House Plant Queries

[Old_Geezer]

Hi,

Unsure there is a good answer to the second question I wish to pose, but would be grateful to hear suggestions.

a) http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d36/bright_/Plant_zps6a44897a.jpg This is a picture of a house plant I bought when I first moved into my place. One of two different plants actually but unfortunately this is the only survivor. I’m sure I would know what it was when I bought it, but now I have forgotten. Is it familiar to anyone ? I have little plant knowledge.

b) It was clearly wishful thinking on my part to have a large plant. It was unhappy where I intended to put it, and in most other places I tried. But once I found a place it liked it just grew and grew ! It now basically takes over the box room upstairs where I can not really appreciate it, and makes it difficult to get in and use the wardrobes. So what should I do with it ?

I could leave it but I’ve been doing that and it just keeps growing.
I did wonder if it would survive being split but then I realise that, if successful I’d end up with multiple plants I didn’t know what to do with all growing too big.
I could be brutal and chop it down, I’m sure it’d come back up again, but I don’t like doing that to plants, particularly one I’ve nurtured and seem to have been overly successful with.
Of course I could just sling it but that’s not really on either.
Not sure I want folk calling to look and decide if they want to take it away, either.
Have I now rejected all possible options ?

[scooping]

It's a rubber plant

[Old_Geezer]

Ah right. Thank you very much for that.
I'm now feeling a little foolish I didn't guess and check that :-O

[Chipchopper]

Yes, Very popular in the 1950's. The Rubber plant or Ficus elastica.
Maybe you could donate it to a Chinese resturant or the lobby of a hotel ?

[Prudie]

If you want to keep it then prune it back to a reasonable size. Plants like being pruned, they need it to keep them healthy and spurs them on to create new growth. think of it a a trip to the hairdressers.

[Chipchopper]

If you opt for pruning it yourself, it may be wise to spread some newspaper or suchlike, as the cuts will bleed a white latex liquid that may mark your furniture.

[Old_Geezer]

I think it needs a hotel lobby, or maybe I need a larger house with a proper hall ! (If one can get a non-draughty not too cold in winter, one.) The photo was the tip of the iceberg as it were.

I suspect I shall have to harden my heart and trim it sometime, seems such a shame. Another job for the summer sometime I suspect. Another I'm not looking forward to doing.

Thanks both.

[scooping]

Rubber plant

[mazie]

You could always put it outside for the Summer OG

[Old_Geezer]

Er, yes, that proved a risky proposition but I know it would work.

Bought a Rubber Plant and Yukka when I first moved in. Early on I put both out in the garden during the warmer weather. Didn't know how hardy they were, didn't bring them back in, in time. Not easy to move the large things anyway. On seeing they were suffering I moved them back in. I thought I'd lost the rubber plant, it lost all foliage: completely. The Yukka seemed to recover and I figured it was more hardy.

To cut the story short the Rubber Plant regrew from the roots. The Yukka deteriorated and rotted. It is now in the middle of my compost heap, (the heap that won't turn into compost).

[ladybirder]

If you decide you don't want to keep it OG, wait until the weather warms up and put it outside your property at the same time as an ad in Freecycle. Then someone who wants it will pop along and take it without bothering you. Both times I have used Freecycle the item has been picked up within half an hour (some raspberry plants and a lawnmower).

[Old_Geezer]

Interesting thought LB.
Would hope it went to a good home.

[Prudie]

I remember back in the late 70s when I first flew the nest and moved into a flat with my boyfriend, having a rubber plant and a cheese plant were de rigeur.

[Tilly2]

...and Spider Plants hanging in a macrame basket, Prudie

[Prudie]

you're so right Tilly, forgot about those, had them too.

[Tilly2]

I loved mine when it produced little spiderlettes on the end of the stems.

[boxtops]

I used to try to pot up the spiderettes, until I realised that there would be no room for me in the house if I kept them all :-)

[Tilly2]

They were very easy to propagate, weren't they?

[wendilla]

http://tinypic.com/r/27y4iec/8

same as mine OG . don't know how it has come out upside down lol

[wendilla]

Give it to a residential elderly peoples home . They like those sort of plants .

[Old_Geezer]

Another good idea. I too like them but they get so big !