This plant was acquired as a pink clone of A. sagittifolius but appears to be a different species. We thought it was simply a different flower color for Abelmoschus sagittifolius, but when it leafed out, we realized we had a different species. The leaves start off with a soft serrated orbicular appearance, then as the stem progresses, the leaves begin to morph into a trilobed leaf as evidenced in the photo. Very strange!

CULTURE REQUIREMENTS

Not to be confused with Adenium, a completely different genus. Actually succulent forms of the Passifloraceae or Passion Flower family, many Adenias form thick stems which endear them to caudiciform plant lovers. However, when young they little resemble the future finished product. Typical young venenata are tall and resemble an upside-down elongated carrot.

The leaves are accompanied by thread-like tendrils which vine around any available object. The caudex thickens with age and can reach 6 feet in very old plants and the vine can go on for 30 feet or more, but can be trimmed to keep it manageable. Leaves are stelate and the flowers are tiny, green and dioecious. Native to central and eastern Africa.

CULTURE REQUIREMENTS

LIGHT	Full Sun to Bright, Indirect Light
WATER	Once a week - Dry out in between waterings
TEMP	Warm
CARE	General Bromeliad Care Make Your Bromeliad Bloom

A Mark Dimmitt hybrid that has a similar appearance to the 'Harry Potter' hybrid adenium. These plants are of flowering size and ready to be moved up to a larger pot.

PERFECT STARTER FOR A BONSAI PROJECT

Leaves that are blacker than black (for a plant). A graceful rosette that starts out upright then as the inch wide leaves lengthen, arch over, forming a wide rosette. The inflorescence is a handsome pendant spike of red berries and blue flowers.

A rare large species from Bahia, Brazil that has an upright vase shape to about 30 inches tall, with wide, stiff and very spiny leaves.  The most outstanding character is that it takes on a red coloration from the leaf tips downward to about half the leaf as it matures.  The remainder of the leaf is light green. 

Does not bloom often and there is sometimes a bit of confusion with this species and similar Hohenbergia castellanosii, a larger plant with wider leaves and larger spines. Although the coloration is similar, the Hohenbergia has a ‘bloom’ or light veneer of a waxy powder over the leaf surfaces.  Aechmea ampla is glabrous or glossy. 

Of course, the surest way to tell is by the bloom, if you are lucky to see one!  Aechmea ampla has a laxly, bipinately branched green spike with very long branches and short sub branches bearing green sepals with pink flowers.

Endemic to the island of Guadeloupe in the Lesser Antilles, it is one of the very few Aechmea species from the Caribbean. A rarely seen plant, of interest mostly to taxonomists and collectors. The plant is fairly large, to over 30 inches with somewhat soft, greenish-yellow leaves and a pale yellow inflorescence that most resembles that of a Vriesea or Tillandsia species rather than an Aechmea.

Interesting, not beautiful, it is a rare plant from a botanically poorly known area. Growing hard or in bright light, the plant will take on a darker yellow coloration and more compact shape. The inflorescence too will become deeper yellow.

An interesting and attractive plant about 18 to 24 inches tall in an upright rosette, with pale green leaves and a pink inflorescence with white flowers. The shape of the inflorescence resembles that of a typical form of blue-flowered gamosepala, but in every way it is larger. A rarely seen form that is both beautiful and easy to grow.

An impressive giant growing recently described species from Bahia.   The foliage resembles somewhat the more familiar Alc. imperialis, but it is leafier and the leaves are narrower.  The inflorescence is stunning, very tall with showy red scape bracts and yellow branches only at the top of the scape.  The branches continue to elongate throughout the blooming period, eventually drooping.

For lovers of weird, a nearly leafless, shrub-like member of the Didiereaceae that can reach nearly 10 feet tall but grows in a rather haphazard clump of tangled branches.  The cylindrical stems are kind of olive green with silver tricomes and bears scattered conical spines which are stout but not ‘dangerous’. 

Native to southern coastal Madagascar in the regions of the thorn forest from near sea level to almost 1,000 feet. A dioecious species that requires both sexes to set seed, but is easily propagated from cuttings.  Reportedly slow growing but we do not find this to be especially true.  Best grown in full sun to partial shade, well drained soils and moderate watering.  Protect from freezing.

THIS PLANT IS ON C.I.T.E.S. AND CANNOT BE EXPORTED

A moderately sized species from Thailand with deep green to almost black foliage edged in red and a pink and brown petiole mottled with rounded white spots. The foliage is attractive, deep green above, reddish below with a red edge to the leaf.