Climbing candlestick flower, Ceropegia sandersonii: care

In this country, the climbing candlestick (Ceropegia sandersonii) is particularly popular as a houseplant. It can be equipped with a climbing aid or it can be cultivated hanging in a traffic light. If the right location and the ideal substrate are chosen, the plant hardly needs any further care.

Soil condition and location

The location in the house should be bright and have a normal living temperature. However, direct sunlight, especially from the midday sun, is not well tolerated by the plant and should therefore be avoided. In summer, the climbing candlestick can also move to a sheltered place outside:

• near east or west windows
• Pull blinds or curtains on the plant when the sun shines
• sheltered on the balcony or terrace in summer
• East or west side of the house
• a bright corner is ideal
• Succulent plant feels particularly comfortable in cactus soil
• contains all the nutrients you need
• Soil permeable and humic
• also suitable for potting soil
• enrich with sand and balls of expanded clay

Flowering and flowering period

The candlestick flowers owe their name to the appearance of the decorative flowers. The main flowering time falls in late summer to autumn:

• Tubular flowers up to 7 centimeters in size
• slightly bulbous at the base
• sit directly on leaf axils
• five thin tips at the tip
• grown into a kind of umbrella
• thus resemble small lamp chandeliers

Note: The small, heart-shaped leaves with a white-silvery grain also offer a decorative ornamental value, especially during the period when the plant has not developed any flowers.

Watering and fertilizing

Succulents store water very well and therefore only need a small amount of water, even in summer. Because the climbing chandelier flower stores the water both in the fleshy, thick leaves and in the tubers:

• Water regularly and moderately during the growth phase
• from April to September
• less in winter
• Never let the root ball dry out completely
• Use water with little lime, e.g. B. Rainwater
• Fertilization also takes place during the growth phase
• once a month with cactus fertilizer from the trade
• Dose weakly liquid fertilizer
• mix with irrigation water

Diseases and pests

Even if Ceropegia sandersonii is a very robust plant, pests do occasionally occur. In addition, if the pot is poorly cared for and if there is too much water or a lack of drainage on the bottom of the pot, root rot can occur:

• Plant loses color and becomes limp
• Immediately remove from the pot
• Use fresh substrate and water little

Also an infestation with the Red spider (Panonychus ulmi), a species of spider mite, is possible:

• Leaves covered with fine webs
• show small bright spots
• later leaves turn copper brown
• Shower off the plant as a whole and thus reduce pests
• Use insecticides from trade
• Neem products for the irrigation water are ideal here

Note: Under certain circumstances, aphids or mealybugs can also be infested, which can also be treated with the same insecticides.

plants

The climbing candlestick flower is commercially available as a finished plant and is usually supplied in a container. However, this is not suitable for further cultivation, as the plants are often in the pots do not have enough space, and the soil is usually not of high quality enough for a longer one Cultivation:

• Create drainage via drainage hole to prevent waterlogging
• Choose gravel or clay balls
• plant fleece over this
• Fill in almost all of the prepared soil
• The tuber should only sit very lightly in the ground
• Take the plant out of the old pot
• Remove soil from roots well
• Briefly immerse in a vessel with water
• Insert the plant and fill in the rest of the soil all around
• water well

Tip: So that the plant also climbs upwards, you should insert a climbing aid directly into the ground when planting. Alternatively, you can plant the climbing candlestick flower hanging in a hanging pot and hang them up or put them on a cupboard or shelf and hang the shoots down permit.

Cut

A pruning of Ceropegia sandersonii is not necessary for the care. Nevertheless, shoots that are too long can be cut back for visual reasons. However, this cut should only be carried out in spring. Normal household scissors are sufficient if they are sharp, cleaned and disinfected so that no injuries are caused to the plant or germs can penetrate the cut. The trimmed shoots can then be used as cuttings for propagation.

Overwinter

Even if Ceropegia sandersonii is a houseplant, the plant should still be winterized accordingly. Because the chandelier flower does not tolerate the warm air from the heating system in a living room:

• place in a cool and light place
• unheated winter garden
• alternatively bright staircase
• pour little
• do not fertilize

Repot

Ceropegia sandersonii requires little maintenance, which also applies to repotting. Because this is not necessary every year with this plant. The best time for repotting is spring in March. To do this, simply choose a slightly larger pot than the previous one and proceed in the same way as under “Planting”.

Multiply

There are several options to choose from for the propagation of the Climbing Candlestick Flower.

Through leaf tubers

Propagating the succulents is very easy. This is not achieved by dividing the roots, as is the case with many other plants, but rather the climbing candlestick does not even have to be removed from the pot for propagation:

• use so-called brood nodules
• form during the growth phase
• between spring and autumn
• are in leaf axils
• Pick the nodules
• just sprinkle on earth
• use a bowl with cactus soil
• cover with quartz sand
• choose a shady location
• Place in a cool place between 16 ° and 18 ° Celsius

When the first shoots and leaves appear, the small plants can be planted in their own pots.

Note: When propagating, you have to pay attention to constant soil moisture. The layer of quartz sand on the nodules is intended to prevent rot from forming here, as the pots are rather cool and dark.

By cuttings

Propagation with cuttings is also possible and is quite easy. If the plant has neither fruits to develop seeds nor formed nodules on the leaf axils, then it can be propagated as follows:

• Select cuttings
• usually in spring
• Cut about 10 to 15 centimeters from the shoot
• Let the cut ends dry
• put in pots with potting soil
• Always keep the soil slightly moist
• alternatively put in a glass with water
• put both light and warm
• Avoid direct sunlight

Tip: Even if the cuttings can be taken over the entire growing season, the beginning of the year is ideal. Because then the new plants obtained in this way can still use the entire growth period themselves.

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