Lemon Lollipop

The lemon lollipop is one of my very favorite plants. I bought my first one several years ago at Calloways. I was stunned when I saw this plant. I left the store without buying it because of the high price. I just couldn't stand it and went back and bought it -- SUCKER! I never regretted that purchase. I wanted to save it through the winter and Dad suggested that we cut it back so that the plant didn't have to "work" at keeping too much alive. Unfortunately, it died.

From then on, I searched and searched for this plant. It was a four or five years later that I discovered this beautiful plant again. Roger and I went "flower" shopping. Needless to say, at every garden center I asked about the "lemon lollipop". No luck. We finally came across a man that suggested we go to Hare's." (located on Lancaster) If anybody has it, they will." Off we took, zipping to Hare's. When we drove into this unusual garden center (tables under a tree was about all), I spotted a worker with "THE PLANT". It looked like he was loading them up. I jumped out of the car, ran up to him, and said, "Can I have just one! Just one!" He looked at me like I was crazy, and said "You can have two." He probably thought I would attack him if he wasn't generous!

The lemon lollipop is of the shrimp plant family. The other "shrimps" do not stand straight upwards, they curl over. The flower is made up of brackets with cute white "flares" on the sides. The lemon lollipop does best in filtered sun. It can be planted in a pot or in the ground. Be sure that you keep it away from the hot afternoon sun. It will bless you with blooms until cold weather.

Enjoy your lollipop!

Phyllis