An appropriate time to discuss indoor plants

Posted Friday, December 5, 2008, at 10:11 AM

One of our Dracaena plants has graced us with flowers. The plant has been with us for over 16 years and this is the first time we can remember it flowering. With some internet research it seems that the timing varies from plant to plant and environment.

Actually, we almost missed it except that it kicks out a strong fragrance at night only when the flowers open. The plant is in a corner in our kitchen and I kept smelling something as I worked at the kitchen table.

It had me stumped for a few days because the flower stalk was facing into the corner and we never saw it. Finally I called in the big gun to help me look (Debbi) and after about 15 minutes of smelling things we would be embarrassed to admit, her nose led her to the corner.

As she got close to it, she looked up and exclaimed "what is that"? The plant is about 7 feet tall and she is just over 5', so it is not on a direct line of sight.

Now we smell it through the house at night, but as I write this, sitting next to it, you would never know it was there. The blooms are closed and you can get within inches and never smell it.

Strangely, when I did not know what it was, the smell was irritating. Now it is a fragrance to enjoy.

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It's good clean living that finally made it bloom-haha!

-- Posted by espoontoon on Tue, Dec 9, 2008, at 7:24 AM

You may be on to something. It does not watch TV or listen to mind altering music, plus I know for a fact that it has never had an ounce of alcohol or smoked a cigarette.

we finally had to cut the flower off and dispose of it. It became overpowering in the evening and was starting to drip sap, which may have been from where the "essence" was coming from. Whew!!!

-- Posted by stevemills on Tue, Dec 9, 2008, at 2:50 PM

Bedford Ramblings

Steve Mills

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Steve Mills and his wife have one daughter and live on a farm outside of Bell Buckle. They previously owned two coffee/ice cream shops, currently operate an internet sales company and teach classes, but his primary job involves the paper industry worldwide. Hobbies and interests lie in gardening, photography, recorded music and of course, their pets.

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