Ceropegia ampliata is a perennial twiner or scrambler with a succulent stem arising from a fleshy, tuberous rootstock. Plants occasionally branch at the nodes and can grow up to 2 m and more in length. The stems are hairless and sometimes have longitudinal grooves. The plants have fleshy tuft roots from germinating seed or fibrous roots form at the nodes where the stem touches the soil surface. Flowers are produced at each node, 2-4 together, opening one after the other. The corolla is tube-shaped, with segments at the end of the tube. These segments are joined at their tips to form a cage-like structure. The tube is straight or slightly curved, with an inflation at the base. The tube is pale green to white or white with green longitudinal stripes and with a narrow purple band around the mouth of the basal inflation on the inside. The corolla tube and segments are 50-70 mm long. Plants flower in summer, mainly between December and March.
How to Grow and Care
A gritty compost is suitable and clay pots help with drainage, especially for the species with white thickened roots which are the most susceptible to rotting and for species forming large tubers. Ceropegias appreciate water and a little fertilizer during warm weather, although some care with watering is required for the more difficult species. The vine-like species can suffer from prolonged drought.
Typically, many of these species grow and climb naturally among bushes which provide shade and humidity to the base, while the vegetative growth is in the light.
Light: Ceropegia does well in bright light. It does not need full sun. If the light is too low the stem will stretch and the leaves will be far apart. It will look better if grown in enough light. Also, the purple coloring will fade.
Water: It likes to be water regularly. The leaves should be thick and full. If they are paper thick the plant is low on water.
Soil: Ceropegia will grow in any type of soils. Add more perlite to the mix so the roots do not get too wet. In wetter soil mix the plant must be allowed to dry between watering.
Fertilizer: Alway with fertilizer, less is more. A little fertilizer is helpful. Using too much will possibly burn the roots.
Origin: Ceropegia ampliata is native to South Africa. It is commonly found on dry, stony hillsides, twining in other vegetation.
Propagation
It is usually from cuttings. If they are a tuber forming on one of the stems. They can be placed against the soil in a pot. When they have rooted down you can cut the stem and have a separate plant. You can also cut off a tuber and part of the stem and coil it around the small pot. It will have the chance to root. Most succulent plants will root from small pieces. It is a natural way to maximize the chances for the plants' survival if not the mother plant then pieces of it.
- Scientific Name: Ceropegia ampliata E.Mey.
- Common Names: Bushman's Pipe, Elephantine ceropegia
- Synonyms: Ceropegia triebneri,Ceropegia ampliata subs.madagascariensis Lavranos, Ceropegia ampliata var. oxyloba
- Family: Apocynaceae
- Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
- Genus: Ceropegia
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| source pic: reddit.com , sagereynolds.com |
How to Grow and Care
A gritty compost is suitable and clay pots help with drainage, especially for the species with white thickened roots which are the most susceptible to rotting and for species forming large tubers. Ceropegias appreciate water and a little fertilizer during warm weather, although some care with watering is required for the more difficult species. The vine-like species can suffer from prolonged drought.
Typically, many of these species grow and climb naturally among bushes which provide shade and humidity to the base, while the vegetative growth is in the light.
Light: Ceropegia does well in bright light. It does not need full sun. If the light is too low the stem will stretch and the leaves will be far apart. It will look better if grown in enough light. Also, the purple coloring will fade.
Water: It likes to be water regularly. The leaves should be thick and full. If they are paper thick the plant is low on water.
Soil: Ceropegia will grow in any type of soils. Add more perlite to the mix so the roots do not get too wet. In wetter soil mix the plant must be allowed to dry between watering.
Fertilizer: Alway with fertilizer, less is more. A little fertilizer is helpful. Using too much will possibly burn the roots.
Origin: Ceropegia ampliata is native to South Africa. It is commonly found on dry, stony hillsides, twining in other vegetation.
Propagation
It is usually from cuttings. If they are a tuber forming on one of the stems. They can be placed against the soil in a pot. When they have rooted down you can cut the stem and have a separate plant. You can also cut off a tuber and part of the stem and coil it around the small pot. It will have the chance to root. Most succulent plants will root from small pieces. It is a natural way to maximize the chances for the plants' survival if not the mother plant then pieces of it.
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| source pic: about-garden.com |
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