Caili in wonderland

There was a time when leafy ferns were de rigueur in the domestic bathroom, and many a sorry leaf dropping, brown tinged plant ended its life huddled round the cistern. After that short lived flash of glory, houseplants became the horticultural equivalent of elasticated slacks. It’s taken the surreal, reptilian aesthetic of succulents for plants to barge their way back in. The perfect word to describe succulents would be edgy, but sharp edges are the one thing they tend to lack. Their plump and fleshy leaves retain water, and their rounded stems offer less surface area for moisture to evaporate. In evolutionary terms, you can only admire the succulent. It works its natural advantages as ferociously as an ambitious Broadway understudy. There are literally hundreds of varieties ranging from the beautiful Sedum Matrona, to the frankly hideous Ponytail Palm, but it’s the ground hugging glories of Hens and Chicks, Burro’s Tail, and Cobweb Houseleek that have tap danced their way into our hearts. (via Cereal)