In South-East Asia basella is eaten as a green vegetable and the leaves are prepared like spinach. For cultivation, heat is necessary. The seeds only germinate above 18°C (64°F) and the plants themselves prefer a similar temperature for growth. At the height of summer this climber can go outside in a roomy container but if grown indoors or in a greenhouse it will keep better. The small, bladder-shaped flowers develop into crimson-red berries, which contain the seed. This can be collected as soon as the berries shrivel up. Be careful because the juice stains and is used as a dye in Asia. Sow in spring, in loose, sandy soil. The plant can survive the winter but sowing it afresh gives better results. As well as the species with reddish foliage there is the variety Basella rubra alba which has green foliage.
Don’t be ashamed if you have never heard of this plant, because it is very new. It could well be that it will win over the hearts of plant lovers and that we will see it more often in the future. Bacopas are originally marsh plants from tropical and subtropical regions. However the cultivar ‘Snowflake’ will grow very well in a hanging basket. Give it a light location, preferably outside in summer, where it can hang in full sun, as long as the soil never dries out.
Hang the plant indoors during the winter, in a cool, airy spot, otherwise there is a great risk of fungal infestation. The temperature is not very important, but in a light position in a heated room you will have to watering liberally. The plant will hardly need any water at all in winter if kept in a cool room, minimum temperature of 10°C (50°F). Cuttings can be taken in August or September. Snip off stems and root them in an airy, moderately damp soil mixture. In spring the cuttings will soon cover the pot or basket with greenery and lovely white flowers.
The foliage of this asparagus from the Canary Islands appears to be as soft as down. In reality the true leaves are little thorns and the phylloclades feel rather stiff. Give this plant a slightly higher humidity than normal, for instance by putting it somewhere cool in winter. It can tolerate a light frost. Maintenance is otherwise the same as for Asparagus densiflorus.
This very robust house plant can tolerate sun and semi-shade, and low temperatures down to a minimum of about 5°C (41°F). Plenty of water is fine but no harm is done if it dries out once in a while. Even dry indoor air is not fatal. If there is not enough humidity or a shortage of water the linear leaves will turn yellow and drop off. This also happens during the dry season in South Africa from where the plant originates. Give a bit more water if the leaves are starting to drop off and the plant will recover easily. There are pale root tubers in the soil which serve as a moisture buffer. These will eventually appear above the surface and this is a sign that it is time to re-pot. The plant can then be divided and cut back hard. The pendulous stems are thin and the long long leaflets drop off sooner or later. The leaves also bear little hooks, so anybody who likes a clean house or is impatient should give this plant a miss.
The best known cultivar is Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ which has loose, pendulous stems covered in green, linear leaves. Nowadays another cultivar called ‘Meyeri’ is more and more often available. This plant produces long, cigar-shaped plumes that first grow erect and later hang down under their own weight. This cultivar can tolerate more shade than the parent species.
The stems of the rat’s tail cactus are covered in golden spines which bend under their own weight and hang down. They are at the most lcm (i/2in) across but can grow tens of centimetres long. If cared for well they will flower every spring with crimson-pink flowers each about 10cm (4in) long. In winter they need, just like most other cacti, a period of strict rest. Only water when the ‘tails’ start to shrivel up and hang the plant in a light, cool spot (between 5°C (41°F) and 15°C (50°F)). Only when small reddish-pink dots appear in spring (these are the buds!) should you gradually water more. Hang the plant in a warm and very light place but protect it from burning sunshine in early spring. Later the cactus can tolerate the full sun and appreciates plenty of fresh air and misting. Dry air is sure to cause red spider mite to attack. If that happens hang the plant outside in the semi-shade during summer and the red spider mite will disappear
