Plant update

[christopher575]

One thing a lot of people probably don't realize about air plants is that the way we generally see them for sale and in displays is quite different from how they'd be found in nature. For one thing, most people cut the roots off. They're not needed at all because unlike with other plants, they don't absorb water. They're used to hold onto rocks and trees, and are extremely tough. You can cut them with scissors, but it's very hard to break them. The other thing is that we generally see them as individual plants, but when they reproduce, it's as a cluster, and they'll more than likely stay together if left to their own devices.

I've been wanting a butzii cluster for a while now, but they're surprisingly hard to find. The first time I ordered one, they canceled on me due to lack of stock. Then I found a really big one with probably over 100 plants in it, but it was very expensive. I kinda wish I ordered it now, but at the time I was nervous about spending nearly $100 on just one cluster. Thankfully, I finally found one just before our trip, at a very reasonable price. I sent the seller a message asking them to hold off on shipping so it wouldn't arrive while we were gone, and they told me it was a good thing I ordered when I did, because I got their last one. It's here now, and I really like it.



Often when you buy a cluster, it comes with a wire attached for easy hanging. I have an ionantha cluster which came with a wire, but I'm not convinced it's a true cluster. I think they took several similarly-sized plants, held them together by the roots, and used the wire to create the appearance of a cluster. And that's fine. The new one's a true cluster, which I can tell because there's no wire. I was able to hang it up just by clipping some root to the shelf.

My friend Jayme gave me these awesome magnets when we saw him in Portland.



I've got my eye out for more clusters now. But I probably won't get any that are really expensive right away now that I've decided to do a monthly tattoo appointment. Of course that's what I say now, and it's subject to change.

Comments

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Fascinating. I have a plant that has sprouted a little one and I was going to snap it off and let it grow independently but I might leave it now.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Love the birds!

[asphaltwanderer.livejournal.com]

When we went to Puerto Rico, it was really cool seeing all the different varieties of air plants growing naturally. Some of them were huge! Similar to them is the elkhorn, which my grandfather has. He's had it since the 60s, and it weighs around 300 lbs.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Daaaamn.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

I would definitely leave it on. Individual air plants are very easy to come by, but I still haven't had one grow a pup yet.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Jayme can probably get you some, and then I could send you some plants down.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

They seem like a lot of work! :)

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

They are the opposite of a lot of work, which is why I like them.