Surely someone knows what this plant is.
Mystery Plant
When I was at Mom’s in April, she had this big pencil looking plant growing in a pot on her porch. I asked her what it was and she said they just call it the “Pouba plant” because her friend Pouba gave her a cutting.
Mom whacked off four little pieces and gave them to me. I stuck them in the floor of my car and got busy. After being home about a week, I got them out and planted them, thinking they probably wouldn’t make it but they’re doing good. They’ve bloomed and almost tripled in size from when I planted them. They have more shoots coming up from the dirt.
I have no idea what the real name of it might be. It has a pencil like stalk, makes these green/white leaves but also makes lots of pinkish red small flowers. I’d love to know what they are so I can figure out how cold tolerant they are. I’ve googled everything I can think of and am not finding anything that looks exactly like it.
Any ideas? Thanks!
Karen S. says
I call it a corn plant. I have it as a houseplant. And, no, it doesn’t have ears of corn. LOL!
Judy Laquidara says
I’m familiar with a corn plant and it isn’t that. It’s some kind of succulent I believe.
Vireya says
It is really hard to tell what it is from that picture. Have you got any pictures of the flowers? A clear picture of the flower would help a lot with identification.
Robin says
It looks like a redbird plant to me. http://www.nativeenhancements.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=448
JudyL says
Redbird cactus is another name for it. Thank you! I would have never figured it out.
Becky says
I have an even bigger one that my mother (now deceased) gave me. She called it the “devil’s backbone.” I never questioned because I thought the name was appropriate! I look forward to reading what other’s say.
JudyL says
Yay! That’s it. Thank you so much!
Kathie L says
It might be a weigela. I have a Pink Spash one with variegated leaves like yours and a pretty pink flower in the spring.
Ann Douglas says
The leaves look like Bishops Weed, a low growing ground cover good for shady areas it was on the north side of a house where we lived 20 some years ago and would come back after a -30 degree winter in South Dakota
JudyL says
That isn’t it. Now that I know what this one is (Devil’s Backbone), I read that it only grows in zones 9 – 11 and those are areas that rarely get a freeze. I’ll have to bring it into the greenhouse here as we’re zone 8a.
Dorothy Matheson says
I have had it for years and yes it is a Red Bird plant. I keep mine in pots and put it in greenhouse in winter. However I have never had it bloom. The leaves turn reddish on the tips if they are in the sun. Very tolerant plant but you are correct it does freeze. And the sap of the plant does stain your clothing.