Can't anyone see that they have the same name. Even if they are in a different family I don't think they can have the same name in nomenclature. Please someone help me understand this? Barb in Pa.
Barb, that looks like M. jalapa to me. Was it sticking out of the soil like that when you got it? Are the flowers fragrant?
Mine is definately a M. jalapa. It is a Caudiciform. That is having a caudex. That is what you are seeing there. It's supposed to be sticking out of the ground and yes, that is how I bought it. Note i was $18 about 20 years ago. You all wouldn't be buying plants or seeds like that. Would you? The flower looks very much like cherylad's. It does not smell and only lasts a day. This fatplant can not take the cold and must live in my greenhouse in Winters. Barb in Pa.
Barb in PA, I think I misunderstood, sorry, thought you were trying to ID your plant. The ones I've grown from seed do the same thing, make a huge tuber, but the tuber part always stays under ground. They can be as big as a football. When I've dug them up to move them, I've always buried that part again. There's one here that's almost 20 years old. The exposed tuber makes an interesting pot, glad I saw it. Agree about the flowers lasting only one day (night.) Don't think I've ever seen a plant for sale, just the seeds. A plant with the tuber sticking up like that, I would have noticed! I also wish I knew what causes stronger fragrance at different times and in different plants. Curious to hear what others say!
I can't believe this is the same plant. So, in the fatplant world, some of these mature plants bring very big money. I do know, once they are grown underground, they are very hard to keep alive when that caudex is exposed to air. If you expose it a little at a time, it may successfully become a fatplant and become very expensive. I love mine and really have had it for 18 years in my greenhouse. Of course, we get very cold here. Barb in Pa.
Barb, This is confusing due to the structure of classification of the plant. The genus is the: mirabilis Family name is: nyctaginaceae cultivar name is: M. jalapa common name is: four o'clocks. I don't think you have a different plant than Cheryl, just a much older plant due to you keeping it in the greenhouse for so long. I have never heard of a plant being referred to as a fatplant. What is that? I am not at all familiar with the term. Thanks
A fatplant is any plant that forms a caudex, or a fat, succulent base that stores water. A sea onion, Adenium obesum, also known as, the desert rose, pregnant onion, are fatplants and are usually from Africa but also from all over the world. Pachypodium lamerii Pachypodium sandersoni Dioscorea macrostachys Dioscorea macrostachys Bowiea volubilis Schizobasis intricata Dioscorea elephantipes Beaucarnea curvata Dorstenia carnulosa Gerrardanthus macrorhizus The above are some of what I have in my collection. They are my favorite plants.. Barb in Pa.
Holy moly!! Barb... why haven't you shared these unique beauties with us before? Or did I just miss them?
cherylad, You really are funny. I don't know if I posted these anywhere but they have been in "my garden" here forever. As I have said many times before I know nothing about native plants or should I say plants that live outside in my cold Winters.They are what we call exotics. What would "our chololate" call them. Barb in Pa.
Ah, Thank you Barb. I have never heard that term in the industry, but I was on the other end of the spectrum, I worked in greenhouses and flowershop retail, not collecting. I never had a place to keep plants before my greenhouse. Now I want a sunroom when I remodel my kitchen, not just a wall knocked out and cabinets and appliances moved around....Oh dear, that means farmers markets for the rest of my life, I do believe . I hope I am up to it.
I don't know why greenhouses don't carry more caudicorms. I guess because they are more expensive and usually ugly to the average person. I did know of one that got in a few at a time. They were cheep ones and young. I snatched them up quickly every time I saw them. You do find the Desert Rose but it is not commonly noted to be a fatplant. Barb in Pa.
Well this is fascinating, sorry I didn't know what you meant either. Love the stuff I learn on the internet! Thanks for sharing the pics, you have some wild plants, Barb.
