What do ants provide for Dischidia?
Ants live inside the strange balloon-like organs produced by the plant. They bring in nutrients and fend off predatory insects. In return, the plant provides a secure home. This is a fun and unique plant to grow in your home (without the ants).
How do you grow Dischidia Pectinoides?
Ant plants or Dischidia pectinoides are viny, trailing epiphytes (requiring no soil) that will thrive in a terrarium. All this houseplant needs to grow is sun, water, and air.
Does Dischidia need sunlight?
Dischidia species prefer a humid and well-ventilated location with at least half a day’s exposure to filtered sunlight. They can tolerate a couple of hours of direct sunlight but plants must be well-watered under such conditions. Avoid growing them in an overly windy place as the plants will dry out very quickly.
How often should I water Dischidia?
Water and Humidity Too much water in the planting medium will cause the delicate roots of this plant to rot, so water only about every two or three days. To be safe, let the planting medium dry out slightly between each watering.
Why is it called ant plant?
The name is derived from the Ancient Greek hydnon “tuber”, and phyton “plant”, after their appearance with their swollen succulent stems. The species grow in tree branches and on trunks. Like the related genus Myrmecodia, they are known as antplants or ant-house plants.
How do you save Dischidia?
Watering. Dischidia nummularia likes to dry out a bit in between watering, but try and avoid letting it completely dry out. If you let it dry out too much, the leaves and stems will shrivel. Since this plant is grown in very chunky potting mixes, like coco husk chips, the drainage will be very sharp.
How do you water an ant plant?
Just like epiphytic orchids, ant plants don’t like excessive watering, and they like calcium even less. To deal with our very low humidity interiors, favor light watering — at the bottom of the pot so as not to soak the roots — every three to seven days.
Can Dischidia grow in water?
Growing Conditions Light: Grow Dischidia in medium to bright light to keep the plant happy. Water: Water Dischidia when the soil surface starts to dry. The plant is fairly drought tolerant, so you don’t need to be alarmed if you forget to water it now and again. USDA Hardiness Zone: 10 and 11.
Is Dischidia a succulent?
The Dischidia genus is an epiphytic tropical succulent-like plant with trailing stems. In their natural environment, these plants grow on natural supports such as tree trunks or branches. Their stems will produce aerial roots to absorb nutrients and water.
What is ant-plant mutualism?
Myrmecophytes (/mərˈmɛkəfaɪt/; literally “ant-plant”) are plants that live in a mutualistic association with a colony of ants. In exchange for food and shelter, ants aid the myrmecophyte in pollination, seed dispersal, gathering of essential nutrients, and/or defense.
How do you plant Dischidia Nummularia?
The best way to propagate this plant is by taking short stem cuttings. Allow the cuts to heal for a couple days. Then place the stem segments on top of moist sphagnum moss. The segments will grow roots, and at this time, transfer the plants to a pot where you will be growing your Dischidia.