Family: Asclepiadaceae

This large genus of succulents is found throughout much of the tropics, including the Canary Islands, tropical Africa, Madagascar, tropical Asia, New Guinea and northern Australia. Most are climbing plants, though there are a few shrublets, often with thickened roots. The leaves are generally opposite, and mostly deciduous, but some species have heart-shaped, linear or elliptical leaves. The flowers come in shades of purple, green or brown. All have a long tube, usually swollen at the base, and some have a stalk arising from the base of a leaf.

Species

Not all these are available.

C. dichotoma, from the Canary Islands, is an upright-growing species, with thick, green-gray stems forming wide clumps up to 1 m (3 ft). Sparse, narrow leaves occur only on the new stems. The very slender, pale yellow flowers are borne in clusters, the expanded lobes uniting at the tips and separating as the flower dies. This species must be kept quite dry in winter.

C. haygarthii, native to southern Africa, has stout, twining sterns and very fleshy, veined, opposite leaves in pairs. The flower has a swollen base above which the purple-spotted tube curves sharply, gradually expanding to a funnel shape, with the five lobes bending over to form a five-part purple cover.

C. sandersonii, parachute plant, from Mozambique, is another vigorous species, with pairs of heart-shaped leaves on twining stems and distinctive flowers which look like mottled green parachutes.

C. linearis subsp. woodii, chain of hearts, from Zimbabwe and Cape Province, has many heart-shaped, silver and purple leaves and small, purple flowers. The thin, twining stems grow out of a tuberous caudex, and these tubers also form at the nodes of the stems.

Cultivation

In frost-prone climates, these plants are grown in a warm greenhouse or conservatory, or as house plants. Grow in pots (or hanging baskets for trailing species) of well-drained cactus compost. Provide maximum light but shade from direct sun. Water regularly in the growing season but keep dry in winter. Propagate from seed in spring or stem cuttings in summer.

Climate

Zone 10.