QUITE A WEIRD LOOKING BUNCH
Welcome to a collection of “weird and unusual house plants” that could possibly join your indoor plant family. While some growers love pretty flowers and fine foliage, others prefer something a little different and less popular.
Coral Cactus – Eurphorbia Lactea Crest
At first glance the Coral cactus looks like lettuce leaves on a stem. It also looks very similar to types of coral reef, where it got its name. This plant is not a cactus, it’s actually a Eurphorbia that has been transfigured. The coral is easy to take care of, but a grower needs to be careful not to over water it.
Urn Plant – Aechmea Fasciata
While the Urn plant does look odd at first, after closer viewing it looks quite beautiful. The pink flower can last a few months and the wide leaves have a kind of marble effect, making it quite unique. These grow in height from about 1ft – 3ft and spread in width up to 2ft. The Aechmea has a lovely exotic look about it.
Medusa’s Head – Tillandsia Caput Medusae
This Tillandsia is a very unusual looking house plant and has the common name of Medusa’s head because the foliage is so similar looking to Medusa’s hair, well snakes. This is an air plant which means it takes water from the surrounding air and vital nutrients.
Goats Horn Cactus – Astrophytum Capricorne
The Astrophytum capricorne cactus, with the common name of Goat’s horn has prominent spines and blooms a glorious yellow flower. The goat’s horn is one of the most popular cacti from the Astrophytum genus, although quite rare. This species adapts well to various temperatures, although they prefer temperatures above 50°F (10°C).
The One Colored Paphiopedilum
This Paphiopedilum is part of the orchid family that blooms fabulous yellowish spotted flowers. The Concolor is native to a few Asian countries including Thailand which is my second home 6 months of the year and makes it one of my favorites added to this collection. This plant is more unique in looks (the flowers) than unusual.
Flaming Sword – Vriesea Splendens
Vriesea splendens have the common name flaming sword from the large bright red flower that blooms within the center of the foliage. These are grown for flowering and the attractive zebra looking foliage which quite outstanding. A grower needs to provide the right setting and care for this plant to enable it to mature at it’s best.
Coral Bead Plant – Nertera Granadensis
This low growing plant spreads out to cover the ground it is provided with, offering a visually unique presentation to growers. With its picky watering and light demands, the coral bead plant has proven difficult for the beginner house plant growers. The coral bead remains within a few inches of the soil throughout its life, spreading outwards as it grows.
Elephant’s Ear -Alocasia Amazonica
I’ve added the Amazon elephant’s ear plant plant to the unusual plant section because of it’s distinct dark green leaves with whitish colored veins – that are quite unique.A species that’s native to tropical Southeast Asia which let’s a grower know about – when requesting how much warmth, humidity and water is required.
Venus Fly Trap – Dionaea Muscipula
The dionaea muscipula is unusual in the way that it traps insects and ingests them (insectivore). It’s the most commonly kept insectivore indoors, although it’s quite hard to extend their life span to the level they live up to outdoors. Most visitors to your home are likely to ask “what the heck is that plant?”
Elyssa Goins is an experienced house plant hobbyist who maintains over a hundred plants. She is a gardener, beekeeper, and a proud mother of four. She is a member of the American Horticultural Society, has been published in a Scientific Journal, and loves to talk about her love of plants. For the past twenty years, she’s been all about growing and caring for various fruits, veggies, herbs, livestock, kids, and houseplants. Managing a big garden to feed four growing kids and raising dairy goats has taught her so much about being an excellent plant parent and now is her time to share with you.
Trying to find the name of a house plant popular in the 1970’s, hanging, roundish leaves, full, susceptible to mealy bug, used to wipe them down with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. They many have been a bit fuzzy or sticky , veined leaves I had many but can’t find them listed anywhere, live in California
Perhaps it’s photos or Devil’s ivy, but this was one of the popular hanging plants in the 1970s. I also have these, which were passed down from my grandmother, but they are rare nowadays.