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Sep 27, 2017 4:16 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Do you ever have poor luck with one plant, then realize there's a similar looking one that likes the conditions you have to offer enough to be easy to get along with? I don't have the energy left today to post a couple examples but wanted to post the question before I forget about it. Look forward to hearing about &/or seeing your thoughts & finds!
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
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The only way to succeed is to try!
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The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
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Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Sep 28, 2017 5:35 AM CST
Name: Kristi
east Texas pineywoods (Zone 8a)
Herbs Region: Texas Vegetable Grower Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 2
purpleinopp said: Look forward to hearing about &/or seeing your thoughts & finds!



You baited me. I am watching your thread so I can hear about your thoughts on this... Whistling
Believe in yourself even when no one else will. ~ Sasquatch
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Sep 29, 2017 12:19 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
My general conditions are that plants are inside house for a few months of winter, than outside for the rest of the year. Heat is gas, per-room, so does not affect the humidity much, which stays relatively high during the cold season. Outside, there's brutal heat & oppressive humidity most of the rest of the year. Very low altitude, prolific dew most mornings. Some plants have spent the past couple winters in a just-above-freezing greenhouse, so I've not included experiences about those, which are not enough on which to base any kind of generalization.

My comments are not meant to disparage any plant, just relaying generalities I've seen over the years, mostly from people in USA, and my personal experiences in regard to the conditions I have available to offer. And of course, what I might consider similar, someone else might not. Visual interpretation is definitely totally subjective.

If one saw pencil cactus: Pencil Tree (Euphorbia tirucalli) and loved the look but did not have a spot with significant amount of sun, various Rhipsalis are so similar: https://garden.org/plants/sear...

Dieffenbachias (dumbcase), generally, get more complaints about being fussy than Aglaonemas (Chinese evergreens.) I have found that to be true also, never kept a Dief alive for more than a few yrs, where A. modestum Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) has been with me for decades, a stalwart but not variegated entity. There are red and pink-leaf styles of Ags out there, which Dief can't offer. A. commutatum has stripes instead of the solid mid-leaf variegation a Dief usually has:
Thumb of 2017-09-29/purpleinopp/e6308b

The "elephant ear" style is available in various genera, some of which like more sun, some prefer to be in the shadows, depending on location. Colocasia, Alocasia, Xanthosoma, Caladium.

If one wants an ivy-like vine but Hedera helix (English ivy) English Ivy (Hedera helix) keeps getting spider mites, a Hoya, Pothos, Philodendron, Cissus, or Syngonium might be enjoyable.

Fittonias (mosaic or nerve plants) https://garden.org/plants/sear... often have hissy fits about imperfect conditions, but Hypoestes (polka dot) Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) seems to have a wider range of acceptable conditions.

I don't recall ever seeing anyone show a pic of their really old Iresine (beefsteak or chicken gizzard) Bloodleaf (Iresine diffusa f. herbstii) plant but it's often mistaken for Coleus Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) that are more commonly kept alive indefinitely in the house plant world.

I've found Hemigraphis (purple waffle) Purple Waffle Plant (Hemigraphis 'Exotica') easier to please than Gynura (purple velvet) Purple Velvet Plant (Gynura aurantiaca 'Purple Passion')

Seemed easier & more visually informative to put links to database entries & searches with MANY pics than try to wade through my pics to find a display pic of each plant.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
Last edited by purpleinopp Sep 30, 2017 6:01 AM Icon for preview
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Sep 29, 2017 7:53 PM CST
Name: Kristi
east Texas pineywoods (Zone 8a)
Herbs Region: Texas Vegetable Grower Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 2
Good information ! Thanks... I have bookmarked it for future reference and will have to give thought to these comparisons to see if I can add anything. Whistling
Believe in yourself even when no one else will. ~ Sasquatch
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Oct 1, 2017 1:41 AM CST
Name: Laurie b
Western Washington (Zone 7b)
Houseplants Orchids Region: Pacific Northwest Region: Mexico Sedums Tropicals
Yes, I agree. I have learned if I want a certain look for a corner in my house like an ivy, I can find something to cover the same amount of space, and give a similar overall size and shape. I loved Ivy, and tried to grow it twice. They both got spider mites on steroids. I banished ivy from my collection. But then I found Grape Ivy and can have the look I wanted with a bug free plant.
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Oct 1, 2017 8:18 AM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
See you in the funny papers!
Charter ATP Member Frogs and Toads Houseplants Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Region: Maryland
Composter Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Region: United States of America Cat Lover Birds
good topic and good observations so far Thumbs up
An important message being, if one dies, just try another plant and don't beat yourself up.
Plant it and they will come.
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Oct 2, 2017 8:49 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Yes, absolutely! And knowing your conditions well does not mean it's possible to gauge if a particular plant will tolerate it, even if you've read every anecdote written for the past couple decades. Worth a try to see how it goes at your particular house, with your particular style of care.

