Aroids: so diverse!

What does it mean if you receive a cactus as a gift? It's probably your birthday or a houswarming gift. After all, a stylish cactus is a hip accessory in a modern living room. However, it was not a suitable gift in the past: it was said that if you gifted someone a cactus, you would secretly experience the recipient as 'prickly' and unpleasant. Or maybe you underestimate the recipient's green thumb? Since a cactus just stand there, on your windowsill, whatever you do or don't do for it. But is that really the case? Let's take a closer look at these spiky statues.

Euphorbia is a genus with many diverse species. From native Marsh Spurge to Madeiran trees and bulbous succulents. Our poinsettia also belongs to this genus!

In the 17th century, something remarkable happens: botanist Rumphius places a plant between the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom. Why? Because it moved when touched. At the time, such sensitivity was only ascribed to organisms in the animal kingdom. But this was a plant!

Caudex plants are extremely popular these days. But the concept of caudex plant is not so clear. What exactly is it and how do you take care of them?

Confession: until recently, no orchid was allowed in my house anymore… Years ago I had 2 Butterfly orchids and planned to take better care of them, hoping to get more flowers. I did everything to make them feel good! Until one day in the summer I didn't pay attention and the poor plants burned to death on my south-facing roof terrace… Together with my good intentions I threw the plants away. No more orchids for me!

A succulent plant with partly transparent leaves! I got it from Rogier after our first meeting, about two years ago. This little Haworthia cooperi was a 'pup', a little one that had started growing on the mother plant. This mother plant was collected by an acquaintance of Rogier (with permission) in the Bolo Nature Reserve in South Africa. My love for weirdos in the plant world immediately bubbled up. And there is much more to discover about succulents!

Variegated plants! Plants 'with a flaw' have been all the rage among indoor plant enthusiasts for a few years now. Just search #houseplantsofinstagram and you'll stumble upon them. A variegated plant is a plant that is normally completely green, but has white or yellow spots in the leaf due to a genetic error. Sometimes a lot, sometimes just a few dots. The variegated swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa variegata) is particularly prominent in photos of many 'urban jungle'. Plant lovers applaud a new leaf that contains more white than the previous one. With such a variegated plant you score likes on social media. Is that a recent thing?

If you think that plants are peaceful organisms, patiently watching what is going on around them, you are wrong. Plants smell, see and feel in their own way and respond to their environment. I took an online course on the biological mechanisms behind this and became fascinated by some members of the carnivorous plant family.