Strange fruit



Above, in what I can proudly say is one of my crappiest photographs EVER, you can see the rare flowers of the common dracaena fragrans (corn plant), a nondescript cultivar normally used for office fodder. Nonetheless, I sort of like it, and I always get excited when, once every three years or so, it blooms. The flowers aren't great looking but once they get going, the fragrance fills the entire upstairs. We have two but only the one in my husband's study ever blooms.

There's something strange and exotic about seeing plants we take for granted suddenly take on these strange forms. I expect the cyclamen, African violets, and Christmas cactuses to perform, but this is a plant that is just supposed to sit there and stay green. Like I said, the flowers aren't much. It's late November, though, so we'll take them.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hi there,

My plain green corn plant bloomed last year. Each leaf that came out after was a beautiful variegated shade of light gold with dark green edges. So now the plant has a bright green crown on top of older plain green leaves. Very striking.

Thanks for sharing your pic.

- V.
David (Snappy) said…
You need to appreciate the flowers in November.The photo is fine too. wish i could smell the scent!

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