Cristia obcordata - cool plant!

I remember reading a thread on some board about this plant some months ago. Now I have a chance to buy one on ebay. Have been fascinated with their cutie pie looks for a long time. However, can I grow it? It would be a houseplant, but can I give it enough humidity with a pebble tray and misting? Its very, very dry here. Anyone grow one, and do you find them difficult? It is very difficult to find much info on them on the web. They are known also as Butterfly Plant. Thanks.

Randi

Oh, I saw a post a few months back on here somewhere about that plant too if I remember correctly. It was a really neat looking plant, but I don't know anything about it. Found this when googling:

http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Christia_obcordata.htm

Apparently they don't have it for sale since there is no price. This place usually has something on the page that states if you don't see a price, it's not for sale. Anyhow, it says it makes a nice house plant just that it needs lots of water ... and of course no direct sun which would scorch it. I love the looks of this plant ... really nice. Good luck with your e-bay bidding if you decide to go for it! Please post a picture if you win the bid.

Lin

edited to say: I found this site: http://www.firmlyplanted.net/detail.php?id=187 that says it can go in a shady location outdoors. It would have to be inside during the winter months.

This message was edited Jul 7, 2007 11:02 PM

Yep, in the meantime I also found both those sites. Doesn't say anything about humidity requirements, is what surprised me. I think the other, old thread on these plants said something about them needing loads of humidity. That would be a big challenge for me. But I sure would like to try. Having one shipped right now is out of the question though, with our 110 degree heat. I can just see it - a box arriving with nothing but a tangled mass of wilted leaves on the bottom! That would be heartbreaking. Sure are charming little things, though!

Randi

Wow! 110 degrees! Yikes, I can't imagine that! We have been having a heatwave here in Florida early this year It was 94 degrees here today and the humidity is soooo bad! Weather man said it would feel like 102 with the heat index and humidity being so high. I guess in your area you have a drier heat and not a lot of humidity like here? The older I get the more I can't take the humidity ... you go outside for 5 minutes and you are needing a shower. I wilt in the humidity like my plants would with no water! I just can't imagine living without air conditioning!

I haven't been able to find much info on this particular plant either ... I wonder how difficult it is to grow? It is so unusual and very pretty, you'd think it would be everywhere! I have never seen one, only a photo. I think as long as it were kept in a shady location and got lots and lots of water it might do okay, but who knows? I found it in Plant Files and there were only 2 comments about it, one negative and one neutral. I'd be curious to know if either of these DG'ers still has a live plant?

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/102084/

Lin... that means we are actually hotter and more humid here in VA than you are in FL. We are at 97 degrees with heat index of 105! Supposed to be that way through most of the week... uugghhh!!!

Pretty plant though... I saw it listed somewhere in the spring and considered buying it, but something else won out on my priority list... LOL!

Karen

Yeah Karen, it is a neat looking plant ... but, I would be concerned about keeping it alive - doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there about it!

Wow! Y'all are having the heat wave too! The weather has sure changed a lot over the past ten years! Every Summer it seems to get hotter and hotter down here! But, even folks out in the mid west have problems with heat too. I spoke with a lady in an antique store yesterday in New Smyrna Beach a city just south of us and her sister lives in North Dakota and told her they are having very hot weather and high humidity up there too! Guess I need to move to Alaska! LOL. The older I get the more the humidity really bothers me. It takes me a couple of hours to do yard work anymore, I have to take a break every 20 minutes or so and come into the airconditioning! I guess I should jump in the pool to cool off, huh? We've had an inground pool for 30 years and I can't remember the last time anyone was in it! Oh, yeah ..... I can .... just remembered after the Hurricane's of 2005 ... we were without electricity for a week! And, boy was it HOT!

So true, dry heat is a LOT different from humid heat. My dh, who is from VA, says it doesn't feel anywhere near as hot as it is here, because its dry. I know I could never tolerate humidity - same thing as you, Plantladylin, the older I get, the harder it is to take the heat. In humidity, I feel like I can't breathe, and I panic. This is the hottest its been here in over five years (it hit a high of 113 the other day). My friend in Bullhead City, AZ has temps of 124 right now. I believe her too, because I used to live there. Its literally like an oven when you step outside! At 2am, I remember it still being 99 degrees there. So I guess it could be worse. . . .

Oh, I am originally from the Coast of Va and it was always hot and very humid there in the summer. I think weather patterns are changing all over - that global warming thing maybe? Today on the news they were showing a city in Montana that had temp's over 100 degrees! I never knew it EVER got that hot in Montana!

I don't know how I would tolerate real dry heat out in the desert southwest though either ... That is where I wouldn't be able to breathe! And, my skin is dry enough as it is ... I have very sensitive, extremely dry skin ... even in the humid climate here in Florida. I can only imagine how it would be out west!

What part of California is Phelan? Is it near the coast?

Phelan is about 100 miles North east of Los Angeles, near Victorville. So not close to the coast - about two hours away. Well, the dry heat is much better in many ways - asthmatics move to the desert because it helps their lungs. But the dry skin thing is so true. I also have very sensitive, very dry skin and the dry heat only makes it worse. Have to apply lots of lotion daily! So there are positives and negatives to everything I guess. But I'll tell you one thing - we never, ever have trouble with mold! In fact, I don't think I've ever seen any in my life! I've lived in S. California for most of my life.

Randi

I've not seen mold either, but I know there's a huge problem after hurricanes when roof's come off ... some homes are unliveable because of the mold and mildew that end up growing on the walls floors and furniture! Yuck! It is not good for the lungs to breathe in stuff like that either! I have heard of homes condemned because of it!

Kim had bought one - never did find out how she did with it....Kim...are you out there??

I tried this plant twice, and NOTHING I did made it happy.
I know it's absolutely adorable (hence I tried it *twice*! LOL!) but.....I don't recommend it.

The second time, I even treated it as though it were simply dormant (which I assumed was it's nature since it was an herb) and it never did return for me.

There wasn't a lot of information available about it when I grew it (about 2 years ago, now) so maybe there's more now?

I have another plant savvy friend in MN who also tried it a time or two and she, too, was not successful with it.

I don't plan on trying this plant .... sure is pretty and very interesting but I could not find any decent information on it.

Nan, I'm here :)
Randi wrote and asked me about my experience with this little gem.
Needless to say, after much coddling and fussing over this baby I was down to 1 stem. It flowered (if you want to call them flowers...not much to speak of really) and then slowly died.
I was almost relieved to see it go as NOTHING I did could make this thing happy.
Now I have a vacant pot and a vacant spot. God is good :)

Kim

That one site Toptropicals says it needs "regular" water .... 3-5 times a week! One thirsty plant!