A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 The story of Little Leaf.

Last summer, I got a plant from the funeral flowers of someone very close to me. I was pleased to get the plant, because I had wanted one for some time and was too cheap to just go buy one (it's a pothos I think) and because I knew that everytime I looked at it, I would fondly remember this person.

It came to me green and healthy in a cheap plastic pot so I repotted it into a clay pot. I was grief stricken, honestly, and didn't pay any attentiont to the root system of the existing stems.

There were several stems and one by one they each turned yellow and died off. When I would pull them out of the dirt, they'd come up easily and seemed to have no roots attached. I started to think that perhaps the flower shop that sent the plant to the funeral had just taken some fresh cuttings the day of the funeral and stuck them in a pot so that the plant could look nice that day and that was it.

Finally, sadly, I was down to one stem left, with its one litte leaf. This was in September. I took good care of Little Leaf, and watered him and fertilized him and gave him a nice place to sit among the house plants. And Little Leaf he remained.

I consulted all my house plant growing friends, and they all remarked on how odd it was, but had no advice or good words to share with me. Except one friend, who has the greenest thumb of anyone I've ever known. Her advice? Be patient.

So I was patient Little Leaf. He hung on and stayed green, and stayed one little leaf. For months and months he was just this little green leaf, all alone in his clay pot. And then, about a month ago, Little Leaf began to change. He grew a sheath along his stem and after about two weeks of watching this miracle, Voila!! Little Leaf had turned out a new leaf!!

Now it is June. I see that Little Leaf's new leaf now has a sheath, and it looks as though it will also be producing a new leaf. I think Little Leaf is honestly, actually, going to turn into a plant, finally.

I am so happy that this has finally happened, that I just wanted to share his story. It wasn't as though having this plant was going to be the only way I was going to be able to remember the person who died, but it was pretty important to me to have this plant as a direct connection back to his funeral. And now I can have that, and Little Leaf will be with me for a long time.

What a cute story! Thank you for sharing it. That's wonderful that you were patient. With the attention you've given Little Leaf, you will now have two memories to charish: 1.) Little Leaf growing Up and 2.) The Wonderful Memory of Your Friend.

Take Care!

Oh what an awesome story. Thank you so much for sharing. Brings tears to my eyes. I am so glad you were able to hang on and rescue Little Leaf and will always have him to hang on to and remember with.

i like that story. of course little leaf may be a heart leaf philodendron too. i have had them do that, stay the same size for what seems like years then all of a sudden, the roots catch up and then they start growing! so either way, congratulations!

What a great story!

What an inspiring story and it certainly demonstrates once again that patience pays wonderful dividends. It's also a great reminder that "Good things come to those who wait"!

What a beautiful and touching story. I'm glad you'll have a living memento of your loved one.

And isn't it amazing how plants teach us to be patient?

Me again. Thanks to those of you who enjoyed my story. I just love this little plant. Here is what he looked like for so, so long over the winter:

(kinda blurry: before I learned how to use my camera correctly.)



Then, he started to change!!



And now, he's turning into a full fledged plant!!
(I'm so proud. )




Thanks for letting me share. This plant means so much to me.

Ohhh little leaf is starting to grow up! How very exciting. Thanks for the update on him and am looking forward to many more pics!

Very nice, healthy-looking leaves. Thanks for the update!

Little Leaf is doing great! I'm so glad you could save him and cherish him for years to come! Thank you for sharing this adorable story!

What a nice story! Maybe little leaf is a lot like grieving for the ones we lose. We feel alone, and for a time we stay that way in our pain.. but eventually we start to realize that life must go on and we start to flourish again.

I just love that story--it's really touching!

What a wonderful story! I have a plant which leaves look just like little leafs. I don't know the name of it for sure but they grow like weeds. They are a wonderful plant and I hope you enjoy it!