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Climbing foliage
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The Kangaroo vine is an ideal houseplant that can be easily grown in bowls or hanging baskets. Trained on bamboo frames the plant serves as attractive room dividers.
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KANGAROO VINE Cissus Antarctica is a climber and one of the easiest houseplants. A native of Australia, the plant belonging to the family Vitaceae is equally happy in sun or in shade, and will tolerate gas and oil fumes. The plant has shining medium green leaves, about 9-cms long and 5-cms wide. They are roughly heart-shaped, lightly toothed and pointed. The stems are reddish in colour and contrasts well with the leaves.
The plant supports itself by means of tendrils. The curly tendrils attach themselves to any available support, and the plant can be easily grown as a climber, a trailer, in bowls, pans or hanging baskets. The plant can be trained on bamboo frames as a room divider or as backdrop to a collection of plants. The plant is slow growing but should be repotted every two years. There is a very slow growing form, Cissus antarctica - `Minima', that produces, spreading rather than upright branches. It is therefore ideal for hanging baskets. Cuttings of one-year-old stems will generally root without difficulty. Roots trail in water as well. During the growing season, the growing point can be nipped out, to encourage the growth of the side shoots. This makes the plant lower growing and more bushy. The plant should grow in good light but not direct sunlight throughout the year. Over exposure to sun causes transparent markings of the leaves, which will eventually turn brown. The plant should be watered moderately.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN.
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