Cissus Rotundifolia
Arabian Wax Leaf
Peruvian Grape Ivy
Cissus Rotundifolia, also known as Arabian Wax Leaf or Peruvian Grape Ivy, is a perfect neglect plant! It is happy growing as a hanging plant, but its aerial roots will latch onto surrounding objects.
Grow it either as houseplant, hanging basket, fast growing ground cover, or decorate your patio with it. It needs no attention and will reward your “no-efforts” with beautiful waxy foliage. Cissus Rotundifolia comes from East Africa. It has green stems with almost round leaves. The leaves are fleshy, waxy, toothed and of a deep green color. Tendrils arise opposite young leaves and the plant climbs on supports with their help. Needs very little water. Great house plant especially for those who have brown thumb. Good plant for beginners. If you forget to water it, it won’t even notice!
Venezuelan Treebine is a vigorous climber up to 30 ft long. Stems are often 4-5-angled, velvety of hairless. Tendrils are 2-fid. Leaves are simple or occasionally lobed. Leaf-stalks is velvety, up to 1 cm long. Leaves are up to 8 x 8 cm, circular to ovate, blunt at the tip, margin toothed, heart-shaped at the base, velvety to hairless on both sides, thick and fleshy. Stipules are up to 4 mm. long, semicircular, hairless, falling off.
Flowers are borne in lax cymes, leaf-opposed and at branch ends. Cymes are carried on 3 cm long stalks. Flower-stalks are 4-5 mm. long lengthening to 1 cm in fruit. Flower-buds are 3.5 x 1.5 mm. Calyx 1 mm. long, entire. Petals are green. Ovary hairless, style 0.5 mm long. Fruit is 1.5 x 1.3 cm, red when ripe. Seeds are 1-2 per fruit, 9 mm. long, smooth with single crest. Venezuelan Treebine is native to Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
