Plants

I gave away a bunch of plants and starts today. A woman reached out on a community board asking for a bunch of item to help someone who had recently overcome being unhoused. One of the requests was houseplants. I do not need five orchid cactus…

This morning I pulled a batch of plants into the dining room:

• The smallest orchid cactus.
• A spider plant.
• A tall prickly euphorbia from my Island neighbor to the north.
• A Christmas cactus ‘adjacent’ plant that my late and favorite boss gave me many years ago. All this plant has done is live verses thrive. I thought maybe someone else would have better luck with it, and I still have my old bosses actual Christmas cactus that blooms in white.

I also gathered all the cuttings, in particular a couple of large pieces of aloe vera that have been in a 12” high brilliant blue vase on the kitchen counter for quite a while. While I love this vase, I love the serenity of my counters when they are clear of stuff. The vase will get put away when it is done drying. There will always be more cuttings.

I shared some of the legacy details about the plants. The gal picking them up was touched. I am left with conflicting feelings… On one hand, I do not need 35 house plants! On the other it’s like letting go of old friends. What feels most important is that someone who loves plants, and has a home again, is going to love being instantly surrounded by greenery.