Maternity Plant! Not Pregnancy Plant!

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by stormy, Jul 13, 2008.

  1. stormy

    stormy Member

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Montana USA
    Pregnancy Plant??

    Has anyone heard of a "Pregnancy Plant"? I received a plant as a gift and was told this is what it is. However, I have found no information on the web about it. Can anyone help me? Thanking you in advance!
     
  2. stormy

    stormy Member

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Montana USA
    With a little more research I have discovered this plant is a Maternity Plant... I can see the confusion (?)

    How do I care for it? It is such a cool plant I want to treat it right. Any info on this plant is greatly appreciated!
     
  3. GreenLarry

    GreenLarry Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    321
    Likes Received:
    84
    Location:
    Darlington, England
    Err i know of a Pregnant Onion, Ornithogalum.
     
  4. Raakel

    Raakel Active Member

    Messages:
    157
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    North Vancouver
    I think that you are referring to Kalanchoe...so moving this to the indoor plant forum.
     
  5. Bluewing

    Bluewing Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,626
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Upstate NY
    There is a plant called Kalanchoe digremontiana "Maternity Plant".
     
  6. GreenLarry

    GreenLarry Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    321
    Likes Received:
    84
    Location:
    Darlington, England
    Ah yes also known as Mother of Thousands,used to have one. Now named Bryophyllum diagremontianum
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2008
  7. stormy

    stormy Member

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Montana USA
    Thank you for the info. What is the proper care for this plant? It is very unusual and I'd like to keep it healthy.
     
  8. GreenLarry

    GreenLarry Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    321
    Likes Received:
    84
    Location:
    Darlington, England
    Well,its a succulent so dead easy. Mind would live happily on benign neglect. Lots of sun,occasional water. You might get flowers to later,now they're impressive!
     
  9. stormy

    stormy Member

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Montana USA
    Thank you GreenLarry!! I can forget to water with the best of 'em!

    So little water - neglect if I can... got it! What about sun?
     
  10. Rhynno

    Rhynno Active Member

    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton, AB
    Dear god this plant lives up to it's other name "Devil's Backbone". It was always a pest to me, even indoors. I know that lots of people love them and I have to admit that I kind of do too until it starts to spread into the soil of my other plants. It can live just about anywhere. Even if you try to kill this one I wouldn't count it down and out lol :). It's fun but after a few years..... hahah.

    Don't let me put you off! Enjoy!

    Ryan
     
  11. GreenLarry

    GreenLarry Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    321
    Likes Received:
    84
    Location:
    Darlington, England
    Yes they do spread everywhere! They produce tiny plants on each leaf which drop off and root. A nightmare in the greenhouse! And yes,plenty of sun for this one.
     
  12. Cereusly Steve

    Cereusly Steve Active Member

    Messages:
    610
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    MD, USA
    Common names have very little meaning.

    A wide vatiety of plants that are proliferous or produce adventitious plantlets have been called "maternity" or "pregnant" plants by someone or another.

    To which one do you allude?
     
  13. stormy

    stormy Member

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Montana USA
    Thank you everyone for your info on this plant... altho mixed... I am keeping it!
     
  14. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Spellcheck for web searches: Kalanchoe daigremontiana, syn. Bryophyllum daigremontianum.
     
  15. GreenLarry

    GreenLarry Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    321
    Likes Received:
    84
    Location:
    Darlington, England
    Yea unless I'm mistaken all the Kalanchoes which produce little plantlets are now under Bryophyllum.
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2008
  16. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Depends on which botanist you follow, some accept the genus split, others don't.
     
  17. jojobug

    jojobug Member

    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    saline, MI
    I was given one of these by my mother in law (does she love me or hate me??) I have had the thing for about 3 years, and I have not been able to kill it (Remarkable!!).
    We moved in to a new house and left the plant (by mistake, I swear!) it was there for about 3 months, before I went to get it and bring it to the new house... Never watered... It was a little wilted, and had sprouted some roots that were reaching for the sky, but was alive!!

    I have never had it flower though.... Maybe too much neglect??

    I actually just split up the little seedling plants into pots of their own... And gave most of them away....

    This one is kind of like that Amish friendship bread... Sometimes doesn't turn out just right, but you get MULTIPLE chances to try again!!!
     

    Attached Files:

  18. Cereusly Steve

    Cereusly Steve Active Member

    Messages:
    610
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    MD, USA
    That's definitely Bryophyllum daigremontianum (formerly Kalanchoe daigremontiana).

    Give it plenty of light and water only once a week. Don't pamper it.

    What separates Bryophyllum from Kalanchoe is primarily differences in the flowers. Most but not all Bryophyllum species are viviparous (producing plantlets on the leaves or on the flower stems) and only one or two species remaining in Kalanchoe are viviparous.

    Raymond Hamet lumped Bryophyllum with Kalanchoe back in 1912 and the decision has been controversial ever since. DNA studies have been no help. The result are equivocal with the two being sibling groups.
     
  19. jm14e45

    jm14e45 Member

    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    eindhoven, holland
    hi i have 3 lovely healthy pregnant plants that i recieved from my Japanese daughter inlaw, they didnt take much looking after apart from constant repotting a lot of watering & plenty of all round light & of course a warm enviroment. i would put a picture on here but dont have a digital camera @ the moment. but i havnt seen one through the winter yet so still have plenty to learn.
     
  20. jm14e45

    jm14e45 Member

    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    eindhoven, holland
    oh forgot to say i took off the plant the 100s of plantlets that it produced
     

Share This Page