Hello - I have 4 pretty indoor crotons, and was looking for a medium size green plant for contrast. In the meantime, a little green plant at Home Depot caught my eye, and I bought it. The saleswoman didn't know what it was, except "it's part of our tropical plant sale". A customer standing nearby thought it was a pothos, but I can't find any pothos description/picture that seems to fit. The leaves felt kind of thin and fern-like to me, but I couldn't find a fern description/picture that fit, either. And it turns out that the leaves are not thin/uncoated - the plant just needed some water. I'm not sure how to describe how the leaves feel now - maybe a little bit waxy or leathery (smooth). (see picture below) Any ideas about identity, or guidance about sun/watering is appreciated. Thanks!
Its not a pothos and its not a fern, but in saying that I can't help with a positive id either sorry Ed
Hi ED and JOCLYN - thanks for your thoughts. The coffee plant suggestion is an interesting one, and kinda cool! I looked at some plant pix and they do seem very similar. But the descriptions say that coffee plants have a main vertical trunk, and this plant has several plant stems (see picture) that seem to be connected in the soil (i.e. it doesn't feel like they're separate plants). That's why I was thinking at first it was possibly a "birds nest" fern, but so far, that turns out to be wrong. Maybe it's some other shrub/bush? MORE INFO: I was planning to let the plant dry out between watering, but it began to wilt, so I'm watering it some every day - it seems to like wet soil. Not sure about light. Right now I have it 3-4 feet away from a south/southwest window, and it's doing OK. Thanks!
Thanks NAMAWA, they really do look similar, though I'm not sure about the leaf formation. In the pictures of Ardisia that I saw, the leaves appear to grow in multi-leaf clusters, and the leaves on this plant so far have grown alternating (closely) on each stem. What do you think? HOW THE PLANT IS DOING: I think it's adapting OK. The woody stems are much stiffer/stronger, and the leaves have grown larger. Looks like new leaf growth may be coming in. I'm kind of surprised about how much water this plant needs - so far, more than once/day (it starts wilting). Maybe it's still recovering from its care at Home Depot? (It was pretty dry when I got it). I wonder if a watering mat would work. Anyone ever use them?
Hi - just a quick follow-up to let people know that NAMAWA and JOCLYN were right, and the plant is ardisia elliptica. The shorter, less mature stems have alternating leaves, but the more established stems are growing leaves in clusters. It continues to like very wet soil, and is a really pretty, bushy houseplant. I found this interesting background info about ardisia on a site that sells them: The Ardisia genus includes about 250 species of evergreen trees and shrubs from moist woodland in tropical and warm-temperate areas of Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The name, Ardisia, is Japanese for "ten thousands ryou (old currency of Japan)". Ardisia is a slow-growing shrub grown as a potted plant because of its abundant crop of long lasting, bright red berries. The glossy leathery leaves make this shrub an attractive foliage plant. The berries follow tiny flowers which appear in summer, which stay on the plant for many months. I'm not sure if ardisia can flower and fruit indoors, but it would be nice!
I just wanted to chime in that I was once trying to ID the same plant (old thread here: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=17419). I had one (unsure) Ardisia guess. I ended up running it by a few more botanists at the university I work for and those that could ID it, all confirmed Ardisia. I have had mine indoors for 2 years. It has grown to be quite large and very bushy and happy, but it has never bloomed, so I wouldn't hold your breath! Mine does love its bright (but indirect) light window (and it tells me immediately if there is not enough light (if I try to relocate it) by dropping leaves very quickly!).
Hi MDNemec - thanks for the message and the link! I immediately liked this plant because of its leathery leaves and bushiness. I figured it was an outside chance that it'd flower, but I still hold out a faint hope (I don't really care about the berries). I keep my ardisia appx 2-3 feet from a south-southwest window (indirect sun). I'm tempted to give it more sun, but it's already such a thirsty plant (maybe too many stems in the pot?), that I've just left it alone. I'd love to see any current pictures, if you've got them. :-)
