This is one 'hot' plant at one time, but there are people who still love them (me included). It is a fascinating plant and so easy to care for. However one negative point, it is highly poisonous (if ingested) and recently people started throwing it out. There were rumors going around that it released poisonous gas as well. I don't understand why people are so gullible. Put it this way, if you have been growing this plant (s) in your home or garden for years and nothing has happened, why react so negatively? Before this, it was supposed to be a good 'feng shui' plant. At one time people were selling this plant for a very good price. Grow this plant in a nice oriental pot and it looks pretty exotic.
As for me the merits of this plant includes:-
1) The thick fleshy leaves are so shinny and naturally green forever. When the new leaves come out, they are curled up, slowly unfurled as they appear.It is a nice plant to look at.
2) This plant is easy to propagate. Just stick a cutting or even a leaf in some soil and a baby plant appears. The baby plant has small hardy bulb like root at its base. Very cute and unusual.
3) Watering can be infrequent. In fact it can stand drought for a long time, and still do well. The base of the stem is swollen, indicating it is a succulent plant. The ball like rhizome is like a potato tuber that stores water for its needs.
4) Not much fertilizer is needed to make the plant grow....it will grow at its own pace, very slowly.
5) Direct sunlight (when it is a real hot day) might burn the leaves, so place the plant under indirect sunlight is better. The plant also do well indoors. However, prolonged periods without sunlight might turn the leaves light green instead of the dark healthy glossy green. So a touch of sunlight is good for the plant now and then. Just take the plant to sun it once a while.
6) The plant is pest free - what a bonus!
7) Any soil medium that allows good drainage is good for the plant.
8) This plant is also called the 'eternal' plant, it will only die from too much water. If one notices yellow leaves on the plant, it normally means the root has start to rot from too much water. Just pull that particular stem out to avoid the spread of the rot. Check first that the rot has not spread to other stems. Keep the plant dry for a week or so. The plant recovers fast. New shoots will come out once the plant is healthy again.
This plant has so many merits there is no reason how anyone can fail to grow this plant successful. One last note, this plant does flower but the flowers are not attractive at all. I am not sure why it bothers to flower since propagation is so easy through using the leaves or cutting. I am not sure if there are seeds from the flowers. Will check this out next time my plant flowers.....lol!
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