I have a love of indoor houseplants , as you might guess . One of my favorite flora ( and allow ’s face it , they ’re kind of all my favorite plants ) is the devil ’s backbone plant . This simple but elegant plant hails from affectionate , tropic parts of North America and is a solid addition to an indoor botanic garden of any size .
What is the devil’s backbone plant
This plant is one of my front-runner to grow indoors just because it is easy and no - pettifoggery . It ’s a pretty unique - looking plant life too , not really being see growing in very many home base . Some riotous fact :
How to care for devil’s backbone plant
The devil ’s spine plant , Pedilanthus tithymaloides , is a solid works for any indoor garden and can survive outdoors in hardiness zones warmer than zone 9a . It is native to warmer part of North America , admit Florida and Central America , but is n’t live to be trespassing outside of its native range . It opt to be planted in standard houseplant potting grease that ’s keep moist . It does n’t like direct sun , but will spring up well in bright , collateral sunlight .
This plant grow somewhat tall , up to 2 feet , and blooms in the summer . Watch out , though , because the devil ’s backbone plant can be toxic to pets , specifically blackguard . It produce small ruddy and pink flower in the summertime .
The devil ’s backbone industrial plant is considered invasive outside of its native range , can permit only very mild ( not hard ) frosts , and is susceptible to wanderer soupcon , especially when grown indoors . It can brook some point of dry weather , but it really is n’t drought tolerant . It prefers to have regular waterings .
Water
The devil ’s backbone flora does n’t needfully wish being waterlogged or mucky , but it does appreciate frequent waterings . Water when you notice the top bed of soil has become dry . Do n’t appropriate the industrial plant to set in standing piss for too long . It is a tropic plant , so a bit of humidness start a recollective way .
Sunlight
Pedilanthus tithymaloidesdoesn’t really manage too much for unmediated sun , especially in the summertime . you could provide it with more direct sun during fall and winter , but protect it from the noon summer sun . Your plant will boom in bright , indirect sunlight .
Soil
received houseplant potting dirt is more than sufficient for this no - fuss houseplant . You do n’t have to go too fancy for this one . It will appreciate just about any substrate you give it .
Fertilizing
The devil ’s spine plant will thrive in standard potting soil and will feed off of the sizeable nutrient turn back in that dirt , but occasional fertilizing with tropical plant fertilizer will help it go on to flourish as it run through stain food . Up pot your plant if it seems to be get too bombastic or is n’t quite palmy .
Invasiveness
concord to the Invasive Species Copendium , devil ’s vertebral column is considered invasive in Spain , South Africa , Australia , Venezuela , and New Caledonia . It should only be engraft outside where it is native , which is in Central America , Mexico , and Florida .
Growing devil’s backbone plant in containers
This is one of those plants that does exceptionally well kept in pots indoors . It ’s definitely container favorable ! Just use a high - quality indoor plant pot land and fecundate periodically with tropical industrial plant fertiliser . you’re able to move your devil ’s lynchpin flora outdoors during the summer but keep your works off from unmediated afternoon sunlight .
Common problems
The devil ’s backbone plant is stout and rarely has issues with pests or disease . It can sometimes become infested with wanderer mites , which will appear like tiny white soupcon that spin very thin webbing on the plant . The biggest problem with this plant is its potential toxicity . The milky sap - like core inside of the industrial plant can be a skin irritant and toxic to pets .
Propagating devil’s backbone plant
you could propagate this plant life from cuttings in the spring . expect until new growth appear and then contract from that new ontogeny . Remove several foliage toward the floor of the stem . Allow the clipping ’s cutting portion to dry and then apply root endocrine . Your cutting can go directly into the soil . industrial plant in a 3 - inch dope with indoor potting soil . It ’s a very simple process that has a gamy rate of success .
Uses for devil’s backbone plant
The devil ’s backbone plant has no know utilization , culinary or medicinal , and is roll in the hay to be toxic to dearie . Do n’t try eat it and do n’t feed it to your pets !
In oecumenical , the devil ’s lynchpin plant life is one of those that I always like to keep in my firm . Its ease of growth and care makes it ideal . Just keep it off from tiddler and positron emission tomography and view out for those spider pinch !
