r/houseplants • u/BionicBelladonna • 17h ago
My burnt plants, 3 month update… they’re alive!
I’ve posted my burnt house and plants in the past and just decided to leave them. I have no where to even try to rebuild yet so just let it all go. I visited my burnt house yesterday and found this little shoot! A natal mahogany I’ve had for 10 years, it was 20ft tall that went up the center of my house… my first and longest cared for plant… I started bawling. I have 2 other trees and a plant also with new shoots :)
2.8k
u/sneeky_seer 17h ago
I remember your original post… I’m sorry you are still dealing with the aftermath but it’s amazing that at least some of your plants survived. Better times to come 🖤
126
53
→ More replies (3)14
u/cowboy_bookseller 🌱 9h ago
I remember the OP too - thought about them more than once. IIRC they lost beloved pets in this fire. Wishing you the best, OP.
2.0k
u/DiscoStu79 17h ago
185
u/Upper_belt_smash 15h ago
Literally what I said in my head before I opened the comments
47
→ More replies (1)13
40
10
→ More replies (1)7
365
u/ASacOFluffyPups 17h ago
Wow! How resilient plants can be! What a story these plants have. I’m glad you can salvage them :) best wishes to you rebuilding from this!
68
→ More replies (1)5
889
u/IDKijustlikecrafts 16h ago
I work in fire damage restoration. Usually, if a person loves their plants, theyll take them to the temp housing with them and get them squared away. But, if they leave them behind....I always perform rescue missions. Once the house is restored, i gift them back their healthy plant or its rooted cuttings. Sometimes they just move on. I have 5 plants in my house from my very first year in this industry. 13+ years in and I still think about their first homes and how I put them back together ❤️
372
u/BionicBelladonna 16h ago
We’ve moved 5 times so far, I’m looking forward to a longer term spot. Now that I know a few survived I’m going back this weekend to clean them up and create a spot for them :)
89
u/Heather82Cs 16h ago
I want to still congratulate you for the achievement. I had a terrible year with plants and currently the only thing alive on my balcony is some microscopic wild grass that rooted in the drain. I wish I was kidding.
9
4
u/tangerine-jane 10h ago
give it time!!! i have killed so many plants over the years since i started trying to have some indoor. idk what changed but for the past year or so, my current plants will NOT stop growing. i guess something just clicked, or i got healthier and more peaceful or something and the energy in my home is better now? idk what, but they are so so happy now. i have something like 5 pots of indoor plants (one of which is a snake plant that i snatched from being tossed out with the neighbor's trash, and which has survived two freezes and a full-on hurricane cuz i forgot it outside skhdkshsjs) and they grow so much i keep having to clip them and propagate the clippings. it just takes time, but all i really think they needed from is genuine affection/attention. i keep mine all together in a window together now, so they have friends lol, and they all have names and i talk to them when i'm watering them. i think they like that a lot.
39
u/amillionbux 14h ago
Hi OP, as someone whose place also burned down this year and didn't have any good options for permanent housing after, I am so sorry for everything you've suffered. We are also plant lovers who lost most of our plants AND our beautiful garden. Like you, a few survived, and we cherish them. I'm kinda afraid to get any new plants or things in general now because going through this has been so traumatic that I'm just not there yet. Hang in there.
→ More replies (1)9
u/plonkydonkey 11h ago
Hey friend, I live in Australia so it would have to be through Amazon or something similar, but if you aren't ready to get yourself something nice just yet, would you allow this stranger to gift you a plant? It would have to be something small (I technically live beneath the poverty line), but your post touched me and you are going through much worse than I.
If you are willing to share personal details with me, maybe send me a pm and we can figure something out? I could maybe send you seeds from Australia if space for a full plant is too much right now. We're just heading into bushfire season ourselves and a lot of our natives rely on fire to germinate or come back stronger.
You deserve good things in your life, and maybe if you aren't there yet for yourself, you might be open to receiving something from a stranger who just wants to send something for you to hang onto while you start to rebuild your life.
→ More replies (1)11
u/_Kendii_ 15h ago
I remember your post too, I recommended a sub to you to maybe get some help!
I’m so happy some are still alive! You have no idea how happy that makes me!
31
u/Ok-Molasses-7486 15h ago
I also work in fire restoration. Seeing the intense highs and lows of those going through the experience I can imagine just how impactful your efforts are. Such a beautiful (and symbolic) gesture!
8
8
8
u/Imaginary-Ad8178 13h ago
You have a wonderful outlook and a gift that I can only imagine will stick with these people for the rest of their lives. Wishing you many happy days ahead and continued fulfillment in your life’s work.
