well packaged, though fragile. 1 piece broke off, using as cutting. Potted up, watered and placed in greenhouse. ) October 11, 2022: Winterized (Soaked in mild soap solution and used BT (Mosquito Bits) to prepare plant for overwintering. Moved indoors from greenhouse. ) |
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Variegated String of Buttons (Crassula perforata 'Variegata') |
Have Container Garden Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
April 4, 2023: Obtained plant (Purchased at Lowe's. Put in a container with a couple other plants and will endeavor to keep it going, also protected from rain this year.) | |
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Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus Graceful Grasses® King Tut®) |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds |
Will keep this as a water garden summer plant and as an indoor houseplant. Per garden advice (and YouTube videos), it is an aggressive grower, so best grown in pots. | June 6, 2022: Obtained plant (Bought at a local nursery & added to the small water garden. ) September 30, 2022: Maintenance performed (Brought into the new greenhouse to protect from frost. ) October 15, 2022: Winterized (Brought indoors to overwinter. As of mid November, doing well, new sprout starting. 🙂 Is in a slotted pot inside a larger pot filled with water. ) October 29, 2023: Winterized (Soaked the plant on Oct 28, repotted and brought indoors Oct 29. In new pot in water.) |
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Dragon Tree (Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia) |
Prev Houseplants and Tropicals |
Bought this plant in 2017 to replace an Avocado tree that was given away. It is actually two plants (pictured, side by side) that are branching out into a substantially sized tropical tree that summers outdoors. This may be Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia 'Colorama' - I bought it as a full one pot sized tree in 2017. In 2022 it is now two substantial sized indoor trees that thankfully fit into two tall slender pots and are doing well indoors during Michigan winter. |
June 5, 2017: Obtained plant (Bought as a small tree. Is becoming a healthier large pair of trees (!) in 2021. Does well with a three-light pole light providing supplemental light in the winter. Healthy.) August 15, 2021: Transplanted (Transplanted into two new pots with refreshed soil.) October 18, 2023: Transplanted (This plant got so huge I needed to give them away. They grew into two large trees! Were nice while I had them.) |
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Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) |
Prev Houseplants and Tropicals |
October 17, 2021: Obtained plant (Bought at an end of season sale. There is new growth on the plant. Will repot it, bring it in for the winter, and will give it the sunniest spot I can find to overwinter, and will mist it.) July 23, 2022: Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc) (Compared to my other plants, got bored with the one. Didn't want to fiddle with it (hah) compared to growing a real, fruiting fig that I am planting in its place.) |
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Garland Chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria) |
Have Annuals Decorative Edibles Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Veggies, Tomatoes |
Shungiku, New in 2021 from FreeHeirloomSeeds.org These are chrysanthemum type Asian greens that have pretty white - yellow blooms are are also eaten as a leafy vegetables in soup and stir fries. They have an astringent tang. | March 22, 2021: Seeds sown (New heirloom plant in 2021. Planted at Project Grow. ) May 15, 2021: Plant emerged (Ferny foliage emerging at Project Grow garden.) |
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Tufted Airplant (Guzmania) |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals |
February 16, 2021: Obtained plant (Bought plant locally) | |
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Haworthia turgida var. longibracteata |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
NOTES from vendor: This genus tolerates high heat by slowing down and eventually going dormant in the peak of summer. This means that, unlike other succulents, it is important not to over-water or fertilize during summer dormancy and water a bit more frequently in the winter growing season. Haworthia are slow growers and tend to stay small in pots, but they will produce new offsets in clumps around their bases. These offsets can be left to develop into a dense clump or pulled off and transplanted. | September 29, 2022: Obtained plant (Ordered from Mountain Crest Gardens. Plant arrived well packaged and in excellent condition. Potted up, watered and placed in greenhouse. Will let it dry out per instructions for genus. Active growing season is Fall, Winter, Spring. It goes dormant in Summer. ) October 11, 2022: Winterized (Soaked in mild soap solution and used BT (Mosquito Bits) to prepare plant for overwintering. Moved indoors from greenhouse. ) |
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Flapjacks (Kalanchoe luciae) |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
January 2023: Small plant is doing well indoors but growing slowly. Will see how it does in 2023 summer. | September 29, 2022: Obtained plant (Ordered from Mountain Crest Gardens. Plant arrived well packaged, just in need of a little water. Several days later, it was fully hydrated and looking good.) October 11, 2022: Potted up (Soaked and used BT (Mosquito Bits) to prepare plant for overwintering. Moved indoors from greenhouse.) |
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Common Lantana (Lantana camara) |
Have Container Garden Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
Seeds from seed swap. | |
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Mandevilla splendens |
Have Container Garden Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
AKA Dipladenia. January 2023. Is doing very well indoors. Has retained all of its leaves. Daily misting helps. Is prone to red aphids. I have to watch for these like a hawk. NOTE: Sap is toxic and can irritate the skin. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when pruning and clean pruning shears before and after. Inspect for pests. Is under bright indoor grow lights. As directed, I am not fertilizing in winter. I am misting daily to maintain humidity. and it is working great Bugs: APHIDS! Also am watching for mealybugs (Pseudococcidae), spider mites (Tetranychidae) and scale insects (Coccoidea) indoors. Will put back in greenhouse in April, then outdoors in May after the 20th when temperatures are consistently above 50°F. Tip: Dipladenia may lose its leaves over the winter. In spring, they should grow back. So far, the plant is lush and green January 2023. Directions here: https://tikbow.com/garden/dipl... April 2023. I won the aphid war and they stopped infesting the plant by early April. Now the plant is in the greenhouse, mainly because there's white little critters somehow crawling around in the dirt in the plant's drip plate underneath. Out it goes, and it now has flower buds as of April 23, 2023. |
June 10, 2022: Obtained plant (Obtained locally. Grew well over the summer in a partial sun spot on the south facing fence shaded by a small amelanchier tree.) September 28, 2022: Maintenance performed (Moved into greenhouse. Forecast 38 degrees at night.) October 15, 2022: Winterized (Brought indoors after soaking soil and treating with Neem. Regardless of preventative measures, still prone to red aphids indoors. Using an organic insecticidal spray (Castile soap, a tad of vinegar, minced garlic) and will report back. Neem and DEarth did nothing to stop the infestation.) April 21, 2023: Maintenance performed (Moved to the greenhouse, especially after finding little white creepy crawlies in the dirt under the drip saucer indoors (I've fought off the adult aphids but still!) ) |
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Passion Flower (Passiflora edulis) |
Have Berries, Fruit Decorative Edibles Feature plant Houseplants and Tropicals Vines & Creeping Shrubs |
Planning to leave and remove in spring. Did not flower again. I will put my attention to a new Plumeria (yellow) that I plan to overwinter and then grow outdoors in May - October. | November 3, 2021: Potted up (Brought in this 3 year old plant for another winter indoors. This is Passiflora edulis, the tender passion fruit plant, that is frost tender and NOT native to Michigan. It is native to Hawaii and tropical - warm weather climates. I hope I can get it to flower and set fruit, if I'm lucky, in 2022.) |
