Identification: hardy and mysterious

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by maxy505, Feb 4, 2008.

  1. maxy505

    maxy505 Member

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    Me and this plant go way back, so I figure I owe it to find out what it is. It's had root rot, mites, and some kind of leaf-eating virus, but is back and healthier than ever. In fact, now it's been divided into 3 and I'm about to further divide it and give some away.

    After the time it nearly died with the above mentioned problems, my wife cut the remaining plant into basically three 2-inch bare twigs, which all miraculously survived and turned into the thriving plants they are now.

    Attached are photos of the plant as a twig, some new growth, just beginning to bloom, and in full bloom.

    Some characteristics I've noticed:
    -leaves can be flat or curled back, independent of size
    -leaves grow off the stem in pairs, with the next pair on the stem being rotated 90 degrees
    -if I accidentally hit the plant with a soccer ball and break a leaf off, a new stem will often being to grow at the same spot
    -roots keep trying to grow up to 2-3 inches above the soil

    I've never been interested in plants before, but watching this guy grow has been really cool! So... any ideas about what it is?
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    A species of Kalanchoe, possibly Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (though that at least usually has leaves with more lobed edges)
     
  3. maxy505

    maxy505 Member

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    thanks! That's definitely the closes match I've seen. The leaves match some species Kalanchoeperfectly. However I noticed that allthe photos I could find online show flowers with 4 petals. Would my plant's flower type still allow it to sit in this genus?
     
  4. rockminer

    rockminer Active Member

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    I would agree with K. blossfeldiana. There appear to be several cultivars with "double" flowers and quite a bit of variation in the degree of scalloping on the margins of the leaves. Bill
     
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Very common here, sold in supermarkets as a florist pot crop.
     

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