Tami,

Good on you - yes, that's a seed pod, and many have used an old nylon stocking to wrap the pod in - that way its fluffy inhabitants, when the pod is ripe, won't flutter away.

Thank you Cactus, again. Your a fountain of info, now could you tell me where I left my ipod?
I suspected the seeds would try to fly all over the place. Now, I will have to figure out how to rig up a nylon. The pods are still quite firm and green so they shouldn't erupt too soon.

Congrats on your seed pod Tami!! Your Ceropegia woodii is just beautiful! My daughter bought me one a couple of months ago, I really like it.

Just like Jeff said, I've used nylon knee highs or frost cloths (I cut into small squares and sew the sides)and use twist tie to secure it.

Hoya seed pods wrapped in frost cloth...
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Good luck and keep us posted.

Pug,

Have you thought about producing a line of hand-stitched seed collector bags? For spring, I see a whimsically-shaped, cut-on-a-bias snow-white taffeta number, but that's just me.

Hi Tami,

Congrats on the seed pod, that's pretty cool. Plants looks very healthy & happy!

I'm curious pls. to ask where you got this plant? It's not the usual leaf shape for Ceropegia woodii, but a variation of it which I also have, but haven't seen anywhere else. That's why I'm curious.

That closeup pic of that pair of leaves & bloom is a GREAT shot, a good view for anyone who hasn't seen this plant's odd bloom before.

Let's see if I can dig up some pix to contrast the leaf shape:

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See the difference? It's usually this rounder, almost heart-shaped leaf. These are older pix, but here's a shot of my lance-shaped leaf shape variation like yours

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Sorry for the glare.

Thanks for the great idea Jeff :o)...might have to give that some thought...

PG, yours is lovely as well.

Mine bloomed too in the short time I've had it...very strange and unusual bloom (alien looking).
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Hi Tami,

Gosh your variegate was gorgeous, I too love this plant. It's not just you, it's a more difficult plant. I've lost 1 or 2 myself, much more temperamental it seems, I don't know why.

Several yrs. go I found 2 small pots of these variegated C. woodii. Suspecting I'd have trouble, I gave one to a friend who can propagate these better than I & sure enough I lost mine. Several yrs. later, she gave me back a pot of it, of which I just have the last bit. So no, it's not you.

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I was further smitten by the pink highlight on this.

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After my difficulties with the variegated one in a plastic pot, I re-potted the first green one I found into a terra cotta pot as soon as I got it home. I am not sure if that will help but I know what happened with a plastic pot last time. I am debating putting the one with the pods into a terra cotta pot now or wait until the pods dry. If the plant rots the pods won't develop anyway so it is a toss up.
I asked the florist to see if she could get another variegated one for me, so maybe I will have another chance with it. A few of the remains of the first one are still hanging in there.
Tami

My ceropegia has 5 sets of pods on it, how do you plant the seeds? How long will it take for the pods to ripen/ They have been growing for months, and they are still green....so..if and when they open, whats the planting instructions?

Tami, your variegated plant is beautiful. There was one at the large local nursery last I went a few weeks ago, and I whenever I see that plant I consider getting one...but I've heard a few times that they are not always simple to keep hapy. Still, in the greenhouse one day I might try.

Sorry, I have no experience w/ the pods, so I can't offer any suggestions. Give it a day or 2, I think there are a couple of folks who've done it, seed pods, to seeds, etc.

Aveo, I have no idea how to plant the seeds or when the pods will open. Hopefully someone will know and share with us.

Teatree, the variegated was very nice, so sad that it didn't stay that way. Several pieces are still firm, not growing but not dead yet. I had also heard that they were difficult, but the florist found it for me so I bought it. If she finds another one I will put it in a shallow clay pot with less soil under the tubers. If that doesn't work, I am going to stick with the green ones. So far so good with those.
Tami

Sorry, I have no experience w/ the pods, so I can't offer any suggestions. Give it a day or 2, I think there are a couple of folks who've done it, seed pods, to seeds, etc.

Please excuse my double post, I know a few of us have been having trouble posting lately, so sorry.

Please excuse my double post, I know a few of us have been having trouble posting lately, so sorry.

