Strange Plants

I have a penchance for collecting strange looking plants. If it looks like it was cultivated on another planet, I want it!

So, this thing, whatever it is, began it's life with the confines of my fire sticks (a,k.a. Euphorbia tirucalli - scroll down for more information about firesticks).


I think it's pretty cool and just plain pretty. It has since grown...

...into this.

I believe it's called 'Mother of Thousands', which makes sense when one considers how this plant reproduces. Those little floret thingys on the edges of the leaves are tiny versions of the same plant, that drop off and create new plants.

Among my collection of strange plants, I'm most proud of this one... catnip.

No, it's not strange looking but I grew this from seeds and miraculously it's still alive and seems to be thriving. I have never been able to grow a thing from a seed, past attempts have resulted in frustration and sorrow as, in the past, whatever I've tried to grow has dried up and died and/or never made it past the seedling stage.

Living in Arizona and knowing that catnip appreciates a great deal of sun I figure I can't lose, so far so good. Being motivated by my past success I've started more catnip plants from  seeds.

This is how I started the original plant above, small pot, rich soil and a greenhouse (a.k.a. small plastic bowl from a set I bought at Ikea). The pot is set in another small plastic bowl to which I add water until it's full (I don't pour water directly onto the soil, I allow it to wick up through the holes in the bottom of the pot - this way the light layer of soil I've sprinkled over the seeds isn't disturbed). This 'greenhouse' sits in my kitchen window sill and gets nice bright light all day (direct sun only in the early morning hours). I'll keep an eye out for sprouting over the next week or so and pay close attention for mold - if I see mold growing I remove the 'greenhouse' and let it dry out then replace the 'greenhouse' after the mold has gone.

Being so excited that my original catnip plant is growing I did some research about growing and pruning catnip. So I pinched off the tops of my plants then set the leaves out to dry. 

This drying device is just some left over screen material, bamboo skewers and binder clips. I'll let this sit (it'll be in direct sun for probably 4-5 more hours) then check on it tomorrow.

UPDATE: Cats are whacked out of their gourds! As I was crushing up the dried leaves, 4 furry sharks were orbiting my chair. I set the crushed dried leaves on the floor and it was a frenzy. There are 4 crazed cats rolling around covered in catnip - it's not often all 4 of them converge on the same spot, but this did it!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! I'll never buy catnip from the store again!

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Euphorbia tirucalli (a.k.a. - Fire Sticks or Pencil Cactus)

This is one of my favorite plants (minus the damn green leafy weed tangled within). It turns a lovely shade of coral in the winter.

My previous 'fire stick' plant was lost to frost last winter (learning experience) so I've been very careful to cover it at night regardless of frost warnings.

I've started another 'fire stick' plant using a cutting from this plant - it's looking a little sketchy right now but I'm hoping it'll survive the winter... more on that later.

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Euphorbia spiralis (a.k.a. Spiral Euphorbia... I think)

I would love to cultivate this plant, but have had no luck. I assume it would be as easy as pulling off an arm from the smaller plant and cramming it in some dirt, throw some water on it and voila - another plant.  Not so, I've tried that... I'll keep experimenting.