Teddy bear vine succulent requires special care to make them thrive in the changing environmental condition. The plant automatically adjusts itself to meet the demand for food and water. It is an ideal plant category for indoor gardening. They look beautiful in the home when planted in a pot.
What is a Teddy bear vine?
Teddy bear vine is the unique house plant found in the tear-drop-shaped fuzzy chocolate-brown leaves and spreading stems. The texture on the leaves has given the tree its name, the teddy bear vine. The Teddy bear plant is native to South Africa. For some reason, it is also known as the Cyanotis beddomei house plant.
The small size and wide-spreading leaves make the plant ideal for indoor gardening. You can grow the plant in a small hanging basket or containers. Even put the plant on a flat surface, water them regularly, and they will spread horizontally. It is a slow-growing plant, so it will survive for many years without changing its place due to its large size.
How do I identify a Teddy bear vine?
Teddy Bear plant leaves and steam are entirely different then plants you find in nature. The unique structure of the plant makes it easily identifiable. The trailing steams are decorated with unusual tear-drop-shaped fuzzy chocolate brown leaves. Also, the soft texture of the leaves makes them easily distinguishable. Generally, it grows horizontally on a flat surface and is never seen in vertical growth.
| Botanical Name | Ceropegia woodii |
| Common Name | String of hearts, Rosary vine, Chain of hearts, Chinese lantern |
| Plant Type | Succulent, Vine, Evergreen |
| Mature Size | 2-5 cm. tall, 2 – 4 m. widespread |
| Sun Exposure | Partial Sun |
| Soil Type | Well-drained, Fertile |
| Soil pH | Acidic, Neutral |
| Bloom Time | Summer, Fall |
| Flower Color | White to a pale purplish-red |
| Hardiness Zones | 9 – 12, USA |
| Native Area | Southern Africa |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
How do you take care of a Teddy bear vine?
The following guide will help you take care of the Teddy bear vine.
Size
Teddy bear plants are small size pieces that don’t grow vertically. The average size of the plan is 6 to 8 inches. However, they spread horizontally, about 12 to 24 inches.
Growth
The plant is a naturally slow-growing species that takes time to spread and grow its leaves. This makes the ideal plant for an indoor decorative garden.
Light Requirement
The Teddy bear vine requires a bright light spot in the early stage of its growth. The plant can tolerate the direct sunlight coming from the window. However, please do not keep them in the afternoon sunlight where the heat can burn their foliage. Keep the plant near the east-facing windows. Furthermore, the teddy bear vine is an indoor plant that can grow under fluorescent lights.
Temperature and humidity
The plants need a suitable environment, preferably high humidity in the air with average room temperature. You can put the plan in the pot or the flat tray filled with pebbles to keep it humid at room temperature. It is recommended to monitor the temperature around the plant to make them live longer. The 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for the teddy bear vine plant.
They thrive when the temperature around them is suitable for growth. The teddy bear plant can survive in the cold temperature without damaging the stem or the leaves.
Is it cold, hardy?
The teddy bear vine can survive at the minimum temperature of 10 degrees below that the plant’s leaves and steam would start losing their strength and make it difficult to grow.
Zone
The plant grows horizontally, making sufficient space around the plant to allow it widespread without any difficulty.
Watering Requirement
The plant requires a humid environment. Therefore, pebbles are used to keep the water flowing in the plants and keep the roots moist. If it is planted in the soil, then control the soil condition with frequent temperature measurements. You will notice the soil may have dry in the summer. It is advisable to pour sufficient water in a moderated manner to keep the plant growing without trouble.
The Teddy bear vine grows throughout the year without resting; therefore, it needs sufficient food and water to achieve sustainable growth. Keep in mind that the plant originated from the tropical region. They occasionally need dry soil to produce the natural condition around the soil. It helps them to produce the natural color of the leaves.
Soil Requirement Type / pH
The soil condition decides how fast the teddy bear vine would grow. Therefore you should have special attention to the soil condition. Enriched and mildly alkaline to acidic would be perfect for the indoor house plant. Once it is planted in the pot or tray, you do not have to change its place as they grow horizontally. It will not occupy much space. The re-potting time for the average size teddy bear vine plant is about five years.
Flowering and Fragrance
The plant sprouts the flows during the spring, summer, and late summer. Sometimes you will see the flow in the early fall as well. The size of the flowers will be tiny and mostly in the mauve shade. Some plant would have blue-violet color flowers that sometimes looks pinkish purple colored.
Where to Plant
It is recommended to keep the plant in the east-facing window where the sunlight is mild. The harsh UV rays in the afternoon would damage the leaves and make them lose nutrition. If possible, keep the plant under the morning sunlight and move them in the afternoon to avoid the direct sunlight. If you are planting the teddy bear vine in the outdoor garden, then have proper shade for the afternoon and moderate the soil condition regularly.
