Genus
Elatostema See All Search Site
Species
(not known)
Trade Names
sp China
Taxon Family
Urticaceae
Origin of Taxon
China
Growth Habit
Clumping, Lithophyte, Pendent, Pendant
Images
  • Elatostema sp. China on a hanging mount

    Elatostema sp. China on a hanging mount

  • Elatostema sp. China, stem in hand for scale and detail

    Elatostema sp. China, stem in hand for scale and detail

  • Elatostema sp. China on a hanging mount in a grow tent

    Elatostema sp. China on a hanging mount in a grow tent

  • Elatostema sp China blooms

    Elatostema sp China blooms

  • Elatostema sp China blooms

    Elatostema sp China blooms

  • Elatostema hanging mount with Hygrolon wrapped around EpiWeb

    Elatostema hanging mount

  • Elatostema substrate mix photo

    Elatostema substrate mix

An attractive, unusual plant, with pendent growth form.

It is native to China and surrounding countries, where it grows as a lithophyte in rock crevices.

It has alternately aligned, partially overlapping leaves, which are partly serrate to crenate near the pointed edges.

The stems are covered in imbricate sheaths, almost perpendicular to each leaf petiole.

A friend tried keying this out for an ID, and believes this may be a form of Elatostema salvinioides.

Culture

In nature, this species grows in a pendent fashion from vertical rock surfaces and crevices, so it is best grown mounted in a similar way.

My current substrate for this species is:

  • Perlite
  • Peat moss
  • Seachem flourite
  • Fine orchid bark (Pinus radiata)
  • Crushed lava rock
  • Coarse lime grit – to raise/balance the pH and emulate the limestone cliffs it naturally lives on
  • Dried red clay – tiny chunks – very small quantity
  • Shredded sphagnum moss – very small quantity

See image gallery on this page for a close up photo of the mix.

Whatever substrate is used should be well drained.

I have mounted this plant on a panel of EpiWeb, with a section of Hygrolon that wraps around the plant, substrate, and EpiWeb to create a “pouch” which contains everything. I used fishing line to secure all of this in place. See the image gallery on this page for a close up photo of this mount. For more info, see my tutorial about how to create a hanging mount and how to attach a plant on a hanging mount.

The roots should be kept moist. Avoid water sitting on the foliage for too long.

High humidity is desirable, but provide good air movement to help dry the foliage and mimic the airy environment of a cliff face.
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