If another houseplant dropped all its leaves for several months each year, you’d think you killed it. But with some of Ken Druse’s and my favorite indoor companions, from Boweia to Jatropha and more, a regular dormant period is just part of their life cycle. And even if all their leaves are missing in action for a while, these curious plants’ sculptural, swollen bases are still there to admire – water- and nutrient-filled structures that are also the plants’ secret to survival. Today’s topic is what are sometimes called fat plants, and Ken’s here to talk about these collectible curiosities  with me. 

It’s good to welcome him back to the program today to talk about this subset of houseplants we’re both fascinated by. Ken is the author of 20 garden books, and gardens extensively outdoors and indoors in New Jersey. He’s also my co-host of the Virtual Garden Club series of online classes the last several years. 

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