# Tapeworm plant? ID the cutting



## lestat (Feb 25, 2007)

I was at the nursery today, and they had a plant in one of their display gardens I really liked. I asked what it was, and if they had any for sale. One lady thought it was "ribbon fern". Googling that comes up with a pretty cool plant, but not quite the right one. Another lady thought it was "tapeworm fern". Google gets pretty close with "tapeworm plant" though. I'm pretty sure it's _Homalocladium platycladum_. Can anyone confirm that for me? 

Also, anyone have experience with cuttings? The nursery had none for sale, so one of the ladies gave me a piece. It's big enough that I'm thinking about splitting it into two and trying one with rooting hormone and the other without. Some input would be helpful.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

We have Homalocladium platycladum at the greenhouse, and at first glance it looks identical. I've propagated it a few times, using rooting hormone and straight perilite as a substrate. About 2/3 of the clippings eventually rooted. I have not tried this species in a vivarium before, but think it would probably do alright. Note, our specimen plant is about four feet across and six feet tall, and rather bushy due to pruning, but it tends to have a rambling growth habit.


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## lestat (Feb 25, 2007)

Thanks! That sounds just like the plant this cutting was taken from. I wasn't planning on using it in a viv. It just looks cool.  I have a bad habit of coming home with plants like that when I go looking for viv plants.


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## Kevin1234 (Oct 12, 2008)

tapeworm plant for sure. Roots very easy as well. I would think that it would do fine in a viv. Very unusual and cool plant overall.

Kevin


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