The Plants
The Classic boxes included Microsorum musifolium (Crocodile Ferns). This has to be hands down my favorite fern. With neon leaves that have a crocodile-skin-like appearance and wispy upticks, it’s a definite eye-catcher. A few years ago these plants were incredibly hard to find and they were very expensive. They’re still not your average joe and you won’t bump into them easily, but I’m happy they’ve now been made available to us mere mortals. Endemic to Australia and South East Asia, these beauties can grow up to 1.5m large and you’ll often find them growing epiphytically on trees.
The Collectors received a very sought-after plant- a Philodendron ‘Ring of Fire’. This wenlandii x tortum hybrid produces the most beautiful fiery variegation in its unfurling leaves. Orange has always been a favourite colour of mine and so when I had the opportunity, I grabbed two of these for my personal collection. One of them is large and has been growing outside (yes even in winter) and the other smaller, imported one, is safe and snug in the greenhouse. These plants were imported but have had time to acclimatise to the South African climate and should be a medium to easy plant to look after.
The Collaboration
For this month’s collaboration, we partnered with Jus lie’. Ilse grew up on a farm with her grandmother who taught her the magical world of cooking and creativity. Whether it was recipe-making in the kitchen or drawing on walls, the foundation for Jus lie’ had already begun. A jack of all trades, Jus lie’ is at the centre of many different products and services – whether they are designing labels, creating illustrated linens, or decorative candles. In her free time, you can find Ilse reading, tending to her many plants, or spending time with her two rescue cats Fix (a little tripawed tuxedo cat) & Pickle.
For Plant Club, Ilse crafted the most beautiful fine-lined illustration of the Crocodile Fern and Ring of Fire. I love botanical artwork and will definitely be hanging mine above my staircase.
JOIN THE CLUB
If you’d like to sign up for our mystery plant club boxes, you can do so here. The next box is the September box and goes out on the 3rd of September
