2011 was a weird year for my relationship with the blog, which I've recently described -- ad nauseam -- so coming up with this list was a stranger experience than usual. I had a lot of good stuff at the beginning of the year, I think, and then basically nothing after July. But it was a very good year for photos, and if pressed, I imagine I can come up with nice things to say about some of the text too. So here are the highlights of 2011:
16. Music Video: "Russian Unicorn" (Bad Lip Reading / Michael Bublé) (29 Sep 2011)
Okay, so this is kind of a cheat, 'cause I didn't have anything to do with making it. But I'm still unbelievably fond of the song,1 and wanted another chance to say so, because it's worth repeating. Also it's my list and you can't stop me.
15. Wednesday morning Marcia, Jan, and Cindy picture (25 May 2011)
Don't know what became of Marcia, Jan, and Cindy, of course: no way to tell them apart from any other robin,2 and the odds are unfortunately high that they didn't all survive to the fall. (The deck is stacked against robins to a surprising degree.) But one hopes. Same for barn swallows Greg, Peter, and Bobby, though we didn't get as much time to get to know them.
14. Random plant event: Breynia disticha 'Roseo-Picta' blooming (8 Aug 2011)
I'm not sure why this one makes it into the top posts post. I think I'm maybe just pleased by how strange the flowers are, and how well the photos turned out. Breynia turns out to be just full of surprises (if you bother to feed it), as you'll see later this year if I ever get it together to sort some photos.
13. In Which I Lose All Respect for the Burgess Seed and Plant Co. of Bloomington, IL (3 Mar 2011)
Not that I had a lot of respect to begin with. Included in the list mostly because "This Ficus is my god now!" still makes me chuckle.
12. Fungus Gnats: Like Puppies That Try To Fly Up Your Nose (15 Mar 2011)
I feel a little bad about writing a post to help people get rid of their fungus gnat infestations, 'cause I actually find fungus gnats kind of adorable.
11. Random plant event: Kalanchoe tomentosa flower (14 Jun 2011)
Not a fan of the plant (more accurately: they're not fans of me), but I hadn't seen the flowers before, and the photos turned out nicer than I'd expected.
10. Storm Review: 2011 Blizzard (2 Feb 2011)
Winter 2011-12 has been a huge disappointment so far: we've only had one snowfall of any consequence, and that snow was only around for a day or two before it all melted. But we've had good snows in the past, and winter's only 1/3 over, so there's still hope, I guess.
9. Pretty picture: Convallaria majalis flowers (23 May 2011)
It's a little too easy to take a nice picture of Convallaria majalis, actually.
8. Phalaenopsitrocity (28 Mar 2011)
2011 will be remembered as the year in which plant retailers finally gave up and decided to sell artificial plants instead.3 I don't do New Year's resolutions, never have, but if I did, I'd resolve to find a way to kill the market for dye-injected plants in 2012. All ideas welcome.4
7. Mary Richards and the Incredible Plant Lady (18 Feb 2011)
In which Helen Hunt is dethroned as the patron actress (possibly "actress mascot" would be more accurate? Less oxymoronic, anyway.) of PATSP and replaced by Mary Tyler Moore (with an assist from Valerie Harper).
6. Pretty picture: Paphiopedilum St. Swithin (3 Jun 2011)
Best orchid ever, yeah?
5. Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Houseplant (11 Apr 2011)
I had trouble figuring out what I was trying to say with this one, or whether I was trying to say anything at all. I'm not sure I ever figured it out, actually, but my readership sure seemed to like the post anyway.
4. List: Plants Which Someone on the Internet has Said Bring Bad Luck (12 Oct 2011)
I'm not sure if the people who read this post will come away less superstitious or more superstitious. It probably depends on how superstitious they were when they started reading it: people who were already prone to see plants as lucky or unlucky now have longer lists, and people who aren't, don't. But I tried.
3. Widower (Persea americana) (16 Feb 2011)
As I explained in last year's list, I try to leave off the plant profiles when making these lists, because the point of these best-of lists is to call attention to posts readers might otherwise have missed, and I figure the profiles are already linked in the sidebar so there's no need. But, also like last year, I'm making an exception for the profile I liked the best, because giant ground sloths and gomphotheres are were kind of awesome, and more people should know about them.
2. Pretty pictures: Rime ice (12 Jan 2011)
Several kick-ass pictures at the rime post, but this particular one is probably my favorite photo for the whole year of 2011.
1. All the Rumble Among the Jungle posts (14 Sep to 15 Nov 2011)
Probably cheating to include this, too, since the Rumble wasn't a single post, and y'all did at least half the work there, but, you know, the Rumble was a big deal. It kinda has to be #1.
-
1 It may not be my favorite Bad Lip Reading song; there's like a four-way tie between "Russian Unicorn," "Black Umbrella (The Right Stuff)," "Morning Dew," and "Rockin' (All Night Long)." The one I listen to the most often, though, is "Rockin' (All Night Long)." It took a while to get into, but I listen to it all the time now.
