INTO THE WILD
Martha was drawn to the
“extremely weird foliage” of this
easygoing houseplant (Peperomia
caperata ‘Red Ripple’), which
does well in part sun or shade and
can even handle a little neglect,
like if you forget to water for more
than a week. While the grooved
purple leaves are the main attrac-
tion, this cool character does
produce flowers—in the form of
spaghetti-like spikes—in summer
and fall.
STRING THEORY
“I’m hooked on hanging succu-
lents, and am always looking for
new ones to add to my collection,”
Martha says. String of bananas
(Senecio radicans) is a relatively
fast-growing variety that prospers
in lots of sun and cactus-blend
soil. Water only when the soil is dry.
THE CARNIVORE
Don’t be fooled
by the graceful four-
to-five-inch-long
“pitchers” dangling
from this beauty
(Nepenthes alata):
They lure, trap,
and devour flies, ants,
and small wasps.
“It’s important for
them to have some
water inside,” says
Martha. “I taught my
granddaughter,
Jude, how to fill each
one with about
an inch.”
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