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Thursday, December 27, 2007

In bloom: Ctsm. Jumbo Eagle and Aloe 'Dorian Black'

Ctsm. Jumbo EagleToday I have two plants to show. First up is Ctsm. Jumbo Eagle, which is sanguineum x expansum. It has heavy substance and nice dark color. In person it looks almost black - unfortunately the flash of the camera bleaches it slightly making it look more burgundy. I picked up this cute at a Catoctin Orchid Society auction a couple years back. Oddly, I have a tough time with catasetums and similar. I'm sort of cheap with the fertilizer, which ctsms don't tolerate well. This summer I dumped some used coffee grounds on top of the pot and also made a point to fertilize it a couple times. This was much appreciated as you can see.
Aloe 'Dorian Black'
Next we have Aloe 'Dorian Black'.
This plant currently has 3 inflorescences in various stages of development. Its a small growing aloe with several tightly packed rosettes in a 5 inch pot. I thought this miniature clone was known for foliage with a brown overlay, but my plant is light green with darker ridges and little white teeth. I assume the color of my plant is a result of light that is too weak. It lives with my cattleyas and doesn't get full sun. But like a good little aloe it blooms a few times per year and has great flower color. If you're interested in succulents but haven't tried aloes, I highly recommend you check them out. They're really great plants and easy to grow.

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