My brand new "tropical" planter

Olafhenny · 05-20-2012, 10:37 PM

I have just today finished planting the last additions to my brand new “tropical” planter.
In its former live it was a small pool, though deep enough (27 inches) for survival of the waterlilies
in it. I filled it up completely with some low grade compost and good top soil. Now it is a rather
large planter.

Since we had rather dry weather the last few days, some of the plants suffered wind burn,
following the relocation from the protective indoor environment to the dry outside air. Notably the
Canna Australia in the NW corner (north is ‘up’ in this picture, just as in maps) and the Ornatas.

This image gives an overall view of the planter

This photo shows an inventory of all the plants in it as of today, It will probably remain essentially
the same throughout the summer, though I expect some vigorous growth to take place soon.

The inventory as of today:
1. A two year old Basjoo pup, separated fron the mother only yesterday. I wish it luck!
2. A couple of Ornatas, still linked by a common corm
3. Cannas Australia
4. Yucca Filamentosa
5. Costus Woodsonii
6. Dracena Red Star Spike
7. Dracena Compacta
8. Dipladenia Rio Pink
9. Rubber plants
10. Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos'
11. Ricinus Carmencita
12. Petunia
13. Coleus
14. Wandering Jew

Tim MA z6 · 05-21-2012, 06:28 AM

Nice planter. What's the shrub to the right which is outside the planter?

TommyMacLuckie · 05-21-2012, 08:08 AM

Eh, from the looks of it, that's not a Philodendron, it's Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos', commonly used in hanging baskets.

There's a petunia behind the Wandering Jew?

oakshadows · 05-21-2012, 08:45 AM

Nice looking, it should fill in and look great in a hurry. We try to put a mint plant around as many of our plants as possible, good for flavoring tea and also helps repel unwanted bugs. Smells great when it gets stepped on. Thanks

Olafhenny · 05-21-2012, 10:21 AM

Thank you , Tim, the plant outside the planter is a black lace elder (Sambucus Nigra Eva)

It will come out in a month or so, after the bloom, I planted it to screen the compost behind it,
but the compost causes this already fast growing shrub to grow explosively. I just cannot keep it
under control

Tommy, when I bought it it was just "safely" labelled Tropical Plant. It looked like a
philodendron to me, but I cannot be sure. I will later today either post a blow-up of the
original photo or take a new one, and then you can tell me for sure, but meanwhile thanks.
There is nothing between the wandering jew (which I promptly forgot to list

) and the
concrete edging.

Thank you, Noah, I have an emotional attachment to mint. I used to collect it from a
pond/swampy place, when and where I grew up, and dry it for tea, but here in this yard, which
also includes the edge of a large pond, I found it extremely invasive. You just leave an inch
long piece of it in the ground, and you have another infestation. I had a devil of a time to
get rid of it.

Best to all,
Olaf

Olafhenny · 05-21-2012, 12:54 PM

Hi again, Tommy, I know now, what you were driving at. I had numbered the wandering jew
with 12 and then carried on giving the same number to the petunia. I have now corrected it and given
the WJ the number 14.

This is a brand new picture of the Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos' (?). Please verify

Some of its leaves are also suffering from wind burn and it is not for lack of water, but a
problem of adaptation to the dry outdoor air and wind.

...and thanks for the correction
Olaf

oakshadows · 05-21-2012, 02:23 PM

Mint does well in containers also. We put window screening in the bottom so roots don't escape and critters stay out. Enjoy your labor.

Olafhenny · 05-21-2012, 05:28 PM

Yes, Noah, a container is where mint IMOEO belongs, just don't let it get out of there, if you have
any naturally moist area, or a well irrigated one nearby.

Olafhenny · 05-21-2012, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyMacLuckie

Eh, from the looks of it, that's not a Philodendron, it's Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos', commonly used in hanging baskets.

There's a petunia behind the Wandering Jew?

Well, Tommy, as a vigorous defense, I am tickled to find out, that Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos'
and Pilodendron both belong to the family of Araceae. So at least I did not call a crocodile 'horse', just
by the name of another reptile

But thanks again for setting me right

Olaf

palmtree · 05-22-2012, 12:07 AM

Looks great! Cant wait to see it all fill up!
I think your wandering jew plant is a Purple Heart. They are very close relatives but Purple Hearts are much more cold tolerant (zone 8). Mine survived the winter in the ground here this year, I was very happy to see it come back up! They die back to the roots when temperatures get below the mid 20s.
Keep us updated! Should look very tropical soon!

