How to Care for Dischidia - Expert Tips for Thriving Plants

Dischidia is the sister genus of Hoya, so if you are a fan of the Hoya family, you will love this beauty. The only difference is that we rarely hear about the Dischidia family. How sad! This genus is an incredible one. This beauty is tropical, native to China, India and Indo-China. A fun thing about this plant is that it grows on other plants: it's an epiphyte!

Dischida plants come in all kinds of varieties. The most popular is the String of Nickels (Dischidia Nummularia) which has beautiful round leaves, the Million Hearts Plant (Dischidia Ruscifolia) and Dragon Jade (Dischidia Pectinoides), which have unique thick leaves that resemble dragon skin. How cool is that? All of them are easy to care for, making them a great choice for both beginners and experienced plant parents.

Did you know that they can develop a symbiotic relationship with insects? Dischidia can grow modified leaves to either provide housing or storage. For example, three species develop bullate leaves, which are hollow root-filled structures. Over time, these leaves curl up at the edges and create little openings.

Other species grow imbricate leaves and are called “Shingle Plants” due to the appearance of shingles on a roof created by the leaves that tend to overlap the surface. Such a magician, right? Did we tickle your curiosity? Then continue to read to find out more about the Dischidia genus.

Dischidia Care: 10 expert tips for growing it successfully

1. Find a spot with indirect bright light. Dischidia plants thrive in lots of natural light. A spot near a window is perfect!
2. Avoid too intensive direct sunlight. This can burn its beautiful leaves. You can use curtains to shade those intense sun rays.
3. It’s best to water when the soil ball has slightly dried out. Always check the soil before watering it again. Poke your finger into the soil or use a water meter.
4. Avoid overwatering. Your Dischidia delicate roots are sensitive to overwatering, and root rot is easy to come.
5. Less is more - they will forgive you if you forget to water them. However, they will not forgive you if you water them too much.
6. Use potting mix created for epiphytic houseplants. Just like at home, their roots require good air circulation. As a result, it grows healthy.
7. Trim back leggy or uneven growth to maintain a compact and attractive shape. It also helps to promote new growth!
8. They appreciate regular fertilisation. Do it once a month during the growing season in spring and summer.
9. Some Dischidia species are vining plants. Provide a trellis or support for them to climb and enhance their natural growth habit or let them hang beautifully.
10. Monitor regularly. Common houseplant pests like spider mites or mealybugs can cause some trouble. Inspect the leaves regularly and take prompt action if you see anything sucpicious.

Dischidia care tips

Light requirements

Dischidia lives in tropical underforests and is used to get filtered sunlight through the canopy of trees. So, find a spot with lots of natural light. Your Dischidia can even stand some direct sunlight for a few hours, but you must ensure she is well-watered in such conditions. As the midday sun is the most intense and harshest, morning and evening sun would be best.

Dischidia plants can also handle medium shade quite well, although they might have smaller leaves and slower growth in such conditions. However, it's important to note that if a Dischidia plant is kept in a location that is consistently too dark for a long time, it may face difficulties thriving and could appear weak or leggy over time.

Watering

Water your Dischidia with care, it's not a very thirsty plant. Your green friend has a somewhat delicate root system that is prone to root rot. Overwatering can lead to problems very quickly. It’s best to water it when the whole soil ball has slightly dried out. You can poke your finger into the soil or use a water meter to determine soil moisture.

Expert tip! Dischida has thick, succulent-like leaves that allow them to store some water. That's why they forgive you if you forget to water them. Only for a while, though!

Fertilisation

Your beloved Dischidia does not like to be starved. It will be pleased if you feed it with our organic PLNTS liquid fertiliser once a month during spring and summer. During the winter, it will not be necessary as its time to concentrate on fighting the short and darker days.

Temperature & humidity

Dischidia lives in the tropical underforest and is used to humid and well-ventilated locations. Just keep temperature around 18-26°C and humidity around 50-80%, and your Dischidia will be one happy plant. If you struggle with dry air (especially during winter months), read how to raise humidity for your plants.

Expert tip! It is best to keep this delicate lady away from windy places, as it can dry out very quickly there.

Repotting & Soil

Typically, Dichidia plants don't need to be repotted very often, just when the roots start growing out of the drainage holes. As an epiphytic plant, she will enjoy an airy and porous potting mix to mimic their natural habitat, where they often grow on tree trunks. For best results, we recommend using the PLNTS Epiphytes potting mix kit, which provides all the necessary for the best growth and health.

Dischidia propagation

Dischidia plants are really easy to propagate, and we know you love creating little babies from your plants! The way of propagating Dischidia is via stem cuttings or leaf cuttings. Take a healthy stem and cut it into smaller pieces, apply some rooting powder and place the cutting in sphagnum moss or an airy potting mix. Your new plant can be treated the same way as your mother once it has been established!

If you want to experiment with leaf cuttings, cut leaves carefully with little stems attached to them. Carefully place the little stem and lower part of the leaf into sphagnum moss or airy potting mix. Keep them humid and warm, and avoid direct sunlight. It will eventually start growing new plantlets from the base of the leaf.

Most common pests on Dischidia

The most common pests that can affect your Dischidia are red spider mites and mealybugs. Walking around your house and taking a close look at your beloved green friend can prevent these types of pests. You can even use a magnifying glass to check because these annoying bugs are too small.

Moreover, you can find evidence that your plant is suffering from spider mites. Are the symptoms of your plant more visible in the looks of your plant, like yellow or brown leaves? Do you spot little webs on your plant? If your answer is yes, you don’t need to search for more: it is surely a spider mite that you are dealing with. Check our PLNTSdoctor page to recognise and eliminate your plant pests!

Is Dischidia poisonous for your pets or children?

Unfortunately, Dischidia plants are toxic, and you should prevent your cats and dogs or children from eating them. Sometimes, your 4 legged friends are attracted to the cute foliage, but you should prevent them from having access to your green cutie.

Buy your new Dischidia online at PLNTS.com

At PLNTS.com you have the possibility of seeing the whole process of your beautiful Dischidia Dragon growing from a baby to a beautiful and mature plant. Isn’t it super exciting to see that?! If you have an interest in this process, you can take a look at our Dischidia Ovata or Dischidia Nummularia Here at PLNTS.com, we fulfil all your plant dreams - buy Dischidia online at PLNTS.com