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Aug 18, 2014 6:17 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Fiat
Modesto -The Central Valley of (Zone 9b)
Hi, I just got a small (cheap) houseplant from Homedepot and it's just tagged as "foliage". I think it looks nice in my office, but don't know what it is and start to worry how to care it? Anyone help here? Please also tell me how to care it (water, light, temp, etc.) Thanks


Thumb of 2014-08-19/fiat/e30074
If a plant looks good, smells good, don't eat it, grow it!
Fiat
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Aug 18, 2014 6:22 PM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Region: Ukraine Region: United States of America Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Florida Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
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Hi fiat, Welcome to the All Things Plants! Your lovely plant looks to be Ivy or Hedera helix but I don't know which cultivar. There are a few listed in the database: http://garden.org/plants/searc...
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


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Aug 18, 2014 6:52 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Fiat
Modesto -The Central Valley of (Zone 9b)
Hi Lin, Thanks for the tip. Guess it's some kind of Ivy? Not all the cultivars in the database have picture showing. Pictures available there don't look like mine. Anyone has Ivy at home? How do you care them? In our area - hot and dry (central valley, CA), does it need lot water? What are the signs of too dry or too wet? Thanks
If a plant looks good, smells good, don't eat it, grow it!
Fiat
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Aug 18, 2014 7:11 PM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Region: Ukraine Region: United States of America Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Florida Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Butterflies Bee Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
fiat: I think Home Depot sells a lot of the Exotic Angel Plants. There are hundreds of different cultivars of Hedera helix and I'd think all would take about the same type of care. I don't grow ivy so I can't offer much advice except that they like a lot of water. I'd think the soil should be kept moist but not soggy and ivy can take sun to shade. The variegated foliage type probably look their best with bright light but not too much direct sun. Here's a list of all the cultivars that Exotic Angel offers, you might find a match for yours here: http://www.exoticangel.com/pla...

Hopefully someone who grows Ivy will come along soon and be able to offer more growing tips and advice.
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


Avatar for Plantomaniac08
Aug 18, 2014 9:16 PM CST

Watch for spider mites, Ivy is prone to them.

Planto
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Aug 19, 2014 12:26 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Fiat
Modesto -The Central Valley of (Zone 9b)
Lin, Thanks for the link. Yeah, there are too many Ivies that look like mine. But the cares of them are 'all' the same. So there goes ... will see how it does after 1, 2, 3, or 6 mo.

Planto, Thanks for the warning of spider mites. Too bad it seems our hot, dry summer condition will welcome the pest. Not good situation ...
If a plant looks good, smells good, don't eat it, grow it!
Fiat
Avatar for Plantomaniac08
Aug 19, 2014 9:00 AM CST

Fiat,
I think a lot of people love Ivies, but don't grow it for that reason (I'm one of them). Not to say it's impossible to grow them, I'm sure there are people who do so successfully. Unfortunately, most houses don't have high enough humidity to keep them at bay, so you have to improvise. I wouldn't recommend misting, as that in itself can create issues (fungus, mold, other problems), but you could try using a humidity tray (I believe those work, there are differing opinions on the effectiveness of those though).

I've purchased two plants this year already that soon after purchase showed signs of spider mites, so I'm having to keep an eye on my plants and I don't even have an Ivy around. Not to mention, neither of the two plants I brought home were Ivies. I guess we have to keep an eye on our plants regardless of what we purchase. Unfortunately some plants are more prone to developing spider mites than others.

Planto
Last edited by Plantomaniac08 Aug 19, 2014 9:01 AM Icon for preview
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Aug 28, 2014 6:39 PM CST
Name: seaecho
Phelan, Ca. (Zone 8b)
There is ALWAYS room for one more p
They also like to be kept fairly cool.
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Feb 25, 2015 8:56 PM CST
Name: Laura Undem
Washington (Zone 7a)
My ivy came from a clipping along a canal, which I soaked and scrubbed in dishsoap to combat any possible infestation. I live in the desert in Washington. My house is pretty dry, so I shower with my plants alot *Blush* (I love tropicals!), but I do know that my Ivy is very thirsty! I root my clippings in washed glass coca-cola bottles, and each day my ivy would go through at least an inch or two of water while rooting in my window (the narrow neck of the bottle helps with minimal evaporation)! Indoors mine do well, but I've lost a few from underwatering, they were stubborn about coming back to life after my lapse in watering.
My hands are either covered in soil, or covered in flour. Whether it's plants or yeasted bread, I will grow something beautiful from the simplest of things.
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Feb 26, 2015 8:39 AM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
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Your plant may be this ivy:
Variegated Algerian Ivy (Hedera algeriensis 'Gloire de Marengo')

If so, it's one that I've had in a pot outside, almost completely ignored for about 9 yrs. It was on my porch for a few yrs, then repotted into a hanging basket. I took it to my Mom's house & hung it in a giant oak tree about 3 yrs ago & it's been there since, nobody waters it & occasionally I wind the long stems back up & around so it doesn't touch the ground & start an infestation in her yard. If it gets too full of oak leaves, I toss them out.