Olafhenny · 05-22-2012, 01:15 AM

Hi Alex,

the wiki defines it as follows:

QUOTE
Three species of the spiderwort plant are known as "Wandering Jew":

Tradescantia fluminensis,
a shade-tolerant, easily regenerating invasive plant having small green
leaves and white
flowers, a South American native.
Tradescantia pallida,
a plant bearing purple leaves, with white, pink or purple flowers;
Tradescantia zebrina,
a type distinguished by leaves that feature a distinct lengthwise zebra stripe pattern of white and green.
Also, (blue) Wandering Jew, Commelina cyanea, a native Australian plant, common from Victoria to
Queensland.
UNQUOTE

It is true, that mine looks very much like the Tradescandia Pallida, but whatever mine is, it does
come nowhere near the hardiness to -12^C, which Dave's Garden ascribes to the TP.

I have been raising those guys now since 6 or 8 years. Every fall after the first light frost I go out
and take some cuttings, which I stick into a jar of water, where they soon grow some roots. Then
I plant them into pots, where the soon are ready for another clipping and I stick the cuttings again
into water. By spring I have oodles of plants to plant outside.

But they always freeze well before the temperature drops to -5^C.

Best,
Olaf

palmtree · 05-22-2012, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

Hi Alex,

the wiki defines it as follows:

QUOTE
Three species of the spiderwort plant are known as "Wandering Jew":

Tradescantia fluminensis,
a shade-tolerant, easily regenerating invasive plant having small green
leaves and white
flowers, a South American native.
Tradescantia pallida,
a plant bearing purple leaves, with white, pink or purple flowers;
Tradescantia zebrina,
a type distinguished by leaves that feature a distinct lengthwise zebra stripe pattern of white and green.
Also, (blue) Wandering Jew, Commelina cyanea, a native Australian plant, common from Victoria to
Queensland.
UNQUOTE

It is true, that mine looks very much like the Tradescandia Pallida, but whatever mine is, it does
come nowhere near the hardiness to -12^C, which Dave's Garden ascribes to the TP.

I have been raising those guys now since 6 or 8 years. Every fall after the first light frost I go out
and take some cuttings, which I stick into a jar of water, where they soon grow some roots. Then
I plant them into pots, where the soon are ready for another clipping and I stick the cuttings again
into water. By spring I have oodles of plants to plant outside.

But they always freeze well before the temperature drops to -5^C.

Best,
Olaf

Thanks for the info. SomeTradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' may be hardier than others. I also grow a lot of them as cuttings, they are really easy to root!
Here is a pic of mine in early May coming back from winter. It has grown a lot since then. I think they are my favorite groundcovers, even if they werent cold tolerant enough to survive the winter here!

Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App

Good luck!

Olafhenny · 05-22-2012, 06:44 PM

When these two bananas were moved out, it naturally left a gap in our living room so
what I did was, take the plastic inserts out of the baskets and stored them away…

…flipped the baskets upside down, placed the catch trays on top, fashioned a flower stand out of
a tomato cage, affixed a few pots with annuals in them and –viola- gap filled.

This fall I will probably reverse it all, put the flower stand in storage and have some
small bananas there for the winter again.

john_ny · 05-29-2012, 08:20 PM

This may be an obsolete name, but I have always known the "Purple Heart" as Setcresia purpurea.

Olafhenny · 05-29-2012, 10:06 PM

It seems, that some things go by multiple names. (You should hear all the ones I have been called.

).

I just googled "setcreasea purpurea"

Here is what I got: Tradescantia pallida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Tradescantia_pallida
There is some controversy regarding the correct scientific name for this plant species, with certain
authorities continuing to refer to it as Setcreasea purpurea or ...

TommyMacLuckie · 06-03-2012, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

Well, Tommy, as a vigorous defense, I am tickled to find out, that Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos'
and Pilodendron both belong to the family of Araceae. So at least I did not call a crocodile 'horse', just
by the name of another reptile

But thanks again for setting me right

Olaf

HA HA HA HA! Yeah well, there are a lot of things that are in same families! A good one is Hosta - it's in the Agave family... Look at a Hosta and consider that. Some people hear that and go 'Ohhh, OK.' And don't even bother to consider it.

Others are gingers, Traveller's palm, Heliconia and the birds of paradise are all in the... banana family.

Here's a good one for you - "Split leaf Philodendron" is not a philodendron at all, it's Monstera deliciosa, a VINE!

