I'm hoping someone can help me figure out what kind of plant this is. It's been passed around the office and now we have it and can't identify it. I've looked in all of the house plant books at my local library and no go...Any help will be appreciated! thanks!

Jepoy11,

Welcome to The Garden Helper's Forum!!!
We are very glad you found us!!!

Just to let you know, I'm going to move your
post into the MYSTERY SECTION...
There's lot's of gardener's that love them...

My guess either some kind of Pointsettia
or Amaranthe??????

Thank you! We thought maybe some sort of poinsettia b/c of the coloration. Hopefully someone has seen one like this before. I can't wait to hear what the 'experts' think!

it may be a poinsettia pulcherima (euphorbia family) hybrid.

#1

#2

Thanks, but both of the links took me to the same page and I don't think it was the page intended!
I've never seen a plant like this.

Could be because of lack of light...
Is it near a window???
And how high up to the ceiling is the
florescent lights???

It is on the top of a cabinet now, about three feet from the lights that are pointed towards the ceiling reflecting back down. It's a very bright room. However, I don't think they ever shut the lights off! That could have something to do with it, but it seems as though the bottoms are supposed to be red and the tops green. It happens right away even on the small leaves which sprout from the top and the middle of the plant.

Should I assume this is some kind of poinsettia? I haven't heard anything for a while. I'm still not convinced since all of the leaves have red undersides. I appreciate all of your input and help! thanks again!

It does resemble a poinsettia of some kind...how big is that pot, though? if that's a file cabinet it's sitting on, then it's not very big? I would think a poinsettia would have large leaves regardless of growing conditons.

The pot is about a 3.5inch pot. It's not a very big plant. the strangest part is the way the it grows, some of the sprouts/stalks (I don't know that proper word) have grown down like a vine and then they start to grow back up towards the light and the leaves are only on teh ends. The leaves are about 1.5-2inches in diameter. I would like to fertilize and see if it helps bring it back around to looking a little fuller, but without knowing what kind of plant it is for sure I'm afraid I'll kill it.

I don't have any idea what it is but if it's a poinsettia it will bleed white stuff if a leaf is pulled off....not that I would recommend pulling a leaf off. Catlover

jdepoy...WOW! this truly is a mystery plant! Don't fertilize it is my take. I think that the droopy "vine" effect is a lack of light issue...I'm going to PM Rugbyhookr and see if he will take another look at this...from what I see of his posts, he really knows his stuff, and if he still thinks it's a poinsettia of some kind, maybe he can re-post some links!

I am not a huge pointsetta person,
but does anyone know the process it takes
to make the leaves turn red??

Putting it in the dark makes Christmas cactus
blooms, is it the same process???

Then if it turned red we'd know?????

Just a thought???

I believe twelve hours a day of darkness is the requirement. I've heard of putting them in a closet every night for, I think, a month.

That's for the poinsettia???

Yeah, Weezie, and then when they come out, they're just FABulous!!!!

Poinsettias are perennials, so it\...ng to see your results when you succeed.

So, Bill, as long as you're popping in, can you I.D. that funny li'l ole plant for us?

My opinion is that it is a Poinsettia that is starved for sufficient light. That doesn't mean I am right... just my opinion....

That's what I would say, too, but that pot is only 3 1/2 inches across, would the leaves be that small, no matter what, and why would it have been in a pot that small in the first place?

My first thought was a red ardisia-i used to have one that had reddish hues to the upper leaves. The shape of the leaves is what seems very similar to me. It's more of a shrub than a common houseplant i guess, so i had a hard time finding much info on it, but here is what mine used to look like
Good luck!

sorry, did not realize that my links were rerouted.

poinsettia pulcherrima

pics

again

stems

hybrids

close

Wow! I'm glad to see this mystery plant is getting some attention. It might be a breed of poinsettia, but the leaves always have red bottoms and green tops. and I just realized there are tiny thorns on the vines where there are no leaves. Not like rose thorns, but almost like tiny needles. The thorns are not everywhere, just in some spots. I don't think that light is an issue becasue it is very bright in here and my other plants seem to be doing very well with this light. I also found out that they do turn the lights off in herre at night. : ) thanks for all of your help! It makes me feel a little better to see the 'experts' as puzzled as I am!

After reviewing the links.. I'm almost positive that this is not a poinsettia. It seems to want ot grow down, because we keep propping the the pot up onto something higher and the 'vines' keep creeping their way down. It's leaves feel somewhat waxy but not hard. They are very 'limp' for lack of a better word. It also seems to go through a lot of water. It's a very small plant, I guess the previous secretary had givem this cutting to someone in our work group and then he changed jobs and it sat on his desk neglected for a few weeks before we found and saved it. I've spoken with hte original owner and she said it was a cutting from her sister's plant and they have no idea what it is either. The coloration is fairly consistant although the reds and greens are darker on the new leaves. perhaps I should take a closer picture of the leaves, stems and thorns.. I'll work on that. Thanks again for all of your help!

