Ipomoea

I picked up this interesting-looking pot plant last week at the Shongweni Farmers Market (for a cool R100!).  The guy selling it didn’t have much information for me but could tell me it was part of the Ipomoea family.

From Wikipedia, “The genus Ipomoea (Greek Ips, Ipos, worm or bindweed and Homoeos, resembling, referring to the twining habit) is the largest in the family Convolvulaceae, with over 500 species. Most of these are called “morning glories”, but this can refer to related genera also. The genus occurs throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, lianas, shrubs and small trees; most of the species are twining climbing plants.”

After a bit of Googling, I think it may be Ipomoea lapathifolia as the leaf structure looks similar … check it out here.

Ipomoea?

It’s an aloe!

I never knew this little guy was an aloe – although now that I think about it the red/orange flowers are very similar to the other, larger aloes I have.

Its official name is aloe aristata and they were first ‘discovered’ in the Drakensburg in KwaZulu-Natal, but their habitat stretches from the eastern Karoo to the Eastern Cape to Lesotho. They have thick, juicy leaves with small spines on them which form a rosette (the leaves, not the spines).

I’ve always grown these in pots which would explain why they have remained quite small.  I think I will set one ‘free’ in my garden to see how big it gets.

aloe aristata.

Mexican Rosette

Another post, another pot plant – but this time I do know its name and where its from.  Its an Echeveria and its as Mexican as tequila and sombreros.  The leaves form an attractive rosette and have a waxy feel to them.  They are very easy to propagate, with a new plant growing from a single leaf.  In fact, my plants have all grown from a single leaf harvested from a friend’s garden.

You may be forgiven for thinking this little plant is South African as you can find them across the country, from dorpies in the Karoo to gardens in Melville.  Also, its part of the Crassulaceae family, as are many other South African succulents.

Interesting fact, courtesy of my What Flower Is That? book.  The name of the genus commemorates a Mexican botanical artist, Atanasio Echeveria.

echeveria

My first plant (and post)

This was the first plant I bought so I think its fitting that it feature in my first post on gardening.  I got it from the farmers market in Westville and its been with me for over five years.  It sparked my interest in plants and was the first of many succulents and cacti I bought and still have.

Its spines are long and sharp and feel a bit like an animal’s claw.  It is very slow growing and hasn’t flowered in the time I have had it. I have no idea of its name or if it is in fact indigenous to South Africa so if any one recognises it, please comment.

My first cactus