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Ceropegia sandersonii ( seer - Buckeye State - PEEJ - ee - uh san - der - SON - ee - eye ) is an attractive member of the Apocynaceae family hailing from parts of South Africa , Swaziland , and Mozambique .

It has a wide range of common names , admit :

Ceropegia sandersonii aka the Parachute plant

sustain some of the largest blooms in the Ceropegia genus it is fill to acquire . Ceropegia woodiiis the most popular species .

Parachute Flower Care

Size & Growth

A immobile grower has a long lifespan and may grow up to 12 ’ feet grandiloquent with twining vines having proper support .

The roots are blanched and tend to form in clusters .

This works has simple , fleshy leaves which grow in pairs and range from an ovate - lanceolate shape to ticker - shaped .

Its growing season in the US is from March through August .

natural spring flower bloom from November to March in the wilderness . As a houseplant in the northerly hemisphere , it flowers from summertime to lessen and in some domain twelvemonth - rotund .

Flowering and Fragrance

The green blossom on the umbrella plant life are named for their special shape .

2 to 4 flowers will uprise on stalks and contain a corolla quantify 1.6 to 3 5/32 ” inches tall and 1 to 2 ” column inch across at the top .

The root is egotistical and the top extends into five corolla lobe which converge into an umbrella - similar canopy moderate purpleness to silky clean hairs .

The openings are commonly referred to as windows .

The flower are either spotted dark-green or a purple - maroon color while the rest of the flush is pallid dark-green with sinister stripes and a ointment striped corolla tube .

The plant has a clear-cut method acting of pollinating . Sandersonii uses a scent described as being a touch of lime or citrus . It hold in substances mimicing the awe pheromones of bee .

The scent pull carnivorous fly sheet hoping of a meal . The minor hairs in the flower ensnare the fly temporarily where they become coated in pollen during their escape . This turn them into unwilling pollinators .

Light & Temperature

This industrial plant sleep with collateral , bright Light Within , but direct sunshine should be avoid .

In its natural habitat , the industrial plant is shelter by surrounding foliage , giving it fond shade .

Full sun can damage the works in hotter mood .

Ceropegia sandersonii choose a slightly cooler clime and is best suited for USDA hardiness zones 10b to 11b .

It has some level of cold resistance , opt temperatures between 35 ° and 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit , but is not Robert Lee Frost tolerant .

Watering and Feeding

Water your Parachute plant life on a regular basis during the originate season , being thrifty not to let it dry out out .

Give the foliage an occasional spritz with a nebuliser feeding bottle to assume tropical humidity .

Reduce watering to each week from late August to January . Do n’t water the plant throughout February .

During the uprise time of year , you may supply the plant with a balanced half military strength fluid fertilizer once per month .

Avoid using full strength , as the root are raw and may suffer chemical burns .

Soil Type & Transplanting

Overall , this is not a very finicky plant when it fall to a potting mix . It does opt a ample , poriferous , well - drained premix and does well in a clay kitty .

Grooming And Maintenance

The umbrella plant demand about the same amount of fear as many succulent plant , with pruning necessary on unhealthy leafage .

As an indoor plant , you may choose to prune from time to meter to restrict its growth . This is not necessary when the plant is hang or earmark to rise .

How To Propagate Fountain Flower

Parachute plant life is by nature stimulated to evolve roots when its nodes touch stain , making cuttings the easiest way to propagate this flora .

Ensure the cutting contain a few nodes and let them dry out for a few days . When planting make certain a node fall in contact with the soil .

While less common , it is also possible to grow this plant from seed .

Sow the come in well - run out compost and allow between 14 and 28 days for sprouting , keeping the seed moist and watching out for any wet - come to issues .

Be careful not to overwater a novel plant , as the beginning will be specially vulnerable to rot .

Both method acting of propagation should be carried out in the spring .

Umbrella Plant Pests or Diseases

Succulent mealybugs , red spider , and woolly aphids are the principal threats to this industrial plant .

Rot is a risk of overwatering . Rot may also be a byproduct of awooly aphid plague .

The industrial plant is gently cold tolerant but can not manage prolonged photograph to icing or estrus .

Suggested Sanderson’s Ceropegia Uses

The stems and leaves of this plant have been consumed as part of traditional native cuisine .

As an ornamental , it grow well in terrarium and in both Mediterranean and tropical themed gardens .

It is commonly used as a container industrial plant , and its vining wont make it perfect for hanging basketful and tight spaces .

Give sandersonii a treillage or other support structure so it can twist its path up the wall .