The Houseplant you have fruitlessly searched for!

Reading Ribbitcat's posting about her search for variegated Aspidistra gave me an idea for an interesting thread: is there a houseplant you have searched for without success?
Where did you hear about it or see it? Why do you want it so badly? Or, if you eventually found it, is it still your favourite? I had wanted this beautiful variegated Busy Lizzie for a long time, that I had seen in a neighbour's collection. She wasn't the sort of person to offer a cutting, and certainly not the sort I would feel happy asking. Eventually I got one at the local country market - I soon discovered its major drawback - it was a magnet for white-fly, indoors orsurprisingly for Ireland, in the garden, where after various unsuccessful treatments, I had placed it for a while. Somehow it lost its attractions after that - and strangely, I saw many plants of it after that, all full of whitefly. I can only think of it as the 'whitefly plant'now.

well,it wasnt that i couldnt find the plant i wanted,rather i couldnt find the money to buy the plant i wanted.
i once did a big search for a verigated creeping ficus,had to settel for the regular green.now there everywhere.

I have searched for a variegated Alocasia/Colocasia..hee hee,forget it here!!Hey Den..I saw a variegated creeping Ficus for about 2 bucks,so i bought it. A week later,the common green ones were(get this)on sale for 5!!
Hey Ribbetcat,can you wait a year or2? Or if you live in Europe,would you like to ask Jane Stanley? She now has her nursery on-line..maybe I should ask her if she wants the sudden publicity,but I hope she doesn't mind!!!
http://www.frogswell.com/page35.html Hope this helps.
Gwist

Oops,sorry Vinca..I should put the link on the other thread :)

JewelOrchid - I want one of those!!!!!!!!
While waiting for it, I am on a search for Pandanus, common name Screw Pine. Saw one in friends house - they bought it in Home Depot, but it was the only one, and I believe it gots there by mistake. It is a big, beautifull plant. The only source on Internet I found was GlassHouse or something similar, but they sell a small plant for big bucs.
Anybody knows where can I get one?

I've never seen a Pandanus offered, either! I was always curious......I've been wanting Medinilla Magnifica...but they're very demanding and exacting in their care, not to mention very expensive, so although I have seen them recently offered (finally!) I won't buy one. A couple of others I seek are (can't remember the exact name) a Xanthosoma that's supposed to be common in cultivation with many white veins on dark green, and the biggest quest right now...Polycias guilfoylei Victoriae...the leaves of this one have a variegated white edge. Have gone so far as to order it from a nearby green house, and they sent me the Variegated Balfouriana. I know there's more.........

I saw Pandanus at Frank's several months back. They are difficult to find, but not rare, so keep hope alive! And *DON'T* settle for the tiny cutting for big bucks from GHW.

Good luck!

Nan,

Don't make that P. Balforiana variegata feel badly -- send it to MEEEE (just kidding), I love that form - have seen guilfoylei (sp?) but sometimes seen it confused w/ felicifolia. Do you know the difference? Seems like they're both the 'parsley leaf' look, tho' one's leaves seem more deeply cut than the other (or am I confused w/ yet another Polycias)? As you can see I know & love them too. Was just gifted w/ cutting of Balforiana, practically broke out into dance over it. One of my all time favorites, had one abt 10 yrs. ago, lost it & could never replace it -- mine was variegated w/ white, the one recently given me is variegated w/ yellow -- how abt yours -- what color? PS -- if you've never seen it, pls. check out a Polycias site at:

http://www.rhapisgardens.com/ming-aralias/

written by the late husband of a mentor of mine -- great aralia info. on multiple kinds -- enjoy

I have been searching for a Hoya that I saw in an office area about 4 years ago. It had grown huge and when it bloomed the fragrance filled the entire area yet was not overpoweful. The blooms were small and white to pale pink (as I recall) and had a waxy look to them.

I never thought to ask for a cutting, silly me.

If I could get any plant I'd want...

it would be maranta leuconeura massangeana.

:)

I'm always searching for new varieties of rex begonia, peperomia, maranta. What an addiction - I just can't seem to get enough!

Sorry I'm late arriving at this forum.