2 (Though the one that chirps with a lisp is probably Cindy.)
3 Quote from this article: "We are an industry of plant nerds who hold our plants and Latin naming on a silver platter," says Olivia Sellards, Syngenta Flowers. "But we are first a service industry and should hold our customer demands before our personal preferences. Absolutely sell a (dyed) plant, a glittered poinsettia or a bunch of blue tie-dyed cut flowers. Remember, if they aren't buying real plants, consumers will buy fake ones."
Well. Cleeeeeeearly the solution is to blur the line between real and fake, then: take real plants and spray-paint, dye-inject, or glitter-bomb them until they look artificial. (That was my sarcastic voice, in case that was unclear.)
Also, Ms. Sellards: I care that you've created a plant that people can only enjoy once. This has nothing to do with Latin name snobbery; this is about deceiving customers and creating impossible expectations. It's fine to sell people plants they're clamoring for; my question is whether the customers know what they're getting. (I'm also upset with y'all for creating a tacky and garish product. But mostly the deceiving and the expectations-setting.)
I would also question whether it makes any sense to disparage an industry of plant sellers for holding their plants "on a silver platter." Ms. Sellards' thesis is that the plants should be . . . less important?
4 (#OccupyTheXylem!)
Friday, January 6, 2012
Top 16 PATSP posts of 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle Results (all matches)
Winners are in bold; the numbers following are the votes and percentages, in the same order. The pie charts show which families were represented among the contestants at various stages of the competition.
Match 1.1
Kalanchoe tomentosa (panda plant) vs. Clivia miniata cvv.
53-74 (42%-58%)
Match 1.2
Peperomia obtusifolia cvv. (baby rubber plant) vs. small hybrid Vriesea cvv.
58-65 (47%-53%)
Match 1.3
Ficus elastica (rubber plant) vs. Cryptanthus cvv. (earth star)
56-68 (45%-55%)
Match 1.4
Yucca guatemalensis (spineless yucca) vs. Tradescantia pallida (purple heart)
39-81 (33%-68%)
Match 1.5
Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet) vs. Hemigraphis exotica (purple waffle plant)
82-27 (75%-25%)
Match 1.6
Cyclamen persicum (florists' cyclamen) vs. Echinopsis spp.
45-72 (38%-62%)
Match 1.7
Pachypodium spp. (Madagascar palm) vs. Epipremnum aureum cvv. (pothos)
47-68 (41%-59%)
Match 1.8
Scindapsus pictus (satin pothos) vs. Crassula ovata/argentea/arborescens (jade plants)
31-85 (27%-73%)
Match 1.9
Dracaena reflexa cvv. vs. Hylocereus/Gymnocalycium grafts
80-24 (77%-23%)
Match 1.10
Asparagus spp. (asparagus fern) vs. Cissus rhombifolia cvv. (oakleaf ivy, grape ivy)
62-34 (65%-35%)
Match 1.11
Euphorbia pulcherrima (poinsettia) vs. Aglaonema cvv. (Chinese evergreen)
21-82 (20%-80%)
Match 1.12
Oxalis triangularis cvv. (shamrock) vs. Jasminum spp. (jasmine)
57-45 (56%-44%)
Match 1.13
Ficus maclellandii (long leaf fig, alii fig) vs. Schefflera elegantissima (false aralia, Dizygotheca elegantissima)
71-34 (68%-32%)
Match 1.14
Guzmania cvv. vs. Strelitzia nicolai/reginae (white/orange bird of paradise)
37-69 (35%-65%)
Match 1.15
Philodendron hederaceum cvv. (heart-leaf philodendron) vs. Syngonium podophyllum cvv. (arrowhead vine, nephthytis)
68-37 (65%-35%)
Match 1.16
Dracaena fragrans cvv. (corn plant) vs. Saxifraga stolonifera (strawberry begonia)
71-36 (66%-34%)
Match 1.17
Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis cvv. (moth orchid) vs. Senecio rowleyanus and S. radicans (string of pearls / string of bananas)
67-46 (59%-41%)
Match 1.18
Monstera deliciosa (swiss cheese philodendron) vs. Musa / Ensete cvv. (ornamental banana)
88-19 (82%-18%)
Match 1.19
Mammillaria cvv./spp. vs. Sansevieria cylindrica (wisdom horns)
52-55 (49%-51%)
Match 1.20
Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm) vs. Araucaria heterophylla (norfolk island pine)
40-69 (37%-63%)
Match 1.21
Dracaena marginata cvv. (madagascar dragon tree) vs. Ficus lyrata cvv. (fiddle-leaf fig)
61-51 (54%-46%)
Match 1.22
Fittonia albivenis cvv. (nerve plant) vs. Cereus peruvianus (peruvian apple cactus)
40-71 (36%-64%)
Match 1.23
Polyscias balfouriana/scutellaria (balfour aralia, shield aralia) vs. Hoya carnosa cvv. (wax plant)
23-82 (22%-78%)
Match 1.24
Maranta leuconeura cvv. (prayer plant) vs. Anthurium cvv. (flamingo flower, tail flower)
63-50 (56%-44%)
Match 1.25
Stromanthe sanguinea cvv. vs. Platycerium spp. (staghorn fern)
51-65 (44%-56%)
Match 1.26
Hypoestes phyllostachya cvv. (polka-dot plant) vs. Gynura aurantiaca (purple passion plant)
48-66 (42%-58%)
Match 1.27
Aloe vera (medicinal aloe, burn plant) vs. Gymnocalycium spp.
