I ended up taking the Neoregelia back, but picked up what I think is a Guzmania today. Excuse my last post, it was a silly question (that's what I get for posting late at night, eh?).

I hope to provide some bloom pictures soon (I don't know enough about this one yet, but I think it has buds).




Thanks for looking,
Planto

Picked up this Calathea concinna 'Freddie' today. I've been eyeballing it for the last week and opted to go ahead and try it out. I figure even if it proves to be fussy and doesn't like me, I'd kick myself for not trying at all. It was the only one in town.



Planto

I love Calatheas! Though I don't have enough humidity for it..so I don't grow one. I will just watch with you Planto.

Tarev,
Hopefully not sitting together watching it shrivel up and die. I wasn't able to find much information about it online for some odd reason, but I did find a couple comments. One person said she had hers well away from a bright window and it was happy and blooming and another person stated it's not as fussy about watering as other Calatheas can be.

I have it inside on a humidity tray away from any direct light, so we shall see how it likes me. I'll provide an update in about a month (usually that's enough time to decide if something's not going to work out).

My only other experience with a Calathea was with one of the most difficult ones to grow ('Roseopicta') and at the time, I had no idea it was one of the difficult ones. That plant literally started to die on me overnight. I brought it home, tried to dry it out (it was pretty wet, but that's normal for plants around here, they're either wet or bone dry). It had been like that in the store for weeks (should of left it there! ) so I didn't think it was a big issue, but the next morning it was shriveled up and had collapsed. I mean I know I'm not an expert with plants, but that plant hurt my feelings.

Planto

And to think Calathea grows like grass in the Philippines..casually taken for granted at times

That is why I am steering away from it ..as pretty as it is..it likes that consistent warmth, moisture and humidity. I do remember them under some form of netting or under shade of trees. Or against a north facing wall.

Typically, tropical plants in the Philippines, we water them everyday, since it really gets too hot and humid later. And we have heavy downpours that these tropicals truly enjoy. Temps there at night is at low of 79F and high of 90++..so it is really challenging to match in our 4 season conditions here.

Oh, we will watch with care your Calatheas! Who knows, just some minor tweaks and it may thrive easily. Your timing in getting Calathea is good with the seasons transitioning to summer..the temps they love! I would be really interested to see how it reacts later in Fall and Winter when daylight shortens and temps go much cooler than it likes.

It's funny how some countries have plants and consider them weeds... here some are rarities.

Planto

Oh indeed! I am trying to encourage some friends there to explore once more gardening..well some have problem with space but there are ways to go around it.

Planto good luck. I purchased a Calathea a couple of weeks ago and I am watching it not looking very good. I thought since it was close to summer if I put it outside it would at least do good for the summer.

It could be suffering because we have been so cool. I am trying to decide if I should bring it indoors and put it in the fish tank. I usually grow plants that want high humidity in a 40 gal fish tank that I no longer use for fish.

Cinta,
It sounds like maybe the inside of the fish tank would be better (just a guess). Do you have a picture of yours?

Planto

I apologize, this plant doesn't really fall under indoor bloomers (I can't say I've ever read of one blooming), but I wanted to share.

I already have one of these (Syngonium podophyllum 'Berry Allusion'), but couldn't pass up the uniqueness of this one.







I also picked up a dwarf Scheflerra. What? It was on clearance and it looks really nice.

Planto

That is indeed a good idea to try Planto..maybe treat it like one of those hard to grow orchids that really require high humidity settings. Good luck!

Lovely foliage plant additions!

Hmmm..dwarf Schefflera..I think I started with a dwarf..and it has grown big like a monster

Planto..I just remembered..the best analogy of the growing conditions Calathea thrives in nicely..think sauna bath conditions..very hot and very sweaty humid.

Tarev,
I see yours in the database. And that's not very dwarf anymore (you're right)!

Planto

I know, also not really an indoor bloomer.



Planto

That is true..my schefflera always seems to try to make buds and I have it outdoors, but it never manages to proceed. Oh well, at least it ably endures our mild winters and dry heat in summer.

Plantomaniac08 said:Cinta,
It sounds like maybe the inside of the fish tank would be better (just a guess). Do you have a picture of yours?

Planto

The old fish tank works great for me through the winter for Begonias so I know it will work for this plant. I have a small Terrarium that I use for small cuttings of Begonias.

Talking about Terrairiums I saw a youtube instruction on how to make one out of picture frames from the dollar store. I am going to try to make a bigger one because I have purchased a couple more Begonias this year.

Planto, I thought I had a pic of the Calthea I just purchased but I don;t I will take a pic of the poor thing tomorrow.

My Hoya shooting star continues on with its happy sappy mode:

Hoya shooting star is done with its blooming and as usual it kicked its blooms. Peduncle is still fresh..seems it is still getting ready to make a new batch very soon, got to make sure the media stays wet. And I see a new leaf is forming as usual. So this would be like batch 3 on the same peduncle. Before I often overlook its need to really stay very moist at its root zone, so typically the peduncle dries out fast, as soon as it finishes off the blooms. Sitting the container in water surely helps a lot.

Just some June 2015 photo updates:
My noid Phal with double spikes..blooms on both spikes now:


Phal Baldan's Kaleidoscope..just quietly there, holding its blooms going into its 2nd month:
Just taking shots with and without flash:


Dendrobium Roy Tokunaga 'Spots' this is really wonderful, now into its 5th month in bloom, and actively growing 2 new canes too:

the two new canes:


Hoya shooting star-just continuing on now forming a new leaf and old peduncle gearing up for its 3rd batch of buds: