Green Fingers

Donkey Tail (Left) I've fallen in love with the seductive Butterfly plant aka Purple Shamrock aka Love Plant aka Oxalis Triangularis since the first time I set my eyes on this plant. *sigh* I love the deep reddish purple of the leaves, it's butterfly shape and lovely pink flowers. It's so fragile with its non-woody stem yet delicately beautiful. Nobody at home could understand the joy I experience knowing how my Butterfly grow new shoots & leaves that could shoot up about 2-3cm daily. It's a joy to watch them smiling at the gentle rays that filters through the kitchen windows every morning and to fold their leaves in slumber for the night. 3 years back before I entered college, I bought a pot from a local nursery which I cared for and showered with attention everyday. She was neglected when I left J.B to attend college in Singapore. She was bought together with my Cactus Dexter. Months ago, Dexter was kidnapped by my mother to J.B. When I visited him there, he's has two new Dexter Jr under his wings. It's such a joy. And while I was busy replanting the Basils on our balcony garden in J.B, I found my poor Butterfly neglected and in bad shape. I re-potted her soil on the spot and brought her home to Queenstown, Singapore with me. This is how fate rekindled my affections for her.

Lately, I've been attempting to cultivate a cutting of Donkey's tail or Sedum Morganianum I've enthusiastically gotten from my father in J.B. For weeks, the cutting did not sprout roots nor show any sign of growth. My mother herself was overjoyed to know that there were two tiny tail of this lovely plant left in J.B for she thought her dear plant had died or vanished. She said that this plant is beautiful when they grow long and lush hanging from the sides of the flowerpot although it is extremely slow growing. I know this because I had fond recollections of a lush donkey tail plant spilling from an overhanging pot like bunches of heavy green grapes. Now, I guess I can only drool at pictures of it posted by lucky owners online. *sigh*

It's a pity I am still in Singapore and haven't gone back to J.B where I have an SD card reader. If not, I would gladly post images of my pretty Dill weeds and pals. The Dills have grown well with the frequent rain and my daily hovering over them to check on them. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on those images of pretty Donkey Tail plant and Butterfly plant. Cheers!

"Are you my Butterfly?"--Gallimard (M.Butterfly)

"She delights me. She's fragile and slender, dainty in stature, and a quaint little figure... She's light as a feather and flutters like a butterfly, hovering and settling with gracious silence"--Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly)