AND THE REAL SPLIT-LEAF PHILODENDRON IS. . .
Doppelgangers
Ask for the real philodendron to stand up and you might be surprised at what plant does not rise. The still-seated plant I’m talking about is Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa), often called split-leaf philodendron.
Swiss cheese plant is sometimes called split-leaf philodendron, a common name it shares with a true philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum) because both have similar looking, large glossy, incised leaves and aerial roots. Like the real philodendron, Swiss cheese plant also has a hardy disposition within the limitation of being tropical, and tolerates low light, dry air, and neglectful watering as well as do other good houseplants.
Philodendron bipinnatifidum
Where the cousins part ways visually is in the “Swiss cheese” aspect of the plants. Read more
BARKS OF ANOTHER STRIPE
Even Shrubs (Have) Bark
Hear “bark” and I’ll bet “dog” or “birch” comes to mind. Well, foxes also bark, and the cinnamon brown, flaky bark of paperbark maple is every bit as eye-catching as is the more talked about chalky white bark of birch. Winter is a wonderful time to appreciate plants’ bark.
Shrubs never develop trunks thick enough to be swathed in broad expanses of bark, yet a few of them do have notable bark. Read more
MYTHOLOGY COMES ALIVE!
[The following is excerpted from my book The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better Garden, available from the usual sources or, signed, directly from me at leereich.com/books.
Chimeras That Are Not Frightening
The chimera of Greek mythology was a scary, fire-breathing creature that was part lion, part goat, and part dragon, and feasted on humans. Although Bellerophon killed that chimera, some still exist today. Perhaps there’s one in your backyard, even in your house!
A chimera is a composite creature, a genetic mosaic, and such creatures exist in the plant world. Don’t expect to find red apples dangling from marigold stems or gardenia blooms unfolding against backdrops of poinsettia leaves. Plant chimeras never are as genetically diverse as that lion, goat, and dragon combo. Nor are they as physically diverse, a plant usually broadcasting that it is a chimera only with splotches or lines of color different from the surrounding color of the leaves, flowers, or fruits.
A chimera might originate by design, more usually by chance. Read more
