houseplant

31
Dec
2016

Who needs curtains when you have a philodendron?

philiodendron

Philodendron instead of curtains. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2016

Who needs curtains when you have a philodendron? I have this old philodendron plant instead of curtains in my kitchen.

My kitchen has two windows, one to the south and one to the west. There is plenty of light in the kitchen.

The philodendron plant, which someone in one of my FaceBook groups said is called philodendron tuxla(num), has been around for many years. I know it is a philodendron, but there are many in its family so I cannot swear on it being just that kind.

I originally got my philodendron when I lived in Vårby Gård at Bäckgårdsvägen, and it came with me when I moved to my present flat in November 2009. It is at least 15-20 years old by now and was cut down a couple of times in my former flat as I didn’t have any good way to keep it up when it got too tall/long. I have no idea how long I had it in my former flat.

philodendron

Philodendron 28th December 2010.

This (above) is how the philodendron looked on December 28th, 2010, a year after I moved to my present flat. It was much smaller then than it is today. The philodendron was later moved from that position to the livingroom.

philodendron

Philodendron in the kitchen. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

Some time in 2013 I moved the philodendron from its corner in the livingroom to the kitchen as it didn’t get enough light in the livingroom. Plan was that it should get more light in the kitchen and more space.

I stopped using curtains in the kitchen already in October 2011. They were just in the way and stole too much light. I have shades and half-transparent blinds in the kitchen windows in case I need to protect plants and the kitchen from the sun. But no curtains. I prefer plants to curtains.

philodendron

Philodendron in the kitchen. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

As soon as the philodendron came to the kitchen it started growing again. I measured it the other day. It is now 3.80 cms long, counted from its pot on the floor. It has got several stems. The philodendron hangs and is fastened on to the curtain-rods, which I kept despite not having any curtains here, and covers one and a half window. It will soon cover the top of both windows.

It just keeps on growing…

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Philodendron in the kitchen instead of curtains. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

I guess it also creates a good climate in the kitchen in addition to the greenery it ads.

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Philodendron in the kitchen instead of curtains. Photo:©nini.tjader.2016

philodendron

Philodendron instead of curtains. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

philodendron

Philodendron in the kitchen instead of curtains. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

 

Posted by nini in decoration, House plants, Plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 1 comment
30
Apr
2016

New house plant – Ginkgo Biloba

ginkgo_biloba

My new house plant – Ginkgo Biloba. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

At the Nordiska Trädgårdar 2016 Garden Fair in Stockholm recently I got myself a new house plant, a Ginkgo Biloba, or as it is also called, the Maidenhair Tree.

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Ginkgo Biloba. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

It is an interesting plant. I have wanted one for a long time.

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Ginkgo Biloba. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

So, at this years garden fair, I found one for the reasonable price of SEK 95.

With our temperatures it cannot be placed outside. At least not at the tender age my plant has. But 175 ginkgo biloba trees are beeing planted at Hornsgatan in Stockholm. At first 20 trees in 2010. I don’t know if more have been planted since. I really hope they will survive there. They were dug up from a planting in Germany and transported to Stockholm and planted here in the winter of 2010. I haven’t seen them yet, but will surely visit and see if they have survived. Will wait until the spring has come further and they hopefully will get leaves there.

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Ginkgo Biloba. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

This small plant can become a tree that is 40 meters high…  Not inside though (I hope). Mine is today 48 cms high from the bottom of the pot to its top.

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Ginkgo Biloba, fully grown. Image borrowed from the internet.

The above is an example of how it can look fully grown…

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Ginkgo Biloba. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

It has plenty of small growth for new branches on it. Looking forward to see it grow and become an even more decorative little indoor tree.

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Ginkgo Biloba Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

I wanted the Ginkgo Biloba for its decorative leaves and the form of the plant. The split leaves with their distinct form are really decorative.

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Ginkgo Biloba Photo: ©nini.tjader.2016

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Ginkgo Biloba, fully grown. Image borrowed from the internet.

The plant is used in health products. It is also a really old plant. From wikipedia I got the following information:

Maidenhair tree
Ginkgo biloba, known as ginkgo or as the maidenhair tree, is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta, all others being extinct. It is found in fossils dating back 270 million years. Native to China,[2] the tree is widely cultivated and was introduced early to human history. It has various uses in traditional medicine and as a source of food. The genus name Ginkgo is regarded as a misspelling of the Japanese gin kyo, “silver apricot”.[4] Wikipedia
Scientific name: Ginkgo biloba
Higher classification: Ginkgo
Conservation status: Endangered
Rank: Species

Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba

http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/ginkgo-biloba

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Ginkgo Biloba. Photo:nini.tjader.2016

ujblogo100

Posted by nini in House plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers, 2 comments
28
Jun
2014

Decorative plant – Corokia Cotoneaster

corokia, corokiacotoneaster

©nini.tjader.2014

The other day when neighbor and I was in a plantshop we found this very decorative plant. We both bought one each. I’ve seen it before in various interior design blogs. It is an odd plant and it is very difficult to take a picture of it as I found out. It is presently placed in one of the kitchen windows, so I can see it when sitting at the kitchen-table.

The plant is called Corokia Cotoneaster (wire-netting brush). It comes from New Zealand where you grow it outside as a bush. It was difficult to find a good place for it where you can see the odd shaped leaves and branches. The small green leaves change appearance with how the light falls on it.

Just to get a better picture of it I temporarily placed some white styrofoam behind it outside when re-planting it in this pot. In Sweden it is called “zigzag”-plant.

Remains to be seen if it gets the tiny yellow flowers it is supposed to get in spring… First of all I need to keep it alive and make sure it is content with its environments.

corokia, corokiacontoneaster

(The pink bucket is an anti-mosquito candle, here just used as weight for the styrofoam to stay in place). ©nini.tjader.2014

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden and Nature, Various, 0 comments