Caudiciforms
Not much of a reference , but a great cover.I always introduce myself as a "general gardener" since my interest in plants and gardens is so diverse, I grow alpine plants and desert plants, native plants and exotics, plants that need the shade in the under-story of trees and plants that need blazing sun. I also have very different ways of growing plants, some I try to grow in the most natural of habitats and others I grow in containers with a definite artifice trying to match the plant to the container.
But for all this, when reflecting on what seems an unfocused mix, I can see some connections between these disperse collection. This little group of succulents perhaps will illustrate how my various interests come together, they are three different plant families, but are all considered caudiciforms, that is, they all have swollen trunks (and maybe roots) that enable them to store water in extreme dry conditions. They are great subjects for growing in containers and (to my taste) have great and presence and an almost bonsai like character in a well chosen pot. So in this small group of plants I cover several of my interests,those being succulents, vines, euphorbias and my attempts to achieve that Japanese aesthetic of matching plant to pot.
Adenia glaucaAdenia, I was surprised to find, are in the family Passifloraceae.
My plant is still immature, but already has a spectacular caudex .
Cissus tuberosa
Jatropa multifidaJatropa are in the family Euphorbiaceae
Comments
To be honest, I'm an obsessive collector of pots also. Many sit around empty for years waiting for the right plant.
I went to a talk by Helen Dillon recently and she says that she doesn't like terra-cotta any more, prefering to plant in dust bins!
I think she's trying too hard to be leading edge. The success of her water course has gone to her head.
I can see the Japanese aesthetic, you accomplish it very well.
Thanks for the comments. Coming from Japan.this is indeed a compliment,