FLOWERS & PLANTS   

             "I am an iron plant, impervious to neglect. I will bloom even in nuclear winter."

                                                                         --Ellyn, Thirtysomething

   

    Cleopatra the plant - The man-eating plant owned by Morticia Frump Addams (Carolyn Jones), the wife of eccentric millionaire Gomez Addams (John Astin) on the bizarre sitcom THE ADDAMS FAMILY/ABC/1964-66. Cleopatra was an African strangler plant whose main diet was chunks of red, fleshy meat (Cleo's favorite food was Zebra Burgers and Yak meatballs). Morticia grew Cleopatra from a seed. The overly aggressive plant was always snuggling up to the family's visitors who didn't realize the plant's apparent affection was really Cleopatra's way of sizing up her next meal.. On episode No. 47 "Portrait of Gomez" (12-10-65) Cleopatra the plant ate Morticia's favorite photo of Gomez. Morticia's other plants included Roses (for their thorns), hemlock, henbane, and poison Ivy. On the 1998 revival series THE NEW ADDAMS FAMILY on the Fox Family Channel, Morticia could be seen sprinkling "Wonder Weed" to enhance the growth of her weed garden.

    Ficus Panderato - Science officer (Richard Kelton) assigned to the United Galaxy Sanitation Patrol's intergalactic garbage scow on the sci-fi spoof QUARK/NBC/1978. Born on the planet Vegetan, Ficus was half human and half vegetable. His character was a parody of the half-human and half-Vulcan science officer, Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) on the sci-fi series STAR TREK/NBC/1966-69.

    G'Quon Eth Plant - Alien plant used for religious purposes by the Narn race on the sci-fi series BABYLON 5/SYN/1994-98. Illegal except for use in religious rituals, the G'Quon Eth plant is burned as an incense offering during their Holy Days celebrations. The Holy Day ritual is performed as the sun rises over the G'Quan mountains on Narn. The sacred ritual text reads: "The gift of time, the gift of life, the gift of wisdom, the gift of light. For these things, were are thankful. For these things, we pray..." The G'Quon Eth plant is named in honor an ancient prophet named G'Quon. Whereas the Narn use the plant in religious ceremony, the Centauri race use the seeds of the G'Quan Eth plant to flavor and fortify their alcoholic drinks.

    Junior the plant - A large potted plant with a proclivity to sing rap songs on the animated cartoon LITTLE SHOP/FOX/1991. Junior belonged to a nerdy teenager named Seymour Krelborn who was responsible for feeding the temperamental plant. The program was inspired by director Roger Corman's low-budget black comedy The Little Shop Of Horrors (1960) written by Charles B. Griffith. In the movie, Seymour worked in a flower shop in a run down section of New York City where he developed a bloodthirsty, man-eating plant that grew from the size of a tulip bulb to the size of an elephant. The hungry plant was always crying "Feed me!" In the beginning, Seymour provided the plant (which he called Audrey after his girlfriend) with a few drops of his own blood but when demand outstripped his own supply, Seymour went in search of other sources of food for the plant. First he found an old drunk who was accidentally killed on the railroad tracks. Later, the plant ate Seymour's friends and finally Seymour. The original movie spawned an off-Broadway musical adaptation written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken which was later made into a 1986 film starring Rick Moranis as Seymour; Ellen Greene as Audrey; and the voice of Levi Stubbs as Audrey  II, a man-eating plant with extraterrestrial origins. TRIVIA NOTE: For those who enjoy stories of man-eating plants, I offer for your viewing entertainment The Day Of The Triffids (1963), a British sci-fi film about a group of carnivorous plants, spawned from the seeds carried to Earth by meteors. Additionally, there is The Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes (1980) a low-budget sci-fi spoof about huge red tomatoes eating everything from boy scout troops to senior citizens.

    Killer Tomatoes - Vegetable villains on the Saturday morning cartoon ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES/FOX/1990-92 based on the 1980 sci-fi film spoof of the same name and its sequel Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988). The Killer Tomatoes were the by-product of nefarious experiments performed by mad scientist Dr. Putrid T. Gangreen who like all mad scientists wanted to rule the world with the help of his veggie creations. To thwart the Doctor's evil plan two teenagers (Chad and Tara) from the town of San Zucchini battled to keep the squishy red killer tomatoes from hurting mankind. 

