User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

Hanging Plant Help

[img]https://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs374.snc3/24001_10150162695300227_738360226_11654528_7038628_n.jpg[/img]

what kind of plant is this?? I've asked around after thinking it could be a hoya but I've asked around and people tell me no.... it seems to be doing well in the window and I'm getting new growth...

I just would like to know what species it is.. I received it from my aunt.. it doesn't flower and she gave it to me because she didn't like it so here I am 4 or so months later and still clueless


HELP!!!

before I transplanted it into its hanging cone basket
[img]https://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs045.snc3/13313_10150118870725227_738360226_11400177_3774347_n.jpg[/img]

User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

[img]https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs516.snc3/27102_10150179512685227_738360226_12110173_6311283_n.jpg[/img]

[img]https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs496.ash1/27102_10150179512705227_738360226_12110175_7919865_n.jpg[/img]

[img]https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs496.ash1/27102_10150179513045227_738360226_12110178_2754252_n.jpg[/img]

User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
Posts: 7646
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

I'm pretty certain that it's a member of the Peperomia genus. There are several species, and it's difficult to tell from the photos which yours is. P. obtusfolia (commonly called baby rubber plant) is very frequently available.

Many Peperomias have red stems, and you might be able to narrow it down to the species by that. In your pics, I seem to see some red stems and some green stems, so I can't be certain.

They all bloom, but to the casual observer, the "flowers" just look like stalks.

HTH! :)

User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

are there any kind of pictures I should take?? to help get a better idea I mean... I would be happy to take more if it helps me solve my problem.....

User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
Posts: 7646
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

I think your pictures are fine, although some are a bit dark. I'm inclined toward the opinion that the plant needs different care than it's been receiving. It seems leggy to me, as though it hasn't received bright enough light, or perhaps watering has been erratic, which may have caused it to lose a lot of leaves, leaving the stems looking bare.

I can see that the newer stems seem to be red, but the older stems appear green. The placement in front of the window looks appropriate, so perhaps it will be happier now that you have it.

What I would do is take cuttings as the stems grow longer. You'll want the cuttings to be about 5 to 6 " long, but you will want to leave at least one node on the stem that emerges from the soil. A new stem, with new leaves, should sprout from the node.

Strip the bottom set of leaves off of the 5 or 6" long piece of stem that you cut off, so you have a node. Take a pencil and poke a hole in the soil and insert the cutting so the node is below the soil level, then firm the soil around it. It should sprout new roots from the node, and eventually continue to grow above the soil, as well. That will fill your hanging basket with a lot of new growth, to give you a pretty, full, nicely leafed out plant. At that point, it might be easier to get close to an ID of the species. There are over 1000 species of Peperomias, though, and some look so similar that I'm not sure I could tell them apart without seeing and touching the actual plants ... and maybe not even then. :lol:

All Peperomias require the same basic care, so you should do fine just knowing the genus name. Basic care information can be found here:

https://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/peperomi.htm

User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

[img]https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs496.snc3/27102_10150180097105227_738360226_12123575_7943260_n.jpg[/img]

[img]https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs496.ash1/27102_10150180097110227_738360226_12123576_3880953_n.jpg[/img]

[img]https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs516.snc3/27102_10150180097120227_738360226_12123577_113302_n.jpg[/img]

[img]https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs516.snc3/27102_10150180097135227_738360226_12123578_2919565_n.jpg[/img]


I felt like sharing some close ups :) maybe this will help... I do for sure think getting some stem cuttings to fill it in at some point is a good idea!! thanks Kisal <3

User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

plant nodes? explain.. according to wikipedia its the area below the leaf sprout stem area can I get thsoe instructions in "plants for dummies" ?

[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Stem_nodes.jpg[/img]

I don't need to do anything else but cut it off and stick it in the dirt? should I plant the cutting in a smaller thing of dirt til it takes root?

User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
Posts: 7646
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

This picture shows a leaf node. In this picture, however, you can see the old leaf, as well as the bud of the new leaf. Some plants grow that way, but your Peperomia does not. You must gently remove the old leaf, if there is one, in order to force the new bud to grow and emerge from the stem. If you look at the stems of your plant, you will see many nodes where the leaves are already missing. They'll still produce new buds ... you don't have to do anything to them. To take your cuttings, use a clean sharp knife to cut through the stem about 1/2" above a node.

[img]https://img.hgtv.com/HGTV/2006/03/16/gby1208_1m_stem_cutting_lg.jpg[/img]

You certainly can root the cuttings in a separate pot if you like, but IMO, it's easier on the cuttings to root them right in the pot where they're intended to stay. This is especially true when adding cuttings to a pot containing an existing plant. If you just root them right in the pot (basket, in your case), then you won't have to disturb the new roots in order to transplant the cuttings. Poking a few holes in the old root ball to set the cuttings is also much less disruptive to the existing plant than it would be to dig into it to place a rooted cutting. So, either method will work. I just find that plants do best when their roots are disturbed as little as possible. This, though, is just my preferred method. To root the cuttings separately would not be wrong, per se, just a different technique than I use. :)

User avatar
19ashe86
Senior Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Location: wisconsin

thanks kisal! when the vines get longer I will certainly do that!! thank you!



Return to “Container Gardening Forum”