Crust on Clay Pots No Danger to Plants
QUESTION: I have several plants in clay pots that have suddenly developed white crusts on their sides--the pots that is, not the plants. I suspect this is mildew or some kind of fungus, but I like the way the pots look. Do I have to wash this fungus off?
ANSWER: The white film on the outside of your clay pots is not mildew or fungus--it’s actually a crust of hard-water salts such as calcium and magnesium that have oozed through the porous terra cotta. It will not harm your plants, so if you like the way it looks, just leave it be. For those of you who have the same problem but don’t find the white crust attractive, simply scrub the pots with soap and water and a wire brush.
It Should Be Simple to Find Lipstick Plant
Q: I saw a picture of a lipstick plant in a magazine last week and absolutely fell in love with its bright red waxy lipstick-like flowers. Could you please give me the botanical name and care instructions so I can hunt one up and grow it?
A: The botanical name is Aeschynathus javanicus, and you should have more trouble pronouncing it than finding one. The lipstick plant is fairly common in better nurseries, but I’d suggest you use your yellow pages to call around before you go out hunting. It will grow best if you keep it in bright, filtered sunlight and water it often enough to keep the soil moist. It will flower from late spring through late summer, especially if you can give it an outdoor vacation, in the shade, for a couple of weeks during summer.
Look for Soilless Starting Mixture
Q: I’d like to start some seedlings indoors. Is there a particular type of soil that’s better for starting seeds than regular potting soil?
A: Actually, the best medium for starting seedlings indoors is a soil that contains no real soil at all, one of the good soilless mixes sold in nurseries and garden centers all over the Southland. Soilless mixes are very light and are made from sphagnum moss or peat moss, vermiculite and a little perlite. Look for a plastic bag of “soil” that’s labeled as a germinating or starting mix. Or you can make your own: Mix together one-half sphagnum or peat moss, one-quarter vermiculite and one-quarter perlite. But buying a ready-made soilless mix is much more cost-effective.
‘Poodle Plant’ Will Need Trimming
Q: I recently got a plant for a gift--a little beauty I call a “Poodle Plant.” It’s got three little shaped balls of shiny, dark green leaves growing on a thin stem about 3 feet tall and looks just like a fancy poodle cut. Each “ball” is covered with very fragrant little white flowers. Do you know the name and care for this plant--and what is that poodle cut called in the plant world?
A: What you’ve got is a dwarf myrtle (Myrtus communis) standard, or topiary. These plants begin as bushy shrubs and then, indeed, are trimmed into those poodle-cut shapes. You’ll have to trim your plant yourself occasionally to keep those nice, round shapes, and be sure to leave it in a bright, sunny spot. During summer, water it frequently to keep the soil moist.
These Flowers Look Almost Like Goldfish
Q: I am an avid goldfish collector. I have a 40-gallon tank filled with lots of beautiful specimens. I also like plants, and when somebody told me there was a “goldfish plant,” I decided to add one to my plant collection. Alas, I’ve called several nurseries and nobody has one. Is there really such a plant and, if so, where can I get one?
A: There is indeed. It’s Hypocerta nummularia, a very distinctive hanging plant with dark-green, shiny leaves and beautiful bright reddish-gold flowers, each of which resembles (if you stretch your imagination a bit) a goldfish. They’re not common, but I’ve seen them in several nurseries over the past couple of years. Your best bet is just to keep calling and looking, and you’ll stumble across one sooner than later. Once caught, keep your goldfish plant in bright, filtered light, keep the soil moist and feed weekly with a flower food during the spring and the summer. Unlike the goldfish in your aquarium, your goldfish plant would welcome a two- or three-week outdoor summer vacation (in the shade.)
Moses-in-the-Cradle Is Easy to Grow
Q: A few weeks ago you discussed a “crown of thorns” plant in your column and mentioned its religious connotations. I have a beautiful plant called Moses-in-the-cradle. Do you know the origin of this plant’s name?
A: Moses-in-the-cradle (Rhoeo discolor) gets its name from the way its little white flower clusters grow in the center of its boat-shaped rosette. With its rosette of stiff, waxy, lance-shaped leaves that are dark green on top and bright purple on the undersides, Moses-in-the-cradle is a very easy plant to grow.
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Are your palms pooping? Are your ferns flopping? Send your houseplant questions to the Indoor Gardener in care of the Real Estate section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. Questions cannot be answered individually.