    Natalie the Rosebush - The name of a rose bush planted in the garden of actress Dawn Wells who played Mary Ann, a shipwreck survivor on the sitcom GILLIGAN'S ISLAND/CBS/1964-67. When Natalie Schafer, who played Lovey Howell, one of the castaways on the series passed away, Dawn Wells asked for something from her estate by which to remember her friend. With the help of her mother and some friends, Wells dug up some of Natalie's favorite roses. Now when Dawn walks by one of the transplanted rose bushes, she always says "Hi, Nat." (p. 85 Mary Ann's Gilligan's Island Cookbook (Rutledge Hill Press, 1993).

    Nero's Orchids - The detective drama NERO WOLF/NBC/1981 featured a 285 pound genius who loved orchids, gourmet meals and solving crimes (without leaving his home). The program used a real operational greenhouse, equipped with $40,000 worth of orchids. For the filming of the series 2655 orchids were transplanted into the replica of the Wolfe's West 35th street Manhattan residence that rested on the backlot of Paramount Studios. 

    Papadalupapadipu Plant - On the sitcom PERFECT STRANGERS/ABC/1986-92, immigrant Balki Bartokomous (Bronson Pinchot) revealed a remedy to the common cold derived from the Papadalupapadipu plant found growing on Mount Mypos on the Mediterranean Isle of Mypos (his home). After eating one of the plant pods it cured his cold (which he called Marge). The plant's pod cures the common cold immediately-for men. However, when women eat the plant, they grow a mustache and then in two weeks suffered a relapse. 

    Parsley - Green herbaceous plant enjoyed by Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), a cool, garage mechanic on the sitcom HAPPY DAYS/ABC/1974-84. When Fonzie ate lunch (usually at Arnold's Drive-In Restaurant), he enjoyed a garnish of parsley with his sandwich. When Al Delvecchio, the owner of Arnold's asked "Why do you eat that stuff?" the Fonz replied "Why does Popeye eat Spinach?" Although the Fonz like Parsley, he detested Liver and anybody who had anything to do with it.

    Swamp Thing - Plant-like creature (part human & part vegetable) that lived in the swamps of Huma, Georgia and starred on the sci-fi series SWAMP THING/USA/1990-93. Swamp Thing was created when an explosion in a laboratory forced a research scientist, Dr. Alec Holland to jump into a nearby swamp to extinguish the flames that were consuming his body. The combination of chemicals and natural living materials in the swamp transformed him into a superhuman creature known as Swamp Thing (Dick Durock). His body, now mostly composed of vegetable matter, could absorb bullet fire; and could easily grow back a limb when torn off (with the help of sunlight and photosynthesis). Swamp Thing's nemesis was the evil Dr. Arcane. The series was based on the DC comic book creature Swamp Thing and billed as being "too intelligent to be captured, too powerful to be destroyed." The motion picture Swamp Thing (1982) directed by Wes Craven starred Adrienne Barbeau, Ray Wise, David Hess, Nicholas Worth and Louis Jourdan. The sequel The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) starred Heather Locklear, Dick Durock, and Louis Jourdan. In the 1990s SWAMP THING was made into a syndicated animated cartoon series. It's theme song was an adaptation of the 1960s song "Wild Thing" by the Troggs. 

    Tybo - An intelligent carrot creature (Stanley Adams) who accused Dr. Smith (Jonathan Harris) of murdering plants when he picked some flowers for the robot's birthday celebration on the February 28, 1966 episode "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" on the sci-fi adventure LOST IN SPACE/CBS/1965-68. TRIVIA NOTE: In 1952, Mr. Potato Head became the first toy advertised on national television.

    Veggie Boy - See BEVERAGES  

 

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                            [On the telephone] 
                            "Yes, I'd like to order some flowers for my husband. Yeah,  
                            how much is the big 'Please Forgive Me' bouquet?...Okay,  
                            how 'bout the small 'Please Get Over It' bouquet?"  

                                                                                      --Lisa, Life's Work

 

                    Morticia:    I live in constant fear that some woman will steal  
                                    you away from me.  
                     Gomez:   Banish the fear, my Querida. You are the only  
                                    cactus in the garden of my life.

                                                                          --The Addams Family

 

            "Remember kids, eating beans before a bath, doesn't make it a bubble  bath"  

                                                                        --Mr. Potato Show