83-33 (72%-28%)
Match 1.28
Dracaena surculosa (gold-dust dracaena) vs. Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus)
23-91 (20%-80%)
Match 1.29
Pachira aquatica (money tree) vs. Pilosocereus pachycladus
53-52 (50%-50%)
Match 1.30
Cordyline fruticosa cvv. (ti plant) vs. Euphorbia lactea cvv.
54-51 (51%-49%)
Match 1.31
Ravenea rivularis (majesty palm) vs. Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant)
46-60 (43%-57%)
Match 1.32
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (tropical hibiscus) vs. Dracaena sanderiana (lucky bamboo, ribbon plant)
69-36 (66%-34%)
Match 1.33
Dionaea muscipula (venus flytrap) vs. Pilea mollis 'Moon Valley'
54-49 (52%-48%)
Match 1.34
Ardisia crenata (coral berry) vs. Aeschynanthus spp. (lipstick plant, goldfish plant)
22-68 (24%-76%)
Match 1.35
Aechmea fasciata (silver vase plant) vs. Rhapis excelsa (lady palm)
58-35 (62%-38%)
Match 1.36
Coffea arabica (coffee plant) vs. Spathiphyllum cvv. (peace lily)
36-62 (37%-63%)
Match 1.37
Pilea involucrata 'Norfolk' vs. Cereus tetragonus (fairy castle cactus, Acanthocereus tetragonus, Cereus hildmannius cv.)
55-48 (53%-47%)
Match 1.38
Chlorophytum comosum cvv. (spider plant) vs. Echinocactus grusonii (golden barrel cactus)
64-40 (62%-38%)
Match 1.39
Peperomia clusiifolia cvv. vs. Kalanchoe luciae / thyrsiflora (flapjack plant)
42-56 (43%-57%)
Match 1.40
Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.) vs. Nephrolepis exaltata cvv. (Boston fern, fluffy ruffles fern)
87-20 (81%-19%)
Match 1.41
Ficus pumila (creeping fig) vs. Dendrobium cvv.
35-73 (32%-68%)
Match 1.42
Sedum morganianum / burrito (burro's tail) vs. Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm)
55-56 (50%-50%)
Match 1.43
Euphorbia ammak / ingens / trigona (large columnar Euphorbias) vs. Oncidium alliance orchids (dancing ladies)
44-63 (41%-59%)
Match 1.44
Polyscias fruticosa (ming aralia) vs. Austrocylindropuntia subulata monstrose (Eve's needle)
64-38 (63%-37%)
Match 1.45
Nematanthus cvv. (guppy plant) vs. Dracaena deremensis cvv.
44-62 (42%-58%)
Match 1.46
Schefflera actinophylla / arboricola (umbrella tree) vs. Gardenia jasminoides (gardenia)
65-47 (58%-42%)
Match 1.47
Begonia cvv. (rhizomatous begonias) vs. Hedera helix (english ivy)
64-45 (59%-41%)
Match 1.48
Lithops cvv. vs. Sansevieria trifasciata cvv. (snake plant)
46-77 (37%-63%)
Match 1.49
Adenium obesum (desert rose) vs. Episcia cvv. (flame violet)
73-44 (62%-38%)
Match 1.50
Zamioculcas zamiifolia (zz plant) vs. Alocasia amazonica 'Polly' (african mask plant)
63-49 (56%-44%)
Match 1.51
Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) vs. Begonia rex-cultorum cvv. (rex begonia)
70-44 (61-39%)
Match 1.52
Asplenium nidus / antiquum (bird's-nest fern) vs. Haworthia spp.
