Today we are doing a fun post to celebrate some favorite plants of mine since we are already halfway through 2023! Where does the time go? I will share pictures of each of these plants, explain why I chose them, and briefly explain how I care for them.

At the end, I’ll summarize where I’m at with my plant journey so far and where I’m going. I would love to hear what your favorites are and how your plant journey is in the comments below!

Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

• Favorite New Plant of 2023: Begonia ‘Pink Minx’
• Aroid: Anthurium clarinervium hybrid
• Hoya: Hoya kerrii splash
• Fruit: Banana Plant ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’ (Musa acuminate)
• Begonia: Begonia Donna
• Succulent: Haworthia
• Summary for the First Half of 2023:
• Related Articles

Favorite New Plant of 2023: Begonia ‘Pink Minx’

Quick Stats:

• Name: Begonia ‘Pink Minx’
• Where I Got It: Steve’s Leaves
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• How I Care for It: I give my cane begonias lots of bright light with some direct sun. They are all in terracotta pots and a standard houseplant potting mix. I would use a more well-draining mix if I had them in plastic pots. I keep them well-watered. As soon as the pot’s surface is DRY, I water thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes and the pot is heavy. I use Osmocote slow-release fertilizer with these plants too.

I haven’t had this one long, but I love that its leaves pop of pink. It is a huge departure from the greenery around it, as you can tell from the background! It seems happy; it has grown several leaves in my care.

The polka dot angel wing begonias are beautiful, but I was excited to add a cane begonia with a different leaf shape and pattern. It is incredibly striking, and I’m excited to see what this plant looks like six months or a year from now.

And to think that I used to feel ambivalent toward begonias – thank goodness my eyes have been opened to how wonderful they are now!

Aroid: Anthurium clarinervium hybrid

Quick Stats:

• Name: Anthurium clarinervium sp.
• Where I Got It: Land of Alice Studio on Etsy (This is an affiliate link*)
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• How I Care for It: Lots of Bright indirect light with a bit of direct sun, too. I keep her evenly moist in a plastic pot with well-draining potting mix (a mixture of houseplant potting mix, pumice, and orchid bark in equal parts), and add Osmocote every 4-6 months.

I purchased this plant as Anthurium clarinervium, but the ears/lobes/tops of the leaves do not always touch or overlap, which is typically what Anthurium clarinerviums do. Because of that, I’ve been calling this a hybrid.

Regardless, I love this plant! Besides the fact that the plant is drop-dead gorgeous with those velvety, heart-shaped leaves and striking white veins, I’ve got a handle on my anthurium care now, and this plant shows it.

When I got this plant, it had just a couple of smaller, adorable leaves and has since grown into a much larger plant with many beautiful, large leaves.

It is often the plants that have been with me and grown with me that I feel most proud of, of course, and this is certainly one of those.

*The Etsy shop linked above is linked through an affiliate program, meaning that I may make a small commission if you choose to purchase something. There is no cost to you to use this link. Anything I do make will directly support this blog, and I thank you for your support. Every penny counts!

Hoya: Hoya kerrii splash

Quick Stats:

• Name: Hoya kerrii splash
• Where I Got It: Unsolicited Plant Talks
• Difficulty Level: Relatively easy
• How I Care for It: Hoya kerrii grows in a West-facing window where she gets lots of bright light with direct afternoon sun filtered through opened blinds. I water her when she’s dry – I do not leave her pot dry for long. She has a well-draining mix in a terracotta pot. The potting mix I use is a blend of houseplant potting mix, pumice, and orchid bark. I add slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote) every 4-6 months.

I chose Hoya kerrii splash because it has been pushing out lots of new leaves this year, and I love the beautiful dark leaves with those splashy flecks across them.

I have had trouble in past years getting Hoya kerrii to grow because I had heard that it thrived on neglect and was very susceptible to root rot.

I’m not saying these things aren’t true, but what I’ve found to be more true, personally, is that it needs regular watering and will not grow if left with dry potting mix for long periods.

Instead, the roots will die due to drought, and the plant will rot.

I had a Hoya kerrii that sat as only two leaves for the longest time. Years. And when I finally began to water it more frequently, it grew a new leaf. Whoo hoo!

It’s also possible that flat mites (which have become the talk of the Hoya community over the past year or more) were partially to blame. I will write a separate post on those at some point.

I’ve been actively treating flat mites for a while, and this treatment, in conjunction with more water, might have also allowed my Hoya kerrii to start growing.

Either way, Hoya kerrii is a wonderful plant to grow once it has the right conditions. I love those hearts!

Fruit: Banana Plant ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’ (Musa acuminate)

Quick Stats:

• Name: Banana ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’
• Where I Got It: Logee’s
• Difficulty Level: Somewhat Challenging – This is a high-maintenance plant that requires attention very frequently but isn’t necessarily hard to grow as long as you are willing to keep it frequent attention
• How I Care for It: I keep my banana in a terracotta pot with Espoma Organic’s standard indoor potting mix and some added pumice. I add Osmocote Vegetable and Fruit extended-release fertilizer and keep the plant well-watered at all times (or evenly moist). It wilts when too dry, and its roots are prone to rot if too wet, so it is a delicate balance. It is a heavy feeder, so I have been trying to stay on top of fertilizing. I grow it in an east-facing window supplemented with a Soltech Solutions Aspect grow light.

