Featured Plant of the Week (Dischidia Pectinoides Ant Plants)

Amazing Ant Plants
Dischidia Pectinoides

Commonly called ant plants, these climbers are famous for their balloon-like leaves and small red flowers. They get their name from the fact that they are myrmecophytes, which means they have a symbiotic relationship with ants. The small balloon leaves serve as useful shelters that ants can colonize and store food in, for which the plant receives abundant carbon dioxide and nutrients in return.

Dischidia pectinoides are native to the Philippines and prefer a warm place with bright indirect light. They root into the bark of trees, so orchid bark makes a suitable medium for repotting. Care must be taken to avoid over-watering since too much moisture will kill the plant. Just soak the bark to water them, allowing the medium to dry out before doing so again. In fact, misting the plant once or twice a week should be plenty to care for it.

As it matures dischidia will make new growth quickly, climbing onto anything it can wrap its vines around. The plant blooms year round creating tiny red, pink, and purple blooms.