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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 :
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 .