The Poultry Keeper

CP · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:20 pm Post subject: plant identification needed!

Can anyone recognise this plant? It's an indoor one my Mum has split & given some to us but she doesn't know what it's called. Confused

Woodburner · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject:

I'm not so good with indoor plants Sad

(I tend to kill them :O ). It looks a bit like prayer plant.

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1600 Location: norfolk

Yep, looks like a prayer plant to me too. Do its leaves all go vertical at night CP?

CP · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:20 pm Post subject:

Dunno,

I'll go & have a look.

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 541 Location: Norfolk

Ctenanthe oppenheimiana 'Tricolor' Cool

And no, I don't know how you are supposed to pronounce that first word Confused

Tim

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 541 Location: Norfolk

Sorry, forgot to say that it is related to the prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) but tends to get a bit bigger. Both from South America BTW.

Tim

CP · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:47 pm Post subject:

I'm impressed Magpie! Cool

The leaves are about a foot long & no, they don't close up at night.

Does it have a common name - one that I can pronounce would be good! Laughing

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 541 Location: Norfolk

I think they might be called "Never Never Plant" but that is one of those common names that gets used for several things Confused

Tim

AtomicRooster · Joined: 20 May 2005 Posts: 988 Location: Hampshire

Why are the leaves rolling up?

not only at night.

Woodburner · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:51 pm Post subject:

Too low humidity or incorrect watering or something nasty at the roots. Have you moved it from where it was before, or done anything drastic to it like dividing?

AtomicRooster · Joined: 20 May 2005 Posts: 988 Location: Hampshire

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 541 Location: Norfolk

You need to cut down the water loss from the leaves for a while to help it recover. Several options - cut off some leaves or half some leaves, stick a big clear plastic bag over the whole plant, mist regularly with tepid water.

Make sure it isn't in a draft. If it doesn't pick up in 24 hrs do more of the above, the plastic bag may be best if you can find a big enough one.

HTH

Tim

AtomicRooster · Joined: 20 May 2005 Posts: 988 Location: Hampshire

thankyou magpie i have got Kimi keeping guard.

i will let you know what happens over the next couple of days. Very Happy

CP · Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:16 am Post subject:

Forgot to update this thread.

The plant still didn't look well so we brought it into the living room where it's darker than in the conservatory & it's now fully recovered & looking good!
It obviously doesn't like too much light/heat. Wink

Squidge · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 113 Location: Folkestone, Kent

A lot of indoor plants can't stand the sun and quickly die off, that's why they are indoor plants. I think you are dead right about too much light and/or heat. Before I knew better I used to take my indoor plants outside on sunny days for a bit of sun....big mistake, they died or got very sick that's how I found out it wasn't any good for them.