39-80 (33%-67%)
Match 1.53
Cycas revoluta (sago palm) vs. Espostoa lanata, Oreocereus trollii, & Cephalocereus senilis (old man cactus)
88-23 (79%-21%)
Match 1.54
Tradescantia zebrina (wandering jew) vs. Portulacaria afra (elephant bush)
63-42 (60%-40%)
Match 1.55
Tillandsia cyanea (pink quill) vs. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (flaming katy, kalanchoe)
69-37 (65%-35%)
Match 1.56
Self-heading Philodendrons ('Autumn,' 'Prince of Orange,' 'Moonlight') vs. Davallia and other furry-rhizomed ferns like Polypodium/Phlebodium (rabbit's-foot fern, hare's-foot fern, bear's-paw fern, kangaroo fern)
68-36 (65%-35%)
Match 1.57
Aeonium spp. vs. Aphelandra squarrosa (zebra plant)
71-28 (72%-28%)
Match 1.58
Euphorbia milii (crown of thorns) vs. Tradescantia spathacea cvv. (moses-in-the-cradle, oyster plant)
67-33 (67%-33%)
Match 1.59
Tillandsia spp. (air plants) vs. Philodendron bipinnatifidum cvv. and similar spp. (xanadu, 'Hope,' 'Spicy Dog')
52-46 (53%-47%)
Match 1.60
Pilea cadierei (aluminum plant) vs. Dieffenbachia cvv. (dumb cane)
28-66 (30%-70%)
Match 1.61
Vriesea splendens (flaming sword) vs. Hippeastrum cvv. (amaryllis)
40-55 (42%-58%)
Match 1.62
Agave spp. vs. Cattleya alliance orchids
50-46 (52%-48%)
Match 1.63
Opuntia spp./cvv. (prickly pear cactus) vs. Codiaeum variegatum cvv. (croton)
51-40 (56%-44%)
Match 1.64
Calathea spp./cvv. vs. Radermachera sinica (china doll)
77-10 (89%-11%)
Match 2.1
Clivia miniata cvv. vs. small hybrid Vriesea cvv.
59-36 (62%-38%)
Match 2.2
Cryptanthus cvv. (earth star) vs. Tradescantia pallida (purple heart)
56-34 (62%-38%)
Match 2.3
Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet) vs. Echinopsis spp.
71-21 (77%-23%)
Match 2.4
Epipremnum aureum cvv. (pothos) vs. Crassula ovata/argentea/arborescens (jade plants)
51-42 (55%-45%)
Match 2.5
Dracaena reflexa cvv. vs. Asparagus spp. (asparagus fern)
76-37 (67%-33%)
Match 2.6
Aglaonema cvv. (Chinese evergreen) vs. Oxalis triangularis cvv. (shamrock)
70-43 (62%-38%)
Match 2.7
Ficus maclellandii (long leaf fig, alii fig) vs. Strelitzia nicolai/reginae (white/orange bird of paradise)
43-70 (38%-62%)
Match 2.8
Philodendron hederaceum cvv. (heart-leaf philodendron) vs. Dracaena fragrans cvv. (corn plant)
82-28 (75%-25%)
Match 2.9
Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis cvv. (moth orchid) vs. Monstera deliciosa (swiss cheese philodendron)
67-62 (52%-48%)
Match 2.10
Sansevieria cylindrica (wisdom horns) vs. Araucaria heterophylla (norfolk island pine)
53-60 (47%-53%)
Match 2.11
Dracaena marginata cvv. (madagascar dragon tree) vs. Cereus peruvianus (peruvian apple cactus)
54-59 (48%-52%)
Match 2.12
Hoya carnosa cvv. (wax plant) vs. Maranta leuconeura cvv. (prayer plant)
73-46 (61%-39%)
Match 2.13
Platycerium spp. (staghorn fern) vs. Gynura aurantiaca (purple passion plant)
77-42 (65%-35%)
Match 2.14
Aloe vera (medicinal aloe, burn plant) vs. Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus)
46-78 (37%-63%)
Match 2.15
Pachira aquatica (money tree) vs. Cordyline fruticosa cvv. (ti plant)
34-76 (31%-69%)
Match 2.16
Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant) vs. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (tropical hibiscus)
30-86 (26%-74%)
Match 2.17
Dionaea muscipula (venus flytrap) vs. Aeschynanthus spp. (lipstick plant, goldfish plant)
48-64 (43%-57%)
Match 2.18
Aechmea fasciata (silver vase plant) vs. Spathiphyllum cvv. (peace lily)
54-61 (47%-53%)
Match 2.19
Pilea involucrata 'Norfolk' vs. Chlorophytum comosum cvv. (spider plant)
36-78 (32%-68%)
Match 2.20
Kalanchoe luciae / thyrsiflora (flapjack plant) vs. Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.)
23-91 (20%-80%)
Match 2.21
Dendrobium cvv. vs. Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm)
56-58 (49%-51%)
Match 2.22
Oncidium alliance orchids (dancing ladies) vs. Polyscias fruticosa (ming aralia)
64-37 (63%-37%)
Match 2.23
Dracaena deremensis cvv. vs. Schefflera actinophylla / arboricola (umbrella tree)
63-38 (62%-38%)
Match 2.24
Begonia cvv. (rhizomatous begonias) vs. Sansevieria trifasciata cvv. (snake plant)
33-78 (30%-70%)
Match 2.25
Adenium obesum (desert rose) vs. Zamioculcas zamiifolia (zz plant)
61-43 (59%-41%)
Match 2.26
Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) vs. Haworthia spp.