You'll get it down, Tami...and if you don't, at least you'll have some pink-blooming Xmas cactus cuttings come springtime, eh? ;)

-- Colleen

'LuvIdaho'....I JUST bought my Variegated Ceropegia plant on EBay. It cost me a small fortune...for a small plant! 1 other person was in a 'bidding war' for it with me, and I won it at the last minute. If you are looking for another one, you might look on there, there might be more now. Or if you want, email me and ask me the sellers name, and you can email them and ask them if they have another one, maybe they will sell off of EBay. The shipping really killed me. The plant was only $8.
Which is still high for a very small plant. BUT it is always an expensive plant, when I see it on there. The 'common' one, is very cheap. Just a thought if you want to try again.

Colleen, I can't wait until spring gets here!! Looking forward to rooting cuttings from wonderfully generous people.

Aveo, I saw the variegated Ceropegia on ebay. It is a pretty plant. Thank you for the offer, I did ask the florist to see if her supplier could find another one.

I just had a seed pod on my variegated Ceropegia Woodii. I pollinated several flowers with no luck, but one! Now I have the seed in some dirt and am hoping for the best. My question is, how do you guys pollinate these flowers??? It's maddening.

Hi CCG,

Sorry not to have an answer for you, I've never pollinated one, nor do I know how it's done.

I don't have an answer either, sorry. The pods were on my plant when I bought it. I imagine it was in a large greenhouse so maybe bugs did the job.
The next question: how do you get the seed to germinate? Treat them like any other cactus seed?
Tami

Hey Tami:
I usually cut off the leaves and put them in the dirt and they grow the bulbs, of course it takes forever though. That is the most successful I have been. I have tried pollinating the flowers with a long thin brush, I have poked a hole in the side of the flower so I could see the parts and do it like that, nothing seemed to work, but I did get one seed pod. I have several of these plants so I am talking probably 60 flowers and only one seed pod! I just put the seed in the dirt, so I am trying to keep it wet but let it dry a little. So this is my first time having any seeds! I wish I could give you more advice. I live in Idaho too and there's not many of us here. I started collecting in Arizona though and love the Tucson greenhouses.

Hey, another person from Idaho! Your right, not many of us on this site. I have only had these since last fall so I am still trying to figure out what they want.
I am patiently waiting for the seed pods to dry, seems to be taking forever. I am going to have to try rooting some leaves. Do you use rooting hormone on the ends or just put them in soil?
Tami

Sorry CCG,

Did I misunderstand? Are you saying you root single leaves? Or the remaining stems after you've stripped off the leaves?

Tami:

I cut the single heart shaped leafs away from the main green stem. This leaves the stem on the plant and doesn't hurt it. Leave a little tail on the leaf so it has a little part of the stem on it and put it in the dirt. Some leafs will shrivel and die (not all will take), but just spray them a little with a spray bottle of water every other day or actually when you remember, even every day if you want-- and they will start a bulb. The leaves are pretty hardy, if you pick the bigger, more fat, thick ones, they will be better. I haven't had great luck with the actual green stems other than you can just put the trailing stems on top of a pot of dirt and it will eventually root down and create new bulbs. When this has happened, you can cut it away from the main plant. You can do this on most trailing succulents such as string of peas, rhipsalis, etc. In nature they trail along the ground to start new plants. This is my first seed pod, so we will see how that goes. I have some haworthias that I got seed pods from and have found only 1 out of 6 seeds has grown so far. But I do hear seeds can go dormant and sprout when they feel like the time is right, so I haven't given up yet!

Thanks for the explanation Cactuscowgirl! I will have to try that. Right now I have a bunch of different cuttings rooting on a heat mat. I will have to wait for space in the "nursery" to open up before I can add more.

I am having good luck rooting a few bulbs while still attached to the mother plant. I really don't need more plants but it is fun seeing if I propagate these. Especially when it is too cold to garden outside!
Tami

Tami, I loved the pictures of your String of Hearts so much that I ordered one from a shop in California. She sent it Priority Mail and it arrived last Thursday. It is just a 4" pot but I am so excited! Thanks so much for sharing your photos.

Val

I know this is a bit late for this, a few years having passed since this conversation took place here, but I only just found you! I wanted to add here that the variegated ceropegia woodii can be found in 4" pots on a website called Steves Leaves (stevesleaves.com).

He also has a really hard to find plant, that's one of my favourites, called peperomia rotundifolia. Also known as a String of Buttons. That plant sort of resembles the rosary vine's leaves but are smoother, smaller and lighter green. The second picture below is how it grows in the jungle in the wild.

Also a bit late...

i just found some 15 seed pods on my C. Woodii, some had already dried and exploded, some still green.

Did anyone have good luck in growing out your seeds? Get any interesting variations in the babies?