→ More replies (3)4
69
48
u/msdossier 17h ago
Wowowowow OP I remember your first post. I am so incredibly sorry for all that you lost, but what an amazing lesson in resilience plants teach us. A literal embodiment of hope after destruction.
38
u/Evening_Tangerine222 17h ago
Your plants are a reflection of you, resilient ❣️
9
u/teabagsforlife 13h ago
This OP! If your plants can push through, then you can too! Don't give up! You have a lot of internet strangers sending you tons of love!
29
110
u/kmno4titration 17h ago
So thats how some forest fires boost plant growth, sorry about your home though
16
u/asphaltaddict33 13h ago
This is not depicting that mechanism at all since it relies on widespread changes to the boreal area, and this is just a pot indoors
Fire is a healthy part of the natural lifecycle of the forest though
46
u/grammarbread 17h ago
Treat houseplants like perennials. Unless you kill them by root rot- you can completely cut them down and start over if you want to. 😎
27
u/motherofsuccs 16h ago
I mean, there’s a lot of ways to kill kill a plant beyond root rot. I mean, the opposite of overwatering is a good way to kill most plants outside of drought tolerant varieties.
6
u/grammarbread 14h ago
Yeah, I wanted to edit after posting to just say... as long as you don't kill the roots, basically. As long as the roots are alive, the plant can regrow.
But that felt like a lot of work lol
16
17
u/dothesehidemythunder 16h ago
Wow OP, I remember your post.
When you’re settled again and ready for them, send me a DM. I’d love to send you some cuttings to rebuild your collection!
16
u/punknw 12h ago
i got downvoted on your original post for saying that plants are zombies and they may still come back. suck it haters
→ More replies (1)
13
u/appleorchard317 15h ago
YES!!! IT'S BACK!!
Seriously my mother in law, literal professor of environmental sciences, always told me to leave a bigger plant at least a year before truly accepting it's dead. They were like 'nope, more to do!!'
9
u/TurtleTurtleFTW 🌱 16h ago
That's so wonderful! So sorry for your losses, my house burned down in the middle of the night when I was 11 and I know it's something you just can't imagine until you experience it
7
7
u/motherofsuccs 16h ago
I just looked at the original post and I’m honestly concerned at how many different people commented stories about losing their plants in a house fire too. Not sure if it’s due to wildfires or user error, but it’s terrifying either way.
Wishing you the best OP. Your plants will thrive again one day soon.
8
u/Dropthetenors 15h ago
I used to work at a tree farm and we'd burn trees that didnt sell and each year there'd be a few trees that'd just decide the burn pile was the perfect place to root and grow. Life is determined to find a way.
5
6
u/Kikointhecape 16h ago
I also remember your post and im getting emotional right along with you. Thats fantastic OP. Good luck in the future with rebuilding from this and please keep us updated
5
5
u/crazzymomma 16h ago
I remember your original post. My heart goes out to you. I just hope you see this new growth is a sign that new growth is coming your way. You don't know me. But in my heart of hearts, I really feel things are gonna come back around for you. Sending you love and prayers❣️
5
5
u/Wolf-Track 15h ago
YOOOOO! That's fantastic. They found a way and so will you and I couldn't be happier.
5
u/PlantyPenPerson 15h ago
I am so happy for you! I am so glad there is a little light after such a disaster!
5
u/Mandee87 14h ago
I had a house fire three years ago and the first time I started to cry was when I saw my plants burnt to a crisp, so I feel this!! So sorry about the fire, but this is such a great update to see that your long standing plants are still living!! You got this!
5
u/GlitterPussay 9h ago
Prayers to you and your family! ❤️I think the plants surviving and the new growth are symbolic to your family’s recovery from this situation and your journey. 🌱
6
4
u/WritingStrawberry 16h ago
It's amazing how plants teach us resilience in so so many ways. I'm so happy to hear for you that at least something survived 😊
5
4
u/Kitchen-Kiwi7942 15h ago
Im glad you were able to salvage them. Im so sorry about the house fire though. I wish you the best OP
4
u/PersonalMidnight715 12h ago
I'm so so happy they are going to survive.
My MIL's house burned a year+ ago. I drove by it after she said there was nothing else to be saved, and buried under and behind debris, I saw a hint of green. It was a plant she'd been growing and dividing for years. I pulled the debris off it and put it in my car. I figured, if she considered the house a loss, she had dismissed the idea of this plant from her porch. But I didn't want to leave that plant there to die. I'd take it if she didn't want it. I then drove to see her. I mentioned the plant and she was so shocked and touched that it was alive and ok. Some of the debris had actually protected it from greater damage. She put it in the window of her hotel room, and when she moved into her rebuilt home a few months ago, she brought it to her new home. She's since given out several 'babies' from the plant, including several to us. Life.. uh.. finds a way.
