The Happiest Plant Story You Have

[LivingParadise]

What is the healthiest, most successful plant you've ever grown? Tell us about how well it went! What was the species? Where did you get it? How long have you had it? Did it produce for you? Did you give it special care, or does it just naturally do well where you live?

Tell us about the happy memories, and if you can manage it, post a picture of your beloved plant enjoying its happy plant life.

Also, other random happy plant memories welcome.


I have to think about the healthiest one I've grown so far, but in the category of random happy plant stories, when I was about 20 and living in an apartment in the big city, I was working around the clock and felt I couldn't really take care of anything. My friend and I had gotten into a discussion about kids, and I said I doubted my life would ever slow down, or that I would be a good parent, because I didn't think I could manage to keep a kid alive. I said I didn't think I could even keep a plant alive in that state! So we happened to walk into a store and there was this baby ficus there in a little pot, and I randomly decided to buy it and see if in fact I could keep it alive. I moved many times after that, and the little plant continued to grow and be happy. It did so well it convinced me ultimately to buy a house and adopt a dog (which fortunately also did well under my care). Then I had to move far away to get my doctorate. My friend had since gotten married, moved to another nearby state, and was pregnant with her first child. When I was saying goodbye to her, I gave her the ficus - which I had so aptly named "Plant," and said I couldn't take it with me, but I didn't want to see it die. So that was 10 years ago. My friend planted Plant in her backyard, and a few years later when they had to move they uprooted it and brought it with them. She and her husband continue to send me photos of Plant's progress, and it is still happy and ever getting bigger! They say every time it flushes out with new leaves, they think of me. That is one hardy little Plant!

[TonyinCC]

It would be easy for your friends to root a small cutting from it just by placing the bottom few inches in water a few weeks before they next see you, that way you could literally have the same plant back next time you see your friends....

[zands]

My happiest plant story is very simple. Having some backyard mango trees where I can eat a variety of mangoes at the peak of perfection. I have other fruit trees but mangoes top the list. At least for South Florida. Up North it would be cherries, pears, apricots.

[Daintree]

My happiest plant story is not a plant I grew, but a plant I loved.  In grade school, the college library was right outside my classroom window, and they had a banana plant in the tall window.  I visited the plant every day after school, and learned that, like Charlotte the spider, it would die after reproducing, but that her children would grow up to make fruit, and children, of their own.  So of course I named her Charlotte.  I watched her grow, bloom, make bananas, then die.  I cheered on her children as they made bananas of their own, and vowed that someday I would have a greenhouse and grow my own banana plants.
And yup, they have all been named Charlotte!

Carolyn

[OCchris1]

Great post Carolyn! Thank you (tear jerker), Chris

[boxturtle]

Mine would be when I first moved into my current house.  I potted a couple blueberry bushes just to try out this growing business figured if I didn't kill it that I had a pretty good chance trying other things.  It did well and berried.  The boy was about one and  loved eating fruits. Like a lil bird the boy would pluck a berry at a time.  He had an innate skill of picking the ripe ones.  After he had his full he looked up at me with a smile and yelled out yummy.  At that moment I understood why my parents were so into fruit trees. Guess like the old saying goes you don't know how much your parents loves you until you have your own kids. 

[Daintree]

So true!
That reminds me of a plant/kid story -

When my oldest son was about 6 years old, he was always catching spiders.  He would just up-end a tupperware salad bowl over it, then slide a piece of paper under, and keep it captive for a few days before turning it loose.

One time, the bowl had been on his bedroom floor for about a week, and I finally asked him to go let the spider go so it wouldn't starve. 
He went into his room, and the next thing I knew, he came leaping down the hall, shouting for joy, "It worked it worked! My speriment worked! You CAN grow birdseed in the carpet!!!!"

Carolyn

[Doug]

I have a "happiest plant story" every time one of my trees fruit for the very first time.