Green and growing

I’ve become a lover of Florida vegetation, especially palm trees and orchids.

Palm trees fascinate me. We have two in our yard. And we’ve used a “palm” theme in decorating our condo.

They come in a dozen or more varieties. Some look like pineapples, others like feathers. They are towering and stately and oh, so Florida!! I love all the species. The canary island date palms (aka pineapple palms) are especially appealing. There are the cabbage palms which are native to Florida and grow in the “wild.” Some look like “fans” some are whispy. All seem to have a special personality.

I tried growing a palm inside, and it nearly died when we went home for two weeks, but now that it’s outside it seems to be recovering. (It was in a pot that was too small and no moisture could get to the roots. John replanted it.)

In case you’re wondering, none of the trees here are coconut palms. In Florida the coconut palm is successfully grown from Stuart on the east coast and Punta Gorda on the west coast, south to Key West but not in Sun City Center.

The other tropical plants I have come to love are orchids.

Orchids are exotic and lovely. The first two I owned died before I understood how to keep them nourished. Now I know watering needs to be restricted to once a week and it should be a flushing type of watering where you let the water run through the container, but never let the plant sit in standing water.

I have a lovely white orchid which is doing well with about nine large blooms. Two opened from buds after I got the plant and there is some “new growth” which is encouraging.

But I know that when we head back to Michigan (in less than two weeks) it’s doubtful that I’ll be able to keep it alive.

My orchid only cost $10, and I’ve enjoyed it for about a month so I’ve certainly gotten my money’s worth, but I’d love to be able to bring it back and forth from Michigan to Florida. I don’t know how. It’s tall (about three feet) and extremely fragile and sensitive.

Orchids seem to have a personality. The lady who sold this one to me referred to the one I have as as “her.”

She said, “I hope she will do well for you.”

Plants with enough personality to be defined by gender deserve to encouraged to thrive.

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