Might not look like much right now but I’m hoping it takes off soon: Agrostis nebulosa
Commonly known as Cloud Grass, this shade-loving annual hails from the western Mediterranean, and forms thick mats of rich green leaves above which rise a cloudlike white-purple mass of tiny flowers and seedheads. The seeds are tiny, and as such on its own a single plant is nothing to look at…but dozens or hundreds together creates a soft-looking image that greatly accents the understory of a garden. The two clumps I currently have were planted along the rock walls alongside another ornamental shade-loving grass with a much larger, golden presence and that will be available to patrons shortly (join at patreon.com/hcarlton if you want an early peek at what I’m referencing).

#agrostis #agrostisnebulosa #cloudgrass #grasses #ornamentalplants #plants #annuals #botany #horticulture #plantsathome #botanical #planstagram #gardening #carltoncarnivores #educational

A CHONK has appeared in the greenhouse…my female Nepenthes sumatrana “Nias” has two big rosettes going presently and one of them just dropped this nearly 7 inch tall trap. Most of the pitchers this plant makes are fairly yellowish in exterior color but this one, having grown far more exposed to the lights than usual, took on a bit more red. The huge blotched lid and highly striped peristome are same as ever though.
This species has remained a slow but steady grower for me, naturally happiest during the warmer summer months, but takes several years to go from the current state of giant rosette to climbing, upper-producing vine (with a nearly inch-thick vine to boot). I only got one flower spike off this plant so far and the seed crop was relatively limited, but of the handful of seedlings that came out of it and are still alive I’m waiting to see take off…and almost certainly produce some spectacular plants.

#nepenthes #nepenthessumatrana #tropicalpitcherplant #pitcherplant #seedgrown #carnivorousplants #species #strangeplant #sumatra #rareplants #botany #plants #educational #plantsathome #botanical #indoorplants #horticulture #planstagram #gardening #carltoncarnivores

Another plant that I have struggled with for a while that is FINALLY succeeding (mostly because I started these basically outside where they were going to stay indefinitely, which I should have done the first try…): Lotus tetragonolobus!
Frequently called the Winged Pea or Asparagus Pea, this Mediterranean native is a low-growing shrubby herb that produced brilliantly scarlet blooms and, like most legumes, helps fix soil nitrogen and so is often grown ornamentally alongside other plants (mine are currently in a squash pot). They are also edible however, the very young four-winged seed pods supposedly tasting like asparagus and used raw or cooked like other peas.

#lotus #lotustetragonolobus #asparaguspea #pea #plants #flowers #strangeplants #red #botany #plantsathome #horticulture #planstagram #educational #plantsplantsplants #botanical #plantsmakepeoplehappy #gardening #carltoncarnivores

Epidendrum radicans is back in bloom!
Commonly called Fire Star orchid, among other names, it’s a cane-forming semi-climber that often grows terrestrially, found through much of the tropical Americas. Because it’s in bloom right now I will probably be prepping a video about it (as well as Drosera rotundifolia, Nepenthes gracilis, and a few others once I’m finished catching up from my last trip…).

#epidendrum #epidendrumradicans #orchid #flowers #strangeplants #plants #beautiful #plantsathome #botany #planstagram #educational #gardening #horticulture #botanical #carltoncarnivores