40-66 (38%-62%)
Match 2.27
Cycas revoluta (sago palm) vs. Tradescantia zebrina (wandering jew)
56-50 (53%-47%)
Match 2.28
Tillandsia cyanea (pink quill) vs. Self-heading Philodendrons ('Autumn,' 'Prince of Orange,' 'Moonlight')
45-54 (45%-55%)
Match 2.29
Aeonium spp. vs. Euphorbia milii (crown of thorns)
58-52 (53%-47%)
Match 2.30
Tillandsia spp. (air plants) vs. Dieffenbachia cvv. (dumb cane)
66-43 (61%-39%)
Match 2.31
Hippeastrum cvv. (amaryllis) vs. Agave spp.
48-62 (44%-56%)
Match 2.32
Opuntia spp./cvv. (prickly pear cactus) vs. Calathea spp./cvv.
45-62 (42%-58%)
Match 3.1
Clivia miniata cvv. vs. Cryptanthus cvv. (earth star)
65-50 (57%-43%)
Match 3.2
Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet) vs. Epipremnum aureum cvv. (pothos)
63-56 (53%-47%)
Match 3.3
Dracaena reflexa cvv. vs. Aglaonema cvv. (Chinese evergreen)
37-64 (37%-63%)
Match 3.4
Strelitzia nicolai/reginae (white/orange bird of paradise) vs. Philodendron hederaceum cvv. (heart-leaf philodendron)
42-63 (40%-60%)
Match 3.5
Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis cvv. (moth orchid) vs. Araucaria heterophylla (norfolk island pine)
73-40 (65%-35%)
Match 3.6
Cereus peruvianus (peruvian apple cactus) vs. Hoya carnosa cvv. (wax plant)
44-67 (40%-60%)
Match 3.7
Platycerium spp. (staghorn fern) vs. Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus)
32-73 (30%-70%)
Match 3.8
Cordyline fruticosa cvv. (ti plant) vs. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (tropical hibiscus)
49-56 (47%-53%)
Match 3.9
Aeschynanthus spp. (lipstick plant, goldfish plant) vs. Spathiphyllum cvv. (peace lily)
54-62 (47%-53%)
Match 3.10
Chlorophytum comosum cvv. (spider plant) vs. Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.)
56-57 (50%-50%)
Match 3.11
Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm) vs. Oncidium alliance orchids (dancing ladies)
49-62 (44%-62%)
Match 3.12
Dracaena deremensis cvv. vs. Sansevieria trifasciata cvv. (snake plant)
37-68 (35%-65%)
Match 3.13
Adenium obesum (desert rose) vs. Haworthia spp.
46-66 (41%-59%)
Match 3.14
Cycas revoluta (sago palm) vs. Self-heading Philodendrons ('Autumn,' 'Prince of Orange,' 'Moonlight')
55-58 (49%-51%)
Match 3.15
Aeonium spp. vs. Tillandsia spp. (air plants)
62-54 (53%-47%)
Match 3.16
Agave spp. vs. Calathea spp./cvv.
56-60 (48%-52%)
Match 4.1
Clivia miniata cvv. vs. Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet)
62-73 (46%-54%)
Match 4.2
Aglaonema cvv. (Chinese evergreen) vs. Philodendron hederaceum cvv. (heart-leaf philodendron)
51-64 (44%-56%)
Match 4.3
Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis cvv. (moth orchid) vs. Hoya carnosa cvv. (wax plant)
64-50 (56%-44%)
Match 4.4
Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus) vs. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (tropical hibiscus)
75-39 (66%-34%)
Match 4.5
Spathiphyllum cvv. (peace lily) vs. Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.)
54-76 (42%-58%)
Match 4.6
Oncidium alliance orchids (dancing ladies) vs. Sansevieria trifasciata cvv. (snake plant)
61-59 (51%-49%)
Match 4.7
Haworthia spp. vs. Self-heading Philodendrons ('Autumn,' 'Prince of Orange,' 'Moonlight')
78-46 (63%-37%)
Match 4.8
Aeonium spp. vs. Calathea spp./cvv.
55-70 (44%-56%)
Match 5.1
Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet) vs. Philodendron hederaceum cvv. (heart-leaf philodendron)
72-62 (54%-46%)
Match 5.2
Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis cvv. (moth orchid) vs. Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus)
62-74 (46%-54%)
Match 5.3
Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.) vs. Oncidium alliance orchids (dancing ladies)
68-61 (53%-47%)
Match 5.4
Haworthia spp. vs. Calathea spp./cvv.
60-44 (58%-42%)
Match 6.1
Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet) vs. Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus)
59-65 (48%-52%)
Match 6.2
Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.) vs. Haworthia spp.
62-64 (49%-51%)
Match 7.1
Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus) vs. Haworthia spp.
88-54 (62%-38%)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle Results
Yes, well. It will surprise almost no one that Schlumbergera cvv. defeated Haworthia spp. in match 7.1. The score was 88 to 54. In so doing, Schlumbergera also wins the Rumble overall.
