By Grace Rabano & The Clermont Garden Club
Every month, from September through May, Clermont Garden Club members loan plants to Cooper Memorial Library and Clermont City Hall to promote horticulture awareness and connect our community to Clermont Garden Club’s programs, civic activities, and community outreach.
Clermont Garden Club member, Donna Ferraguto, loaned an Alocasia plant to Cooper Memorial Library. Alocasia, also more commonly known as Elephant Ear, is a genus of rhizomatous or tuberous, broad-leaved, perennial, flowering plants from the family Araceae. Alocasia likes consistent temperatures and high humidity. Give alocasia plants as much bright, indirect light as possible but don’t put them in direct sunlight, as this may fry their foliage. Most alocasia plants don’t like to get too wet or too dry. Stick your finger in the soil, and water when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry. If in doubt, wait another few days and check again. Generally, a little more dry is better than a little too wet.
Linda Lauletta loaned a pot with 2 succulent plants to Clermont City Hall: Sansevieria Trifasciata Hahnii and Kalanchoe Laetivirens. Sansevieria Trifasciata Hahnii resembles a bird’s nest and is therefore referred to as the Bird’s Nest snake plant. The plant is low-maintenance and has air-purifying qualities that can filter indoor pollutants, leading to healthier living environment. The Kalanchoe Laetvirens is also referred to as the Mother of Thousand hybrid. It gets the name from its unique ability to produce a lot of plantlets along the edges of its leaves. These plantlets, also known as “baby plantlets” or “pups,” are miniature versions of the mother plant and can easily drop off and take root in the surrounding soil, giving rise to new plants. With succulents, be sure to provide good drainage to prevent water pooling and root rot.
Clermont Garden Club members meet monthly (September through May) at the clubhouse located at 849 West Avenue, Clermont, FL. New members and guests are warmly welcome. Clermont Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
