Ceropegia woodii is a flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of the related Ceropegia linearis, as C. linearis subsp. woodii.
History
In 1881, the
species was discovered hanging from rocks on Groenberg Mountain in
Western Cape, SA, at an altitude of 1800 feet, by John Medley Wood, curator of the Durban Botanic Gardens. Thirteen years later, in 1894, he sent a living plant to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. The plant that had been sent to Kew subsequently flowered, providing the material for Plate 7704 of
Curtis's Botanical Magazine published in 1900. The prolific botanical artist
Matilda Smith prepared the plate, while the Kew taxonomist, N. E. Brown, produced a detailed description, naming the plant after its discoverer.
[ Curtis's Botanical Magazine vol. 126][Herbert F. J. Huber: Revision of the genus Ceropegia. In: Memórias da Sociedade Broteriana, Volume 12, 1957, S.1-203, Coimbra] Its trailing habit, neat appearance, and tolerance of neglect, made it an ideal plant for hanging baskets.
Description
It is an
evergreen succulent plant trailing
vine that grows to in height and spreads to reach up to in length. Its leaves are shaped like hearts, about 1–2 cm wide and long. When exposed to sufficient light they have a deep green colour; under insufficient lighting the leaves are pale green. With age it develops a woody
caudex at its base. The roots, and occasionally the stems, will often develop tubers. On the stems these tubers form at nodes and are likely the reason for the common name of rosary vine.
In general, the flower form is similar to those of other Ceropegia species. The corolla grows to 3 cm in length and is a mixed colouring of off-white and pale magenta. The five petals are a deeper purple.
Cultivation and uses
Ceropegia woodii is tender and in
temperateness regions it is a very popular
houseplant, often grown in hanging baskets so the long trailing branches may hang down with their leaves spaced out like a row of large beads. Several
have been selected, some with
variegation leaves. It requires excellent drainage, should be watered only when dry, and should never stand in water. Excess water should be removed from plant saucer after watering. It can be grown outdoors only in subtropical and tropical areas having a minimum temperature of 15 °C (59 °F). It typically requires shady conditions consisting of 3–4 hours of indirect sunlight.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit
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