Napoleon was one of the first gifts I gave DH. It was 2003 and I was puttering around with my mother. I forget why she was there (tea, perhaps) but I was along for the ride and lost in the succulents section. The 2″ pots were calling to me. Full of miniature foliage covered in attitude and machismo, they were too cute. One in particular was of a variety I had never seen before. DH is a fan of variegated greenery and so I thought to bring it home as a surprise.

Napoleon was named as such due to his size and attitude. At a mere 2″ tall, he would still attack your fingers with gusto if you ventured too close. That, and he was quite the adventurer. He went cliff diving once (knocked off the edge of the sink and into a depth of soapy water) only to respond with an impressive growth spurt. He rode across the country in August in the back of a pick-up through death valley without batting an eye. He’s been forgotten outside in a freeze, left un-watered for months, and only repotted on a whim.

What’s he up to now? Well, kind of outgrowing his name for starters…