Ceropegia sandersonii

Ceropegia sandersonii, often known as the Umbrella Flower or Parachute Plant, is a genus of flowering plants in the Apocynaceae family (Apocynum, the Greek word for “dog-away”). Because certain species were employed as dogs poison, these plants are classified as members of the “dogbane family.”

Ceropegia Sandersonii is indigenous to southeastern and southern Africa (Mozambique, South Africa). Ceropegia sandersonii is also known as the Parachute Plant, Fountain Flower, Giant Ceropegia, and Sanderson’s Ceropegia due to its unusual parachute or fountain-shaped blooms.

The Umbrella Plant has earned a reputation as a beautiful houseplant due to its distinct look and ease of growth and care, especially for inexperienced gardeners.

Its stunning blooms and extremely long trailing tendrils make it an excellent option for hanging baskets. This climbing plant may be used to adorn your porch, but it will need a trellis or other structure to cling to.

A fun tidbit about the Parachute Plant is that it catches insects that enter via the “windows” in its petals. Once the insects have been pollinated, this smart houseplant will release them to finish the job. When the bloom near the conclusion of its life cycle and the tiny hairs that capture the bug becomes weaker, the insects are generally freed.

Watering

Ceropegia sandersonii is a succulent-like plant that does not require a lot of water. However, it is typically advised to water it once a week and allow the soil to dry somewhat between waterings.

Fertilizing

Improve soil fertility while the plant is actively developing by scraping some compost into two soil without disturbing the plant’s roots. Then, every two weeks, feed the plant a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer, such as fertilizer For Growing, diluted at a rate of 1 teaspoon/litre of water.

Propagating

In the spring, stem cuttings or seeds (rarely) can be used to reproduce the Umbrella plant.

Cutting a short stem with a few leaves from the parent plant is the most straightforward technique to propagate the Umbrella plant. Plant the small stem in a container filled with a well-draining sand mixture. The plant should be kept in a well-lit location at a temperature of 22-25oC.

If you want to grow Ceropegias from seeds, you should know that these plants will occasionally yield fruits after they bloom. Silky, tufted seeds are seen in the fruits. The seeds must be gathered and planted in well-drained compost. At 18 to 21° C, they should germinate in 14 to 28 days.