This dwarf banana has been so much fun to grow! I got it in a 4-inch pot from Logee’s about nine months ago, and in that time, it has grown so quickly that it is now in a 10-inch pot.

I think that officially makes it my fastest-growing plant. WOW!

This was my first experience growing a banana, and it has been a really positive experience.

I know someone with two massive bananas stretching from floor to ceiling. He told me that they are huge feeders, need a lot of water, and need a lot of light. That was very helpful information that I took to heart.

I stayed on top of watering, fertilizing, and placing this plant with my other fruiting trees that receive east-facing sunlight and additional light from a Soltech Solutions grow light. So far, his advice and this placement have worked!

It is not a low-maintenance plant by any means. But if you are up for the challenge, it is worth trying!

I love how the dwarf banana looks and cannot wait to see if we can grow some little bananas that I can let my kids pick and eat!

Use code CURIOSITY to receive 15% off at Soltech Solutions – I don’t receive any commission, but I LOVE their products and want to give you all a discount!

Begonia: Begonia Donna

Quick Stats:

• Name: Begonia ‘Donna’
• Where I Got It : Steve’s Leaves
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• How I Care for It: I give my cane begonias lots of bright light with some direct sun. They are all in terracotta pots and a standard houseplant potting mix. I would use a more well-draining mix if I had them in plastic pots. I keep them well-watered. As soon as the pot’s surface is DRY, I water thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes and the pot is heavy. I use Osmocote slow-release fertilizer with these plants too.

I would never have guessed this plant would make this list, honestly.

Several months ago, I seriously considered rehoming this plant when I needed to reduce the number of plants in my home. To be real, I still need to reduce the number of plants in my home, but not as much as I did then.

Something made me decide not to get rid of Begonia ‘Donna’, and I’m glad I listened to whatever that was because I’ve been enjoying watching this plant come into its own.

I can see this plant from where I sit and work on my blog every morning, and it brings me so much joy.

It is so different from the other plants around it, a bonus of begonias in general. I love the nearly black foliage, which is getting quite large.

I finally staked the plant so I wouldn’t have to prune it because I would like to see it continue to size up. It’s a joy to grow.

Succulent: Haworthia

Quick Stats:

• Name: Haworthia obtusa ‘OB1’
• Where I Got It: No idea. I’ve tried hard to remember, and I truly have no idea.
• Difficulty Level: Super easy unless you want to water this one a lot.
• How I Care for It: This haworthia is in a terracotta pot and Bonsai Jack’s succulent mix. It grows on the window sill of a West-facing window and has for the entire time I’ve owned it. It seems very happy here. I water it when it has been completely dry for a while. I will water it if I know it is totally dry or when I notice the lower leaves are beginning to wrinkle. I make a point to check more often in the summer. I occasionally fertilize using a liquid succulent fertilizer but do not regularly fertilize since I know that succulents don’t need constant fertilization.

I got this plant a couple of years ago after being mesmerized by its blueish color and see-through leaves. I still think it is a stunning plant and feel lucky to have it.

It only requires water every couple of weeks throughout the year, perhaps more frequently in the brightest part of summer.

It can go longer without water in Winter.

Haworthia obtusa OB1 can tell you when it needs water. Its lowest leaves will wrinkle a little as it becomes thirsty. I do not wait for the whole plant to wrinkle, though; I think it would be too thirsty and in a place to potentially dry rot then.

This Haworthia and many others make wonderful houseplants. I highly recommend them for a sunny windowsill!

Summary for the First Half of 2023:

I’ve never done more repotting in my life, but I’m basically done now. I would say I’ve repotted 90 to 95% of the plants in my home. That is a lot of plants. A LOT. I feel really good about it, though!

I’m working on being more consistent with watering and trying to stay on top of pests.

I’ve seen a lot of pests this year: spider mites, thrips, and mealybugs. Sigh.

I also found a nasty scale on top of my huge money tree, Pachira aquatica. There’s probably more hiding in there that I don’t know about.

I just ordered some beneficial insects that I will release soon to help with some of it.

I have moved all my cactus and euphorbia outside for summer, which is exciting. I can’t wait to see what growth they put on.

I’m not looking forward to moving them back in, but I have a couple of months left before needing to worry about that.

I’m doing a lot of outside gardening, and it is hard to manage all indoor and outdoor gardening simultaneously, but it is completely worth it. Summer is my favorite time of year, so I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We are getting very close to having a walking baby, which means I need to get working and reorganizing some plants to make my dining room, the botanical garden of my house, a safe space for my baby.

That is going to be an undertaking. So current-me hopes that future-me is happy with whatever happens between now and then.

Cheers to a wonderful summer with lots of personal and planty growth!

What are your favorite plants? How has your 2023 been going so far?

Happy growing!

Colleen

Related Articles

Acclimating Houseplants Outside for Summer (How to Do It and Reasons For & Against It)

How Your Plant is Telling You It’s Time to Repot (with Pictures!)

How to Care for Polka Dot Begonias (and Other Cane-Types)