Indian Rope Plants

Characteristics

• The most distinctive characteristic of the Indian rope plant is its shiny, dark-green curling leaves, which give the stems a ropelike appearance. Forms with variegated foliage are also available. The plant grows slowly, using aerial roots to attach itself to any available structure. It produces small, rounded pink or white blooms from midspring until midfall. Blooms develop from the same spurs each year, which are the small nodules at the base of each flower.

Growing Conditions and Planting

• Indian rope plants do best when slightly pot-bound, so choose a container only 2 to 3 inches wider than the root ball. Good drainage is vital to the plant's health; select a container with several drainage holes in the bottom to prevent root rot. A growing mix consisting of equal parts perlite, peat moss and sand is adequate. Position the container in a location with exposure to bright indirect sunlight most of the day. Performance is best with daytime temperatures of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures of 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Indian Rope Plant Care

• It's necessary to monitor the moisture level in the plant's growing mix closely, as too much or too little water quickly leads to problems. Allow the surface of the growing mixture to dry completely before adding moisture. Always pour off excess water that drips through the drainage holes quickly to keep it from being reabsorbed. During winter, when the plant is dormant, water only enough to keep the foliage from drying out. Feed with a balanced fertilizer applied at half strength once every two months throughout the growing season. Prune to eliminate dead growth and to control size. Avoid removing the bloom spurs since flowers return from them each year.

Propagating Indian Rope Plants

• Indian rope plants reproduce readily from cuttings or seed. To propagate from cuttings, snip off a healthy portion of the stem and remove all leaves from the bottom half. Treat the wounded end with rooting compound and bury the bottom of the cutting in a combination of perlite and vermiculite. It takes about four to six weeks for a new root system to develop. Gather seeds from the plant after they have dried and sow them promptly in small containers filled with a lightweight growing mixture. Place the containers in an area that maintains a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the growing mixture is kept lightly moist, the seedlings will emerge in five to seven days.