Crassulaceae and Hoya Carnosa

‘Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.’

Romans 12:12

Is this a story about  travel or gardening? Perhaps it’s a memory of both and really about two plants. Crassulacea and then Hoya Carnosa.

First Crassulaceae, which has two other names, Ghost plant and Mother- of – pearl plant.

This plant has managed well with one watering while we have been away. It needs to be no less than one foot from a window and needs  extremely well drained soil. Water it well when the leaves start to shrivel but don’t let it stand in water. Our plant is from a small piece that I took.

It is a house plant grown for its waxy foliage and sweetly scented flowers. It likes to have its roots cramped as folklore says this makes it flower. It will tolerate low temperatures. Our plant is amongst other plants in a frost protected but not heated area. Perhaps it needs more warmth this spring it has matured a lot since I got it and I look forward to what is described so well: ‘ inflorescences of numerous light pink to bright pink flowers with their surface  covered in tiny hairs, giving them a fuzzy sheen. These star shaped flowers mature gradually and have a nocturnal scent with a pheromonal tendency. ‘( A pheromone trigers a response in members of the same species.)

These two plants with a story. We were in Greece. The camp site in Athens is mostly full and should be booked in advance, so we went out of the city to Nea Makri. A place of long beaches and homely houses. There we found a place to park on a Friday. It was unusual to be given a space next to a caravan with a lean-to and many pot plants. We were pleased.

It wasn’t long before I became interested in the variety of plants with their thick  leaves. Soon, I took a piece of ghost plant growing over the sides of its large pot. I immediately felt wrong about what I had done, so when the lady came outside, I showed her. She laughed, took down a plant, hooked up on a shrub, and gave it to me. It was the porcelain  plant.

Without any language, she helped me to know how to care for the plant and how robust it was. I was protesting that I had weeks of travel ahead of me but she convinced me that she spent 6 weeks at a time away from this place full of her plants while she was working in Athens, and they survived well and yes, I would be able to care for it.

Her two plants are in our home.

They have survived our time in Portugal as well as Scandinavia, and maybe the porcelain plant will bloom. We are looking forward to planting and having spring with the garden.

Take care,

Sandy 🙂