Usually I'm not given to impulse purchases of any sort and putting sale tags on something won't even get me to look. But I look at plants anyway, so the price got me this week. A new person at the local Wal-Mart is pricing things to move out before they are ready for the trash bin or compost pile. That's a new thought - actually try to sell a plant that hasn't moved instead of letting it die. Here was my haul, starting with a dollar orchid. It was the last one left from Mother's Day. No info on what kind of orchid. I've never tried an orchid and a dollar is about all I'm willing to spend on a plant I'm not likely to manage very well.
***Update edit. Well, lots of this thread ended up being about the orchid - with good reason! The 2nd bud bloomed last week, so things are still looking good.
At $2.00, the bromeliad below cost twice as much as the orchid. The main plant is spent, but those two pups look big and healthy. I've had these before and have yet to be successful keeping the pups going, but I've been wanting to try again.
***Update edit. It's grown. I probably need help, advice and that sort of thing. I failed miserably on salvaging the pups when I tried a bromeliad before. I've done nothing with this plant yet. I just pulled it out of the mulch where I keep the pot basically buried and put it in the bird bath for the photo op. It's back in the mulch now. Can I just leave them and not try to repot the pups?
Another one for two bucks! I wish I'd bought two and I may go back and see if there is still one there. Here's a Parodia leninghausii also called 'Golden Ball Cactus' on the label (which used Notocactus instead of Parodia).
***Update edit. It's actually grown quite a bit. Everything above the area that looks sort of squeezed is new growth. The rate of growth surprised me. It must have wanted out of that small container!
At $2.62 this Cycus revoluta 'Sago Palm' may be my favorite buy.
***Update edit. Hard to tell just comparing the photos, but after sitting for a while doing nothing either way, it put up five fronds? leaves? whatever and they appear to have only just now stopped expanding, so that's a good bit of new growth. The hole in the container isn't a large one, so I sort of worry about drainage, but I don't water until it feels dry. Lots of rain lately, though.
And the most expensive one last - $4.99! This is Spartium junceum 'Spanish Broom'. I've wanted to try it since shortly after the drought set in. I'm finding a lot of variable info regarding cold tolerance and sun requirements. The label says 3-6 hours of sun and hardy to 10F. If I'm to believe that, then it can probably handle a lot of shade in my part of the world and would need protection once or twice for most of the winters we get. It'll probably be a container plant the first year.
***Update edit. A complete, utter failure. This plant is dead. Of all the sale plants, in theory this one is the most suitable to my growing conditions. It may be, but it's sure not immune to the grasshoppers. It doesn't really have leaves, but they ate the green skin off the stems. I would go out with a flashlight at night an pick of a dozen or so every night, but I couldn't stay ahead and the plant finally just gave it up. I hate the grasshoppers that eat the plants I'm trying to grow.
I'm a little leery of going back for a 2nd cactus. There were a lot plants at low prices and it's possible the clearance sale will hook me again
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