Philodendrons are taking over Florida!

Walking to the swimming pool I noticed this unusual flower sprouting from the bosom of a very common plant here in West-Central Florida. Of course I was fascinated! Just think how many sci-fi and other twistings of creative souls have been influenced by plants such as this!


I poked around the plant from different angles and can only wonder at the entertainment I provided my neighbors as I squatted, leaned and clicked my camera. But I was being entertained as well. Don't you just want to say how cute this plant is? As in the Geico gecko cute?

So I came home and had to discover what this plant was called. As a child my Grandmother or maybe it was my brother brought a very similar plant from Florida to grow in our house in New Jersey. Did it ever grow! I named it Lurch after the Adams Family butler because in the summer my mother would put it on the porch near the front door. It turns out it is commonly known as a tree or cut-leaf Philodendron. Pretty much, if a plant has thick, green glossy leaves and you say it's a Philodendron you're probably right. It's a big family of plants.