There are a lot of plants that have erroneous names. Mexican petunia is in fact from Asia and is not a petunia. There are tons of plants with names that make zero sense.

The Golden Pothos is a dime-a-dozen hanging basket plant in the United States that gets burned in any way possible. It needs absolutely zero sunlight to be as green as possible.

Anyway, I love learning things. It's the best reason why the Latin names mean everything, because common names can be used for a lot of different plants. For example, there is more than one kind of 'Bamboo palm'. The Latin tells you EXACTLY what it is.

Enjoy your garden!

Olafhenny · 06-03-2012, 06:31 PM

Hi Tommy,
Now you are telling me, after I have already surgically removed a couple of severely singed
leaves from the Golden Photos

…

…and after I have been looking high and low for something to keep the north side of our house green.

But thank you very much for a most instructive post!

You may be interested to know, that so far the most successful specimen to grace that darkest
spot in our yard is a Nanking Cherry (Prunus Tomentosa), which originates in a mountain range
in China with high UV exposure. - Go figure

More on this story here:
Please help identify this shrub

Thanks again for you post, which I will file away. It justifies the reason, why I joined ‘bananas’:
To learn!

Olaf

saltydad · 06-03-2012, 11:10 PM

My neighbor has a S. nigra Eva. Beautiful shrub. He gives it a very hard pruning each spring after its done blooming. I'd love to have one; just have to figure out what to pull first. Nice looking garden. When you said it used to be a pool, I first expected a bog garden, which is one of my future projects. Good luck with it, and keep us pictorially updated.

TommyMacLuckie · 06-05-2012, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

It seems, that some things go by multiple names. (You should hear all the ones I have been called.

).

I just googled "setcreasea purpurea"

Here is what I got: Tradescantia pallida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Tradescantia_pallida
There is some controversy regarding the correct scientific name for this plant species, with certain
authorities continuing to refer to it as Setcreasea purpurea or ...

Recent literature that I have does not include 'Purple Heart' as 'Wandering Jew', with the Latin being something else.

Sot of like 'Cocos plumosa', which is incorrect now, for a Queen palm. It's just one of those stupid things people hang on to saying, like PIN number, ATM machine and hot water heater...

Olafhenny · 07-10-2012, 12:27 AM

This is how it looks today:

As you can see, I had to make a few changes. The Dracena Compacta in the SW (lower left)
corner had to be moved to a shadier location and was replaced by a Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)
'New Zealand Purple' and a mandevilla Also most of the tropical plants, which I bought locally and
which were sold for indoors had a tough time with the sun.

I also removed the large Sambucus 'Eva', which intruded on the planter in the original pictures.
It was simply getting too huge, fed with run-off from the compost, it was designated to screen
from view. It was a beautiful plant, but I could not control its growth. I had planted another
one at a different location at the same time and it behaves much more modestly.

You can see in this picture, that the cannas absolutely love the 27’ deep top soil and compost
combination, but the bananas are rather ‘cool’ toward it. Actually the “compost is of rather
poor quality, compared with mine, but I did not have enough so I bought it from the city recycling
plant.

In front of the now blooming yucca plant is a Rhizinus Carmencita (#11 in the below photo). Its
seed pods are bright red as opposed to the ‘New Zealand” which supposedly had purple pods. This
is my first time, so I am not sure. The seeds of both varieties are very different.

The SW corner of the planter in close-up.

05-20-2012, 10:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	My brand new "tropical" planter I have just today finished planting the last additions to my brand new “tropical” planter. In its former live it was a small pool, though deep enough (27 inches) for survival of the waterlilies in it. I filled it up completely with some low grade compost and good top soil. Now it is a rather large planter. Since we had rather dry weather the last few days, some of the plants suffered wind burn, following the relocation from the protective indoor environment to the dry outside air. Notably the Canna Australia in the NW corner (north is ‘up’ in this picture, just as in maps) and the Ornatas. This image gives an overall view of the planter This photo shows an inventory of all the plants in it as of today, It will probably remain essentially the same throughout the summer, though I expect some vigorous growth to take place soon. The inventory as of today: 1. A two year old Basjoo pup, separated fron the mother only yesterday. I wish it luck! 2. A couple of Ornatas, still linked by a common corm 3. Cannas Australia 4. Yucca Filamentosa 5. Costus Woodsonii 6. Dracena Red Star Spike 7. Dracena Compacta 8. Dipladenia Rio Pink 9. Rubber plants 10. Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos' 11. Ricinus Carmencita 12. Petunia 13. Coleus 14. Wandering Jew __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 05-21-2012 at 05:34 PM.