Fertilizer and time of year
Use the fertilizer to enhance the growth. Summer and spring are the ideal seasons to fee the teddy bear vine plant. Ensure that you have read the instruction on the fertilizer before using it. Not all fertilizers are suitable for the plant. General-purpose house plant fertilizer can work. Put the fertilizer in the moderated condition and do not overdo it. Feed them once in two months in the early growth of the plant.
Dormancy
The teddy bear plants grow throughout the year. There is a stopping once the plant has started growing.
Other plants Pairs Well With
Any house plant can pair with the teddy bear vine as they share the same growing patterns as normal house plants.
It can be toxic to pet
The plant doesn’t have such an acidic reaction in the leaves, which makes them toxic. However, it is advisable to keep the plant away from the animals as some plants developed toxic elements when they find a creature around who will eat them, and their survival will be at risk.
Handling the plant
The plant doesn’t require much grooming or maintenance, so once it is planted no need to touch them. You can do regular maintenance to trim some portions of the plant if you do not want them to grow large.
Common bugs and Illness Issues
The wet soil condition for a prolonged period would make the plant rot. You should control the moisture in the soil and keep the plant at a humid temperature where not much heat or cold is produced. Bugs will attack the plant if it is kept in the wrong location. Mostly, the plant gets attacked by mildew and fungi. It damages the leaf and makes the plant lose the stem.
Special Care tips
The Teddy bear vine is a robust plant that doesn’t require much care. You have to control the temperature and do not use much water. The plant grows throughout the year when the condition is right and spreads its stem quickly with the rapidly growing leaves.
How do you propagate a Teddy bear vine?
The step-by-step guide would help you to learn how to propagate the teddy bear vine.
- The plant is propagated by cutting the tip of the plant. Keep the plant in a dry place for two days to allow them to grow the roots. Cut off the stem, which has about three pairs of leaves. Cut another bottom layer of the plant and put it all together.
- Use the pot to place the plant and regularly mist the soil to grow the root.
- Once the roots have grown. Take the pot and put the pebble in it, and let the roots in the soil to make it grow naturally. Control the soil temperature and water in the predefined schedule.
- In the early stage of the growth, keep the pot under the morning and evening sunlight. Please do not put a pot under the afternoon sunlight as it may heat the leaves and vaporize the nutrition, making it lose the leaves and water.
- In a few weeks, you will see the plant has grown a significant amount of leaves, and it is now wide spreading its steam.
- Use the fertilizer to expedite the growth.
How do you re-pot a Teddy bear vine?
Repotting a teddy bear vine is quite easy. Move the soil or pebble side gently. Hold the steam and remove the entire plant. Use the bowl to clean the bottom of the freshwater room before placing them in the new pot. Move the plant into the new pot and put the clean pebble or soil back into the pot to give it stable ground.
What are the Teddy bear vine plant benefits?
- The plant is a small size plant that doesn’t require much space to grow.
- It is an ideal house plant that grows in natural room conditions.
- Little or no maintenance is needed.
- It grows the tiny flowers in the summer and in the fall, which look beautiful.
FAQ
Is the Teddy bear vine an indoor plant?
Yes. The Teddy bear vine is an indoor or house plant that doesn’t require regular soil to grow. You can use the pebble as soil to give it a base.
Is Teddy bear vine toxic?
No. the Teddy bear vine is not toxic. However, it is advisable to keep the cat and dog away from it. Some plants release toxic ingredients when they find creatures around to protect them from getting eaten.
Does Teddy bear vine need direct sunlight?
Yes. But put the plant under direct sunlight in the morning and evening. Please do not put them in the afternoon as the heat would kill the leaves from vaporizing the water.
Can Teddy bear vine be rooted in water?
No. The access water will make the plant steam rot quickly. The plant will die soon when it is kept in the water. Use the dry and humid soil to help them grow faster.
Should I mist my Teddy bear vine?
Yes. Water is essential for the teddy bear vine. Mist the water regularly and do not overdo it. The access water can damage the plant and steam.
Average price – US$ 24.89
The teddy bear vine cost around US$ 24.89. You can buy the plant from various online stores or look for the nearby plant store to get them.
Final Verdict
The Teddy bear vine is the best house plant to have in your indoor garden. It makes the home look beautiful. As it requires less maintenance, you do not have to keep looking at them and spend much time gardening. Once it is planted, it will grow at its speed, and in a few months, you will have a rampant it with beautiful leaves and steam spreading in the pot. I hope the guide has answered a critical question you had about the Teddy bear vine.
Credit to :Summer Rayne Oakes