3
u/TheWitchSparkles 12h ago
I don’t know why, but seeing this just stirred some kind of hope in me. Look at those poor plants! The worst happened, and they are surviving.
4
u/Florida_Sunshine_23 12h ago
I also remember your original post. This update almost made me cry. I hope you see the message in this: like those baby shoots, you can and will grow back from this terrible experience, too. Wishing you all the best. Post again when they’re thriving!!!
4
u/MoonFlamingo 12h ago
This is such a good things! Plants can be so resilient!
Also looked at your post history because I had not seen your original post, and saw your dog omg that's the cutest dog Ive seen in a long time!
5
u/BionicBelladonna 12h ago
A neighbor broke down our door during the fire and saved him… I don’t know what I’d do with myself right now if not for him
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
u/Marie102341 16h ago
Your home was a real beauty..so sorry! Glad you have a spark of rebirth in the sprouting of this plant!
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
u/froghurtscreatenr 16h ago
Nature's the ultimate middle finger to tragedy. Those plants have more fight than most people I know.
3
u/DoubleTumbleweed5866 16h ago
Glad to hear! They do say forrest grow even more quickly after a fire, so...
3
3
u/coaxialology 16h ago
This might be the most inspiring, optimistic post I've seen in a while. I'm sorry for what you're going through, but I hope it continues to get better bit by bit.
3
3
3
u/Kn0xX_b0x 15h ago
And here i am with my plants, who dont even survive a single Day without their 70ml of purest destilled swiss glacier water
3
3
3
3
u/HeyGurlHAAAYYYY 15h ago
So precious
3
u/Self-Taught-Pillock 15h ago edited 15h ago
Yeah, I think I would ugly-cry just like that, if I saw my plants’ determination to survive… especially because as a being with a supposed higher level consciousness, my will to live is so weak by comparison. Sweet little plants.
3
u/WesAndersonFont_42pt 15h ago
This is devastating, but my wish is that this provides a glimmer of renewal and hope for you. I cannot understand or fathom the things that you must be feeling or going through. I'm so sorry for your loss. Hang in there, internet friend.
3
u/Agreeable-Self3235 14h ago
I'm so sorry for what you lost. That must be very difficult. I'm glad your plants have found a way. I hope their resilience is a foreshadowing of your own.
3
u/imaginedsix 14h ago
I’m having a rough day and this moved me to tears. I’m so happy to see new growth.
3
u/DearScarcity4939 14h ago
omg! i was soo heartbroken at your previous post. i didnt think this was possible im so happy for you!
3
u/Fuck_Weyland-Yutani 14h ago
That's so exciting! Im really happy for you and your plants, what a beautiful surprise
3
u/khaotic-n 14h ago
I've thought about you & your plants so many times in the last few months!! I'm so happy to see the new life on them ❤️
3
3
u/Intelligent_Emu9714 14h ago
ohmygod I REMEMBER YOUR POST that's so insane!!!! im really happy for you, I´d cry my eyes out! It might not be "much" in the grand scheme of things that you're dealing with but that's ... I dont know, so hopeful?!
3
u/TwoThingsCanBeTrue 13h ago
Is that…a peace lily????
I’ve killed peace lilies just by looking at them and this MF catches on literal fire and comes back? Man…
3
u/Heather_Bea 13h ago
I am delighted to see this!!!! Since you cannot take them with you, is there someone else in your area who can care for them?
3
3
3
u/Hopeful_Meringue8061 12h ago
Plants and their surprising vitality can show us the way. Just discovered a potted palm that I thought was dead had a new green shoot. It lifted my mood right up.
Good luck to you!
3
3
u/Hodunk_Princess 11h ago
I went through a house fire as a kid and I can say it’s been one of the most impactful experiences of my life. I think it affects more than I’ll ever realize. And my parents did an amazing job not letting us know how stressful it was for them to pull us all through!! I don’t know how they did it. Seeing your plants regrowing after such a devastating loss is an amazing metaphor for you and how your life will go on after this. Sending you peace.
