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There are many plants sought for their beautiful foliage and ability to climb. Gardeners and plant lovers can make them grow along with their house entrances and adorn their gardens with such plant species.
Many climbing plants from the Araceae family are known for these characteristics. These include genus Anthurium and genus Scindapsus, although the latter has rare gems.
The species Scindapsus treubii comes in two varieties, Scindapsus Moonlight and Scindapsus Treubii Black/Dark.
Among so many plants to choose from, every gardener would love to have a dark, beautiful plant in their house, i.e., Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form. We’ll take you through why this plant is worth having.
What is a Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form?
Scindapsus treubii’ Dark Form’ is a beautiful dark green-leafed climbing vine with dense, sturdy, lance-shaped leaves.
The leaves almost appear black; the reason the plant is called a dark form.
The dark appearance is due to the high amount of chlorophyll the leaves have. The dark leaves complement any color scheme.
Native to Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland, Scindapsus is a genus of flowering plants in the Araceae family. They are climbing vines with relatively thick and glossy leaves and short internodal space.
Being a vine, the plant prefers support or a rod to climb on. The leaves grow and expand to the fullest when allowed to trail. It also does well in a hanging basket but requires regular pruning to keep it bushy.
The plant is known to be an air purifier. This rare plant is generally easy to care for and is adapted to quite a range of light conditions.
How Fast does Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form Grow?
Both varieties of Scindapsus are relatively slow-growing, but a Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form can grow relatively fast.
This feature makes the plant desirable for consumers, and indoor gardeners as the slow-growing property make it low maintenance.
The height of this plant depends upon the growing conditions. They achieve around 6 to 8 feet length in good conditions and adequate support.
Their beautiful unique leaves can also grow quite large, ranging between 4 to 20 inches.
How do you Care for Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form?
Scindapsus Treubii dark form is a relatively easy plant to care for. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can still keep this plant happy.
It isn’t fussy about care and is classified as a low-maintenance plant. You have to keep in mind the following few parameters if you desire its optimal growth:
Soil
Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form is not too picky about its soil. It can grow in a regular houseplant mix. It grows better if there is perlite addition as it helps in the aeration of the soil.
Other mixes that work fairly well are fast-drained soils. A well-drained soil prevents waterlogging and root rot. The plant also survives well in peat moss since they have a trailing nature.
Light
Scindapsus treubii enjoys bright indirect light. They also live fairly well indirect light, but the growth is slower and are more likely to fade in color if you shift them to a darker area.
Direct intense sunlight may dry up and even burn the beautiful leaves.
If your plant is struggling due to light, trying using this to help regulate the lighting.
Water
The amount of water that your plant needs is easy to read by checking the dryness of the soil. As it grows well in drained soil, you should allow the soil to dry completely before watering your Scindapus Treubii Dark Form again.
Its succulent leaves indicate that it does have the ability to tolerate neglect in the case of watering. Forgetting to water your plant one day wouldn’t stress it.
However, if completely forgotten about and in extreme cases of underwatering, their leaves start to curl, which stresses the necessary growth of the plant.
The excessive dryness also causes the roots to dry up and dry back.
You can use distilled water or water from rain to nourish your plant. Using tap water could lead to mineral deposits on their beautiful leaves due to the hardy nature of tap water.
Understandably, the plant needs more watering in the summer season. Remember to keep the soil moist, not soggy.
If you need help watering your plant, try using this automatic drip irrigation kit.
Temperature
The plant’s ideal growing temperatures are between 65 to 75˚F. Though native to the tropics, they can tolerate a certain level of cold as well but do not let the temperature drop below 55˚F.
They cannot tolerate extremes like frost. Avoid placing the plant near an air-conditioning vent.
Humidity
Scindapsus treubii prefers high humidity around an average of 40% to 60%. It is nice to humidify the plant by misting or using a humidifier to maintain the average humidity.
Bear in mind not to use tap water for misting the leaves.
The tap water causes white spots to develop on the leaves due to mineral deposition. Brown crispy leaf edges indicate low humidity.
Growth
Scindapsus Treubii Dark is a climbing vine plant and shows better growth when allowed to trail on some support. Moss sticks prove helpful in making them develop aerial roots and grow better leaves.
Fertilizer
It is advised to fertilize your plant twice a week using an organic fertilizer high in nitrogen during the summer and periods of active growth.
Use organic fertilizer to prevent salt build-up and root burning. You can also use a liquid fertilizer. Fertilizer would keep your plant green, lustrous, and lush.
Pot requirement
Select a pot with a drainage hole as the plant likes well aerated and drained soil. Use support for climbing forms. They do not require frequent repotting.
Repot if roots start growing through the drainage holes. Repot to a new pot of a bigger size and more nutrients if the plant doubles in size from the initial size. It doubles in size in almost a year.
Pruning
Prune your plant as required to trim the excess growth. Avoid pruning in the dormant winter months as it may stop or retard growth too much.
Spring and summer are the most suitable seasons to prune your Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form.
Pest care
Scindapsus is a hardy plant, super resistant to pests. On rare occasions, if it does get pest, use insecticide to kill the pests. Neem oil spray can be used to prevent pest infestation.
If you are enjoying this article, check out our article on the Pothos vs the Scindapsus.
Is Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form Rare?
Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form is a rare evergreen houseplant. Although it is native to regions like Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland, it is not found easily in local nurseries.
It is now becoming popular among home gardeners. The best way to get this plant is to search online.
How to Propagate a Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form?
There are two ways to propagate a Scindapsus Treubii, either in soil or in water.
Propagation in Water
Take a clean, sharp knife and cut a leaf just below the node for propagation in water, leaving almost 4 inches of stem.
Place the cutting in a glass or jar of water. Renew the water each week to replenish the oxygen.
Your plant’s roots would appear in a few weeks, and you can then transfer them to soil and grow them like you normally would any plant.
Propagation in Perlite
For this propagation mode, take a clean, sharp knife to cut off a leaf just below its node. Take a container filled with perlite and moisten it.
Place the cutting into the container and water regularly. The cutting will produce roots in a few weeks. Transfer into a pot with soil.
For propagation in soil, use a mix with perlite because it helps stimulate root growth, improves aeration and drainage, assists the air-moisture balance, and ensures better root development.
Spray water onto the soil, letting the upper layer dry out between consecutive watering. Avoid over-watering at the growing stage.
How Much Does a Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form Cost?
The cost of this rare plant depends on its availability in any nursery. Mostly you’ll not get it in your local nursery that easily.
It is costly due to its rarity but not too much since it is not too popular yet. Finding it online is easier, and you’ll get it from 60 to 100 dollars, depending on the seller’s location. The moonlight variety is relatively cheaper.
Final Thoughts
The Scindapsus Treubii Dark Form is a rare houseplant with stunning foliage. These plants are low-maintenance and easy to take care of, making them an excellent choice for beginners.
The basic care includes placing the plant in bright indirect light, adequate humidity, and appropriate watering. The plant also requires organic support to enhance its growth into its proper adult form.
Bear in mind that these plants are known to be toxic, deeming the need to place the plant in an area where your kids or pets can’t nibble or play with it.
Due to its beauty and rising popularity, we recommend you get one for your indoors!
Before you go, here are some more related articles I encourage you to read below to help solve more of your gardening issues:
How to Fix Your Kalanchoe Diseases
How to Fix your Schefflera Plant Problems
About the Author:
Saad Ansar
Saad is an avid gardener himself and is a great lover of plants, animals, photography, & people. Currently, he is focused on photographing indoor plants & captioning beautiful outdoor sceneries. He writes and rewrites in-depth articles on nature and science.