I think all of us have supposedly "easy" plants that just won't stay alive, and some supposedly finicky ones that seem easy to please. I expect to hear from those who have had exactly the opposite experience as mine with every one of these plants.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Oct 31, 2017 1:03 PM CST
Greece (Zone 10b)
Houseplants Foliage Fan Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Aroids Bromeliad
Orchids Region: Europe Garden Art Enjoys or suffers hot summers Dog Lover Cat Lover
That's a great thread @purpleinopp, thank you for the idea! I will also keep a close eye to this one, as I am a newbie and just starting creating my indoor urban jungle. Very interesting info about the Gynura, which I intented to buy soon, now I will have my eye on a Purple waffle instead!
In some Native languages the term for plants translates to "those who take care of us."
Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Oct 31, 2017 4:09 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
I'm so glad you found it interesting. TY for the kind comments!
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Apr 19, 2021 8:37 PM CST
Name: Kristi
east Texas pineywoods (Zone 8a)
Herbs Region: Texas Vegetable Grower Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 2
Watching a tough little plant that does well for me in this area. It always reminds me of this thread.

Hostas are more effort than I care to exert. They require more moisture, more shade and less slugs than this area provides.

A good substitute as an outdoor plant but does not get as large as the hosta leaves is Drimiopsis.
Thumb of 2021-04-20/pod/f9f77f


Thumb of 2021-04-20/pod/7997c3
Believe in yourself even when no one else will. ~ Sasquatch
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Apr 20, 2021 5:00 AM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
See you in the funny papers!
Charter ATP Member Frogs and Toads Houseplants Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Region: Maryland
Composter Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Region: United States of America Cat Lover Birds
I love those leaves. I may have had one once, from swap, potted. Sorry I lost it.
Plant it and they will come.
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Apr 20, 2021 7:26 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Kristi, you're right! Those do like mini Hostas. So cute! : + )

I have some similar Ledebouria bulbs that have been hardy but got lost under fallen leaves. I "found" some in the spring and remembered, "oh yeah, now I remember putting these here", and pulled them back up. The thread "Ledebouria kirkii" in Cactus and Succulents forum
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Apr 20, 2021 2:43 PM CST
Name: Kristi
east Texas pineywoods (Zone 8a)
Herbs Region: Texas Vegetable Grower Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 2
It's amazing how durable they are. These survived five days of temps below freezing and are making a comeback. The bulbs cover the soil surface totally.
Thumb of 2021-04-20/pod/f5e70c
Thumb of 2021-04-20/pod/06c324
Believe in yourself even when no one else will. ~ Sasquatch
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Aug 8, 2021 5:24 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Sep 8, 2021 11:50 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
I thought I'd said for my last post, that was a collection of leaves that are very colorful on the bottom, but I'm not sure why the Aphelandra (zebra) pic was included.

Other "zebra" plants:

Zebra Haworthia (Haworthiopsis fasciata)
Haworthia (Haworthiopsis attenuata 'Wide Zebra')
Zebra Plant (Goeppertia zebrina)
Zebra Striped Dragon Tree (Dracaena goldieana)
Amazonian Zebra Plant (Aechmea chantinii)
Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
Alocasia (Alocasia zebrina) (and so many other Alocasias, "African mask")
Sanchezia speciosa
Wild Petunia (Ruellia portellae)
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
Image
Sep 8, 2021 12:37 PM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
See you in the funny papers!
Charter ATP Member Frogs and Toads Houseplants Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Region: Maryland
Composter Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Region: United States of America Cat Lover Birds
I planted a bunch of offshoots of these to see how they do as a mini substitute variegated spider
Japanese Grass Sedge (Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance')
Plant it and they will come.
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Sep 8, 2021 1:12 PM CST
Fairfax VA (Zone 7a)
The best time of the year is when p
Sedums Sempervivums Hybridizer Houseplants Cactus and Succulents Garden Procrastinator
Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Garden Photography Tropicals Native Plants and Wildflowers Miniature Gardening Wild Plant Hunter
From a far distance, I find salvias and upright veronica and vervain hard to diffrentiate. Up close though this problem is solved.

Also, I find aglaonema and diffenbachia confusing when they are not bright pink/red.
My website | My YouTube channel |
I am very busy right now, sorry about that. I may not be online much.
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Sep 8, 2021 1:45 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
Image
Sep 10, 2021 9:29 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
On the left is Thyme 'Sparkling Bright. On the R. is a doppleganger, Sedum lineare.
Thumb of 2021-04-17/purpleinopp/fc69c2
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
Image
Sep 10, 2021 6:22 PM CST
Fairfax VA (Zone 7a)
The best time of the year is when p
Sedums Sempervivums Hybridizer Houseplants Cactus and Succulents Garden Procrastinator
Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Garden Photography Tropicals Native Plants and Wildflowers Miniature Gardening Wild Plant Hunter
One yummy, one not Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious!
My website | My YouTube channel |
I am very busy right now, sorry about that. I may not be online much.

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