The houseplants did pretty well this year. I did lose my beloved rubber tree but a friend at work returned the one I had given her (she was not a fan). I brought home some new plants, including a dieffenbachia, 2 dracaena, and succulents (I got a bear paw!), and I put a snake plant in my room after reading it releases oxygen at night and improves air quality. They are all cozy on my plant table, enjoying the bright light in my living room now that the tree in my front lawn has lost it’s leaves.
Highs
Orchid
My garden friend gave me this Dendrobium Kingianum, a lithophytic orchid from Australia, in May of 2017. Last year it grew 2 new branches and several new roots!
No flowers yet but I hope it’s just a matter of time.
Air plants
The first air plant I ever bought made a pup. A year later, it grew up (awww!).
The second plant I bought bloomed in December 2017.
And now it has a baby!
Kalanchoe/Bryophyllum
This mother of thousands is being true to her name.
At times it feels like a bit of a burden having to deal with all of the babies, but it’s hard not to be impressed when all the leaves are covered with little ones. I guess that’s why it’s a high, not a low. For now.
Lows
Desert rose
I bought these seeds in 2017 on Amazon.ca from somewhere in Germany, if I remember correctly. I was excited when they began growing, but since then the ones I gave away last year have died and the ones I kept are barely growing.

The tall one is about the length of my palm and very narrow. It’s the only one that’s really been progressing, albeit very slowly
I’m still hopeful they will improve but definitely disappointed in their progress.
Gollum jade
We had a heatwave during the first week of July, with temperatures feeling like 40 degrees Celsius and I had no air conditioning.
The heat really took it’s toll (it was a bad time to take a week off, I could barely function). I lost several plants, including my gollum jade. I was so ill from the weather that I didn’t notice it shriveling up.
Perhaps I didn’t water it enough during all the humidity. Or over-watered? Thankfully I got another one from my garden friend. Not full grown and glorious like the last one but it’s coming along.
Hoya
I was so sad to see this one go.
Best new find
New air plants
I bought these air plants at Tiny Flower on Bay street. I love how they look like they’re from outer space but I also think they look pretty classy in the pots that came with the mini orchids I bought at Metro (couldn’t get them to re-bloom and then they died).