Leaves Love

Mother Nature- The Painter

In my world of color, drama, and peace- I would be nothing without these very special plants surrounding my life.  Filled with interest, these plants represent some of my best growing specimens in the home.  My long-lived relationship with botany has led me to really appreciate their individual glory. 

The Tropicals

These lovely leaves are a part of my tropical foliage collection.  They are heavy-textured and very robust in stem strength.  The plants are often a lot bigger and can grow to become shrub-like if left in the same container for multiple years without transplanting.  These leaves represent some of my favorite plants in the home.  Drama all the way!

The Alocasia.  Black-Green Velvet Leaves. Compact Plant.

The Elephant Ear.  Glossy, Rubbery  Leaves.  Huge.

The Streptocarpella.  Small, Velvet Leaves.  Flowering Pot Plant.

The Croton.  High-Gloss Leaves.  Speckled Ornamentation.  Compact Floor Plant

The Trailing Split-Leaf Philodendron.  Dramatic Vine.  Notable Holes is Leaves.

The Aglaonema.  Paper-Thin Striated Leaves.  Trailing Habit. 

The Monkey's Paw.  Compact Upright Plant.  Multiple Offshoots Cascading from Main Stem.

 The Begonias
This always-striking group of somewhat tricky conservatory plants are among the neatest in color variation and leaf texture.  They grace my home with a canvas that is conversation-worthy.  I love my Begonias!

Burgundy, Silver, and Green.  Heavily Ridged.

Bumpy Silver and Forest Green.

Copper and Red with Fuzzy Edges.  Deeply Veined.

Speckled Kelly Green with Silver and Burgundy Tones.  Intense.

Delicate Green and Silver with Red Veins.  Maple-Like Leaf Shape.

The Ferns
This very extensive group of plants is among the easiest to grow under the right conditions.  The varieties I have shown are all tropical in origin.  They have such a fun way of growing and developing.

The Bird's Nest Fern.  Unraveling Fronds.  Compact Growth Habit.

The Plumosa.  Spiny and ropey Habit.  delicate Feathery Leaves on Arching Stems.

The Sellaginella Fern.  Very Aggressive Groundcover.  Highly Intricate.

The Carnivorous Plants
Also very intriguing group of extremely atmoshpere-particular plants.  They grace the marshes and bogs of some of the deepest forests and jungles, preying on ill-fated insects lured into their sweet-nectar-filled traps and devoured.  These plants can actually work in the home setting...but they need lots of humidity and moisture to thrive indoors.

The Pitcher Plant.  A Bizarre Leafy Plant with Dangling, Water-Filled Sacs of Nectar and Enzymes.

The Succulents
This is also a very vast grouping of plants which originate from the deserts of some of the most dry and hot areas around the globe.  Needing little water and lots of light, they can be a very easy addition to your growing collection.  They love to remain in their original container for years to promote healthy root development as they are lacking in strong roots.

The String of Pearls.  A Fascinating Slow-Grower.  Beautiful Stringlets of Round, Water-Filled Bulbils.

The Kalanchoe.  Fuzzy, Spiny, and Robust Silver Leaves.  

 

 

Where would we be if the world we live in was stripped of all this beautiful Flora?  For me, plants and flowers give my mind a place to explore and to experiment.  It is in this ever-changing forest of leaves that I find peace and comfort in knowing that I am growing some of Nature's Best Creations!