I don't think it is a traditional pointsettia. But, something in the euphorbia family that may be considered a pointsettia. Thorns support this thoery. Will look more.

euphorbia cotinifolia

euphorbia griffithii

Jdepoy11,
We LOVE a gooooooood mystery
around here....

If the two that Rugby posted are it,
*we're hopin'*, if not,
maybe some more pictures..
Up close pictures of stems, leaves, etc..
so we can really fine tune it a bit..

This is great...
LOVE those mysteries!!!

I think we are definetly getting closer! The first pict. looks the closest but the leaves don't branch off like that, could be b/c it's malnutritioned. I will take some close up pictures and get them posted. Sometimes it's a hassle to get picts around here! Hopefully tomorrow. : ) Thanks again. This is fun and the suspense is killing us!

My guess a Philodendron

Ok. I have some new pictures.. Hopefully these will help.
pict1
pict2
pict3


Well I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks for your help once again.. Hopefully these pictures help narrow the mystery down. The leaves are 1.5inches wide at the largest. Thanks!!! Gobble Gobble!

I have no idea! But this one seems facinating!!! I'm just wondering since you keep propping it up if you are allowed hanging baskets I wonder how far down the vines would go?

I'm not sure, but it just keeps growing. It's like it grows up for about 6 inches and then starts to grow down.. I think they will just keep growing out.. It's the strangest plant!

I would have to say it's
cause of the low lighting maybe...

Thanks Weezie! Thanks Weezie! Thanks Weezie! Just Kidding. I've looked through a giant A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants book and still not sure.. But it made me realize perhaps I'm leaving out important info. So here's some more if anyone is still interested. The new leaves are red/purple and they change to green tops with red undersides, but the midrib is always purple/red tinted. When the "vines" grow about 6 inches up they curve towards the ground and when it reaches the ground (we keep propping it higher and it keeps growing towards the ground andwe prop it highter...) it curves up and starts growing up again. Maybe this info will help... maybe not! I'm still not convinced. : )

hahaha, I just realized it triple posted..

We'll keep workin' on it...

I work in a greenhouse and in july we usually get 55,000 pointsettia plugs
that is a pointsettia, but rather funky, surprised it has a shape like that because points will break if you look at them!,,lol
we force a few to be in colour by halloween, and we cover them at 4 in the afternoon, and uncover them at 9. Just to shorten the day. the other 7 or 8 greenhouses change colour in time for christmas with the regular shortening of the day

hope this helps

I just wanted you to know, I have found this one of the most interesting threads ever and done my own research(hours) online and have come no closer than anyone else to identifying your lovely little plant. Good Luck!

I too am swaying towards poinsettia, but still it doesn't seem quite right.

I think so too Mel...
It's a bugger..
I keep comin' back and lookin'..
and hopin' some one will come along and
snag it..

I said either a pointsettia or some kind of
Amaranthe???

***Jdepoy11, Are you up for an experiment or two?

One I would say, get another pot/container, fill
with your potting soil.. and set close to the momma plant.. and take one of the hanging down
stems, and touch it to the top of the soil..
see if it takes root..
*then you'd have a second one and it would be shorter...*

Again, I am not firmiliar with the actions of a pointsettia, if that's one, and it would do that things..

Sometimes too, looking at it, the trailing habits remind me of some kind of sweet potato vine??????
**that also may cause it to send up more shoots from the bottom.. dunno????

Can any of the people who work with poinsettia's tell me if they root along the stem???? I don't usually grow them and so I'm not sure???

The other experiment would be...
*say, to do this maybe after seeing if the first
stem takes root.. not sure if I would be brave enough to do both at the same time..*
but snip one of the longer one's off... and put in water.. and see if it roots that way???

Again, this may cause more basal growth..

I'll definetly give it a try! Thanks Weezie! That would at least give us something else to go on. I'm glad I'm not the only one not figuring this out right away! It's fun though. I think it really needs to be repotted into a bigger pot but I've been puttin it off. I'll keep checking and I'll let ya know how the experiment goes.

Just for the sake of tossing in my 2 cents, I have a poinsettia that did the exact same thing as the one in your photo. It looks like a twin to mine. It got that way because I didn't keep it cut back to encourage the bushiness factor. Poinsettias do require a bit of trimming, or they will get leggy and fall over the sides of the pot. Mine is in the ground, and now I'm just waiting to see if roots develop where the stem is touching the soil. Long story short, I say poinsettia.

jdepoy11... My guess is ...

It's a variety of the stromanthe... Today I stopped by my nursery to pick up some peatmoss and they had a clearance sale on tropical plants the one I bought was the Stromanthe guienea tricolor... green and cream long pointed leaves with burgandy/purpulish under leaves.. I looked up stromanthe on net and there are several varieties most have dark purple or red underleaves,, from what I read too much direct light changes the color of top of leave , likes to be root bound.and needs to be misted (loves humidity)
You know me I'm not good at puter stuff so I'll TRY to post a site according to all I've read and seen this may be the specie your plant belongs too..
www.ccgga.com/corey-nursey-prod-02.html

in any case just look up stromanthe varieties and see if one of these are your,,, Hope I've been helpful.

