Species: Marcgravia sp. 'Copper'
Common name(s): Shingling Vine, Marcgravia
Native to:
Temperature preferences: Warm growing
Water preferences: Medium moisture
Terrestrial or Epiphytic: Terrestrial
General Information and Care: Marcgravia sp. 'Copper' is another rare species that Glass Box Tropicals offers. This plant has a beautiful dark green to copper appearance and is iridescent. Unfortunately it is very hard to capture the iridescence through pictures. The leaves seem to stay a bit smaller on this species when immature, maxing out around half an inch in our experience with it. This species like several others from Ecuador though will easily start to produce mature foliage which keeps the same coloration.
As with all of the other Marcgravias that Glass Box Tropicals offers, this is considered to be a shingling type of plant. Shingling plants are vines that are prone to climb up towards the light. The leaves, many times, almost appear to form themselves to the surface that they are growing on. This is true whether it is your background or a piece of driftwood. Also, it should be noted that no Marcgravias seem to like water sitting on their leaves for long periods of time.
Marcgravias are found throughout Central and South America, as well as in the Caribbean. In their natural habitat, they are typically found growing up tree trunks in the rainforest. Before flowering, Marcgravias send out lateral branches with mature foliage (mature foliage differs from the typical foliage customers will see in their terrarium and in the pictures provided). It is these lateral branches that the plant will then bloom from.
Glass Box Tropicals Plant Care Rating: 7
Shipped Size: 6-8 leaf tip cutting rooted in sphagnum
