# Huntington Haul - Epiphytes



## epiphyte (Jan 25, 2011)

This past weekend I attended the spring plant sale at the Huntington. Got there at 10am and waited in line until they started letting people in at 10:30. By 10:30 the line was crazy long.

When the starting gates opened I sprinted around the gridlocked succulent section and went straight to the tropical section. Quickly looked over the orchid table but mainly saw Cymbidiums and the like. The Tillandsia section was at least 3 times bigger than last year...but I resisted the temptation to browse and went to the area with the conservatory plants. 

The first thing that caught my attention was a hanging basket that had a 4' long plant hanging straight down. The leaves were kind of silverish and soft looking. The most similar looking plant that I've seen is a Lycopodium...but it turned out to be an epiphytic blueberry. It was out of my price range at $65 but I made friends with the lady who bought it 

Here's what I ended up purchasing along with the descriptions and culture recommendations from the labels...

*Codonanthopsis ulei* - "Succulent houseplant a relative of the African violet. Small plant with white flowers with red markings under leaves. Bright to medium light. Allow to dry between waterings."

*Dischidia milne* - This was actually in the succulent/cactus section. It's from the Solomon Islands and "one of the most succulent and drought tolerant of these vining ascleps."

*Disterigma pentandrum* - "Tropical member of the blueberry tribe. Small epiphytic shrub with evergreen leaves. Moderate to bright light, regular water, cool conditions. Produces bright pink lantern flowers. Great on patio."

*Hoya engleriana* - "Cool growing Hoya for moderate light and small pot or hanging basket. Course Cymbidium like mix, regular water. Fragrant flowers white with red hang straight down."

*Impatiens keilii* - Epiphytic Impatiens. "Cool growing compact species for baskets or pot. Keep evenly moist with moderate light. Pinch back often. Brilliant orange flower pouch. Good companion plant."

*Impatiens paucidentata* - Another epiphytic Impatiens. "Compact, shrubby and succulent form of Impatiens. Red flowers with white and green throat and purple pollen. Shade. Keep moist. Works well in a basket. Specimen is native to Central Africa." 

*Medinilla sedifolia* - "Pretty hanging plant with bright pink flowers in spring. From wet forests in Madagascar. Good for basket culture. Indoors, pot bound, and do not allow to dry too much."

*Photinopteris speciosa* - "Rare and unusual indoor fern. Leaf texture like acetate! Tender perennial good for baskets or mounting. Moderate light, allow to dry between waterings. This fern has amazing tough leaves!"

If anybody has any experience growing any of these plants I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on them.

Well...while I'm at it...if anybody is interested I can get some cuttings from Disterigma pentandrum and Impatiens keilii. The fellow at the Huntington said both grow easy from cuttings. I can probably spare a few cuttings from the Medinilla sedifolia...but it's been on my want list for a while so would probably only trade for a couple other things on my want list. 

Besides those plants...I can take some cuttings from...Dischidia formanosa, Microgramma vacciniifolia and Streptocarpella. Have a few extras of Tillandsia albertiana, Tillandsia butzii and Tillandsia gardneri...not sure how they would do in a viv but they seem to appreciate more moisture than my other Tillandsias. 

I'm primarily interested in trailing epiphytes...especially those that can really handle drying out. Some things on my want list are... Dischidia nummularia (Queensland type), Hoya australis ssp. rupicola, Peperomia rotundifolia and Pyrrosia serpens.


----------



## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

Looks like you came up at the show! No experience with any of those plants, but hope that they all do well for you whether they end up in a viv or not.


----------



## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

ive got a good amount of pep. rotundifolia. pm about a trade if your interested.

james


----------



## andyrawrs (Aug 16, 2008)

The blueberry plant was probably a Macleania or Sphyrospermum, I think. Those are the two most popular genera in our hobby, I think. They're sorta hard to find, but I know of some people on the board who have them. I think they're Ericaceae, would someone else like to chime in and confirm?


----------



## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

The unknown epiphytic blueberry sounds like Ceratostema rauhii to me.


----------



## epiphyte (Jan 25, 2011)

Manuran, yeah, I think you're right. Not sure if it was just my imagination but I remembered the leaves being somewhat more silvery than the photos I saw of Ceratostema rauhii.


----------



## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

What/where is the "Huntington?!?"

Isn't it _Codonanthe ulei_?


----------



## epiphyte (Jan 25, 2011)

The Huntington is a Botanical Garden located near Pasadena, CA. 

It might be Codonanthe ulei...I'm not very familiar with the group. It doesn't let me edit my original post though.


----------

