Geoff Stein
Veterinarian and Exotic Plant Lover... and obsessive, compulsive collector of all oddball tropical and desert plants.
Pets, Wildlife and Parasites in the Soil
This article is about the potential dangers of soil if you are not the only one 'using' it. Read More
The Chocolate Mimosa
When I first glimpsed one of these spectacular trees for sale at my local nursery I was sure it was some sort of gimmick and too good to be true. Read More
Frosts, Freezes, Microclimates and our Delicate Plants
I have always been a bit confused about what the difference between a frost and a freeze is, and how unpredictable frosts are when the temperatures begin to drop this time of year (late fall to winter). Read More
The Magical Properties of Rainwater
The nonscientific musings of an exotic plant nut about the apparent magical properties of rainwater over tap water, along with some general explanations. Read More
Introduction to Bromeliads
Bromeliads are among the most spectacular house and landscape plants available, but they are also one of the most overlooked. Read More
Selected Weird Succulents- Xerosicyos danguyi
There are a lot of unusual or "weird" succulents available in cultivation, all which attract my attention. Read More
Introduction to Yuccas
Yuccas are New World plants in the family Agavaceae and are an important genus in terms of ornamental landscaping usage as well as of an economic importance in some areas of its range. Read More
Introduction to Aloes
Aloes are one of the best succulent plants for both landscape use and growing in pots. This article will serve as an introduction to a variety of Aloe types, as well as an introduction to aloe parts, so subsequent articles might be more easily understood. Read More
Mars must have palms and Venus is a flower garden
Why do men like some plants and women others? Why are some plant societies nearly all men, and others predominately women (same reason, I am guessing)? Read More
Introduction to the Chamaedorea Palms- excellent genus for both out and indoor use
Chamaedorea palms are a large genus of Central and South American palms that include some of the most commonly grown and attractive species in the whole world. This article is an introduction to many of the more commonly grown species in cultivation along with a few comments on cultivation and availability, along with at least one photo of each. Read More
Oxalis- the most evil weed of succulent and cactus cultivation
There are many species of Oxalis and some are even ones I have acquired on purpose- those are ones I don't consider 'weeds' and of course they are also the ones that die on me. But Oxalis stricta, aka Common Yellow Woodsorrel, Lemon Clover, Yellow Oxalis etc., is difficult to kill and nearly impossible to eradicate. It shows up anywhere and everywhere as if by spontaneous generation. It is one of the most annoying and difficult weeds to control in a cactus and succulent collection (and probably any plant collection for that matter). The article offers few solutions, but at least discusses some of ones options including personal experiences and failures. Read More
The Sullivan Garden: A tribute to a magnificent Hawaiian garden devoted to palm trees
This article is about one of the most amazing and unique collections of palm trees in the entire world. Read More
The Encephalartos Species: THE collector genus of cycad
Most cycads are excellent landscape and potted plants choices and most tend to be sought after by thousands of collectors who love these plants (sometimes a bit too much). But all the cycad genera Encephalartos are easily the most popular and sought after (hence, the most expensive, too). All Encephalartos sepces are considered endangered (though some are actually not currently threatened) making the struggle of collecting them that much more costly and difficult. Few collectors are obsessed wtih common, 'everyday' species of plants, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that this is one of the most over-collected and prized of all the succulent plants. The following article is an introduction to most of the species one might encounter in their pursuit of learning and collecting these rare and beautiful plants. Read More
20 great and overlooked palms for marginal Mediterranean climates
The Mediterranean climate is a marginal climate for growing palms though there are literally hundreds of species that can be grown in such climates (comparable to the drier USDA zones 9b-10a climatic zones- eg. southern France and Italy, Southern California, Sydney Australia etc.). These are all basically mild, minimally humid to nearly desert-like subtropical climates in which most truly tropical palms cannot survive, but ones where killing frosts are infrequent. Most landscapers and growers are well aware of the common and hardy palms that grow in these climates, and make good use of them frequently. However, there are other excellent choices that are less well known. And that is the point of this article, to give the reader 20 more excellent palms for their climate that maybe not too many others have and that can be potentially great landscape additions to their yards or businesses. Read More
Fleas on Pets and in the Garden- a Treatment Overview
Fleas will be with us forever. But there are effective ways to keep them away. This article talks about what works and what doesn't, both on your pet and in your garden. Read More
Sago 'Palm' Care and cultivation
This article is an introduction to this common and highly ornamental cycad known as the Sago Palm (NOT a palm by the way). Included are suggestions on how to grow and reproduce this excellent potted as well as landscape plant. Read More
Snail and slug control from a veterinary perspective
This article discusses some of the slug and snail control products and the dangers of some of these products to our own pets. Read More
The Weeping Fig, Ficus benjamina- indoor and out
Probably the most commonly grown tree indoors throughout the world is the Weeping Fig, Ficus benjamina. Surprisingly, despite its amazing popularity and ubiquitous presence, it is not what I consider an 'easy' indoor plant (then again most plants for me are not easy indoors). But if some general recommendations are followed, and one goes through a bit of trial and error, this species can make an excellent house or patio plant. Outdoors it is one of the easiest trees to keep looking perfect ... as long as it's planted in the correct climate. The following article will serve as an introduction to this versatile tree, as well as a guide on how to grow it and care for it, both indoors and out. Read More
Bob, Master Gardener Trials and Errors
Bob cartoons, continued... Read More
Introduction to Opuntias: THE Signature Cactus Genus
In a previous article, Kelli Kallenborn provided an excellent overview of this genus in terms of general appearance, anatomy, geographic origins and uses. This article is more of an introduction to some of the many species of this large and diverse genus, including some of the genera that now exist that used to be included in the genus Opuntia. Also included will be a few personal experiences with this genus as I have both childhood and numerous cultivational experiences with a variety of species of Opuntia, and have studied and admired (and sometimes despised) many others. Read More