05-21-2012, 06:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tim MA z6 Location: Massachusetts, USA Zone: USDA zone 6b Name: Tim Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 11 BananaBucks : 684 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 8 Times in 5 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Nice planter. What's the shrub to the right which is outside the planter?

05-21-2012, 08:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
TommyMacLuckie Howboutcha! TommyMacLuckie's Photo Gallery Location: Mandeville, Louisiana Find me on the map! Zone: 8B Name: Tommy Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 427 BananaBucks : 197,686 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 375 Times in 202 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Eh, from the looks of it, that's not a Philodendron, it's Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos', commonly used in hanging baskets. There's a petunia behind the Wandering Jew?

05-21-2012, 08:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
oakshadows oakshadows's Photo Gallery Location: Dunnellon, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Noah Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,064 BananaBucks : 36,487 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,207 Times Was Thanked 847 Times in 514 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 437 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Nice looking, it should fill in and look great in a hurry. We try to put a mint plant around as many of our plants as possible, good for flavoring tea and also helps repel unwanted bugs. Smells great when it gets stepped on. Thanks __________________ "What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

05-21-2012, 10:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Thank you , Tim, the plant outside the planter is a black lace elder (Sambucus Nigra Eva) It will come out in a month or so, after the bloom, I planted it to screen the compost behind it, but the compost causes this already fast growing shrub to grow explosively. I just cannot keep it under control Tommy, when I bought it it was just "safely" labelled Tropical Plant. It looked like a philodendron to me, but I cannot be sure. I will later today either post a blow-up of the original photo or take a new one, and then you can tell me for sure, but meanwhile thanks. There is nothing between the wandering jew (which I promptly forgot to list) and the concrete edging. Thank you, Noah, I have an emotional attachment to mint. I used to collect it from a pond/swampy place, when and where I grew up, and dry it for tea, but here in this yard, which also includes the edge of a large pond, I found it extremely invasive. You just leave an inch long piece of it in the ground, and you have another infestation. I had a devil of a time to get rid of it. Best to all, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

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05-21-2012, 12:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Hi again, Tommy, I know now, what you were driving at. I had numbered the wandering jew with 12 and then carried on giving the same number to the petunia. I have now corrected it and given the WJ the number 14. This is a brand new picture of the Epipremnum aureum 'Golden Pothos' (?). Please verify Some of its leaves are also suffering from wind burn and it is not for lack of water, but a problem of adaptation to the dry outdoor air and wind. ...and thanks for the correction Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

05-21-2012, 02:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
oakshadows oakshadows's Photo Gallery Location: Dunnellon, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Noah Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,064 BananaBucks : 36,487 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,207 Times Was Thanked 847 Times in 514 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 437 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Mint does well in containers also. We put window screening in the bottom so roots don't escape and critters stay out. Enjoy your labor. __________________ "What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

05-21-2012, 05:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Yes, Noah, a container is where mint IMOEO belongs, just don't let it get out of there, if you have any naturally moist area, or a well irrigated one nearby. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

05-22-2012, 12:07 AM	#10 (permalink)
palmtree palmtree 's Photo Gallery Location: New York City Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: Alex C Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,016 BananaBucks : 96,306 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,492 Times Was Thanked 1,428 Times in 644 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 103 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Looks great! Cant wait to see it all fill up! I think your wandering jew plant is a Purple Heart. They are very close relatives but Purple Hearts are much more cold tolerant (zone 8). Mine survived the winter in the ground here this year, I was very happy to see it come back up! They die back to the roots when temperatures get below the mid 20s. Keep us updated! Should look very tropical soon! __________________ Location: New York City, zone 7b

05-22-2012, 01:15 AM	#11 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Hi Alex, the wiki defines it as follows: QUOTE Three species of the spiderwort plant are known as "Wandering Jew": Tradescantia fluminensis, a shade-tolerant, easily regenerating invasive plant having small green leaves and white flowers, a South American native. Tradescantia pallida, a plant bearing purple leaves, with white, pink or purple flowers; Tradescantia zebrina, a type distinguished by leaves that feature a distinct lengthwise zebra stripe pattern of white and green. Also, (blue) Wandering Jew, Commelina cyanea, a native Australian plant, common from Victoria to Queensland. UNQUOTE It is true, that mine looks very much like the Tradescandia Pallida, but whatever mine is, it does come nowhere near the hardiness to -12^C, which Dave's Garden ascribes to the TP. I have been raising those guys now since 6 or 8 years. Every fall after the first light frost I go out and take some cuttings, which I stick into a jar of water, where they soon grow some roots. Then I plant them into pots, where the soon are ready for another clipping and I stick the cuttings again into water. By spring I have oodles of plants to plant outside. But they always freeze well before the temperature drops to -5^C. Best, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

