I have a story about this plant and I'm hoping that in the end you'll
be able to help me identify it, because this plant is WEIRD and I'm
not sure if I'm afraid of it.



My first purchasing foray into the botanical world (please do not
submit this to readers digest) was in response to a ‘moving sale' ad
some people placed online. They said they had a lot of plants, and
since I wanted a lot of plants, I called and set up a time to go and
look at them. I ended up buying all the plants they had (about 20)
for a pretty good price.



About a month later, after I'd been taking care of them, diligently
watering them and all, I was looking at one of them and noticed
something a bit odd. I've gotten in the habit of feeling the leaves
of the plants – it seems to give something of an indication as to how
healthy or dried out the plant is. I think I can sort of tell when
they're not getting enough water by feeling the leaves. Anyhow, I was
feeling a leave on this one plant and I couldn't believe it! In
amongst the 20 plants they had sold me, and that I'd been watering for
the past month, this one was a PLASTIC PLANT and I'd never realized
it. I couldn't believe it. I felt the stem, and yep, sure enough –
plastic. I still couldn't believe it, so as the final test, I broke a
leave in half and bit into it. Now I was really confused, because it
was actually a real plant.



Even now, knowing that it's a real plant, just by touching it, I would
swear that it's plastic. I'm really wondering what this plant is and
I'm hoping you might have some ideas I could look up. There's other
weird things about it too – the bloom (which also you would just SWEAR
are plastic flowers).



It's sort of hard to describe, because there's nothing too
distinguishing about the leaves themselves. The stems grow out of the
dirt and hang over the edges of the pot and the leaves attach to them.
The leaves grow out of the stem in pairs – each coming out of the
stalk at the exact same place on opposite sides. The leaves
themselves are roughly the shape of Pothos leaves, though slightly
more ‘round' and slightly less elongated. They are slightly thicker
and MUCH firmer than Pothos leaves - almost woody (or plastic).
They're a medium green, some with little white spots, some of the
smaller ones with white edges.



Now the weird part – the bloom.



For a long time, at the end of one of the stalks was this weird brown
thing that I could never tell what the hell it was. Imagine the shape
of a firework – about 25 little brown woody stalks extending out from
a center point with a little woody nub on the end. Well just today I
noticed that those nubs had opened up and now they're little plastic
flowers. Each little flower is the shape of a small (3/8 – ½
diameter) flat white five pointed star. Actually, each one is TWO
STARS PUT TOGETHER. In the center, there's a tiny (3/16 inch) little
sharp pointed star with a little red dot in the center. That little
star is sitting on top of a bigger star that has rounded points.



One other really distinguishing characteristic of the plant is that
this blossom really smells, or stinks, depending on personal
preference. It's a really strong sort of florally pungent smell.



I really need to identify this plant, because it's already done two
weird things and I need to know what else it's capable of so I know if
I should be worried or not.



Thanks

I don't know what plant this is specifically, but there are a lot of
tropical plants with wierd features like you describe. Many of these plants
have thick waxy leaves that do resemble plastic. There is a certain
tropical plant (a lily I believe) that has one giant (2 foot wide) flower on
a 4 foot tall stalk, that smells like rotting meat when it opens.

Good luck with your plant,
Adam

"doug s" wrote in message
om...
I have a story about this plant and I'm hoping that in the end you'll
be able to help me identify it, because this plant is WEIRD and I'm
not sure if I'm afraid of it.



My first purchasing foray into the botanical world (please do not
submit this to readers digest) was in response to a 'moving sale' ad
some people placed online. They said they had a lot of plants, and
since I wanted a lot of plants, I called and set up a time to go and
look at them. I ended up buying all the plants they had (about 20)
for a pretty good price.



About a month later, after I'd been taking care of them, diligently
watering them and all, I was looking at one of them and noticed
something a bit odd. I've gotten in the habit of feeling the leaves
of the plants - it seems to give something of an indication as to how
healthy or dried out the plant is. I think I can sort of tell when
they're not getting enough water by feeling the leaves. Anyhow, I was
feeling a leave on this one plant and I couldn't believe it! In
amongst the 20 plants they had sold me, and that I'd been watering for
the past month, this one was a PLASTIC PLANT and I'd never realized
it. I couldn't believe it. I felt the stem, and yep, sure enough -
plastic. I still couldn't believe it, so as the final test, I broke a
leave in half and bit into it. Now I was really confused, because it
was actually a real plant.



Even now, knowing that it's a real plant, just by touching it, I would
swear that it's plastic. I'm really wondering what this plant is and
I'm hoping you might have some ideas I could look up. There's other
weird things about it too - the bloom (which also you would just SWEAR
are plastic flowers).



It's sort of hard to describe, because there's nothing too
distinguishing about the leaves themselves. The stems grow out of the
dirt and hang over the edges of the pot and the leaves attach to them.
The leaves grow out of the stem in pairs - each coming out of the
stalk at the exact same place on opposite sides. The leaves
themselves are roughly the shape of Pothos leaves, though slightly
more 'round' and slightly less elongated. They are slightly thicker
and MUCH firmer than Pothos leaves - almost woody (or plastic).
They're a medium green, some with little white spots, some of the
smaller ones with white edges.



