Earthdragon's Endangered Species

Plant Summary

Botanical Name: Sedum morganianum

Type: Succulent/ Cactus

Origin: The Donkey's Tail, Sedum morganianum, originates from Mexico.

Height: The stems of this house plant will trail up to 90 cm (3 ft).

Soil: Ideally, the Donkey's Tail should be planted in a good cactus potting mix.

Light: Sedum morganianum likes bright light and can cope with a little direct sun, although it should be shaded from strong hot summer sun.

Humidity: This house plant prefers average levels of humidity, but will tolerate comparatively dry air. It must, however, be kept out of drafts.

Temperatures: Ideal room temperatures for the Donkey's Tail should range between 18 and 24 degrees C (65 to 75 degrees F). To promote blooming, a cool winter rest with temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees C (55 to 65 degrees F) is recommended.

Water: While the soil needs to be kept slightly moist during spring and summer, the Donkey's Tail should only be watered sparingly during autumn and winter. Shrivelled leaves indicate that the plant is not receiving enough water.

Fertiliser: Dilute a balanced liquid fertiliser by half and feed it to the Donkey's Tail once a month during the months of spring and summer.

Propagation: Sedum morganianum can be propagated from 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3 in) long stem tip cuttings, which should be taken in spring. After exposing the stem by removing the lower leaves, the cuttings are inserted into a 1:1 mixture of peat moss and sharp sand. It is also possible to propagate this house plant from leaf cuttings, following the described method. Either way, the potting mix must be kept moist and, as this could take a month or two, patience is required.

Description and Care Tips 

The stems of the succulent Donkey's Tail, which is sometimes also referred to as Burro's Tail, are thickly covered in plump blue-green, overlapping leave, which will spill out of and trail down the side of the plant's container.

Rarely known to bloom indoors, the Donkey's Tail can be encouraged to bloom by giving it a cool winter rest. Temperatures should not be allowed to drop below 13 degrees C (55 degrees F), and the plant should not be fertilised from the beginning of autumn through into the beginning of spring. Watering should also be reduced during this period. 

If successful, the Donkey's Tail will produce lovely, succulent red or pink flowers in summer. The flowers will appear in tiny clusters at the plant's stem tips. 

While the plant does require plenty of bright light, care should be taken not to expose it to full summer sun, as this will very quickly result in the plant suffering from sunburn.

Repotting needs to be done in spring, but only when the plant has filled its pot. A shallow pot will be fine, as the Donkey's Tail's roots do not grow very deep, but it is essential to ensure the pot has drainage holes. 

As this house plant is exceptionally fragile - its leaves are likely to fall off even at the gentlest touch - it is best kept out of high traffic areas to prevent accidental damages. It is, in fact, best to place it into a hanging basket and only go near it to water and/ or fertilise it.

Plant Summary

Botanical Name: Narcissus spp.

Type: Flowering 

Origin: Daffodils originate from Europe.

Height: Miniature varieties of the Daffodil will grow to heights of around 15 cm (6 in), while regular varieties can grow up to 46 cm (18 in) tall.

Soil: Narcissus spp.grow best in peat-moss based soil, or, to be more precise, potting mix.

Light: This plant likes indirect bright light. Turning the pot every now and then is recommended, as Daffodils lean towards light while growing.

Humidity: Average levels of humidity will be adequate for this house plant.

Temperatures: Being spring flowers, Daffodils like to be cool. Temperatures around 16 degrees C (60 degrees F) are optimal.

Water: The soil needs to be checked frequently to ensure it remains lightly moistened, as Daffodils are thirsty, especially while growing.

Fertiliser: A diluted (to half its strength) balanced fertiliser should be fed to daffodils every two weeks.

Propagation: It is not possible to force Daffodil bulbs into blooming indoors for a second year. They can, however, be kept planted outside, although it may take a couple of years before they bloom again even there. To keep them, their foliage should be allowed to naturally die back. The bulbs should then be stored in a dry, cool place until autumn, when they can be planted in the garden.  

Description and Care Tips

Naturally blooming in spring, Daffodils can be forced to bloom from mid-winter to early spring. The process of forcing them is comparatively easy and should be started between October and November.

