Jamie Hilao

It was my first plant, a housewarming “welcome to LA” gift given by a special friend: a tiny tree in a small pot that was perfect for my apartment on the Westside.

I wasn’t sure how to take care of it but it seemed appropriate to place it in my living room where it would get lots of light. I watered it once a week and watched it grow, little by little.

A year later, there was a spell of thunderstorms and downpours, which is rare for Hell-A. I didn’t think the plant would make it; there was no sun for a month.

It didn’t grow much during this rainy season, but in time the sun returned and leaves sprouted. The time came to replant the tree into a pot - one that wasn’t plastic. The tree grew, and I found a few wooden sticks to hold the branches together. It became comfortable in my apartment.

Then, it was time to move the tree to the Valley in my “new-to-me” condo. I placed it on my balcony, without realizing that the hot summer Valley sun would be too harsh for the tree. A month later, I noticed many leaves were dying despite my attempts to keep the soil moist. My friend recommended I put it inside to keep it alive.

I placed the tree in my bedroom next to the window. It took some time, but I noticed slight growth over the next few months as I settled into my condo and made it my home. I took care of the plant: I always made sure the blinds were open just enough for it to get direct sunlight and regularly trimmed off the dead parts of its leaves. I bought a nicer, bigger pot and watched as the tree grew fuller.

Recently, I noticed how much growth had occurred. The leaves were swaying to the side and the thin wooden sticks were no longer enough support for the tree.

So, this weekend, I bought a thick, sturdy plant stake. I looked wistfully at the tree as I replaced the wooden sticks. It is now fuller than ever and almost reaches my bedroom ceiling, supported by a strong stake.

I used to think my dad was silly, being so sentimental about his plants, but now I can relate.

I wonder how much more this tree will grow.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 at 4:40 pm and is filed under Jamie, Random Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.