Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Donkey's Tail and Sylvia



I wanted to share how well my Donkey's Tail is doing. This is how it looked last summer when it was one year old. The previous summer when I first rooted it it was just 2 skinny "tails" and 4 fatter "tails".



This is how it looks now. You have to be very careful with this plant. It knows just how it much water it likes. If it doesn't have enough it will immediately panic in that you barely touch it and it'll lose one of its "leaves". These begin to root and multiply and then climb right out of the pot like this one.

Since last year I now have the plant pot sitting in a larger bowl on top of an inverted bowl. Its up higher now and that shows how much longer it is. Ideally it should be in a pot and hanging up where it isn't disturbed. I'll end up losing the little "leaves" once it grows a little more and touches my table. I just don't have a suitable spot for hanging it.




This is Sylvia my African Violet. I posted about her once before when I was at Wordpress. Our manager where I worked part-time 4 years ago rooted one leaf for each of us as a farewell gift when the store closed. My one leaf is now 4 separate plants in this pot. The original one in the store I called Geraldine. She was always in bloom even though she never saw sunlight and was in very dry soil. Three of mine in the pot are blooming, the fourth one just never does bloom. Isn't she beautiful? She loves me taking her into the kitchen sink and sprinking warm water over her leaves just as I did to her mother.

Have a lovely day.... Judi xoxo

11 comments:

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Judi, I've never seen a donkey plant. Yours has really grown and looks so cool. It doesn't look very fragile. Sylvia is beautiful too. laurie

Judy said...

I've never seen or heard of a donkey plant. I love yours. It is a beautiful and interesting plant.

Anonymous said...

Hi Judi! This is the first time I've ever seen a donkey plant, but it's beautiful! Sylvia is darling also!
be a sweetie,
Shelia :)

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I have never seen donkey plants before. How cool!

Heidi Pocketbook said...

I've never heard of a donkey plant. Sylvia is one impressive african violet!

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

Both Donkey and Sylvia are looking rather splendid!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Judi! Plants must adore you. Look at them! What are you doing that I'm not???

I loved seeing your little green friends, and I wish mine were green instead of dead. LOL!

xo,

Sheila :-)

pchickki said...

Well I can see you have a green thumb Judi.

I see you stopped by my blog again and I love hearing from you. Wouldn't it just be so great to go back to those days of dancing for just awhile?

Thanks for the comments on my ATC's. If you email me your address I will send you the "Sisters" ATC that you like. Yes, you could do this too Judi. It is alot of fun and helps relax me. The possibilities are endless.

You have a great day.
Hugs
Patti

Kim's Treasures said...

Beauties! I have the hardest time with those violets!

Judi said...

Kim
I'm so pleased mine is blooming. I find I've caught on that they like to dry out some, a certain amount and then I sprinkle the warm water over the leaves and enough that the soil gets watered as well. I find if I am attentive in this way it seems to get them blooming again.
But I also find that some just don't like to flower but this one and its mother are quite the bloomers.
Judi

Neabear said...

I have never seen donkey's tail before. Do they mind tempature fluctuations? My home can get real hot in the summer and quite cold in the winter. So I am not sure house plants will do well in my home.

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