This is a picture of it today.
It is nearly 7 feet tall! Both of us have to move it in and out of the house; it's just too big to move alone now.Being that Dave is a giant, he noticed this week that it's sprouting a seed pod! At least that we think that's what it is. It could be an alien that is going to devour us in our sleep, but I think it's just a seed pod.
Pretty cool for a memento we spent $4 on when we got engaged.
May the tree's seed pod bode well as an omen for us, too.
Isn't that plant a Dracena species? If you get fed up with the height, just saw it off so the 'trunk' is maybe 18 inches from the soil. Seal the cut top with melted candle wax and continue watering the pot when the soil gets dry. Eventually you'll get sprouts coming out the side of the 'trunk' (usually two or three). The leafy chunk you chop off put in water. You'll need one of those big spring water type bottles that are used for dispensers. 5 gallon bottles. Put some sponge between the trunk portion and the mouth of the bottle so the trunk stays straight.
ReplyDeleteYou will have the trunk rooting and because the bottle isn't a very open container, you won't have to water it.
It takes about 3 months for the trunk to root in the water. Then plant in a pot.
It takes somewhat longer for the trunk to sprout leaves. I have a Dracena fragrans that flowered after 7 years. The plant (after 10 years was glomming itself onto the ceiling, so I did the old chopchop.) That was possibly in January of this year. The trunk started to sprout leaves a month ago. The rooting portion of the programme happened ages ago and the new 'trees' are in their pots.
....and now for Ficus benjamina.....:)
gk
Oh yeah, I forgot: these plants flower when their roots become pot bound. So if you chop it, top dress the 'trunk' portion and repot it when the leaves are about a foot long.
ReplyDeletegk
gk (and Anita) I believe it's actually a "ti plant" (Hawaiian good luck plant, appropriately enough) which used to be classified as a Dracena, but is now officially considered a Cordyline:
ReplyDeletehttp://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/
folnotes/cordylin.htm
The fact that it is blooming for you now represents of course **extra** good luck!
Whatever you choose to call it, it's a real beauty!! :-)
May the tree's seed pod bode well as an omen for us, too.
ReplyDeleteThat was my first thought!
Carroll, they propogate the same way don't they?
ReplyDeletegk
It is definitely a Ti Plant, because this is what it looked like when we bought it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.maui-info.com/ti_plant.html
I lost the other root/twig thingy and even thought it is ginourmous, I'd love to have another one around. So we're going to look into propogation. (sp?)
So cool that you have a living momento from your engagement! (I'm jealous - I would have killed it by now! LOL!)
ReplyDeleteShe has a living 'monument'! LOL
ReplyDeletegk
(not sure if I mean the plant or the 'giant' husband.) ;P
gk, yes! Yes, of course they do, and I apologize for not acknowledging that. I was just being a fussy word person, and showing off about knowing my stuff when it comes to Hawaii type plants. I admire you for going the chop chop route so successfully. I always feel as though I am lopping the head off a living entity when I do that -- kind of the same feeling as going to cook a live lobster, y'know? (shudder)
ReplyDeleteBe sure to show us pictures again when that flower stalk opens, Anita -- I've never accomplished holding on to one that long (I believe our dog managed to pee in the pot of the last one I had many years ago!) Might be time for another souvenir next time we're on Maui! If you can wait until February, I'll send you one too :-)