A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Unidentified Plant......

I am so confused. I took a job as a plant caretaker at my university's library and I know and properly care for every last one, but this one plant has me stumped. It is a short plant that almost vines, except it is like no vine I've ever seen. The stems are thick and woody. The leaves are a rough triangular shape and are dark green on the top and a lighter green/purple on the underside. The leaves, though not fuzzy are almost soft to the touch. Also, it grows very slowly. Help! I'd appreciate it ever so much.

Plantlady19,
Got a picture??????

Weezie

Sorry. No pics. But any help or even guesses would be appreciated.

Inside the library or outside???

Inside. Under artificial light during the day. Seems to be doing fine. Moderate humidity required. Doesn't need to be watered often. Not a succulent.

maybe?..... Purple Velvet plant
Gynura aurantiaca 'Purple Passion' velvet plant?

Heart leaved philodendron? I've seen some with pinkish-green undersides with a velvety look but delicate plant texture.

http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/13817/

Nope. Not the purple velvet plant or the philodendron. Thanx for the guesses though. The leaves on this plant are smaller that those on the plants above and the edges aren't smooth, more bumpy. Also, its more spread out. In other words, it doesn't clump.

Hi, could it be a Tradescantia.

Nope. I'm so confused. I even had a plant specialist look at it and he suggested german ivy, but it wasn't that either

I don't know why this thought occurred to me, maybe because I had one of these come up in a planter once, and hadn't purchased or planted it. Could it be a member of the nightshade family? Any white, small flowers? The odd vining or twining tendency sounds a little like nightshade.

Nope. No flowers of any kind that I have seen. Besides, nightshade is really poisonous, isn't it? I've touched the plant and even gotten sap on my skin without any adverse reactions. Thanks for the help though.

Also, I just found out that nearly all types of nightshade, produce a strong odor when the leaves are crushed, except for deadly nightshade, or belladonna. It doesn't look much like its tropical cousins.

Hi Plantlady,
Could it be some type of hoya? Here's a picture showing many different types.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/63413472/159313975hqwumk

Or maybe a Gesnerade?
http://home.usadatanet.net/~sculp/greenhouse/nemmarianne.jpg

Newt

Nope. Neither. The edges of the leaves are not smooth like a hoya but bumpy. Also the stems are covered in a light fuzz and the leaves are shorter and fatter than those of the hoya or the other one. Thanks for the attempt though. I'm still stumped. Oh, if it helps...It has stems like a lip stick plant, but isn't one.

Oh! I forgot! The fuzz on the stems is purple!

I'm stumped! If only you could post a picture, it might help.

Newt

Thanks for putting that there, Newt - about weeding, I mean. I never knew that. If it pulls up easy, it's a valuable plant - if it's tough - it's a weed.

:-0

Carly,
You are so welcome!! It's funny how that came to me. I was 'weeding' the garden when I realized that the plants that were easily coming out of the ground were my giant blue lobelia! I came in the house for a break and cool down and thought I'd check my e-mail. Lo and behold, my son had sent me some jokes and this was one of the sayings in them!! I just had to adopt it as my 'signature'.

Newt