It ’s a well - jazz meme about masses sense like , looking like , and turning into potatoes . So maybe this is why this once uncommon plant has suddenly boomed in popularity . The Stephania erecta expect like a sad small chubby potato that also sprouts lovely and beautiful stems and leaves . So perhaps we growers like the metaphor this plant paint a picture , and maybe we can resonate with its potato - cape . Either way , this adorable plant life would make an first-class addition to your assemblage . Here ’s how to wish for it .
What is a Stephania erecta?
As we said before , the Stephania erecta is also sometimes called the potato plant because it appear like a chubby murphy . This plant life , originally from Thailand , grows beautiful foliage from a woody bulb called a caudex ( the potato part ) . From the stock sprout multiple slight stem that grow cuticle - similar leave standardized to a peperomia plant life . It ’s very witching looking at and might prompt some of a sealed popular book series about wizards . The Stephania etecta average 3 feet in superlative , but it involve a farseeing sentence to get on , sometimes up to 20 years . The spud part of the plant , the stock , can reach up to 7 inches wide , and the leaf tramp around 2 inch in diameter . One of the fun and attractive aspects of this plant life is the exertion required to get it to sprout . Often when you purchase the plant , it come in its “ potato ” signifier and has no verdure .
The cognitive process to boost it to sprout can be fun and rewarding and might even make for an excellent experiment for those with children .
How to sprout a Stephania erecta
You have to “ activate ” the Stephania erecta before it can sprout . This process is similar to what seeds and nuts do in the wild . Soak the stock in warm water for 24 hours with the node ( where the sprouts will grow ) steer up . Once it ’s soak , you could pot it up . Do n’t entomb the intact caudex into the soil . Instead , rest it on top of the soil with those nodes pointing up again . occupy soil around the sides , be careful not to pass over the caudex , and give the plant life some body of water .
humidness is what tells the Stephania erecta that it ’s time to sprout . Create a little sprouting home ground for your Stephania erecta with supplies you have at home , or you may purchase one online . Either way , plant the caudex in dampish soil and rate it in your sprouting dome . Keep the plant in a warm place that never travel below 77 degrees and rather stays around 80 degree . It will also require bright collateral brightness level .
As you await for it to sprout , keep the dirt moist with a mister or by gently watering the soil . Within a calendar month , you should start to see a sprout starting , and you may relax knowing you have a happy little potato .
Care tips for Stephania erecta
Now that it ’s sprouted , you ’ll need to line up your care routine . But , after all that work , you do n’t require to mess up something up and have a lamentable , soggy Irish potato , so here ’s how to care for the Stephania erecta plant .
Water
It ’s authoritative to observe that overwatering is the most common rationality industrial plant die , especially for the Stephania erecta . It ’s very gentle to overwater this works because the stock withstand onto moisture . To avoid this , allow the dirt to completely dry out before water it again . To be secure , you might even desire to wait a bit , even after the soil is dry . This plant life will require even less waterin the wintertime , so be careful and maybe buy a weewee standard of measurement to help you out .
Light
This part detain the same for when you ’re trying to sprout the plant : It wants promising but indirect sunlight .
Food
It ’s actually recommend not to feed this plant , but if you see signs of focus , you may provide it with a weewee - soluble plant food once or twice a year .
Temperature
fortuitously the Stephania erecta likes the same temperature that we tend to keep our houses at . Around 60 to 80 degrees is best for this plant , but you might lose leave if it ’s near a draughty threshold or a venthole .
Humidity
While this plant hates being over - watered , it does opt a bit more humidness than the intermediate houseplant . It will thrive well at 60 pct or higher ; any dispirited and you ’ll jump construe crispy chocolate-brown leaf .
Toxicity
The Stephania erecta is toxic to cats and frank , so be sure to keep it out of their reach or avoid it altogether .
The Stephania erecta is fairly simple to care for once you ’ve “ activated ” it and get it to spud ! This industrial plant is kinky and adorable , and it ’s bound to be unique to all your other plants .
