When it comes to Christmas, the colours we associate most with the season are red, white and green. At least I do. That’s why I like to have red coloured plants around come the end of the year. Unfortunately, I got a late start with some of the plants, so the roselle and burgundy okra plants are still rather young. However, a couple of surprises popped up, and I’m pleased to share them with you…
We shifted some plants around a few weeks ago when we were having some work done, and to my surprise, the kangkong plants much preferred the new position out in the full sun! The plants growing in this particular pot all began to grow with gusto, and just before we were going to harvest the leaves, I noticed some flower buds beginning to form on the longest stem, so we let that stem escape the harvest, and that has given us these pretty white flowers.
I always forget how pretty kangkong flower are until they bloom. “Pristine” is a word that always comes to mind when I think about their colour.
Another plant, name not known, was bought a few years ago. It’s likely from the caladium family, and has lovely shiny red leaves with curled, green edges. The closest I’ve come to identifying this plant is the caladium Red Ruffles. It grows sparingly when potted, and while it has been split a couple of times, it has not been a vigorous plant. In one of my experimental spates, I tried planting one of the small plants directly in the ground in a very shaded part of the garden, and had an extremely pleasant surprise in return – the plant began to grow bigger leaves, and began to multiply very enthusiastically. I wish it would grow in a more prominent position where it can be admired, but am so glad to have found a sweet spot for it to grow in.
See how this plant is happily multiplying? We never had it look so healthy when it was growing in a pot.
My favourite Ma Had Thai caladium has not disappointed, either, by growing at the right time. It appears to hibernate during the middle of the year, and the bulb is rather big, resulting in big leaves, too. The colour has deepened, though, to an almost-black. The spots remain red, and the contrast of colours is still striking. What a gorgeous plant!
The Ma Had Thai caladium currently has rather large leaves that capture water in a way that it looks like a jewel. Pretty, isn’t it?
I hope all of you have had an enjoyable Christmas, wherever you are.
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