So let's ponder where it all went so terribly, terribly wrong.1, 2
I know a lot of people were disappointed with the final two choices. This was probably inevitable, given the way that the tournament worked. I mean, 127 of the options were going to lose, and there's a pretty good chance that your favorite was going to be one of those 127, just statistically.3 I think maybe the expectation is that the group of contestants in each round will steadily get more and more awesome until one that's super amazingly awesome wins, but that was probably never going to be the case, because of everybody having different ideas about what makes a plant super amazingly awesome.
We've already raised the idea that maybe it won partly because we're in the middle of Schlumbergera's blooming period now, and it therefore was more on people's minds or whatever. Might well be the case, especially since it wouldn't have taken that many people flipping their votes to have knocked it out of the competition. Schlumbergera won match 5.2 against Phalaenopsis / Doritaenopsis by only 12 votes (out of 136), and match 6.1 against Saintpaulia by only 6 votes (out of 124), so even a small seasonal effect might have kept Schlumbergera from advancing and resulted in a different winner.
There's also the theory that while Schlumbergera might not be anybody's absolute favorite plant, it might have won by being less polarizing than some of the other possibilities. I mean, plenty of people think Schlumbergeras are too common to be interesting, but I don't recall ever hearing anybody say they just despise them, unlike a lot of the other contestants. Maybe being loved is less the key to winning these things than merely being not-hated.
I pondered the option of having a direct-vote poll asking who should have won, to see if a different winner would emerge, but I don't think Polldaddy would support a 128-option poll, and even if it did, I don't know that it'd be reasonable to expect anybody to read through all the options and choose some of them. I thought about trying to cut the list down (perhaps to only those plants that received 45% of the vote or more in the first round), but that still left 75 choices. So instead, I'll leave it up to the comments. If you want to pitch me a list of five (or fewer) plants that you feel deserved to win the tournament (Schlumbergera can be included too, if you think it deserved to win), leave it in the comments and we'll see if that looks any different. The full list of participants is here.
I'd also be interested in what people think it "means" that Schlumbergera won. How/why did this happen? Should we interpret this to mean that we have a group consensus that Schlumbergera is the best houseplant of all time? If not, why not? Or, you know, leave whatever comments you want: comments about the Rumble, comments about Schlumbergera, comments about unjustly robbed plants, links to photos of a Schlumbergera with a photoshopped tiara/belt/trophy, whatever.
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1 I'm fine with Schlumbergera winning, personally: I think they're perfectly nice plants and have never had any huge problems with them. (On the other hand, the very similar-looking Hatiora cvv., sold as "Easter cactus" or Rhipsalidopsis, seems determined to shatter and shatter and shatter until there's nothing left of it. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, but damned if I can figure out what. But I digress.)
2 I plan to post a full list of the matches and scores tomorrow, because people had asked, but that should be the last Rumble-related post, unless / until we do this again many months from now.
3 The alternative would have been if there'd been a huge group of people who all adored the same plant. This would have made for a really boring tournament, since every time that plant came up for a vote, it would have blown the competition away, making it perfectly obvious which plant was going to win. I like the way it actually did work out better.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, match 7.1 (***FINAL MATCH***)
First, the results of match 6.2:
6.2 was very close; Echeveria spp. and their relatives and Haworthia spp. were essentially stem and stem the whole way through. In the end, Haworthia won by a leaf (2 votes), 64 to 62, and advances to the final match.
Which happens now. So here it is. Are you ready?
(Are you sure? You don't sound ready. . . .)
Match 7.1
Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus) vs. Haworthia spp.
Middle row, L-R: Haworthia limifolia var. ubomboensis, H. cymbiformis (?), assortment.
Bottom row, L-R: Haworthia attenuata, H. limifolia var. limifolia.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle Results
The final scores for match 6.1 are in:
Amazingly, Schlumbergera cvv. beat Saintpaulia cvv. by six votes (65-59) and goes to the final round. I'd thought Saintpaulia had a pretty good shot at winning the tournament (People love their African violets.), though I suppose making it to the second-to-last round is still not too shabby.
In a couple days, we'll have an official winner of match 6.2 (presently: too close to call). The final match will begin on 11 November.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 6.2
Results for match 5.4:
Haworthia spp. were victorious over Calathea cvv., by a vote of 60 to 44, so now succulent is pitted against succulent for the chance to reach the final match:
Match 6.2
Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.) vs. Haworthia spp.
Middle row, L-R: Graptosedum 'Alpenglow - Vera Higgins,' Echeveria coccinea flowers, Echeveria 'The Rose.'
Bottom row, L-R: Echeveria nodulosa, Pachyveria x glauca, Echeveria x shaviana 'Pinky.'
Middle row, L-R: Haworthia limifolia var. ubomboensis, H. cymbiformis (?), assortment.
