by Bonnie Burton

Created on: February 02, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Asking a gardener which plant is their favorite is like having to pick a favorite child. You just can't. For everyone who loves plants, it's nearly impossible to narrow it down to just one. My plant addiction began at a young age as I helped my dad plant carrots in the family garden, or worked side by side with my mom as she harvested seeds from our sunflowers growing bt the mailbox. Each plant is a deep "seeded" memory for me. But here's a brief (and ever-changing) list of the plants that mean most to me.

Common name: Saddleleaf philodendron
Botanic name: Philodendron selloum
Plant family: ARACEAE
Origin: Brazil
Type: Broadleaf evergreen semi-shrub
Comments: Fast-growing, large container plant with glossy leaves and a sturdy, self-supporting trunk. Will need much more space than most houseplants and a rich, well-draining soil.
Personal Reasons: My mother had one of these plants growing in a huge pot as a specimen in our living room when I was a child. She named the plant Fred and passionately stood by her claim that playing ABBA records made it grow faster. The plant was so huge we often decorated it for Christmas.

Common name: Snake plant
Botanic name: Sansevieria trifasciata
Plant family: AGAVACEAE
Origin: arid Africa and S. Asia
Type: Perennial monocot
Comments: Thick, rigidly upright patterned leaves that grow from large rhizomes forming 2-ft.-wide rosettes. Withstands dry air and neglect.
Personal Reasons: This was the first office plant that ever survived my desk. In fact, the plant outlived the dot-com company where I worked.

Common name: Rosemary
Botanic name: Rosemarinus officinalis
Plant family: LAMIACEAE
Origin: Mediterranean coast
Type: Broadleaf evergreen shrub
Comments: Tough and versatile, this plant withstands poor alkaline soil and infrequent watering. Often used in cooking and aromatherapy. Scent has been known to give mild relief for headaches and can be used as a moth-repellent. Try around gardens as a deer-proof border.
Personal Reasons: I refuse to cook potatoes without this herb.

Common name: Living Rock
Botanic name: Lithops werneri
Plant family: AIZOACEAE
Origin: South Africa
Type: Succulent perennial
Comments: Shaped like inverted cones 2-4 in. in height, tops resemble stones with mottled patterns. They bloom in winter and go dormant in the summer.
Personal Reasons: I love plants like these that look as though they're from another planet. The fact that they often resemble tiny brains is an added bonus.

Common name: Red Clusterberry
Botanic name: Cotoneaster lacteus
Plant

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