Identification: Please help me id my houseplant!

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by mindy, Jul 13, 2006.

  1. mindy

    mindy Member

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    Location:
    Christchurch, New Zealand
    Hi sorry I don't have any good photos of it. The following two photos show the plant though. They were taken about 4 months ago, it's much bigger now, and more elongated. You can see it in the front of the desk by the computer.

    http://static.flickr.com/38/106218397_66cdf54824.jpg
    http://static.flickr.com/36/106218396_706d7def66.jpg

    It has a central stem/stalk with leaves coming out at 1cm interval, they are long with a pointy tip and a mid green colour on top and a purple colour on the underside. The leaves are about 17cm long and at their wide point about 4cm. The leaves have straight edges. The stem is light green with strains of purple or light pink. And the stem is about 30cm.

    The reason I desperately want to id it is so I can start looking after it properly! It grew really fast when I first got it then one morning I came into work (it's in my office) and it had keeled over! I first thought it was trying to get towards the window for sun, so I put it in a much sunnier spot, but it bent even more! Now it is back in it's original spot and the top seems to be growing towards the light again, so unfortunately it's grown in an S shape.

    I would really appreciate any ideas about what this could be.

    Mindy :)
     
  2. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Siloam Springs, AR, USA
    Can't tell much from the photo even after blowing it up in PhotoShop. One thing comes to mind. If this is a tropical it may well be suffering from inadequate light and possibly water. Lots of folks think rainforest plants will grow well in low light. That is rarely true with the exception of just a few plants. In our rainforest atrium the majority of our rainforest plants get fairly bright, yet diffused light. Try moving it closer to the windows and water it more frequently. Don't let it get soaked. If you can get a better closeup photo I'm sure someone will be able to tell you what you have.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Well, we now know what your office looks like anyway.
     
  4. Chester

    Chester Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Victoria
    It kind of looks like and sounds like a rubber plant. Ficus elastica.
     

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