Bottom row, L-R: Haworthia attenuata, H. limifolia var. limifolia.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle Results
Results for match 5.3:
Sort of an odd situation, throwing the Oncidium alliance orchids up against Echeveria et al. I mean, people are always saying not to compare apples to oranges, but at least apples and oranges are both fruit, and about the same size. Comparing Oncidiums to Echeverias seems like a step beyond even apples-oranges, but here we are regardless. In any case, Echeveria et al. got the win, 68-61, and goes on to face the winner of match 5.4 tomorrow.
Match 6.2 will probably be a few minutes late getting posted, because voting for 5.4 has to end before I can include its score in the post for 6.2. Just to warn you.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 6.1
Results for match 5.2:
Phalaenopsis cvv. did give Schlumbergera cvv. a fight, but they couldn't quite get the votes needed to defeat them. (One wonders whether the results would have been different were we not in the middle of Schlumbergera-blooming season.) The final vote was 74 to 62.
Schlumbergera has to turn around and do battle again right away, this time against Saintpaulia cvv. If Schlumbergera loses, I guess they can use the excuse that it was tired from battling Phalaenopsis, and would have won if it'd just had a chance to rest.
Have at it. Choose carefully.
Match 6.1
Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet) vs. Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus)
Top row, L-R: NOID, assorted NOIDs, NOID.
Middle row, L-R: NOID, NOID, NOID.
Bottom row, L-R: 'Harmony's Red Star,' 'Mellow Magic' close-up, NOID.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle Results
Results of match 5.1:
In match 5.1, Saintpaulia slipped past Philodendron hederaceum cvv., 72 to 62, and advances to the sixth (semifinal!) round. There is no round 6 match today because voting for match 5.2 is still open, and Saintpaulia cvv. will be facing the winner of match 5.2. Oh. Actually match 5.2 voting is closed now, but it closed at the same moment that this post went up, so I couldn't prepare the poll in advance.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 5.4
Results of match 4.8:
Considering how enamored y'all have been with Aeoniums in the previous rounds, I was expecting that they'd win again in 4.8, but no -- instead it was Calathea cvv. Just when I think I have you figured out, you go and do something like this. The final score was Aeonium 55, Calathea 70.
The last match from round 5 begins -- now.
Match 5.4
Haworthia spp. vs. Calathea spp./cvv.
Middle row, L-R: Haworthia limifolia var. ubomboensis, H. cymbiformis (?), assortment.
Bottom row, L-R: Haworthia attenuata, H. limifolia var. limifolia.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 5.3
Results of match 4.7:
Haworthia spp. pretty much beat the crap out of the self-heading Philodendrons. The final score was 78 to 46.
Today, we have an unstoppable force / immovable object sort of thing shaping up: both the Oncidium alliance orchids and the Echeveria cvv. have gotten a lot further in the tournament than I expected them to, so it'll be interesting (to me) to see which one gets knocked out of the competition.
Match 5.3
Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.) vs. Oncidium alliance orchids (dancing ladies)
Middle row, L-R: Graptosedum 'Alpenglow - Vera Higgins,' Echeveria coccinea flowers, Echeveria 'The Rose.'
Bottom row, L-R: Echeveria nodulosa, Pachyveria x glauca, Echeveria x shaviana 'Pinky.'
Center, top to bottom: Vuylstekeara Aloha Sparks 'Ruby Eyes,' Odontocidium Tiger Crow 'Golden Girl,' Wilsonara Lisa Devos.
Right side, top to bottom: Oncidium Saint Dawn Gold, Bakerara Truth 'Silver Chalice.'
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 5.2
Results of match 4.6:
Oncidium alliance orchids barely managed a victory over Sansevieria trifasciata cvv.. The final vote was 61-59.
Today's match has me very nervous.
Match 5.2
Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis cvv. (moth orchid) vs. Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus)
Monday, October 31, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 5.1
Results of match 4.5:
Well, the good news (for me) is that the Spathiphyllums' reign of terror is over: Echeveria et al. beat spaths by 76 to 54. The bad news (for me) is that I think I'd actually have preferred Spathiphyllum to win this time, given the alternative. (Echeverias are fine, but they don't grow that well for me indoors -- not enough light.) Oh well.
And now we're ready to start round 5. Only seven more matches remaining before we have a winner. . . .
Match 5.1
Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet) vs. Philodendron hederaceum cvv. (heart-leaf philodendron)
Top row, L-R: NOID, assorted NOIDs, NOID.
Middle row, L-R: NOID, NOID, NOID.
Bottom row, L-R: 'Harmony's Red Star,' 'Mellow Magic' close-up, NOID.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 4.8
The result for match 4.4:
4.4 was pretty darn one-sided: Schlumbergera cvv. defeated Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 75 to 39.
I mention this because large margins of victory were fairly regular occurrences during the first couple rounds, but the last time we saw anything like a 66%-34% split was back in match 3.7. That one was also a win for Schlumbergera (over Platycerium spp.), so perhaps we should be keeping an eye on Schlumbergera to win the whole tournament. Perhaps not. I don't know.
