The plant ceropegia (strings of hearts) is a representative of the Lastovnev (or Kutrov) family. Its natural habitats are the Asian and African tropics. So how to repot string of hearts?
This genus includes over 180 different species, which are semi-succulent plants with long shoots. The name ceropegia comes from the word “candlestick” and is associated with the unusual appearance of its flowers, reminiscent of a fancy lantern.
Often, ceropegia is used as an ampelous plant. Thanks to this, the flower fits into any environment with equal success.
Often this quality is used to give liveliness to the interior in the office, which is furnished in the style of functional minimalism, and ceropegia plays an important role in the composition of all kinds of indoor plants.
Why are the strings of hearts so popular: description of succulent and cactus mix
Ceropegia is a tropical perennial with fleshy stems that are creeping, climbing, or erect. On them are medium-sized thickened leaves. In some species, leaves are almost completely absent, but such plants are not found in indoor floriculture.
Most ceropegia have the properties of succulents, and their foliage and stems contain a clear sap that is considered poisonous. Ceropegia rhizomes resemble tubers or have the shape of a spindle, plants also store moisture in them.
Axillary flowers with a tubular corolla, expanding at the base, are located singly or form umbrella inflorescences or brushes. The petals of each flower grow together from above, giving it a very original shape.
Such a structure contributes to the pollination of flowers – climbing into such a “candlestick”, the pollinator fly looks for a way out for a long time, simultaneously collecting pollen in the flower.
After some time, the hairs closing the exits are weakened, releasing the fly to freedom. After flowering, fruit leaflets of an elongated shape are tied to the shoots. Seeds can be used for propagation.
How to care for a string of hearts?
The information shows brief rules for caring for ceropegia at home.
Does a string of hearts need a lot of light?
The string of hearts needs enough light, but in the summer, summer months, the bushes don`t need direct sunlight. The easiest way is to keep pots with such flowers on the west or east side of the house.
In the south-facing window in the summer in the evening. It is recommended to lightly shade them.
The lack of illumination has a bad effect on the decorativeness of the bushes – the foliage becomes smaller, and flowering may not occur, but an excess of light often leads to burns. If necessary, the hearts plant can be illuminated with lamps.
Temperature
During active growth, the string of hearts is grown in warmth (about 20-25 degrees). From autumn the temperature is slowly reduced.
In winter months bringing it to 14-16 degrees. The lower threshold is 11 degrees.
A long stay in such conditions sometimes ends with the death of a heat-loving bush. The dormant period of the vine is expressed in slowing down the process of its growth.
If Ceropegia is not allowed to rest in coolness. Its shoots will begin to stretch and weaken.
Some climbing forms of the plant can tolerate a warm wintering with enough light. Daily temperature fluctuations in ceropegia are not terrible.
Often should you water your string of hearts plant?
From spring to autumn, the string of hearts needs thorough watering. In winter, when the ceropegia is cool, the number of waterings is reduced, waiting a couple of days after the earth begins to dry out. Proper watering can prevent root rot.
Air humidity
The string of hearts develops well at any level of humidity. Hearts plant does not need spraying, air humidity does not play a special role.
You can only periodically wash or wipe the leaves of the string of hearts for hygienic purposes, removing dust from them.
Soil
For cultivation, you can use a regular potting soil mix for cacti or orchid bark. If the fresh potting soil is prepared independently, you can mix sand with humus, turf, and leafy soil. It is recommended to add a pinch of charcoal to any planting mixture.
Top dressing
Nutrient elements are applied approximately 1-2 times a month from March to the end of summer.
You can use mineral formulations of potting mix for orchids or succulent species, reducing the recommended dosage by half.
Flowering
With proper care and observance of all conditions for development, bushes can bloom almost all year round, but their appearance is rather plain. But the appearance of the inflorescences of many species is not very decorative.
Such a hanging plant is kept at home because of its beautiful leaves. If there is no need for flowers, hearts plant toxic can simply be removed.
Dormant period
It occurs in winter but is weakly manifested. Other additional information you will read below.
Crown formation
Ceropegia is formed by pinching. A decorative look is maintained by pruning weak, thinned, and old shoots. Ceropegia blooms almost all year round, but only with proper care and sufficient light intensity.
