Ep. 136 - Welwitschia
and the "Weird Houseplant" Experience
We realize it’s an unlikely choice for most plant parents, but…
…the strategies and fun involved in cultivating unusual houseplants like Welwitschia mirabilis is an experience we’re excited to share! And even if he has never touched one, Matthew loves the botanical and evolutionary mystery this living fossil presents. What can we do when there’s no clear care info for a plant? Does Stephen even know what he’s doing yet? Say hello to Aunt Ephedra for us.
Then on the After Show, what is Stephen’s long term plan here? And what might be protecting wild populations? Head over to Patreon to hear!
Mentioned in this episode:
Welwitschia is a living fossil thought to date back 200 million years. The oldest living plants today may be over 2000 years old, and they only produce two continuously growing leaves over the entire life of the plant!
Stephen’s tips for sourcing reliable care advice for this or any plant rare in cultivation when there is very little concrete care information available
what are the closest living relatives of this ancient plant, and how certain are we about this plant’s taxonomic classification?
Welwitschia is a Gymnosperm, or cone-bearing plant. So what are these, and what makes them special?
this great documentary excerpt (also below!)
this Welwitschia Cultivation Facebook Group, where Stephen has found much of his care guidance
And lastly,
We’re excited to team up with Soltech Solutions! Use code PLANTDADDYPODCAST at checkout to save 15%!
Listen ad-free as an Official Patron! And enjoy exclusive access our episode After Shows, where we stick around for some of the questions and conversation that didn’t fit in the episode.
If you are interested in supporting us that way, just go to Patreon to join.
As always, we thank you for listening and supporting the show any way you choose, and thanks to everyone who encouraged us to get on Patreon!
And a special thank you to the photographers of these images showing this remarkable and fascinating plant!
Photo 1: @theplantsapiens - from the UC Davis Botanical Conservatory, Photo 2: @rawcandyrides - wild plants in the Namib Desert, Photo 3: @enten9525 - a cultivated plant showing a few years growth, Photo 4: @smithcollegebotanicgarden - cultivated plants at the Smith College Botanic Garden, with a male plant bearing cones, Photo 5: @uwmgreenhouse - a cultivated plant at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Greenhouse, Photo 6: @piergiorgio_dipompeo - a closeup look of the interior of a cultivated plant, Photo 7: @desert_creations - female cones on a cultivated plant, Photo 8: @smithcollegebotanicgarden - male cones on a plant at the Smith College Botanic Garden, Photo 9: @beansbotanical - a six-month old seed-grown plant
The photo at the top of this page is Stephen’s own plant, and here are a couple of close-ups to get a better look.
