Best new plant species of 2014

Don't know how you rank the best new species of plant for a year, any year, but for 2014 it's a Dracaena from Thailand, a damned big, rare Dracaena. There are only about 2500 of them alive.  How does science miss something as big (40 feet or 12 m tall) as this for so long? First, it's not particularly easily accessible, which is often the case for new species finds, but in this case not small and insignificant. Second, the genus is not hard to recognize, and people who saw it probably did not realize it was so distinctive, something only an expert in the group would know. At the link above you'll find the rest of the top ten new species for 2014, but this is the only plant.  Molecular data has broken up the old massive lily family, so now this genus belongs in the Asparagus family, Asparagaceae.

2014 retrospective - Blog #323

The past 12 months have been pretty good for TPP personally. Things have gone very well although not without some aggravating episodes, e.g., getting you retirement money out of Lincolnland's clutches. The F1 had a good year, new job, higher salary, engagement, and nothing makes parents happier than to see good things happen to their offspring. The Phactors had a good year; anytime you can spend a month in Tuscany, you've had a good year. And how did our gardens grow? Pretty well actually, and a good start was made on refurbishing the front garden after having all its failing trees removed. Professionally things went very well as they do when you finally get your book published.  Yea!  Although older for certain, our health remained good in comparison to that of many other people. Always best to have health insurance and not need it. And while Affordable Care provided some relief from worry for many, circumstances and bone-headed states still keep many people left to play the health lottery. It wasn't a good year in politics, international events, diseases, human relations, and the environment. It was good to see the failed, cold-war foreign policy toward Cuba finally gave way to common sense (Hey, Marco, the 1960s called and they want their foreign policy back.) and reality. It took regular doses of margaritas (negronis during August), the Daily Show (and John Oliver), and blogging to retain one's sanity. Yes, this is a form of therapy, blowing off steam, and generally connecting with others in a rather one-sided sort of way; TPP blogs, 323 of them to be exact (as soon as he hits the publish key) - and around 250,000 page reads with few comments. And this is not much different from teaching college students, where you wonder how many in your class were really there, but there will be no exams.  The new year offers a lot of potential change too; TPP will be working on some new projects and community activities to keep himself out of trouble and amused. Surely there will be some bloggable material arising from that. Best wishes for the new year to all.

2014, one month gone already?

My how time flies when you're busy and/or sick. Nothing at all makes me sad to see the end of a month with so much bitter cold and nasty weather. So best that we're done with it, and that much closer to spring. That being said, you, my readers do both surprise and disappoint TPP.  Not a single one of you had the gumption to ask where said Tropical Interlude might be, thus indicating your determination to head there ASAP. Simply nothing else will do! So get on the ball. One must grasp at whimsy whenever it presents itself. So there. And the questions  have been few and those somewhat lame. Be more creative! How can a blog stay interesting unless there is some audience participation?
So, in anticipation of the upcoming gardening season, what in the recent spate of 2014 plant catalogs has caught your fancy?  What must you just have?  At present TPP's favorite has been Ephedra minima, which as it's name suggests is a rather diminutive species supposedly hardy in zone 5. Now to think of a place to plant a sun-loving, low-growing, drought-tolerant gnetophyte gymnosperm.
If TPP were to endorse any commercial operations, Arrowhead Alpines might be one of them. What a great selection of hardy plants. By not providing the link TPP maintains his non-commercial integrity as opposed to all those science-bloggy and garden grubbing sorts of blogs that barrage you with ads. Do you not appreciate a labor of love, or just a blog ego trip?  Here you are blessedly free of commercial duns, but of late things have gotten so quiet that TPP wonders if you appreciate what you get at this blog? So let's do hear from you readers now and again this year.