My First Succulent Purchase

Aeonium 'Kiwi'

I went to the Botanical Gardens today to let go of some stress and relax a bit. Also I needed to acquire some more photos for my blog because it's getting boring seeing the same few plants over and over.

I went into the San Antonio Garden Center for the first time today. I never have gone in there for whatever reason. Today there was a plant sale by The San Antonio Cactus and Xerophyte Society. I've been eying the succulents at work but just haven't got the guts to purchase them.

I walked in and there were all these plants everywhere mostly in 4 inch or smaller pots but also many in bigger pots too. They had some tables on the right of award winning plants that had been named yesterday. They were spectacular of course and I wish I had taken some photos of them.

I thought I would walk around and look at all the cool things for sale but of course not purchase anything. As you can see I did purchase. I went up to one table and started picking up cute succulents when that vendor started talking to me. I had to start asking questions stupid me. She then was recommending stuff I might like that would do good inside or on my balcony. Next thing I know I have 4 plants in a box that I am carrying around while she tries to sell me more.

The Aeonium 'Kiwi' is a cute variegated succulent that will get 2-3 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. It likes cool sun light shade so it is on my windowsill in the computer room.


Jovibarba hirts f/Belansky Tatra

These little fellows are awesome. I have them on the balcony in hopes what she said is right and they will live out there in the full sun. These were the first things I saw and picked up right away with intent on buying them if they were just right for my conditions. They make little babies (like the one in the upper left corner) that will grow and roll off then grow some more. After picking these up she could tell I was a newbie but one that would fall in love with succulents and strange plants. She then proceeded to show me things similar to these guys. That was when I picked up the Aeonium Kiwi with it's nice variegation and pinkness to the tips.


Adenium Obesum/Desert Rose

She started to show me different succulents in her few books that she had. She would point out plants and watch my reaction to them and then go from there. She showed me this Desert Rose and said she would cut the price in half since it needed a good home and she thought I would do well with it. Desert Roses are supposed to be easy to begin with. I think she was having a hard time selling it because everyone wanted the much larger ones and I clearly likes to buy things in smaller form but didn't mind them getting larger. She grew this Desert Rose from seed which is good. This means it will have a nice trunk that will enlarge with the plant and possibly make more branches for more flowers.


Callisia fragrans/ Basket Plant

She showed me the Dutchman's Pipe and I wasn't too keen on it. She some how bribed me into taking it. I'm a sucker for when people push me to buy plants especially when I am on the fence about them. If I don't like them well then I don't. If I do then I really do. But if I'm not sure what you say can nudge me to buy it or quickly make me not want it. I thought I knew what this looked like but when I went home to search I was wrong. I thought it was the Dutchman's Pipe Vine but it can't be since it looks nothing like that. The only thing that goes by Dutchman's Pipe is the Dutchman's Pipe Cactus also called Night Blooming Cereus or many other names. I had cuttings before of that plant and the leaves look nothing like this. I know that there is a confusing with the Night Blooming Cereus since another plant has same blooms that bloom at night too but it's leaves are not as fleshy and whatever else. I thought it would be the cactus but my leaves don't look anything like the plant when it is grown. I couldn't find any photos of when the plant is small or grown from seed so I have no idea. I am about to email her in a few days if someone does not ID it. I just want to know for sure what I have.

I posed on Gardenweb and a kind member told me it looked like Callisia fragrans which is related to the Wandering Jew. When she said that I knew for sure that must be it because I remember the women saying it was related to the Wandering Jew. Looked at some pictures and that is what I have. It has some nice little blooms and makes trailing babies.

So 4 plants came home with me. 3 of them I am very happy with and the 4th it depends on what it really is to make me really like it or regret it. I think I got a new addiction now to succulents. It would be easy to sell them and not all that much space to do all the propagation.