The wiry, creeping stems make this an attractive plant for a hanging basket, since the stems will trail. It has yellowish green lance-shaped leaves, 2-6in/5-l5cm long, with sharply pointed tips and a slightly undulating, or wavy, surface. Oplismenus hirtellus ‘Variegatus’ has white, green, and rose-red striped leaves. Pinch off the insignificant flowers as soon as they appear.
FACT FILE Oplismenus Hirtellus Gramineae Basket Grass
ORIGIN: Southern USA; West Indies; Mexico; Argentina.
HEIGHT: 3ft/90cm.
POTTING MIX: Soil- or peat-moss-based.
REPOTTING: Move in spring, if plants are kept for a second year.
PROPAGATION: The long runners root spontaneously; detach and pot up the resulting plantlets. Take tip cuttings in spring.
KEEPING PLANTS: As it ages, this plant loses some of its leaves and becomes straggly; cut it back severely or replace it after a year or two.
PLANT CARE Oplismenus Hirtellus Gramineae Basket Grass
- Bright light, but direct sun only in winter.
- Normal room temperature.
- Keep the soil moist at all times.
- The plant will lose its leaves if the soil is allowed to dry out.
- Liquid-feed every 4 weeks in summer; overfeeding is detrimental to the appearance of the plant.