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May 21, 2009

The bad hair day plant

Yay!! I finally remembered to be fashionable this week!! I’m always so focused on being hooked on Fridays, I forget that Fridays are fashionable too!! Thanks to Julia at Hooked on Houses for hosting Hooked on Fridays, and to Fifi at Fifi Flowers Design Decor for hosting Fashionable Friday :-)

flilckr closeThis week, I’m totally hooked on a fantastic and fashionable little plant called juncus effusus spiralis (JUNK-us eff-YOO-sus). It’s fun to say eff-YOU-sus… say it few times and you’ll see what I mean :-) Its more common name is the corkscrew rush. I found a picture of it on Flickr entitled The Bad Hair Day Plant, and that name stuck in my head :-)

You may be wondering why it was dubbed the bad hair day plant — it looks relatively tame in the picture over on the right, yes?? But don’t be fooled… this is one of the craziest & funkiest looking plants you’ll ever see!!

Some info…

  • Family: Juncacae | Genus: Juncus | Species: Effusus | Cultivar: Spiralis
  • Height: 12 –18 inches (30 – 45 cms)
  • Hardiness: From Zone 4a (to –34.4C/-30F) to Zone 10b (to 1.7C/35F)
  • Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) | 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) | 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
  • Sun exposure: Sun to partial shade
  • Bloom colour: Inconspicuous, may grow brown flowers in early/mid summer
  • Requires consistently moist soil (seems to like being in a pot that doesn’t have a drainage hole). Do not let dry out between waterings. Suitable for bogs and water gardens.

So if you always forget to water your plants, this little guy might not be for you — try a cactus instead ;-) But if you’re like me and tend to over-water your plants, it’s perfect!!

OK, want to see some pictures now?? Check this out!!

flickr

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artistic gardener

flickr brick wall

How funky is that!!?? It grows in water too…

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Some artsy shots…

flickr blue sky

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And a couple of close-up shots…

flickr 2 jackson nurseries

I bought six of them at the garden center at Loblaws. I’m going to put three in individual pots, and I put the other three into a container with some trailers and a fuchsia-on-a-stick (no idea what the technical term is!!)

1 3 6

7

I thought the curly grass would fill in the space around the fuchsia’s stem nicely. But that was before I realized that the fuchsia needs shade and the bad hair day plant likes a lot of sun and moisture. I’ll see how things go, and if the bad hair day plants start to look unhappy, I’ll transplant them into individual pots too. I think a grouping of pots looks great anyway…

dk images

So that’s what I’m hooked on this week. Now, head on back to Hooked on Houses and Fifi Flowers Design Decor to see what other fashionable things everyone else is hooked on this Friday :-)

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30 comments:

Maya@Completely Coastal said...

Crazy it is..., but also fun and playful. And it does look good in that square stone pot!

Edwina- HouseAHolic said...

I love them, particularly in the little yellow pots at the end. I wonder if you can get them in Oz? I might have to look into it...

Anonymous said...

I love that plant! How amazing! It looks great anywhere you put it!
Hope all in your designing world!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)

Beach House Dreamer said...

A true character this plant!

Terry said...

It's got everything and in every direction too.

Mrs. Petrie said...

That plant is so modern and beautiful looking. I think that plant would look great in my house! I love the way your potted plants came together. A nice mix of textures and colors!

Unknown said...

Wow that is such a cool plant... It's got personality! And its quite a conversation starter too!
~Really Rainey~

Daly Essentials said...

ha.. I kept reading along and waiting for you to mention that the plant made an amazing anti-frizz serum to use on your hair... literally I envisioned breaking off a stalk and sqeezing it on my hand to use.. and then I finally realized that that is NOT why it's called the bad hair day plant.... I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes!

Melissa said...

How neat! What an interesting plant!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

Whoa! How cool is that?! I want one to go along with my own wavy, frequently misbehaved hair. It would fit right in here at my house. ;-)

You always teach me something new! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Maria Killam said...

I like the corkscrew plant, a client just asked if I would find him an urn for a corner in his living room with branches coming out of it and I'm still trying to decide if I think that look is just dated. . .

Gayle said...

Wow! That is the coolest plant! How neat!

Unknown said...

What a interesting plant! That's a definite conversation starter.

Kara @ Just1Step said...

I love plants. That one is so neat!

Astrid in Bristling Acres said...

I'm going to HAVE to find that plant! No wonder you're hooked on it...It's totally awesome! (I'm hooked on showy orchis)

Pam Kersting said...

I see you've discovered a new plant! We are fortunate where I live in NC as these plants will grow here year round. They are wetland plants and can get invasive, however, in a regular garden, they don't spread so much. Very interesting habit and they look great in y our planters!

Michelle, All Home and Love said...

Thanks so much for the color help links!

Those plants are so interesting. I like how they are put together with other plantings. Neat!
~Michelle

Janis@An Inspired Life said...

Hi Kelly,
I've never seen it before, and I LOVE them in your green pots...which btw are an AMAZING colour!!!
________________________________________________
On another note:
I hadn't even noticed that Suzanne Dimma had taken over @ H&H but that explains the fresh style and slight Domino vibe to it. I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of Lynda Reeves....so am not sad to see her go.

You've got to let me know how much the Homesense lanterns are......

Have a super weekend

Diane said...

Some great photos and very good display ideas. I swear, that door has to be the exact same colour I painted our front door at the last home we lived in! I loved that door -- can you believe? I always felt so good when I saw that door.

P. said...

That plant is so funny. And very decorative too.
The fuchia is very nice, I've been looking for one to buy but I only find big ones - and expensive. I'll keep looking. Yours is very inspiring.

Alfazema

qerat said...

This should be a great plant to use even for designers that hate greenery !!
It is so sculptural.

Donna @ Paisley and Perspective said...

I love it! I'm going out to Ritchie's today, so will definitely look for it. I can't wait to try out "eff-YOU-sus" on guests when they ask what kind of funky plant that is. Looks like it would transition to indoors over the winter as well. Thanks for the fashionable find!!!

...Donna

Doriana Gray said...

I have always loved that plant and now I know what it is called so I can buy one! Thanks!

modernemama said...

Love it with the fuchsia in the chartreuse planter!

ImagineCozy said...

Love the little curls --- My three year old has little corkscrew curls it reminds me of her hair about half way through the day!

Verdigris Vie said...

Ok - I do believe that I totally love this plant and have to have one. I have the perfect vacant pot for it as well..

Thanks for this one.. totally unexpected.

Vitania

Janis@An Inspired Life said...

Hi Kelly,

Thanks so much for DIY info on your pots,and for the deets on the lanterns from HSense......I'm gonna head over tonight to check them out. Gotta love HS!!!

Have a super day.

Anonymous said...

Love the name and the look of the "Bad Hair Day" plant. Love what you did it with it Kelly! Gotta get one! LYNN

Anonymous said...

I saw one of these plants today for the first time and it is magnificent! The friend who owned the plant said the branches straighten out when they need water, and curl up (frizz) when watered! I must find one!

Anonymous said...

I saw one of these plants yesterday and I was
very impressed with it.I am going to have to
get me one.It makes a good conversation piece.

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