Family: Araceae
Common name: Climbing aroid
Climbing aroids are unique, beautiful shrubs that climb on walls, rocky areas, hillsides, or trees with their stems clinging to the wall using roots that grow from the stem nodes. These plants grown in a beautiful shingle pattern just like Rhaphidophora hayi or Shingle plants.
This plant has over 100 species spread throughout the world, especially in tropical countries. They plants can grow to a height of over 15 meters when climbing on tall trees or surfaces that let them climb easily.
The leaves are roughly lance-shaped, dark green, and leathery with a pointed tip. The leaves are alternate, about 3-7 cm long. The leaf bases are very interesting about 1-2 cm long and winged with two flaps on either sides.
While Climbing aroid plants can produce flowers, they are relatively inconspicuous and not a primary attraction of the plant. The spadix and spathe are small, less than 1 cm long. They also produce small berries that are 1-2 cm long, and bright red in color when they ripen.
Though these plants are relatively sturdy and low-maintenance, they are not usually grown as house plants since they need appropriate structures to stick their roots on.
Climbing aroid plants prefer to grow in bright sunlight, but they can also grow in filtered sunlight when they grow on tall trees. These plants need occasional watering only during summer months, and are reasonably drought-tolerant with their thick and leathery leaves.
Climbing aroid plants will grow well in humid environment near water bodies, or artificially constructed rocky structures. They are very easy to maintain, and require almost no attention once the plants are established in the soil. Climbing aroids like to grow in single long threads of stems with very little branching. It does not help to prune the plant to create more branches.
These plants have some medicinal uses in the treatment of cuts, wounds, sprains, bone fractures, blisters, swelling, and diarrhea in traditional herbal medicine.
Propagation can be very easily done by cutting small pieces of stem and replanting them. Ensure that there is a rough surface for the plant to grow on, once it takes root.
