Field records
A record of my growing
A blog about the plants Zhu collects and grows — the interesting moments along the way, and how they look right now.
- Species
- 20
- Notes
- 6
- Articles
- 3
By species
Browse plants
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Elephant's foot (Dioscorea elephantipes)
Dioscorea elephantipes (L'Hér.) Engl.
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Silver elkhorn (Platycerium veitchii)
Platycerium veitchii (Underw.) C.Chr.
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Operculicarya decaryi
Operculicarya decaryi H.Perrier
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- Commiphora planifrons
- Commiphora orbicularis
- Elephant tree (Bursera fagaroides)
- Dwarf pinwheel flower (Tabernaemontana)
- Star cactus (Astrophytum asterias)
- Ridley's staghorn fern (Platycerium ridleyi)
- Crown of thorns (Euphorbia)
- Desert rose (Adenium)
- Euphorbia guillauminiana
- Pachypodium rosulatum subsp. gracilius
- Senna meridionalis
- Agave victoriae-reginae
- Boswellia elongata
- Peyote (Lophophora williamsii)
- Hoya carnosa
- Phalaenopsis pulcherrima
Field observations
Growing notes
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2026-09-23
Dwarf pinwheel flowers on a park hedge
At a nearby park after the kids' dentist visit, I saw the dwarf pinwheel flowers on a hedge in beautiful bloom and took a few photos.
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2026-09-21
My kikko star cactus seedlings
I have sown star cactus many times, and most ran into trouble at around 2-inch-pot size. Only this kikko batch has kept growing steadily, and it has even produced a plant with yellow variegation.
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2026-09-17
The crown of thorns my mum brought home
A crown of thorns my mum brought home from a garden shop and planted in our garden. It has been in full bloom the whole time, so I photographed it.
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2026-09-16
Desert roses I grew from seed
Desert roses I sowed around 2023. They used to sit under shade cloth, and once I moved them outside into the open they kept getting fatter.
Researched topics
Articles
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The two kinds of staghorn fern fronds
A staghorn fern grows two completely different kinds of frond. The ones pressed against the mount, which turn brown with age, are the shield fronds; the antler-like ones with spores on their backs are the fertile fronds. This article covers what each looks like and does.
Explainer
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What is CITES? What to know before buying succulents, orchids and caudex plants
Cacti, orchids and some caudex plants are listed in the CITES Appendices. What that means, how Appendices I, II and III differ, what is not covered, and which authority is in charge in Taiwan.
Explainer
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Reading plant scientific names: genus, epithet, f. and 'Compacta'
Using plants from this site as examples, a guide to author names in brackets, synonyms, var. and f., and why cultivar names sit in single quotes.
Explainer
About the author
I'm Zhu Lee, from Taiwan. I trained in agriculture and horticulture and hold a master's degree in horticulture from National Chung Hsing University.
My work covers agricultural science outreach, farmers' organisation affairs, and growing and producing ornamental plants. I started this site to keep a record of the plants I grow, and as a reference for plant lovers who may find it useful. The growing records here all come from plants I have actually grown or photographed. The growing notes are my own observations, not definitive knowledge about the species, so please read them in a relaxed spirit.
Zhu's Plant Journal