Just wanted to let the viewers know that we have moved in the office to be close to a window and this plant is really doing great with some real sunshine! Still don't know what it is for sure, I guess I'm sticking with the poinsettia family. If nothing else I'm really glad we posted here because I have really enjoyed the site. I've learned a lot! I'll be using this site to help with all of my plant problems/ questions! Thanks!! Keep up the good work!

That's great news..
Always love to hear a plant is doing good..
*even if we're not still completely sure
what it is..*

Got any new pictures of it lookin' better????
That might help us some more..

But for the update them..

if either of the plants root, can you send me a baby??? this one is just freaky enough to match my ice plant!

My group will be moving in the office again next week and we will be moving away from teh window. I think that I'll take it home and see if I can get some babies! If it's successful I'll be sure to let you all know. I'd be glad to share the wealth of the mystery plant!!

So I might have solved the mystery! Maybe.. I need a second opinoin. Here is a link to picts of "red Robin" in the Rosaceae family. perhaps this potted plant is supposed to be a shrub. Here is the link
http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=SUNA,SUNA:2005-48,SUNA:en&q=RED%20ROBIN%20-%20ROSACEAE&sa=N&tab=wi

you'll have to copy paste to search b/c I don't remember how to link. I founda picture in my new American Horticultural Society encylopedia of plants and flowers and then started searching the web.. I would love to hear if anyone agrees. Thanks!

heres how you do it...in late summer you cut the stems to about 8 inches or about 2-3 leaves per stem, then you stick it outside and through the duration of the summer pinch it back to keep it full. in september bcondition it inside. around october (around Halloween)stick it in total darkness for 12 hours (5pm-7am) and take it out in the morning. When you see bract coloration around december (thats when it will start coloration) you can take it out full time. The bracts will finish coloration w ithout the darkness. and enjoy the beautiful plant.

Oh one more thing it has to bee total darkness. even a street light or anything at night can delay bract coloration

Okay, Alex, are you saying you believe she's got
what she just posted about, or do you think she has a Pointsettia?????
Very Curious???

Im not ENTIRLY sure but I believe its a pointsettia..Time to find the houseplant books (if i could only remeber where i put it) haha

Yes founnd it! now im going on research duty..much help appricitaed : )

****Alex,
Thanksssssssssss, we've been doing double time
on this one.... for quite some time..
It's had us preplexed..

*****jdepoy11,
Have you gotten any new pictures for us lately?????

Yea updated pics would be great

Strange, I thought the hanging part looked like a Philodendren.........

Poinsetta would not hang down like that .. I have some......I never covered mine at all and they bloomed this chritmas... Just keep them in the south window.

dodge

I only said thas the way u get the coloration b/c thats what my book said. maybe its bent down like than because of lack of sun?????? I dont know

Yeah, we've gone over this from soup to nuts,
it's a real puzzler...

haha u can say that again!

It does not look like a photinia to me at all. I have 'red robins' and they are most definatly a shrub with shrub charactoristics. I would almost bet my teeth that it is not photinia.
I also don't think it is poinsettia either. Have you done a sap test? All euphorps have white sap (caustic) where ever they are cut or broken. I'll have to go back and read this thread closer to see if that has been mentioned.

Wow. We've got this rolling again! I can't believe this mystery plant. I've asked everyone on the planet. I think this plant and it's mother plant may be the only ones on the planet! : ) I'll work on getting a updated picture uploaded. Got to get ahold of a digital camera.. They aren't allowed here at work, but one of the comm people have one. I'll try and get it posted. Thanks agian.. We will figure this out! I'm convinced!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c249/jdepoy11/flower5.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c249/jdepoy11/flower6.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c249/jdepoy11/flower1.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c249/jdepoy11/flower3.jpg

Ok. There are some recent pictures. To answer any questions or remind anyone here's the facts so far. It has thorns tiny skinny pointy thorns on the stem and in the middle of the bunch of leaves at the end/top/middle. It doesn't secrete any white milky substances when leaves are torn or pinched. The knew leaves come in a red/purple color then turn bright green on top and eventually dark green on top and less purple on bottom. The largest leaves are about 2.5 inches long and 1 inch wide. It grows up till about four or five inches tall and then turns down until it touches and then starts growing up again.
It was started from the mother plant by letting the stem sit in dirt until it rooted... Not sure if I mention that before.
It is exposed to 24-7 artificial light in the office. Let the guessing begin! again!!

Well if they don't shut off light's,
find a box to cover it with before leaving work
I think it should have some darkness too.
bettyboop2948

I just love reading these post in the mystery section. Can't believe no one knows what this is after all this time.

It sure is a beautiful plant!!!

If they are no answers by next weekend I will be attending a plant/garden seminar next weekend and I will print off the pictures to take with me and see what they say.

Ohhhhhhhhh pleaseeeeeeeeeee...
It's been one of our semi~stumpers...
We think it's one or two things,
but then some of it's growing habit's
don't quite fit in...

That would be greatttttttttt!!!