Nematanthus 'Black Magic'

Botanical name: Nematanthus 'Black Magic'

Common names: Goldfish plant 'Black Magic', Guppy plant 'Black Magic'

About the Cultivar: 'Black Magic' _ 'Black Magic' is a trailing to scadent, tender, evergreen subshrub with elliptic fleshy, glossy, dark green leaves, marked brown/purple beneath, and tubular, pouched, orange flowers with yellow mouths, (candy corn)  borne primarily in summer but may occur throughout the year.

Like most Gesneriads, this plant is very easy to care for. I keep mine on an N E / East exposure window. Water weekly and feed very lightely monthly. This is the actual 'Black Magic' and not a mislabeled plant, I got it from the hybridizer. Ive grown this plant for many years and its one of my favorites, Roots easily from stem cuttings.

Grow stand in my studio

Monnierara Millenium Magic 'Witchcraft' AM/AOS

The care for these orchids are different than that of most orchids. At the bottom of this post is a link to AOS Culture Sheet. The flowers are all fully opened today, just in time for Halloween. Last evening only 2 flowers opened. Happened quick and the flowers have a sweet fragrance. It is a little difficult to pinpoint how to describe when I have a very large Odontocidium Tiger Crow in flower same room, sweet and fragrant!

American Orchid Society: Catasetum Culture Sheet

Hoya publicalyx 'Royal Hawaiian Purple'

 

Hoya publicalyx will always be one of my favorite plants. I love this grex for the foliage, the flowers are an amazing plus. The leaves have silver and pink flecks and with proper light, purple / red on the leaves. This grex is also known as 'Chimera'.  The flower clusters are pretty cool too, they can range from black to dark pink with some blooms having mixed colors on one cluster. This plant is very easy to grow indoors as well. Keep plant on dry side.

Notocactus magnificus (Balloon Cactus)

Notocactus magnificus is a native of southern Brazil and nearby Uruguay, is in danger of extinction in the wild. Fortunetely this plant is easily grown from seed. 

The genus Notocactus has now been moved into Parodia.  Parodia magnifica is the currently accepted scientific name. The common name, balloon cactus, is a pretty accurate description, as the plant is globular and can shrink and expand in volume. As the plant grows, it frequently offsets.

The color is dark green to blue green. The golden spines are distributed along the edge of each rib. As the plants ages, the aureoles seem to merge together. The flowers are a bright yellow color and borne at the apex, either singly or in groups. Flowering occurs in summer through early fall.

Variegated String of Hearts with first flower

Ceropegia woodii variegata is an Asclepiad, native to South Africa. A small succulent vine growing from tuberous base,  heart shaped paired leaves. The leaves are thick and colorful, marbled in pink, white, silvery gray and green.

The small tubers that form on the stems are to store water and can be used to start new plants.

Ceropegia woodii variegate is best in hanging baskets/pots , so stems may trail over the sides..

There is an earlier post showing the beauty of the foliage.

Maranta leuconeura var. kerchoveana starting to flower

.Commomnly known as  the rabbits foot plant, Maranta are easy to grow houseplants. This clump grower flowers in early summer with insignificant small white flowers. This plant needs moist well drained soil and bright filtered light. Very easy to propagate whether by seed or cuttings.