SPECIAL USES. Terrariums, artificial light, hanging baskets.
Twenty-three varieties of Pelargonium hortorum, miniature and dwarf: 1. Fleurette 2. Snow White 3. Dopey 4. Mischief 5. Robin Hood 6. Minx 7. Epsilon 8. Prince Valiant 9. Polaris 10. Saturn 11. Sparkle 12. Kleiner Liebling 13. Small Fortune 14. Goblin 15. Variegated Kleiner Liebling 16. Fairy Tales 17. Rosy Dawn 18. Pride 19. Sneezy 20. Twinkle 21. Ruffled 22. Imp 23. Salmon Comet
Peperomia Piperaceae
Since almost all of these succulents, with their “catkin-like” flower spikes, fit within our miniature measurements, I’ve enjoyed picking a few to serve as a sample of their modest but much varied appeal. I like them, and hope you will also.
‘Astrid’—Layer upon layer of glossy green, pointed oval leaves creased down the center by the main vein, making a dense, symmetrical cone-shaped mound. In fact, there are so many tight branches that the leaves can’t always find room to fill out to full size. Then ‘Astrid’ turns into a version called ‘Pixie.’ To reverse the cycle, root a single stem of ‘Pixie’ and see how it returns to being ‘Astrid’ again.
‘Caperata’ (‘Little Fantasy’)—One perfect little heart leaf, its end pointing down, perched at the top of a sturdy stem. The entire leaf is so deeply wrinkled and crinkled that the basic Kelly-green looks almost black in the indentations, and silvery on the edges. Its big brother, ‘Emerald Ripple,’ is half again as large but otherwise identical.
‘Mamorata’ (‘Silver Heart’)—These heart-leaves taper to a sharper point and are rippled in a much more modest way. There is so much silver on the surface they look plated.
metallica—Upright and branching with slim-oval leaves pointed at both ends and colored chocolate with a coffee luster. There is a wide green stripe straight down the middle.