Care of the indoor plant Dischidia nummularia or String Of Nickels |
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The genus Dischidia, family Apocynaceae, comprises 80 species of epiphytic plants native to India and Southeast Asia. Some species are: Dischidia nummularia, Dischidia platyphylla, Dischidia pectinoides, Dischidia major, Dischidia ruscifolia. Common name: String Of Nickels. This species is native to India, China, Southeast Asia, and Australia. They are curious slow-growing epiphytic plants that have fleshy rounded leaves on long hanging stems. They produce bouquets of white, waxy flowers that are not very decorative. They bloom in early summer. After flowering you can collect the seeds that should be sown after a few days as they cannot be kept for long. They are used as indoor or greenhouse plants in hanging baskets or in small pots. Dischidia nummularia needs a light exposure but without direct sun; tolerates the sun in the early hours of the day. It is important that the temperature is not lower than 15 ºC (59 ºF), the ventilation is good and the humidity is high (never below 60%). Use a soil for orchids or hanging plants sold in garden centers and plant stores; the best is a substrate based on coconut shells. More important than irrigation is the ambient humidity, which should be 70-80%. That is why it is advisable to water it, with lime-free water, spraying the plant twice a week since it has aerial roots. In summer the substrate must be damp and in winter it is better to wait for it to dry before watering again. Fertilize every 3 weeks during spring and summer with liquid mineral fertilizer. They can be lightly pruned to control growth and to obtain cuttings. They are attacked by mealybugs if the ambient humidity is not correct or by fungi if a lot of water accumulates in the soil. They propagate easily by stem cuttings or by division. |
Images of the indoor plant Dischidia nummularia or String Of Nickels |
 Dischidia nummularia  Dischidia nummularia |