Among succulent plants, Ceropegia linearis is one of the most beautiful hanging plants. With several variants, since variegated forms also exist, it has become one of the most appreciated.
But what is this plant like? What features does it have? And your care? All of that is what we are going to talk to you about below. Shall we start?
What is Ceropegia linearis like?
The first thing you should know about Ceropegia linearis is that, if you search for it on the Internet, you may be surprised that two variants of the same plant are shown. In reality, they are two different, but they are part of Ceropegia linearis. We talk about the woodii and the string of needles.
This makes us have two different types of plants.
On one hand, we have Ceropegia linearis woodii, characterized by having heart-shaped leaves along very thin hanging stems. These hearts are light green based and tinted with some spots in brown or another color.
On the other hand, the Ceropegia linearis string of needles, which is composed of stems that create leaves with a design similar to needles.
In fact, if we are to be more "correct", The subspecies that Ceropegia linearis has are the following:
- Ceropegia linearis ssp. linearis
- Ceropegia linearis ssp. weakness
- Ceropegia linearis ssp. tenuis
- Ceropegia linearis ssp. woodii
What is clear is that all of them are hanging, with thin stems and succulent leaves. It doesn't have too many roots, just enough to allow it to settle and develop correctly.
Care of Ceropegia linearis
Now that you know a little better what Ceropegia linearis is like, How about we talk to you about care? In reality, these that we propose will be useful for practically all the subgenera of Ceropegia linearis, so you will not have any problems.
Location and temperature
Ceropegia linearis is a plant that you can have perfectly both indoors and outdoors. Although outside the home you should protect her a little.
If you have it indoors, We recommend that you put it in an area where it has a lot of indirect light, and even some direct light for an hour or so (as long as it is not strong).
In the event that you have it outdoors, the same. Choose an area that is well lit, but that receives at least the early morning sun, or the late afternoon sun. This way, the colors will be much brighter.
When a Ceropegia linearis does not receive enough light it lets you know. As? Throwing away the leaves. But if you go bald, know that there is a possibility that they will come out ahead. It involves collecting their stems, turning them over the soil in the pot and "planting" them lightly. New plants can grow from them, as they become roots and leaves will grow again.
Now, in the case of temperature, we are talking about a resistant plant. But not completely. Although it tolerates high temperatures well, low temperatures not so much. Its ideal temperature is between 10 and 30ºC, Therefore, we must ensure that, in winter, there are no drops in temperature that damage the plant.
Substratum
You should know that Ceropegia linearis grows quite quickly. Which, for those more impatient, is perfect. Of course, because of this it needs a suitable substrate. In this sense, we recommend that you make a mixture between universal substrate and drainage, because it does not like the earth to become compacted at all.
And organic matter? Hummus? Well, the truth is that it does not need it because, as a good succulent that it is, it does not need to have moist soil. So you can save it.
When transplanting it, Make sure the roots come out from the bottom of the pot., since until that happens you should leave her alone.
Irrigation
Irrigation is one of the most important parts of care. As a succulent, it does not require excessive watering. In addition, it has a slight problem and that is that, if you water from above, you soak the leaves on the base and they can rot. Which generates the appearance of fungi that could attack the roots and the rest of the plant.
Therefore, when watering, it is better from below or by immersion as long as the water does not touch the leaves.
And how often? Well, it will depend on where you live, but more or less once a week or every 10-15 days.
Pruning
As we have told you before, Ceropegia linearis is a plant that grows quite quickly. And that will mean that, after a short time, you will see that you have to cut it because it has grown too much. If so, what we can recommend is that you cut the stems but do not throw them away, but rather plant them again in the pot so that it is more bushy. Or if you already have it like this, you can choose to have another pot with the same plant (and at zero cost).
Plagues and diseases
One of the common pests that can affect Ceropegia linearis is the cottony mealybug. This can be easily removed from the plant, and applying neem oil or similar to prevent the problem can be helpful.
As for diseases, they can occur if there is an excess or lack of light and water, especially.
Multiplication
Finally, we have multiplication, and the best option in this case is by stem cutting. You just have to cut the stem (making sure it has several nodes), remove the leaves (at least some) and plant it, either in soil or in water. After a few days the root should appear and shortly it will begin to shoot creating new leaves.. New stems could even grow from the different nodes.
Ceropegia linearis is, without a doubt, one of the hanging plants that will attract the most attention with its cords of hearts or needles. Do you dare to have it? And if you already have it, can you leave us any extra advice that has worked well for you?