Now the weird part - the bloom.



For a long time, at the end of one of the stalks was this weird brown
thing that I could never tell what the hell it was. Imagine the shape
of a firework - about 25 little brown woody stalks extending out from
a center point with a little woody nub on the end. Well just today I
noticed that those nubs had opened up and now they're little plastic
flowers. Each little flower is the shape of a small (3/8 - ½
diameter) flat white five pointed star. Actually, each one is TWO
STARS PUT TOGETHER. In the center, there's a tiny (3/16 inch) little
sharp pointed star with a little red dot in the center. That little
star is sitting on top of a bigger star that has rounded points.



One other really distinguishing characteristic of the plant is that
this blossom really smells, or stinks, depending on personal
preference. It's a really strong sort of florally pungent smell.



I really need to identify this plant, because it's already done two
weird things and I need to know what else it's capable of so I know if
I should be worried or not.



Thanks

A long shot, but compare it to the various hoyas.

some pictures at:

http://www.succulent-plant.com/hoya2.html#pictures


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

Don't be such a drama queen. Too much info and very little of it is
relevant.

Your plant is definitely a Hoya.

It has already done for you all that it is capable of doing.

Do a google search and you will find much info on growing Hoya.

It you think Hoya are weird, you haven't seen nothing yet when it comes to
succulent plants.


doug s wrote in message
om...
I have a story about this plant and I'm hoping that in the end you'll
be able to help me identify it, because this plant is WEIRD and I'm
not sure if I'm afraid of it.



My first purchasing foray into the botanical world (please do not
submit this to readers digest) was in response to a 'moving sale' ad
some people placed online. They said they had a lot of plants, and
since I wanted a lot of plants, I called and set up a time to go and
look at them. I ended up buying all the plants they had (about 20)
for a pretty good price.



About a month later, after I'd been taking care of them, diligently
watering them and all, I was looking at one of them and noticed
something a bit odd. I've gotten in the habit of feeling the leaves
of the plants - it seems to give something of an indication as to how
healthy or dried out the plant is. I think I can sort of tell when
they're not getting enough water by feeling the leaves. Anyhow, I was
feeling a leave on this one plant and I couldn't believe it! In
amongst the 20 plants they had sold me, and that I'd been watering for
the past month, this one was a PLASTIC PLANT and I'd never realized
it. I couldn't believe it. I felt the stem, and yep, sure enough -
plastic. I still couldn't believe it, so as the final test, I broke a
leave in half and bit into it. Now I was really confused, because it
was actually a real plant.



Even now, knowing that it's a real plant, just by touching it, I would
swear that it's plastic. I'm really wondering what this plant is and
I'm hoping you might have some ideas I could look up. There's other
weird things about it too - the bloom (which also you would just SWEAR
are plastic flowers).



It's sort of hard to describe, because there's nothing too
distinguishing about the leaves themselves. The stems grow out of the
dirt and hang over the edges of the pot and the leaves attach to them.
The leaves grow out of the stem in pairs - each coming out of the
stalk at the exact same place on opposite sides. The leaves
themselves are roughly the shape of Pothos leaves, though slightly
more 'round' and slightly less elongated. They are slightly thicker
and MUCH firmer than Pothos leaves - almost woody (or plastic).
They're a medium green, some with little white spots, some of the
smaller ones with white edges.



Now the weird part - the bloom.



For a long time, at the end of one of the stalks was this weird brown
thing that I could never tell what the hell it was. Imagine the shape
of a firework - about 25 little brown woody stalks extending out from
a center point with a little woody nub on the end. Well just today I
noticed that those nubs had opened up and now they're little plastic
flowers. Each little flower is the shape of a small (3/8 - ½
diameter) flat white five pointed star. Actually, each one is TWO
STARS PUT TOGETHER. In the center, there's a tiny (3/16 inch) little
sharp pointed star with a little red dot in the center. That little
star is sitting on top of a bigger star that has rounded points.



One other really distinguishing characteristic of the plant is that
this blossom really smells, or stinks, depending on personal
preference. It's a really strong sort of florally pungent smell.



I really need to identify this plant, because it's already done two
weird things and I need to know what else it's capable of so I know if
I should be worried or not.



Thanks

Very well done kudos thankyou Cereoid-UR12-. It is as you say
definitely a Hoya and probably Hoya Carnosa. I'm not trying to make a
positive scientific ID here, I'm just saying that's what it looks like
most of all the varieties and thier descriptions.

Really thankyou it was only the unknown that I was ever afraid of.

I know I've seen nothing yet and you've peaked my interest and I'm
wondering if you have a story about a succulent that's even weirder
than the Hoya?

"Cereoid-UR12-" wrote in message m...
Don't be such a drama queen. Too much info and very little of it is
relevant.

Your plant is definitely a Hoya.

It has already done for you all that it is capable of doing.

Do a google search and you will find much info on growing Hoya.

It you think Hoya are weird, you haven't seen nothing yet when it comes to
succulent plants.