In any case, here's the last match for round 4:
Match 4.8
Aeonium spp. vs. Calathea spp./cvv.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 4.7
What happened in match 4.3:
Phalaenopsis / Doritaenopsis cvv. beat Hoya carnosa cvv. by 64 to 50. I can't say I'm terribly surprised, though it wasn't my preference. Round 4 is just sucking for me; so far it looks like my picks will only win one of the first five rounds.
So anyway. The Apocynaceae are out of the running now.
I bet I can see the results of today's match coming too.
Match 4.7
Haworthia spp. vs. Self-heading Philodendrons ('Autumn,' 'Prince of Orange,' 'Moonlight')
Middle row, L-R: Haworthia limifolia var. ubomboensis, H. cymbiformis (?), assortment.
Bottom row, L-R: Haworthia attenuata, H. limifolia var. limifolia.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 4.6, Plus Bonus Music Video
Outcome of match 4.2:
For some reason, more of you voted for Philodendron hederaceum cvv. than for Aglaonema cvv. in match 4.2. I infer that this is because 56% of you are extremely high. I don't want to hear your feeble excuses; just know that I am very disappointed in you.
Philodendron wins, 64 to 51, and will face Saintpaulia cvv. in match 5.1, which will begin on 31 October.
Match 4.6
Oncidium alliance orchids (dancing ladies) vs. Sansevieria trifasciata cvv. (snake plant)
Center, top to bottom: Vuylstekeara Aloha Sparks 'Ruby Eyes,' Odontocidium Tiger Crow 'Golden Girl,' Wilsonara Lisa Devos.
Right side, top to bottom: Oncidium Saint Dawn Gold, Bakerara Truth 'Silver Chalice.'
Center row, L-R: S. trifasciata NOID, 'Hahnii,' 'Hahnii Pearl Young.'
Bottom row, L-R: S. trifasciata 'Moonglow,' 'Black Gold.'
As a bonus (though 56% of you don't deserve it), here is a music video for the video "2012," by the group WORLD ORDER. (The main guy is apparently a retired Japanese mixed martial artist-slash-kickboxer named Genki Sudo, who writes and sings the songs, choreographs the videos, and could completely incapacitate you in 0.4 seconds using only his pinky. I only heard of him for the first time last night, so I know basically nothing about the man.)
The video is a slow build, but I suspect that it works better if you let it build, rather than skipping ahead to the big finish. (Also helpful: keeping in mind that what you're watching is choreography, not special effects. If that fails, you can watch the plants: it was filmed in Mexico and there are several plant-relevant locations.) If you're not feeling thoroughly entertained by 3:57, I will apologize to you personally. Not in person, but, you know, I can call or something.
The video (and song, actually) for "Machine Civilization" is more of the same, if you want more.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 4.5
Result of match 4.1:
And then there were fifteen. Clivia cvv. vs. Saintpaulia cvv. ends in a win for Saintpaulia, though it was pretty close (73 to 62). I was expecting more of a blow-out for Saintpaulia.
So now the Amaryllidaceae is out.
Today's match:
Match 4.5
Spathiphyllum cvv. (peace lily) vs. Echeveria cvv. and related plants (Sedeveria, Graptoveria, Pachyveria, etc.)
Middle row, L-R: Graptosedum 'Alpenglow - Vera Higgins,' Echeveria coccinea flowers, Echeveria 'The Rose.'
Bottom row, L-R: Echeveria nodulosa, Pachyveria x glauca, Echeveria x shaviana 'Pinky.'
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Rumble Among the Jungle, Match 4.4
Results for matches 3.15 and 3.16:
It used to be clear enough who was going to win after the first day or so of voting that I could write most of these posts in advance and then just pop in the actual numbers when the voting ended, but lately I'm having to wait until the very last possible moment to start writing.
Aeonium spp. ended match 3.15 with an 8-vote lead over Tillandsia spp. (air plants), 62 to 54, which surprises me enormously. (I've tried, but just don't see the appeal of Aeoniums.)
Match 3.16 found Calathea cvv. defeating Agave spp. by 60 to 56. They're both nice plants, so I wouldn't have been surprised by either outcome, as long as the vote was close. (If Calathea had clobbered the shit out of Agave, or vice-versa, then I would have been surprised.)
The report for round 3:
Four families were removed from contention: Araucariaceae, Bromeliaceae, Cycadaceae, Polypodiaceae. So it goes.
Still in the competition: Amaryllidaceae (1), Apocynaceae (1), Araceae (4), Asparagaceae (2), Cactaceae (1), Crassulaceae (2), Gesneriaceae (1), Malvaceae (1), Marantaceae (1), Orchidaceae (2).
My prediction skills have improved: I called every match correctly this time except for 3.13. (I thought y'all would go with Adenium obesum instead of Haworthia spp.) So that's a big 94% correct for Mr. Subjunctive.
All three of the plants I'm watching closely (the one I would prefer to see win, and the two I think are most likely to win) made it into round 4 intact.
Speaking of round 4, here's today's match:
Match 4.4
Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday/Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus) vs. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (tropical hibiscus)
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