Crown of Thorns & Desert Rose

This is tricky - the most sharpest and difficult plant ever but I still love it.
Why - because they have the ability to flower in the most hostile position.
It would be difficult too to make them come into my favorable condition to flower as they need good hot and dry weather - a good dose of hot sun which I truly lack for them to flower.
Regardless all that - they still show up with their blooms.
That's why I love them (apart from the thorns)
Yeah.. These ones are considered poisonous too.

The other is Desert Rose,
given from my neighbour who had shifted from the vicinity.
It took awhile for it to give out shoots - I thought this one is a goner as the top cut part succumb to rot.
I trimmed again but to no avail - the rot gone deeper.
The only consolation I have to note that new shoots are coming up and the rot will slowly heal itself.
(Yeah.. that is indeed a fat hope - I'm nursing secretly)
Looks like I need to do something about that wound.

Plants that Didn't Survive Due to Wrong Plant Care (Orange Jasmine / Rex Begonia / Desert Rose)

PLANTS  THAT  DIDN'T  SURVIVE  DUE  TO  WRONG PLANT  CARE:

One of the things that cannot be avoided are the feelings of sorrow when a plant doesn't make it, especially when it dies under your TLC. Here are the list of the plants which by my experience would like to share and hope to enlighten the factors involved why they died.

Orange Jasmine (Murraya paniculata) 

I had actually rescued this particular shrub growing near an abandon housing area where it will be cleared for a new development. Unsuccessful in unrooting them, I manage to pull out some branches with few roots attached to it and was  trying to revive and regrow it even with rooting hormone.

Unfortunately within few weeks, the leaves starting falling out and was left with a dead twig. After few failed attempts I eventually purchased a stable plant from a nearby nursery for RM4.00 (considered it a good bargain, compared to all the effort I put in to get this plant to grow)  

My Rex begonia (first in red) is barely surviving. I guess this begonia is in the stage where I can say goodbye and farewell to them. If it survives, I would consider it a miracle. My very promising orange jasmine which died in stages. Later I had rearrange the whole thing. This was very much became a temporary thing. (the same as the first one on the top)

Sadly today, I discovered my 3rd desert rose didn't survive. (the fat one) It got rotten from the inside which I didn't notice until today (which is too late) I'm not sure how it happened as I was very watchful with the watering. Well, I guess its another goodbye. I managed to salvage the top crown and the branches. If it survives, its another miracle.

REX BEGONIA

My Rex begonia (first in red) was barely surviving. I guess this begonia is in the stage where I can say goodbye and farewell to them. If it survives, I would consider it a miracle. My very promising orange jasmine which died in stages. Later I had rearrange the whole thing. This was very much became a temporary thing. (the same as the first one on the top)

I had found that Begonias are super sensitive plants and may not do so well immediately as cuttings without roots - my first mistake is to plant them in soaking wet soil medium and daily flushing water on them thinking that it is just like any other hardy garden plants.

DESERT ROSE - ROT DUE TO WRONG MEDIUM AND OVER WATERING

Finally when I discovered my 3rd desert rose didn't survive. (the fat one) It got rotten from the inside which I didn't notice until today (which is too late) I'm not sure how it happened as I was very watchful with the watering. Well, I guess its another goodbye. I managed to salvage the top crown and the branches - hopefully it survives.

My mistake, keeping them in moist shaded area - these needed to be planted in fast draining medium and only required to be lightly watered once a week.

Desert Rose - Adenium Obesum

I'm no lover of desert rose. I can find so many of this plant grown by most of my neighbours around my house. I guess it is believe to bring luck and may have some feng shui elements.

The plant is loved for the swollen roots and the beautiful flowers. Often it is considered graceful when the leaves falls off and the whole plant is just branches and flowers.

Stem cut plants will not have the swollen root effect. It can only be done thru seed planting.
Somehow I noticed that the swollen roots are very much sought after compared to the flowers.

There are now many variegated types of different coloured flowers and I had found all of them are very expensive. The smallest pot is sold for RM32.00 (which I consider it quite ridiculous)

I had managed to get 2 of the desert rose from my mum, the one in the middle was an experiment plant - planted by stem cutting. I had about 10 branches, only 2 survived.

Planting tips:
Too much water may kill the plant. Less water is good. Water after the soil dries up.

To plant using stem cutting, allow the stem to dry out in a day or two and plant it in a easy drain soil.

I had replanted this desert rose recently, obtained from my mum's garden.

When I got it, it was in a small pot and the whole "globe" root was fully grown and there was no soil in that tiny pot. But after planting, the leaves started to wither.

Hope it will rejuvenate and start afresh.

The bird nest fern leaves from my neighbour's house had grown and now covering my desert rose plant.

Memoria Emotionalism

Im feeling blue...
or in this case...green...
moodless...
ahh..
wished I had a drop of zeal...



And the songs of winds becons me..
rings of chime..
above, aloft, about, upright...

But now..
its windless...



And waited...
And wreaths of memory envelops me...



From the bossom of the horn,
flowed sparklets of rubies...
A glimmer of hope...
my blue is turning green...
Yet time is so slow...

And so slowly she crawled ,

when my world is ruthlessly fast,

like a fish...

from morning to night...

again in all days of my life...

Clutters of rose hugging by my shoulders

and arm full of comfort

that grace often taken for granted..

That raindrops share,

upon the petals of care,

and behold a dream in a dream

an unawaken mood of my blues...

A stone throw...

glazed robes of royal and bright..

a friend with a helping hand..

to lift up upon a moss..

And Mountains peak a pair...

around the shrouded pearls..

upon a Man and his Woman..

standing side by side....

Extended a welcome...

a brace of outburst..

outpouring upfront...

entwined two into one..

From the North to the South,

To the East and the West,

From the Top to the bottom

and his sides and hers...

As there was seen against all odds,

entwined with barbs..

yet grace prevails..

raindows and dews behold..

There was three,

Love, Joy and Peace...

By the shore, maidens washed her hair,

and her mother stand guard her daughters...

by the valley lay thick inside the woods..

where hidden tigers found sleeping peacefully...

And then awaken these beast,

with piercing eyes..

of flames of red,

sparking in the dense forest...

The maidens frightened,

but flee away when mother protects

but behold a charming prince appeared

with blazing armor at the edge of the woods...

Then a charming fairy appeared

her gown flow freely innocent

that grace of green and white..

and my blue turned evergreen..

The tigers was assured their sleep

The maiden married the prince

her mother and his nation rejoiced

what the fairy accomplished

upon my evergreen day...