The flowering of this vine does not represent a special decorative effect. Therefore, ceropegia is cultivated mainly only because of the original, unusual appearance, sometimes even simply removing the flowering.
Usually every 5 years this vine is updated by rooting cuttings. Do this if the plant has grown strongly and has lost its attractive appearance.
How to repot string of hearts: when should your string of hearts be repotted?
A small string of hearts is transplanted every spring into a new container, adult plants are transplanted less often, only if necessary.
The only young hanging plant needs regular transplants. When should your string of hearts be repotted? They are transplanted every spring, changing the potting mix to a more spacious one.
The mature string of hearts needs to be transplanted only after they no longer fit in the old potting mix. They are transferred to a new place, transshipped along with the soil clod.
At the same time, the old potting mix from the roots can be lightly shaken off. Ceropegia grows best in low, wide pots.
Drainage holes must be done at the bottom of such a container. It will help to avoid root rot.
Well draining potting mix can reach up to 1/4 of the volume of the pot. The bush is transferred to a new pot and all voids are filled with fresh earth.
The rosary vine does not need pruning of the stems, the formation will not make its bushes much more magnificent.
Long shoots are allowed to hang freely, using the plant as an ampelous one, or they are fixed on figured supports, which are installed in a pot during transplantation. Due to the fragility of the shoots, they must be handled with care.
Only stems that are too long or damaged should be removed from the bush. Sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring or as needed.
Once every few years, as the decorative effect of the bush is lost and its stems are exposed, ceropegia are renewed, replacing it with a plant obtained from a cutting or cutting.
Propagate string
Ceropegia can be propagated by seeds, as well as cuttings, root division, and air nodules that form in some of its species.
Propagate string from seeds
If it was possible to collect seeds from ceropegia, they are washed in advance in hot (about 55 degrees) water and kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for a couple of hours.
For sowing, a container with the potting mix is prepared.
The seeds are distributed on their surface and sprinkled a little. From above, the container is covered with a film or glass and placed in heat (about +23).
Before the emergence of sprouts, it is necessary to ensure that the potting mix in the container does not dry out. Seedlings usually appear quickly – within a couple of weeks.
When a couple of leaves form on the seedlings, the shelter is removed. Growing string swoops down in separate pots.
Caring for such seedlings will not differ from caring for adult specimens.
Stem cuttings
Stem cuttings sprout roots in water in a week and are planted in cups with potting mix. Cuttings are harvested in early spring, after the resumption of active development of the bush.
The required number of stems are cut from it, the cuts are allowed to dry, and then they are planted in pots with a diameter of about 7 cm, 2-3 pieces each.
Seedlings need a soggy potting mix, kept in a fairly cool (about 18-20 degrees) place, and try to provide them enough light without direct sun.
Cuttings can also be germinated in a glass of water, but this method is only suitable for species with thin foliage. Repotting string with fleshy leaves often rots under such conditions.
Propagate string by aerial tubers
Some species (for example, Wood’s ceropegia) can reproduce by aerial tubers. To do this, parts of the stem on which they are located are cut into cuttings.
Each such segment must include at least 2 leaves and tubers.
For rooting, they are planted in the sand, and after the formation of roots, they are seated in pots. To get a more lush repotting string bush, several similar cuttings are planted in each pot.
Division of the rhizome
You can divide an adult ceropegia bush during transplantation. Having pulled the plant out of the potting mix, it is divided into several equal parts, and then the divisions are planted in their pots.
Each part should have a sufficient number of roots and shoots. Slices are recommended to be treated with crushed coal.
Interestingly, Ceropegia tubers can be used as a rootstock for grafting members of the same family.
Types of ceropegia
There are about 180 varieties in the Ceropegia genus, but only a few of them can be found in houses. Most often, flower growers decide to buy.
Voodoo ceropegia
This herbaceous perennial has thin, strong green-brown stems. Dark green petiolate leaves are modest in size. Their length is 1.5-2 cm, and their width is 1-1.5 cm.
Darker spots are visible on the surface of the leaf plate. In places of internodes, rounded light brown tubers gradually develop.
Lateral processes and aerial roots appear from them. Axillary flowers are produced one at each internode.
