After many years of worrying that pruning would kill it, I finally cut back my gangly, woody, 35 year old Devil's Backbone houseplant last spring. I discarded the old plant and rooted the best looking of the cut branches with great success. I now have 6 or 7 beautiful healthy plants about 8" tall and 3 questions: Can anyone suggest a good website or other means for giving away or trading houseplants. I only want to keep 1 plant, but so far the only local sites I've found seem to be for trading edible plants and their seeds. Since they are kind of unusual I'd like them to find homes where they will be appreciated. The old plant had a lot of pink and cream colour on its leaves, but the leaves of the baby plants are mostly creamy yellow and green. Will they get more colourful as they age? I don't have any really bright windows to keep the plant looking good. Should I put it outside in the summer, or will that just make the transfer to winter indoors even more awful for the plant?
1. www.plantswap.net is excellent for trading or giving away all sorts of plants. 2. Colour in Pedilanthus (my observations, at least) is linked to both age and sunlight exposure. I'd try moving your plants into a brighter location or supplementing their sunlight with a bulb to help them colour up. 3. Absolutely, outdoors in the summer! You'll end up with a happier plant all-round, and as long as you bring it in before first frost and stick it in the brightest place it the house, it shouldn't get too grumpy. Euphorbs are adaptable.
I would love to take one of your Pedilanthus, but unfortunately I'm across the border. My first one died. I kept it in the kitchen where there was too much moisture and it molded. I'd swiped a slip years ago from an out door veranda at a Hotel in Cabo San Lucas and smuggled it back home. Sure wouldn't try that today. Heed what Lorax has to say. ;)) barb
My pedilanthus have variegated like leaves. It has white blotches and it occasionally bears red bird like flowers. Is it a pedilanthus???
Comusta ma Peperomia, What you are describing sounds about right. Try Googling Pedilanthus tithymaloides (Devil's Backbone) and see if those pictures look like yours. Let me know what you find. barb
