# Air plants!!??



## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

Got a single leaf of this from a friend that went to Hawaii many years ago..Its called "kalanchoe pinnata" aka.."mother of thousands" So lets just call it an air plant...Any way, I've been growing this plant in my frog tanks and greenhouse for years..just take a leaf(s) throw it down like leaf litter..and boom...it will start to grow shoots!!! So my question is, does anybody here use them?? Is there a reason I should not put them in my vivs!!?????


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## JakkBauer (Jul 11, 2011)

Thats awesome send me a leaf!

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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

Lets see what we can do...


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

More input!!!!????


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

> Is there a reason I should not put them in my vivs!!?????


Yes...because I don't have it  ...thats an awesome plant

although i've gotta ask, why did you call it an air plant?????


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

boabab95 said:


> Yes...because I don't have it  ...thats an awesome plant
> 
> although i've gotta ask, why did you call it an air plant?????


Two reasons....#1...It's an easy name to give it...#2..when you Google it its one of the names called out...


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## tortoisekeeper (Jul 12, 2011)

How long have you had it in your viv? In a pot or in the ground they multiply by the 1000's very fast.


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

boabab95 said:


> Yes...because I don't have it  ...thats an awesome plant
> 
> although i've gotta ask, why did you call it an air plant?????





tortoisekeeper said:


> How long have you had it in your viv? In a pot or in the ground they multiply by the 1000's very fast.


I've had them in my vivs for years...you can grow them just about anywhere...


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

and how may I get my hands on a leaf? =P


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## spoggy (Aug 10, 2011)

From what I can tell, the size at which this thing is mature enough to flower is around 30", with a maximum height of 4'-6'. It's an invasive species in Hawaii and everywhere else outside it's native range. It contains an alkyloid toxin similar to milkweed. It is toxic to grazing animals and is said to have anti-bacterial and insecticidal properties.

That being said, it sounds like a really cool houseplant, and would love to finagle a leaf out of you


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

For what It's worth ...they don't leach or release any type of sap...the adult plants that I keep in the greenhouse do get tall....but I just keep them topped...the ones in the tanks I do the same...


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

kickedinthevader said:


> and how may I get my hands on a leaf? =P





spoggy said:


> That being said, it sounds like a really cool houseplant, and would love to finagle a leaf out of you


P.m. me!!!!!!!!!


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## vintage_fish (May 28, 2010)

Hey, that's way too awesome. Any chance I could get a leaf?

I'd gladly trade if you want a cutting of Selaginella (provided I can learn how to propogate it first - I currently know nothing about it), or a bit of narrow leaf Microsorium pteropus (not in the best shape though) or a little handful of Amazon frogbit or Riccia. The Microsorium's been grown submerged, the frogbit and Riccia floating.


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

vintage_fish said:


> Hey, that's way too awesome. Any chance I could get a leaf?
> Shoot me a p.m.!!!


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## mrfrogdude (Jun 26, 2011)

Any pics of it in one of your vivs?

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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

Check out the first post in this thread...


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## trevtron2 (Aug 27, 2011)

How fast does this plant grow?


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

The leafs will start to sprout in about a week or two...I'll call the growth rate moderate...and I top the plants in the vivs once a month (give or take)...


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Hey everyone! I just wanted to post on here, Erik was nice enough to throw me a few leaves and I got them in the mail two days ago... Threw them into my viv.... and check this out! 








It has only taken TWO days for these leaves to already start to grow roots! These things are fantastic!


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## AeroWRX (Jul 9, 2011)

kickedinthevader said:


> Hey everyone! I just wanted to post on here, Erik was nice enough to throw me a few leaves and I got them in the mail two days ago... Threw them into my viv.... and check this out!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So weird! How does it propagate when the roots grow out of the leaves like that?


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

It grows a new stalk on the top of the leaf...check-out the the pics in the first post in this thread!!!!


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## frogbelly (Aug 12, 2011)

when I was in Hawaii we would pik the leaves and safety pin them to the curtains (why I dont know ) and in a couple of weeks they were growing new shoots. I guess thats why they are called air plants ,they will grow without planting. The leafs nutrients are used buy the new shoots growing out of the sides.

Barry


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

Got an ad for these in the "Plants + supplies" classifieds if anybody is interested in getting some for themselfs....


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## cyck22 (Sep 8, 2011)

I was given one of these plants as a house plant and have kept it outside the past few months (summertime in CT). Already it has grown tremendously. It’s been under watered, overwatered, and everything in between. It propagates by forming many (“thousands”) of little buds on each leaf then when each bud grows to about the size of a grain of rice, the buds fall off and as pictured above, begin growing roots in no time flat. I don’t have a lot of experience with this plant but a mere summer with one in a very “un-tropical” climate tells me that I would not recommend using this plant in a tropical vivarium. My guess is that it will spread like wildfire. I think the viv would become a tangled mess of awkward, oversized plants. 
By itself, definitely a cool plant though…


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

I appreciate your opinion..But In my experience with these plants is they are quite manageable in a vivarium...Yes they have to be trimmed..but I feel that their upkeep is no more than a pothos or climbing vine.


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## JakkBauer (Jul 11, 2011)

Hey everyone! Erik was nice enough to send me a few leaves last month and, well, just look!

Here they are beginning to grow roots just a few days after I received them.


















Annd here they are a few weeks later sprouting right up! AWESOME!


























Thanks again Erik! Sorry it took me so long to post these pics!


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Here is a shot of my guys. Love them! 










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## Brian317 (Feb 11, 2011)

That is amazing how it roots from the leaves. I must have some ! 


Especially for my hawaiian auratus viv, make it feel like home for them


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## trdlabs (Sep 23, 2011)

Got my leaves today! I can't wait to watch them grow new plants.


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## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

trdlabs said:


> Got my leaves today! I can't wait to watch them grow new plants.


Anything happening with-um yet???!!


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