Stephanie erecta

Stephanie erecta Overview

Originally from Thailand, where it is used for herbal medicine, Stephania erecta 'Craib' makes an unusual indoor plant. It likes bright, indirect sunlight but will probably be happy in partial shade. In summer, when it's in full leaf, it needs regular watering but only occasionally in winter, when the leaves have dropped off. This houseplant will not survive freezing temperatures. The name Stephania comes from the Greek for "crown", because its anthers are arranged in a crown-like shape. Unusually, the leaves are arranged spirally on the stem and are peltate (shaped like a shield), with the leaf petiole (stalk) attached near the centre of the leaf. It's a herbaceous, tuberous, perennial, climbing plant that produces twining stems measuring up to 8m long. Its tuberous rootstocks can be up to 30cm wide.