When we lived in Illinois we loved keeping plants in the house. We had giant peace lilies, rubber fig trees, areca palms, ficus benjamina, etc. I figured it would help keep the air clean when we were closed up for the Chicago winters.
In fact, our daughter sent us a photo of our very old rubber fig tree that somehow has taken on a very odd shape.
I told her that she should maybe just chop the top off and see if it will grow another shoot at the bottom. She's reluctant to do so since we left that plant with her when we moved back to Hawaii 14 years ago. I'm impressed she's kept it alive this long.
Those rubber fig trees grow absolutely wild here in Hawaii and are HUGE.
We also had a ficus benjamina for a long time which we left with friends when we moved.
Here in Hawaii, we don't keep houseplants. They seem to attract bugs. Besides, we have greenery all year long outside.
After caring for the ficus benjamina for years and always worrying when the leaves started to fall it was a surprise to see this on one of our walks.
Wow! Seeing your old rubber tree really reaching for that window is one thing, but those giant plants coming up from those storm drains... definitely not something you see here in Pittsburgh. I have a Chinese money plant and a few succulents on my windowsil, but I'd like to get something bigger in here--esp with winter on the way :)
ReplyDeleteYou've certainly experienced two very different ecosystems and maybe more for all I know.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Colorado, I kept lots of houseplants, but just like you in Hawaii, I am surrounded with greenery here in the Pacific Northwest and don't keep any inside now :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat are pampered house plants here in the north are just weeds there in the tropics. Funny, and perhaps bad for the plumbing infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteWe have much fewer house plants than we used to. We have three Christmas Cacti and one Pothos. All easy care.
You just have to admire the determination and will to live of those plants growing in storm drains.
ReplyDeleteThat rubber fig seems to be seeking the window. Oops a problem with Hawaii's drains.
ReplyDeleteSeems the plants are smart: follow the sun and find constant water and probably "fertilizer." Can you pull up and "transplant" the sewer grate plant? Guess there's not much need to do so when you're surrounded by greenery. No indoor plants for me; not enough sun and too much babysitting. (Hibiscus and cherry tomatoes outside though! Juliet grape tomatoes are REALLY sweet and taste like the old heirloom tomatoes. All from a $5 WalMart plant. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteHmmm... I wonder if we could plant some tomatoes. This would be fun. Thank you for the idea, Linda.
DeleteI used to have a lot of houseplants, but they were all sun-loving and our condo doesn't have enough. I ended up buying a couple of fakes from IKEA.
ReplyDeleteThe ficus tree will probably have to be removed - its roots will cause damage. We have so many plants that start off as innocent looking sprouts and grow into invasive vines and trees. The worst are the Haole koa - those seeds spread everywhere. And the Mexican creeper vine with the pretty pink flowers that take over. We had night jasmine that became like thin trees - those were tough to remove. And in the past few years those green parrots that fly around in the morning drop round seeds that turn into a palm-like plant very quickly. Keeps us gardeners very busy!
ReplyDeleteCute. Isn't a weed just a plant that's in the wrong place?
ReplyDeleteThose plants escaped from a living room or sun porch, or whatever.
ReplyDeleteYes, we have no indoor plants now too.
ReplyDeleteYes, those two are really healthy. Perhaps the next one will be a split leaf philodendron. :)