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

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Elephant's foot (Dioscorea elephantipes)

Dioscorea elephantipes (L'Hér.) Engl.
Silver elkhorn (Platycerium veitchii)

Platycerium veitchii (Underw.) C.Chr.
Operculicarya decaryi

Operculicarya decaryi H.Perrier
Obregonia denegrii

Obregonia denegrii Frič

Newest

Field observations

Growing notes

All notes

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.
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.
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.
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

All articles

The two kinds of staghorn fern fronds

Published：2026-09-25

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
What is CITES? What to know before buying succulents, orchids and caudex plants

Published：2026-09-16

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
Reading plant scientific names: genus, epithet, f. and 'Compacta'

Published：2026-09-15

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.