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rennfl

Roots and more roots

rennfl
12 years ago

Hi all,

Everyone likes to see pictures of flowers and leaves, but I get some crazy root growing, so I thought I'd share them.

First, my plain green leaves publicalyx, roots growing from the penduncle. (BTW the first penduncle the ungrateful plant has ever grown even though it is huge.)

And these next three pictures are from my plant labeled diversifolia. It really like to grow roots.

Renee

Comments (11)

  • puglvr1
    12 years ago

    Renee, those are some crazy roots you got growing on your hoyas,lol...I've had a few hoya grow roots on the some of the stems but nothing like yours! Just amazing...Thanks for posting!

  • mairzy_dotes
    12 years ago

    I would guess that you have them growing in a VERY humid environment. When I baggie hoyas or put them in an enclosed aquarium, they do things like that.

  • mdahms1979
    12 years ago

    Great photos, that peduncle complete with roots is just plain cool.

    Mike

  • rennfl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    mairzy - the humidity ranges. I grow outside except for the coldest months, so the humidity here usually is anywhere from 40% to 80%, depending on the weather.

    I also think some of it is because when I water, I just use a hose, and the whole plant gets watered. Maybe this encourages the roots along the stem?

    Not all of my Hoyas have these roots, but many of them do, although the diversifolia is the most impressive one.

    Renee

  • RainforestGuy
    12 years ago

    I used to call the "diversifolia" group the "Mangrove" hoya.
    The images are nothing compared to how they grow in the wild. The roots entangle themselves onto their hosts, makes a strangler fig seem tame

  • Denise
    12 years ago

    Renee,

    Whereabouts do you live? I get very few arial roots, even during our most humid months - that's why I'm curious. Nice healthy plants, BTW!

    Denise in Omaha

  • geosdee
    12 years ago

    Hey Denise, she lives down the road from me, over on the beach side. Mine do that 2, guess it is the humidity

    Dee

  • penfold2
    12 years ago

    "I used to call the 'diversifolia' group the 'Mangrove' hoya.
    The images are nothing compared to how they grow in the wild. The roots entangle themselves onto their hosts, makes a strangler fig seem tame."

    I grow many of my plants as epiphytes, and I love sprawling roots, so I may have to update my wish list. I believe H. meliflua is in the same section, and I've been admiring that species to begin with. If it has crazy roots, I'll definitely have to get one.

    Is it weird to admire a plant for its roots? lol

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Yes & no Penfold. If it's weird to like a plant's roots, at least you're not alone. I have Kalanchoe that has magenta, fuschia roots, a marvel to behold. A friend on C&S Forum recently showed his pix of the same Kalanchoe, calling attention to his brightly colored roots as well.

  • RainforestGuy
    12 years ago

    Penfold,
    The problem with aerial roots is that a stem nearby another pot can invade and weed out a tender slower grower nearby. I have seen a single root travel from a stem going through and encroaching three potted plants all in a row. This is not a desirable thing since the pot with the invader roots have swallowed up all the nutrients and starved out its weaker competitor.
    Just a mess of tangled roots.

  • rennfl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Denise, yep I'm right down the road from geosdee. I live about .5 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, so while we have average humidity to high humidity depending on the time of year and weather patterns, I always have a nice breeze going. It's really lovely here.

    Renee