Overview
Myrmecodia echinata is a columnar upright houseplants in the genus Myrmecodia, part of the Rubiaceae family, with evergreen foliage. Myrmecodia echinata grows best in full sun and partial shade, and tolerates loam soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H1a. Suggested uses include houseplants and conservatory and greenhouse.
About
Myrmecodia echinata is a cultivar of the Myrmecodia genus, a group of epiphytic plants native to tropical forests where they grow on canopy branches. This cultivar features a columnar upright habit with thick, succulent, tuberous stems and dense, shiny evergreen leaves. Known as 'ant-plants' for their symbiotic relationship with ants, they thrive in full sun or partial shade and prefer a sheltered position with moist but well-drained loam soil of any pH. Suitable for cultivation as houseplants or in conservatories and greenhouses, they are best planted at the appropriate depth and propagated from seed sown as soon as ripe.
About the genus
Myrmecodia is a genus of epiphytic plants, present in Indochina, Malesia, Papuasia, and Queensland, Australia. It is one of five ant-plant genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being Anthorrhiza, Hydnophytum, Myrmephytum, and Squamellaria.
Wikipedia contributors, "Myrmecodia", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Myrmecodia
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Myrmecodia
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1a
Plant details
Myrmecodia echinata size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- Houseplants
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Suggested uses
- Houseplants, Conservatory and greenhouse
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Myrmecodia echinata
- Propagation
- Seed sown as soon as ripe
- Pest resistance
- Scale insects, mealybugs, red spider mite
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Myrmecodia echinata?
Myrmecodia echinata prefers full sun and partial shade. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Myrmecodia echinata need?
Myrmecodia echinata grows best in loam soil. It is happy in soil of any pH. Aim for soil that stays moist but well-drained.
Is Myrmecodia echinata hardy in the UK?
Myrmecodia echinata has an RHS hardiness rating of H1a, meaning it needs tropical warmth above 15°C and must be grown under glass in the UK.
How do I propagate Myrmecodia echinata?
Seed sown as soon as ripe.
From the Fenn Plants journal
- Notes on DaffodilsWhen to plant daffodil bulbs in the UK, how deep, how to naturalise them in grass, why daffodils stop flowering (“blindness”), and why you should never mix cut daffodils with other flowers.
- Keeping Your NerveHow to garden through a heatwave — the best time to water, why deep soaks beat daily sprinkles, caring for pots and vulnerable plants, and why you can let the lawn go brown.
- Made to LastHow to clean, store and protect garden pots and planters — the frost-proof vs frost-resistant difference, winter care for terracotta and ceramic, and how to reuse a broken pot.