To force Daffodils, a 15 cm (6 in) deep, wide pot needs to be filled loosely with a suitable potting mix. The bulbs are then set - nose end up - into the soil, taking care not to press them in too much, as the soil needs to be loose enough to allow the tender roots to grow into it. The bulbs should not be allowed to touch, and their tips should be roughly at level with the rim of the container. A little extra potting mix is then added to barely cover the bulbs' noses. 

Unless the bulbs were purchased pre-chilled, the pot then needs to be stored in a cool - temperature should be between 4 and 7 degrees C (40 to 45 degrees F), not freezing - and dark place for 8 to 10 weeks. Regular checking to ensure the soil remains moist is essential throughout this period, which is known as the 'cold treatment' period. A refrigerator, unheated garage or basement will be perfect. Potential damage caused by the ethylene gas given off by ripening fruit/ vegetables needs to be avoided by keeping the pot well away from such fruit/ vegetables.

When the young shoots reach a height of around 5 cm (2 in), the pot can be moved into a slightly warmer (maximum temperature 10 degrees C, or 50 degrees F, low light position. Moving the pot slowly and gradually closer towards a sunnier place will result in the Daffodils lasting longer. To ensure the plants grow evenly, the pot should be turned daily.

Once in full bloom, the potted Daffodils can be placed into direct sunlight. Keeping temperatures down to a maximum of approximately 16 degrees C (60 degrees F) will help to make the flowers last for a month or so.

As far as varieties are concerned, there are plenty to choose from. Shades range from white and pink to cream, yellow or orange. The cup, often also referred to as the trumpet, may contrast in colour from the surrounding petals, some of which may be frilly. Some varieties offer double blooms or blooms with  two colours, too. 

Then, of course, there are the miniature varieties, which are especially good for indoor use and make a charming display when planted closely together in a pretty pot. On some of the larger varieties, by the way, the flower heads tend to get rather heavy. To avoid them breaking off, they should be staked.

Although mixing colours in one pot is a tempting thought, it should be avoided, as Daffodil varieties tend to flower at different times. The most attractive displays are achieved with just one variety per container.

This list includes a selection of common, not quite so common and unusual house plants beginning with the letters 'D' and 'E'. If the name of a plant is not known - sometimes well meaning friends remove details before giving a plant as a present because the price happens to be on the label - it may be possible to first of all identify it by taking a peek at the images shown in the Green Thumb Photo Album. 

Plants are listed purely in alphabetical order, as opposed to splitting them by type, to make finding them a little easier. It can be difficult to find a plant if only armed with a name, rather than knowing whether it is of the flowering, foliage, succulent or cactus type. 

D

Daffodils

(Narcissus spp.)

Desert Rose Plant

(Adenium obesum)

Donkey's Tail

(Sedum morganianum)

Dragon Tree

(Dracaena marginata)

Dragon Wing Begonia

(Begonia hybrids)

Dumb Cane

(Dieffenbachia)

Dwarf Chenille Plant

(Acalypha pendula)

E

Easter Cactus

(Hatiora gaertneri)

Easter Lily

(Lilium longiflorum)

Echeveria

(Echeveria species)

Elephant's Ear

(Alocasia amazonica)

English Ivy

(Hedera helix)

European Fan Palm

(Chamaerops humilis)

Nobody is perfect, and there may well be some plants readers are aware of that are not featured here, so if any one has an idea or knows of a plant that should be included here, please leave a comment. The plant in question will then be researched and included as soon as humanly possible. 

It would also be appreciated if a photo that can be used here would be included with such suggestions, as the writer obviously does not have these plants readily available to take photos (otherwise they would already be included), and finding images that are not bound by copyrights is not always as easy as one would imagine. 

In the hope that this list and the associated images and articles will prove helpful, enjoy having a read, please share the articles with family, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances, and please feel free to leave comments of any kind - as long as they are not rude :-) 

While it is appreciated that it will not be possible to please everybody all the time, constructive criticism is worth far more - and will be taken note of - than raving abuse, which will simply be deleted.

Plant Summary

Botanical Name: Cyclamen persicum

Type: Flowering

Origin: Cyclamen persicum plants are hybrids with parents originating from the Middle East and Southern Europe.

Height: Florist Cyclamen will grow approximately 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) tall.

Soil: Cyclamens are happy when planted in a quality general purpose potting mix.

Light: Although the Cyclamen likes bright light, it should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Humidity: This house plant needs moderate to high levels of humidity. Levels should be raised by misting its leaves or placing the pot onto a tray/ saucer filled with wet pebbles.

