Just brought my houseplants in for the Winter

[Marthe48]

My Mom had a huge array of plants. We would take them outside to the porch in the spring and bring them back in to the living room for the winter. They usually weren't pretty plants. She was always trying to root a slip, or save one that was dying. They were her treasures. I ended up with one of her plants, a split-leaf philodendron. I have a picture of it in the living room around 1962. I have hauled it with me since I got married in 1971. I have repotted it several times, and split it twice. It did really well outside this year, and I will have to split and repot it this winter or next spring.

Does anyone else have a potted plant that old? I think it is at least 57 years that we've had it.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I have an inch plant my grandmother had in Florida. About the

same age. I just dragged all my plants inside on Thursday. I have 5 pots of that inch plant now and it grows to be 5 or 6 feet long in summer. It gets all tangled up and I end up cutting off about 1/3 of the new growth. If you just throw those ends in some dirt, they'll root and grow.

I'm trying to figure out where to put the 5 avocado trees I grew from seeds. They're about 4 foot tall and can't take NW Arkansas winters. By next spring, I might not be able to move them. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Marthe48]

4. I never heard of inch plant

but I looked it up. Everyone I know always called it Wandering Jew. I picked up a leaf in a parking lot once and grew a huge plant. I had it for many years, but it died. My old neighbor used to paint and gave me a painting of hers. I love the plant, always pretty colors. Nice way to remember your grandmother

My Mom grew avocado trees. She put them outside in the summer and brought them in with the other plants. Her biggest one got to be over 6 feet tall. Very spindly.

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. I have two split leaf philodendrons that I haul in and out every year.

One of them I gave to my mom for mother’s day in 1976! We have a second one that she rooted from a piece that fell off about 5 years later. When she passed away, I took them to my house. They had a great summer, and came inside with many huge new leaves.

I have two ficus trees that I bought in 1991. Every fall, I whack off about two feet of height a few days before they come inside.

I keep threatening hubs that I’m gonna put the ficus out by the sidewalk for someone else to cart home. He gets upset.

[Marthe48]

5. My daughter took my Mom's ficus

It is surviving, but doesn't get much care. Not asking for it back! lol

[Ahpook]

3. I have some Aloe that has been around forever

They get monstrous each year and give some to neighbors.

One of them actually flowers occasionally, which seems super rare?

Good medicine, too

[Marthe48]

6. My Mom gave me

aloe when I got married. I had that plant for a long time, but it died and I didn't have luck with the replacement. I haven't heard of them flowering. They must really like you

When I bring my plants in, my old cat runs down the basement to see them and he is always so happy when they are back in the basement. He doesn't chew them or anything, but he likes to lurk in-between the pots.

[Ahpook]

14. They can flower

It is very rare, though.

I think they have to be a little older, possibly a certain species and outdoor in good conditions.They are absolutely in heaven this year since the temps have stayed above 90F for a couple months.

Little guys are coming in soon. They don't like fall

[sinkingfeeling]

7. I somehow managed to kill a 20+ year old aloe last year. I

think it drowned from a heavy rain.

[Marthe48]

8. That's old for a plant, I think

sorry you lost it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. I have a split-leaf philodendron that's 37 years old,

and a dracena that I inherited; I'm not sure how old it is but my parents had it for a long time. I really need to divide the philodendron because it's now so large that it (with its pot) probably weighs close to 100 lbs., and moving it in and out of the house in Fall and Spring is getting to be hard on my old back. I also have a ficus tree that's about 35 years old, and has become similarly unwieldy but it's not divisible.

[Kali]

11. I have a sanseveria that is at least 50 years old

or at least it is a descendant from a house plant my Grandmother had (I don't know if any of the original leaves are still part of the plant).

I have some others that are in the 30 year range, at least.

[Duppers]

12. I have an Arrowhead Plant that's 54yo!

Had it in college. It's one of my oldest possessions! Oldest living one if ya don't count my hubby.

[Duppers]

13. My cousin had a multi-generational houseplant.

I don't remember what kind it was but it sat sprawling on his grandmother's dining table when I first saw it. He told me it was 70-something way back then.

And I was at the Montreal Botanical Garden yrs ago when they had a century old huge potted flowering plant. Don't remember it's name either.

[Marthe48]

15. I really enjoyed the comments

So many long-lived plants, so much care and pleasure I'll think of this post when I need some life-affirming vibes