growing under flourescents

From: crat at cris.com on 1997.01.16 at 17:02:23(147) I just changed jobs and moved from an office with fairly decent outside light to a cublicle that is lit only by flourescent ceiling lights . Any suggests out there on what aroids I might try growing (and won't drive everyone out of the building while blooming )? Thanks much, Eric Simpson +More Washington, DC

From: Krzysztof Kozminski <kk at netgate.net> on 1997.01.17 at 19:28:19(154) On Thu, 16 Jan 1997 crat@cris.com wrote: > I just changed jobs and moved from an office with fairly decent outside > light to a cublicle that is lit only by flourescent ceiling lights > . Any suggests out there on what aroids I might try growing (and > won't drive everyone out of the building while blooming )? Spathicarpa saggitifolia did amazingly well under fluorescents in my office. Its leaves turned deep green, and it flourished. In fact, it did not like at all when it got moved later to a brighter spot. Alocasia `Green velvet' also did great. Anthurium scherzerianum did ok-ish. Amorphophallus prainnii did ok-ish, but was visibly less vigorous than the one I had at home close to a southeasterly window. Amorphophallus titanum existed, but without much visible progress. It still has its original petiole from 13 months ago. Colocasia antiquorum illustris existed, perhaps very slowly declining. Arisaema taiwanensis was OK, but then did not like at all being moved outdoors into shade (weak stem, could not handle more than just a slight breeze without bowing down). Arisaema candidissimum did OK, but when it went dormant, the tuber was smaller than a year before. KK

From: Hermine Stover <hermine at endangeredspecies.com> on 1997.01.17 at 19:48:45(158) At 11:02 AM 1/16/97 -0600, you wrote: >I just changed jobs and moved from an office with fairly decent outside >light to a cublicle that is lit only by flourescent ceiling lights >. Any suggests out there on what aroids I might try growing (and >won't drive everyone out of the building while blooming )? > >Thanks much, >Eric Simpson +More >Washington, DC > Are you in a position of such power/status that you could plug in an extra lite or so at your workstation? Because then the world would be your oyster, plantwise. What about creating a light garden under your desk? I used to do this before I got a greenhouse. now I have no plants indoors whatsoever. Get a light meter and see what footcandles you have. Interiorscapers(ugh) have placed some plantings in areas with no natural lighting and they have done well for years. Hermine

From: "Robert Wagner" <robwagner at robwagner.seanet.com> on 1997.01.17 at 20:03:39(161) Eric, there are a number of fine Aroids that are very tolerant of low light levels. I think the most beautiful are the Anthuriums. I had 2 species in an office, A. andraeanum and A. scherzeranum. I should warn you that most office buildings have rather dry air, but A. andraeanum requires high humidity. You can try growing it in a pot that is set over a gravel tray with water, and misting it every day; that's what I did. I am suspicious that the plants are epiphytic, so even though they like plenty of water, make sure their drainage is *excellent*, or their roots may rot. A. scherzeranum tolerates lower humidity than A. andraeanum, and is easier to grow, but it is perhaps slightly less tolerant of low light levels, and the flowers are not as large or brilliantly colored as A. andreaenum's (be aware that some cultivated plants have been bred for less intense color, and some for flowers that are, quite frankly, unattractively deformed). Both plants need warm temperatures (preferable 70-80F); they should be OK but watch out for air-conditioning drafts which could injure them. Put them as close to the florescent light as possible so that they will bloom well. Both plants bloom continuously, and the blossoms last a long time. You should recognize the blossoms of A. andraeanum from florists' shops; they are very expensive. Yet, as long as they are kept warm, humid, occassionally fed, and get bright indirect light, they are actually fairly easy to grow. Aglaonemas have fairly inconspicuous green flowers, but their leaves have pretty patterns. They are extremely tolerant of low light levels and neglect. Nearly as tolerant are Spathiphyllums, which have more conspicuous white spathes in back of their yellowish spadices. These are the ubiquitous indoor perennials used in dimly-lit shopping-mall plantscapes. Robert +More ---------- > From: crat@cris.com > To: robwagner@robwagner.seanet.com > Subject: growing under flourescents > Date: Thursday, January 16, 1997 9:02 AM > > I just changed jobs and moved from an office with fairly decent outside > light to a cublicle that is lit only by flourescent ceiling lights > . Any suggests out there on what aroids I might try growing (and > won't drive everyone out of the building while blooming )? > > Thanks much, > Eric Simpson > Washington, DC > > >

From: markdim at azstarnet.com (Mark A. Dimmitt) on 1997.01.17 at 20:08:37(162) >I just changed jobs and moved from an office with fairly decent outside >light to a cublicle that is lit only by flourescent ceiling lights >. Any suggests out there on what aroids I might try growing (and >won't drive everyone out of the building while blooming )? > >Thanks much, >Eric Simpson >Washington, DC > > > > Eric Simpson asked about low light aroids. Zamioculcas zamiifolia performs well from near-full desert sun to as low as 200 footcandles. Most offices don't provide quite this much, but an extra light in your cubicle could supply a little more. If you can't do that, get two plants and keep one in a better location at home. Rotate them once a month or so. As a last resort, Zam zam will maintain itself without growing for several months with almost no light. I don't know why it isn't a more popular house plant. It will also tolerate being unwatered for three months without even shrivelling. And I left a flat of extra, small propagules outside this winter - about half the foliage survived 24 F (-4 C). I suppose the tuberous root would survive as long as the soil didn't freeze. Happy growing, Mark +More *************************************************************** Mark Dimmitt Tucson, Arizona USA ***************************************************************

From: "Neal R. Foster" <nealfost at umich.edu> on 1997.01.18 at 05:05:55(167) Eric, the "Chinese evergreen," Aglaonema (modesta?), grows reasonably well (though somewhat spindly) in our building here solely under fluorescent lights (including in at least one windowless office where no lights are on over the weekend. Some daylight then comes in sideways through the doorway from west windows about 20 feet away). --Neal +More Neal R. Foster, U.S. Department of Interior, USGS-Biological Resources Division, Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105-2807; Phone [+voicemail]: (313)994-3331-x264; FAX: (313)994-8780; e-mail: nealfost@umich.edu On Thu, 16 Jan 1997 crat@cris.com wrote: > I just changed jobs and moved from an office with fairly decent outside > light to a cublicle that is lit only by flourescent ceiling lights > . Any suggests out there on what aroids I might try growing (and > won't drive everyone out of the building while blooming )? > > Thanks much, > Eric Simpson > Washington, DC > > > >

From: crat at cris.com on 1997.01.18 at 21:21:49(170) > >I just changed jobs and moved from an office with fairly decent outside > >light to a cublicle that is lit only by flourescent ceiling lights > >. Any suggests out there on what aroids I might try growing (and > >won't drive everyone out of the building while blooming )? > > +More > >Thanks much, > >Eric Simpson > >Washington, DC > > > > Thanks for all the suggestions that literally ranged from A to Z. Now to go drag out my rare plant catalogs that I've been enjoying and look up even more plants . By this time next year I should be able to report on my successes (or failures.) Thanks again, Eric

From: Hermine Stover <hermine at endangeredspecies.com> on 1997.01.19 at 18:24:46(176) At 03:21 PM 1/18/97 -0600, crat@cris.com wrote: >Thanks for all the suggestions that literally ranged from A to Z. Now >to go drag out my rare plant catalogs that I've been enjoying and look >up even more plants . By this time next year I should be able to >report on my successes (or failures.) > >Thanks again, >Eric +More > I hope you can wangle your way into a corner office!

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