Right JewelOrchid, that ideal plant sounds to me like aspidistra (do you agree Vinca?). They used to be stuck in dark hallways in Victorian times in UK and never seemed to die though lack of light, water, nutrients, or anything else. Only trouble is the flowers are insignificant and carried down at soil level (not the best display in the World).

HappyGardender I have three types of Hoya (bella, australis and carnosa). They flower magnificently (very scented as you say) and drop nectar all over the conservatory floor - but who cares, it's worth it. Mine have only very rarely set seed, but I have taken cuttings and they seem to take very easily. With Foot & Mouth debate still raging (?) I would not want to send a rooted cutting from the UK, but if you are prepared to take the chance I could send cuttings straight off the plant (australis or carnosa only, bella is too sappy). Wrapped in moist tissue, they should be OK. I have done it that way before in Europe, so if you want to take a chance let me know here or mail me through MY PAGE.

El Tel

I am dying to get my hans on a Hahnii! I haven't seen one any place around here. For me to get Succulents and the like, I usually have to wait until winter here. Thats the time the usually seel them at Walmart and Kmart. I'll be darned if I will got into a florist or the like and pay 50-100 $ for something I could have gotten for $10 or less. SO thats the one I am on the lookout for. Hopefully by this winter I find one.
Holly

Pirate Girl...I have checked out that site, it's great....I LOVE the pictures.....(dreamin')! I agree totally that the guilfoylie and the filicifolia (or however you spell them!) do look almost too much alike to even tell the difference! I do know that it's that form, with a variegated edge, is the one I seek, fruitlessly!! I have a small variegated 'parsley' type (no ID tag, of course!) When I received the balfouriana 'in error' I wasn't too choked up about it, because it is a group of cuttings from larger tree in one pot, and it is a beauty, so, regretfully I'm keeping it! It's one of my favorites now! My balfouriana is variegated with a sort of 'cream' color (to me) so I guess you'd say it's white....I've seen one with *all* yellow veins....Oh, yeah, I want that one too! I should know the name of it, but it escapes me at the moment.

I want the red wondering jew ( not the purple). Well I would like to have purple but I really want the red.

Hey Honibee,

I have the purple wondering jew (Setcresea); have been cutting it back of late; if you'd like some, EM me privately w/ details. Maybe we can swap something (or do just postage). BTW, are you aware that w/ the Setcresea, the more light it gets, the more purple it gets?

I had been wanting a Dragon Tree (Dracena marginata Colorama), but my son bought me the next best thing, a tricolor.

I've also really been wanting, but haven't been able to find, a Cordyline terminalis Rededge (Hawaiian or Polynesian Ti/Goodluck Plant/Red Dracena... whatever someone chooses to call it next), AND/OR an Aechemea Foster's Favorite Bromeliad, AND/OR a Ananas bracteatus striatus (Red Pineapple), AND/OR...

Why? I just love the bright colored leaves of these plants.

I saw pictures of these & other unlisted bright-colored plants while "window shopping" in my houseplant book.

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This message was edited Friday, Aug 3rd 1:44 PM

I have looked all over for Hoya rope plant. They are beautiful!! Guess I'll just have to keep dreaming as I have never seen any for sale around here.Doris

I always wanted the Ylang Ylang cananga odorada.
Finally found some seeds.
I'm trying!!!

I have searched endlessly for a variegated Monstera (the white variegation). Have almost had one a couple times but the deals fell through. Saw one on ebay once for $50 for a 4 inch pot and it looked pretty beat up so I let that one slide, but the hunt continues!!!
C~

I'm with Cindym rex begonias are really kewl-I just got the "escargot" and he is a real show stopper.
This year im not going to bring any of the garden in with me
The only house plants will be houseplants and my burgs!
dori

Been clearing out old magazines, and there was an ad for the Bel plant, or Hawaiian happiness. The magazine is from 1976 "the world of houseplants". And it took me days to figure out the real name is Kalanchoe pinnata. so you know, I've got to have it now. Would even trade the magazine for a cuting or two. LOL

I just found this site for houseplants it's great!
I would love to grow some houseplants but that's not easy to do on a very limited budget.
If anyone should ever have any pieces of any plants that you could share please keep me in mind.
Thank you & God bless you!!!
Kathy