Temperatures: Cyclamen persicum likes to be cool at average temperatures of around 13 to 18 degrees C (55 to 65 degrees F).

Water: Keeping the soil slightly moist is best done by placing the Cyclamen's pot onto a saucer filled with tepid water for a maximum of 20 minutes.

Fertiliser: During the budding and blooming period, Cyclamens should be fed with a diluted (50:50) high phosphorus fertiliser every 14 days. Any other time fertilising is not required.

Propagation: Florist Cyclamen can only be propagated through seeds.

Description and Care Tips

The beautiful, backswept petals of the Cyclamen plant, commonly known as the Florist Cyclamen, come in various shades of white, pink, red or purple, and rise on upright stems above the plant's lovely silver and green, heart-shaped foliage.

A winter-blooming house plant, the Cyclamen is typically purchased already flowering. Sadly, it is often treated as an annual, getting thrown out when deterioration begins to set in early in spring. Few people know that the Cyclamen is actually a perennial that can be enjoyed for many years with a little care.

Well cared for, this flowering cool-season house plant will last for months before its flowers die and the foliage starts to turn yellow. Once this happens, the now dormant Cyclamen persicum should be cut back and placed into a dark, cool location for the summer. Watering it just enough to stop its soil from completely drying out throughout this period, the Cyclamen can be returned to a spot in bright light, resuming normal watering and fertilising at the onset of autumn. Within 2 to 3 months, new blooms should appear.

Poor ventilation and wet soil may encourage the growth of a fuzzy, grey fungus called botrytis. This fungus is capable of very quickly killing off the plant. Affected leaves therefore need to be removed as soon as the first signs of an infection - brown patches on yellowing leaves - appear. Plants that are very badly affected may need to be discarded completely. 

To assist air circulation and subsequently help to prevent fungus growth, shrivelled or yellow leaves and spent flowers should be cut off as soon as possible.

Plant Summary

Botanical Name: Codiaeum variegatum pictum

Type: Foliage

Origin: Croton Plants originate from Malaysia, Northern Australia and the Pacific Islands.

Height: Codiaeum variegatum pictum grows to heights of up to around 90 cm (3 ft).

Soil: This plant should be potted in a mix based on peat moss.

Light: The Croton house plant likes bright like and requires a minimum of 3 hours worth of direct sunlight per day.

Humidity: Being a house plant that loves high humidity, the Croton Plant should be placed onto a wet pebble tray and misted daily.

Temperatures: Crotons like to be kept reasonably warm. Temperatures ranging from 18 to 29 degrees C (65 to 85 degrees F) are ideal.

Water: Using tepid water, the soil should be kept moist (evenly) at all times, without allowing it to get too soggy.

Fertiliser: From early on in spring all the way the summer, the Croton Plant needs to be fertilised with a balanced liquid fertiliser that has been diluted to half its strength on a two-weekly basis.

Propagation: Croton stem cuttings should be taken during the spring months and dipped into rooting hormones before being placed into a 1:1 mixture of peat moss and sand, where they will root within a month or so.

Description and Care Tips

Leathery, stiff leaves in bold greens, yellows, oranges, pinks and reds make the Croton Plant, which is also commonly known as Joseph's Coat, a very popular, beautiful house plant, in spite of the fact that it is not an easy to please plant. The Arrowhead Croton in particular is well thought of, as its unusual leaves will add a wonderful contrast to any group of house plants.

To successfully grow and keep Crotons, lots of sunshine, high humidity levels, moist soil and a warm environment free from drafts are essential. Dry soil or dry air will invariably lead to the leaves of this house plant dropping off.

Naturally bushy, Crotons rarely need pruning, but, if the plant should become too tall, it can be topped (cut back) during spring. The stem cuttings can then be used for propagation.

Until the Croton gets to the desired size, it should be repotted in spring, moving up just one container size at the time. Once it has grown to the right size, it can be kept from growing larger by keeping it in the same container and just top dressing it once a year. 

Top dressing is done by removing only the top 5 to 7. 5 cm (2 to 3 in) of the soil - taking care not to damage any roots close to the surface - and topping up again with fresh soil. 

It is quite common for 2 or three plants to be sold in the same pot. After being kept together for a year, they should be separated to give them the space they need to grow. Separation is done by carefully cutting through the roots with a sharp serrated knife and potting each section in its own container.