HOW TO GROW THE BUSHMAN'S PIPE - ceropegia ampliata

THE BUSHMAN'S PIPE - ceropegia ampliata

Ceropegia ampliata is best used as a container plant in any good quality, well-drained potting compost. Water sparingly and feed with a liquid soluble fertiliser just once a month. Be aware that to much fertiliser can damage the root system so increase the dilution by 50%.

THE BUSHMAN'S PIPE - ceropegia ampliata

It is not frost hardy and will do best with a minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. It is suitable for full-sun to semi-shade and with that in mind it will be quite happy grown as a house plant. Just remember to place it outside when flowering.

You can put some kind of support in place but Ceropegia ampliata is a weak climber and so will need a helping hand to keep it in place.

Water plants sparingly as Ceropegia ampliata is found in areas where rainfall occurs mostly over the summer. With that in mind you will need to give your plant a resting period by withholding water in winter.

Ceropegia ampliata is prone to infestation by mealybugs, woolly aphids and red spider mite. Woolly aphids usually attack the roots and this causes secondary infection by a black fungal rot that can easily destroy your plant.

How to propagate Ceropegia ampliata

In its natural environment, root development is stimulated when the stems touch the soil. This therefore makes Ceropegia ampliata very easy to grown from cuttings. Just make sure the cutting contains a few nodes, and allow the wound to dry out and callous for a few days before potting on in a good quality cutting compost such as John Innes 'Seed and Cutting'.

If you can get hold of a packet, Ceropegia ampliata is easily grown from seed. Again use a good quality compost such as John Innes 'Seed and Cutting' and keep the seed damp until the germinate. This will normally take 14 - 21 day. Be sure to treat the young seedlings for damping off and fungal infections.

For related articles click onto the following links:
CEROPEGIA AMPLIATA - the Bushman's pipe