Bizarre Plants

 
There are always a large number of plants that look bizarre for one reason or another- things that look like someone made them up for a stage play. But they are real, and I love them. Here are a few.

This is Aloe humilis from South Africa. It's sometimes called Spider Aloe.



How about a plant that looks pretty much like a few toads huddled together. This is Ariocarpus fissuratus. It's actually a type of cactus from Mexico and Texas. They grow very slowly, but will eventually become taller with a pink blossom.



This is Euphorbia stenoclada. If you want a genus of plants that grows some bizarre stuff, look no farther than Euphorbia. This comes from Madagascar- also noted for strange plants and animals, and can grow to the size of a tree.


This one is actually a fern! It's Colysis wrightii 'Monstrifera.' This is native to southern China, and from what I read, this is quite a large specimen.




Back to a cactus, a crested cactus. This comes from Ecuador and Peru, and looks quite different in different seasons. The short "pencils" that grow from the main stems shrivel and curl up. It's Opuntia subulata cristata


Albuca spiralis is also called Fizzle Sizzle. It comes from South Africa and is a succulent.



Just in case this isn't interesting enough all by itself, here's what it looks like in bloom. Supposedly it smells like butter and vanilla, but I didn't know enough at the time to try to give it a sniff!


Spring is maybe, maybe beginning to show up here. But I have just a few more things to show you from the 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show.

In other news: Well, I had a moderately good day. I wrote in the morning, but didn't feel like doing anything after that. Made myself do little bits on several projects. Actually managed a fair amount on the Long Distance Hikers Recognition, and I uncovered my little trailer. Want to get busy working on it again. Didn't walk at all. That's not so good.

	See Begonia Parade 3
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