Unless your plant gets spider mites, it should be great there, very unpicky plants. I would not bring a Hedera of any type inside since they're fine outside, and they have the reputation for almost always getting spider mites inside.

There are several plants that can work well in an office, under fluorescent lights, various Philodendrons, Aspidistra, Aglaonema, Pothos, parlor palm, Dracaena 'Janet Craig,' to name a few of the easy-to-find ones.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
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Feb 26, 2015 10:46 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Fiat
Modesto -The Central Valley of (Zone 9b)
Hey Tiffany, Are you referring to my ivy that I started this thread for ID? (as the possible 'Gloire de Marengo'?) If so, I am quite sure it's not (not a bit like it really). But if not for mine, good to know another nice ivy plant. Thanks.

Update:
Bought and repotted in soil (8/18/14) for 12+ individual small plants
repotted in glass container with water-gel (8/25/14 - lost one)
Leaves turned brown/drown (8/30/14)
Lost half of them and repotted in container with hydroball (~9/5/14)
4 left and repotted back to soil (~9/15/14)
1 left (~9/30/14 - with 3 leaves)
Today: the lone one survived with the 3 old leaves plus 1 new.

Not very fun/delightful experience... yet learn something from the painful process may be worthy?
If a plant looks good, smells good, don't eat it, grow it!
Fiat
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Feb 26, 2015 11:39 AM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
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I do wear bifocals, but think they look alike enough to bring it to your attention. With the plant there in person, you would be in the best position to make the call. Seems to be a consensus yours is some kind of Hedera, which has tons of species and cultivars. If you only looked at the top pic of the database entry, of a plant that has reached maturity, I can see where you saw no resemblance. Like many vines, Hederas wildly change their appearance if/when they reach maturity. That's unlike to happen to a potted plant.


Sorry it's not going well. Your experience is like that of so many others who bring various kinds of Hedera inside.

Different plants like different conditions. There are some that I have given up on because they can't stay healthy in the conditions I have to offer, but the ones that do like those conditions do well.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Feb 26, 2015 1:57 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Fiat
Modesto -The Central Valley of (Zone 9b)
Hey Tiffany, You are so right! This younger Marengo (and others) does look very very like (or exactly the same as) my Hedera. So now I know the name of the cultivar and it's the sole survivor in my care; here comes my thoughts: when spring comes, repot it in a smaller self-water pot (like yours, but smaller - 4") for it's now just a single small plant in a corner of an 8" pot. I may keep it at the same place inside... or move it outside in open patio... Anyone?
If a plant looks good, smells good, don't eat it, grow it!
Fiat
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Feb 26, 2015 2:40 PM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
If you think it's the same thing, I can say it does well unattended outside in the shade in south AL. IDK if the same would be true in your more dry climate. It might like it but just need someone to give it a drink or it might suffer from the much lower humidity. Hopefully someone in a climate more like yours would have some info to share about this kind of plant in a climate I know nothing about.

The pot in my pic was a self-watering pot, but because it can rain a lot here sometimes, I broke part of the saucer part off so it couldn't hold water any more. It may be a handy tool for more dry climates, but more likely to help a plant die here, opposite conditions.

In general, I'd be inclined to leave it alone if it looks happy. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Feb 27, 2015 12:01 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Fiat
Modesto -The Central Valley of (Zone 9b)
Thanks, Tiffany. All the good info, especially the last two sentences. I am happy with it and will follow.
If a plant looks good, smells good, don't eat it, grow it!
Fiat
Avatar for Plantsmylove
Feb 27, 2015 8:42 AM CST
Name: Alex Junge
MN st paul, (Zone 4a)
ivy's aren't the easiest plants to keep in a warm climate... as people have stated they like it rather cool and moist if i were you i would get plants that match your condictions.. talk to your boss and see if you can have a humidifer or an enclosed mini green house by where you work. if you cant. maybe at home would be best.

offices IMHO aren't good places for tropical plants anyway they often lack enough light/lack humidity and this is a hobby that can quickly get out of hand. i started with 2 plants now i have 17.
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Feb 27, 2015 12:27 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Fiat
Modesto -The Central Valley of (Zone 9b)
I think I forgot to say that it's first in my home office and then now in my living room area.
If a plant looks good, smells good, don't eat it, grow it!
Fiat
Avatar for Plantsmylove
Feb 27, 2015 4:51 PM CST
Name: Alex Junge
MN st paul, (Zone 4a)
oh gottha...
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