05-22-2012, 06:44 PM	#13 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter When these two bananas were moved out, it naturally left a gap in our living room so what I did was, take the plastic inserts out of the baskets and stored them away… …flipped the baskets upside down, placed the catch trays on top, fashioned a flower stand out of a tomato cage, affixed a few pots with annuals in them and –viola- gap filled. This fall I will probably reverse it all, put the flower stand in storage and have some small bananas there for the winter again. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 05-22-2012 at 07:27 PM.

05-29-2012, 08:20 PM	#14 (permalink)
john_ny Member john_ny's Photo Gallery Location: Staten Island, NY - southernmost county in NY State. Find me on the map! Zone: USDA7- Sunset34 Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,014 BananaBucks : 578,391 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,057 Times Was Thanked 2,283 Times in 832 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 37 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter This may be an obsolete name, but I have always known the "Purple Heart" as Setcresia purpurea. __________________ John

05-29-2012, 10:06 PM	#15 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter It seems, that some things go by multiple names. (You should hear all the ones I have been called.). I just googled "setcreasea purpurea" Here is what I got: Tradescantia pallida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Tradescantia_pallida There is some controversy regarding the correct scientific name for this plant species, with certain authorities continuing to refer to it as Setcreasea purpurea or ... __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

06-03-2012, 06:31 PM	#17 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter Hi Tommy, Now you are telling me, after I have already surgically removed a couple of severely singed leaves from the Golden Photos … …and after I have been looking high and low for something to keep the north side of our house green. But thank you very much for a most instructive post! You may be interested to know, that so far the most successful specimen to grace that darkest spot in our yard is a Nanking Cherry (Prunus Tomentosa), which originates in a mountain range in China with high UV exposure. - Go figure More on this story here: Please help identify this shrub Thanks again for you post, which I will file away. It justifies the reason, why I joined ‘bananas’: To learn! Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 06-04-2012 at 12:48 AM.

06-03-2012, 11:10 PM	#18 (permalink)
saltydad saltydad's Photo Gallery Location: Silver Spring, Maryland USA Find me on the map! Zone: 7a Name: Howard Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,552 BananaBucks : 153,547 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 14,712 Times Was Thanked 4,662 Times in 1,778 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 824 Times	Re: My brand new "tropical" planter My neighbor has a S. nigra Eva. Beautiful shrub. He gives it a very hard pruning each spring after its done blooming. I'd love to have one; just have to figure out what to pull first. Nice looking garden. When you said it used to be a pool, I first expected a bog garden, which is one of my future projects. Good luck with it, and keep us pictorially updated. __________________ Men In Nursing- "A Few Good Men" "Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." - Francis Bacon "If by a liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind; someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions; someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties; someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicion that grips us; that is what they meant by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal." John F. Kennedy, September, 1960 http://flickr.com/photos/saltydad/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/saltydad http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx151/saltydad/

07-10-2012, 12:27 AM	#20 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 233,831 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	My "tropical" planter seven weeks later This is how it looks today: As you can see, I had to make a few changes. The Dracena Compacta in the SW (lower left) corner had to be moved to a shadier location and was replaced by a Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) 'New Zealand Purple' and a mandevilla Also most of the tropical plants, which I bought locally and which were sold for indoors had a tough time with the sun. I also removed the large Sambucus 'Eva', which intruded on the planter in the original pictures. It was simply getting too huge, fed with run-off from the compost, it was designated to screen from view. It was a beautiful plant, but I could not control its growth. I had planted another one at a different location at the same time and it behaves much more modestly. You can see in this picture, that the cannas absolutely love the 27’ deep top soil and compost combination, but the bananas are rather ‘cool’ toward it. Actually the “compost is of rather poor quality, compared with mine, but I did not have enough so I bought it from the city recycling plant. In front of the now blooming yucca plant is a Rhizinus Carmencita (#11 in the below photo). Its seed pods are bright red as opposed to the ‘New Zealand” which supposedly had purple pods. This is my first time, so I am not sure. The seeds of both varieties are very different. The SW corner of the planter in close-up. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

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