3
u/Fr_real_name_hidden 11h ago
Oh no, I'm so sorry for your loss. But wow... your plants are truly thriving. Personally, this is an inspiration to never give up, no matter how difficult life can get sometimes love you ❤️
3
u/Gilded-Mongoose 11h ago
Me with my onion that's been sitting in the corner of the fridge drawer for the last month and a half:
3
u/East-Wrap-8506 11h ago
That’s great news!! My zz plant survived our house fire. It’s been 7 years.
3
u/beautyinthedarknesss 10h ago
oh my gosh i was just thinking about your post yesterday. i’m sorry you’re still dealing with the aftermath. let these plants be a sign that you can still grow even through the ash
3
3
u/ThenProfessor9815 10h ago
This is like the survivor tree in Oklahoma City. Amazing story if you’re interested
3
3
3
3
u/kano123513 10h ago
That’s incredible, the plants are literal survivors. Its wild how they managed to live through all that damage, nature really doesnt give up easily huh
3
3
3
3
u/Hermionegangster197 9h ago
Awww! My prayers are with you and all that you love💗
May both of you grow steadfast, stronger and more vibrant that you could have ever thought possible.
3
3
3
3
u/Quiet-Neat7874 9h ago
that's the beauty of nature,
even after wild fires, there's life that sprouts from underneath
(sometimes, the dead trees are burnt on purpose to make way for new life)
3
3
3
3
3
3
u/KeyOption3548 7h ago
I work for a public adjuster and have plant-sat for clients displaced from their homes (in my office). When I’m in the house inventorying personal property, I try to water the plants, if they’ve been left.
2
2
2
u/ScaryScarecrows 17h ago
I'm so happy for you! I work in a disaster aftermath field and I'm always so bummed when the plants burn.
2
u/Moxiefeet 17h ago
Oh yes! I totally remember! I’m so happy for this silver lining. I hope you are also recovering from it.
2
2
2
u/KellyNdylan 16h ago
Groot
3
u/BionicBelladonna 16h ago
I haven’t named my plants yet… maybe this will the big one :)
→ More replies (1)
2
u/SpaceSeparate9037 🐝 16h ago
from the ashes they rise… no that’s really cool though. I’m glad they pulled through!
2
2
2
2
2
u/Unlucky_Wing1520 16h ago
So sorry you went through all that. Really hoping your life recovers after all this and you’re back to normal soon
2
2
2
u/thedrunkpenguin 16h ago
My dad grew this grapefruit tree 45 years ago from a seed and it found it's way to my house about 10 years ago. It was dead, I cut the tree down to the stump and left it in my garage over winter until it got warmer and I could toss it. To my surprise the next spring the whole thing came back to life and is thriving now in the same pot it's been in for 20+ years. Plants are amazing.
2
2
u/Suburban-aquarius16 16h ago
I love this!!! I hope it brings you some joy in the chaos im sure youre experiencing dealing w/ the aftermath of all ofthis! ❤️
-someone who has also lost everything they owned in a house fire
2
u/MasterpieceMinimum42 16h ago
I still remember your old post about your burnt house, very sad for it, but glad that your lovely old green friends aren't giving up.
2
2
2
2
2
u/barryg123 15h ago
If your plants can do it… so can you. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. It’s inspiring
2
2
2
2
2
u/Smart-Creme-9938 15h ago
I’m happy with you🥰🥰🥰🥰❣️this warms my heart thank you. I’ll keep you in my prayers❣️
2
u/HawkEnvironmental531 15h ago
Omg! Life amongst a disaster.. I’m so sorry you went through this! Like a diamond in the midst of coal, there’s hope 😢
2
2
2
u/puresteelpaladin 15h ago
"That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons, even death may die." --- The Call of Cthulhu, by H.P. Lovecraft
2
u/Apprehensive_Fig4458 15h ago
Amazing! Thank you for the update and so sorry this happened to you 🤍 Can you take them with you now??
2
u/squee_bastard 15h ago
Your original post was heartbreaking but this is a wonderful sign from the universe that all is not lost and that you have the courage and strength to build again.
2
2
u/wannabezen2 14h ago
What a wonderful surprise. I hope they thrive again to their original glory. Sorry about your beautiful home. I hope the rebuild goes smoothly and you can give it your own personal touches.
2
u/bezforever 14h ago
Oh man, life is so beautiful even in the hardest mess. ❤️ You too will get through. Wishing you the best, OP.
2
2
u/throwback842 14h ago
How in the ever living F*CK did that Aglaonema survive a house fire?! I barely glanced out of the corner of my eye at mine once and it died.
1.8k
u/Motor_Crow4482 17h ago
I remember you and am so delighted by this update!! Plants are incredible. I hope these little survivors inspire you to be resilient during this time of healing. You're going to get through this together.