I recently purchased some new plants and had some of them ID'd here. I know this one, posted below, is an Ivy but I'd sure like to know which Ivy it is. The tag in the plant says "Ivy"! DUH!!! Sure would be nice if ALL plant growers would put the proper names of the plants they sell on those tags!! Oh well!! That's why we are lucky to have this forum. My main questions are about fertilizers. I'd like to know which fertilizer would be best to buy to feed all my plants. I'm sure I will need to purchase 1 or 2 but hopefully no more than that. There are soooo many different fertilizers available for houseplants that shopping for one, or 2, overwhelmed me! Here is a list of the plants I have with their proper names, too - I learned either here or with the tag included with the plant. I will appreciate any answers that help me decide which couple of plant foods to buy. And, which is better - dry or liquid? Dracaena fragans "Massangeana" Parlor Palm "Chamaedorea elegans" Peace Lily "Spathiphyllum" Haworthia attentuata Lucky Bamboo (in soil now) Varigated ficus Boston Fern Pothos epipremnum Creeping Charlie "Pilea nummulariifolia" And here is the Ivy, which I need included in the list for my fertilizer question: Thanking you ahead of time b/c I know what to expect from this forum! :)
Can you post a close up photo of both the upper and lower surface of the leaf blade of your "ivy"? Some characteristics make it appear to be a Philodendron (more likely a hybrid) but I can't see the blade detail enough to be certain. Your Spathiphyllum and Epipremnum aureum are aroids. "Pothos" is an old genus name for this plant and is no longer applicable since the plant was found to be in the wrong genus. If this one is a Philodendron it too is an aroid. Many growers like to use Osmocote 14-14-14 but in some areas it may be hard to find. The product is a pellet fertilizer and you give the plants a tiny amount every three months or so. I have a large colelction of aroids and the product is great. The same product should do well for every thing on your list. I'll let you know if Scott's can give better info.
Thanks Steve! Here are macro shots of the Ivy. I hope this helps. Also, I hope to hear from you soon about the fertilizer. Is there any general-type fertilizer that would do for my plants? I was giving my Dracaena, and Lucky Bamboo, the same as all my cacti/succulents were getting and they seemed to do very well with that one. I no longer have the cacti or succulents. I just didn't want to feed all of the new plants with that fertilizer. It is Schultz's Cactus Liquid Plant Food (2-7-7), for Cacti, Jade, Aloe Vera, & other succulents. I guess I could keep giving it to Drac and the Lucky Bamboo :) The other fertilizer I have is Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food (15-30-15) for All flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs and houseplants. I think that one is way too general and wouldn't be the best all-round fertilizer I could give my houseplants. Maybe it is! I'm thinking that there must be a fertilizer, easily found, that would do for all of my plants - or, possibly 2 that I would be able to use. Anxious to hear from you as I am giving my plants filtered water only at the moment.
Barbara, I don't think this is what I suspected but I'm sending the link to this page to several people that are truly experts in tropical species. I'm in hopes one will be able to tell you for sure what you are growing. Plants are so variable there just isn't a fertilzer that will work for all. Depending on the needs of the plant one or more of the numbers needs to be adjusted which is why there are so many blends. If you want a good general fertilizer I'd go for a 10-10-10. I believe Osmocote makes such a blend in a pellet form which you only give once every three months. I am certain I've bought Miracle grow liquid fertilzer in the same mixture. If the succulent mix you use works don't stop! Just don't over fertilize. I just noticed my dyslexia kicked in in the post above and I typed "30-30-30" when I should have typed 13-13-13. I've found this blend by several companies but often have to search for it. A friend recently told me he had found the blend available from Osmocote as well as Nutricote in Florida but those may have been commerical products since he owns a nursery. I'm still looking for a reliable source. Succulents are not strong on my list but I do grow several forms of Epiphyllum as well as Zygocactus, both of which are rain forest cactus that produce beautiful flowers. I'm attaching photos of the inflorescence of Epiphyllum phylanthus subspecies phylanthus. http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Epiphyllum phyllanthus subsp. phyllanthus pc.html
Thanks again for the quick reply Steve! The Epiphyllum phylanthus is a beauty! It will be nice when we get moved again into a bigger place and I can have more plants. I'd be sure to look for this one - any flowering plant is bonus, in my books. I will look for fertilizer with the 10-10-10 combo and see what I can find. Thanks for the help.
Sigtris is a good friend and is absolutely correct. This is a naturally variable species and I couldn't be sure since I have nothing to compare it with. We destroyed a bunch of it four or five years ago because it will literally take over a neighborhood if given the slightest chance. Many states have banned it as a result.
I love useing Shultz liquid plant food .. you can use it every time you water and it works great on all houseplants.. Marion
Barbara, your Ivy is in the category of a "Bird Foot Ivy". You can identify the plant by going to the American Ivy Society's web page at WWW.Ivy.Org - Millet (1,179-)
Thanks for the great responses!! I went to the American's Ivy Society webpage and loved that site!! The fertilizer answers give me a few ideas. Now I can go looking for a fertilizer, armed with good info!! Once again, members of this forum have given me super help!!