The beige or pink narrow tube has a whitish pubescence inside. On the surface of the flower are dark brown petals.
Ceropegia Africana
Perennial plant with a more fleshy, drooping stem. In the internodes are succulent leaves of an ovoid shape. The length and width of the leaves do not exceed 1 cm.
Small green-purple flowers cover the vine throughout the year. Above a narrow tube up to 2 cm long, there is a fused top about 1 cm high.
Cerapegia Sanderson
The plant is distinguished by beautiful thick leaves and stems of a dark green saturated color. The length of the heart-shaped leaves is 5 cm, and the width is 3-4 cm. Beautiful large flowers reach 7 cm in length.
Above the light tube is an umbrella of fused petals of a light green color. Zev and petals from the inside are covered with dark stains and short pubescence.
Ceropegia Barclay
This herbaceous vine consists of long pinkish-green stems covered with globular tubers. On bare or slightly pubescent shoots, heart-shaped, petiolate leaves are occasionally found.
The length of the silver-green leaves is 2.5-5 cm. The flowers are elongated tubes with a widely splayed edge.
Above is a dome of fused petals. Outside, the flowers are painted in green-pink tones, and purple colors predominate in the middle.
If you are fond of floriculture, you will also be interested in learning how to care for plants:
Diseases
Ceropegia can be affected by fungal diseases, often the plant begins to suffer due to the development of rot that appears due to improper care. Usually, the cause of such problems is excess water, leading to stagnation of moisture in the soil.
A rotting plant will become more lethargic, and its stems will begin to turn pale. If the ceropegia has begun to rot, it is pulled out of the pot and its roots are carefully examined.
All affected areas must be removed to healthy tissue. After pruning, the root system is kept in a fungicide solution for half an hour.
Root rot
After the roots have dried, the bush is transplanted into fresh soil. Too bright sun can leave traces of burns on the leaves of ceropegia, and the plates themselves become reddish.
But you should not completely deprive the plant of light. Lack of lighting will lead to excessive stretching of the shoots and a decrease in the already small size of the foliage.
Why fresh potting soil is important?
Sometimes the leaves of most plants may become smaller due to a lack of nutrients in the soil. Growth retardation and thinning of leaf plates indicate overdrying of the soil. Yellowing and falling of leaves can be caused by excessive moisture in the substrate, as well as insufficiently high temperatures for the current season.
Flowering problems are most often observed due to lack of light. For the same reason, the leaves may begin to curl and lose their color brightness.
Pests of rosary vine
Various flower pests can settle on ceropegia, for example, aphids, spider mites, or mealybugs. These insects feed on the juices of the bush, leading to its weakening and deformation of the leaves and shoots.
In addition to this harm, they can bring various infections to flowers, including pathogens of incurable viral diseases.
A small number of pests can be eliminated by washing the leaves of Ceropegia under running warm water. The soil in the pot for this is pre-covered with cellophane.
If the insects have managed to multiply significantly, the plant is transferred to the street and treated with an appropriate insecticide or acaricide.
We hope that this information is useful to you. Do you grow this plant at home? Share with us in the comments what kind of string of hearts you have.
Also read the article: Peperomia Raindrop care: how to grow a young, beautiful and strong plant?
How do you transplant a string of hearts?
To transplant a string of hearts, you will need to first carefully dig up the entire string of hearts from its current location. Make sure to get as much of the roots as possible. Then, prepare a new location with well-draining soil and a hole that is deep enough to accommodate the roots of the string of hearts. Place the string of hearts in the hole and backfill the soil around it, making sure to press down firmly to eliminate any air pockets. Water the newly transplanted string of hearts well to help it settle into its new location. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged in the following weeks while the plant establishes itself.
Do string of hearts need big pots
String of hearts plants do not necessarily need large pots, but they do prefer to have space to spread out and grow. A pot that is too small can limit the plant’s growth and lead to overcrowding. It is generally recommended to use a pot that is at least 6 inches in diameter for a small string of hearts plant, and to re-pot the plant into a larger pot as it grows.
Should I water my string of hearts after repotting?
It is recommended to wait a few days before watering a newly repotted plant, to allow the roots to adjust and to prevent water from washing away soil. Once you see new growth or the soil is dry, you can start watering again.