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Cissus Amazonica: The Complete Care, Propagation, and Problem Guide

November 16, 2023

Cissus amazonica is a creeping vine of the Vitaceae family from the mysterious jungles of the Amazon rainforests. It is so easy to care for and propagate that you will not believe it.

Read an expert guide on how to grow the best Cissus amazonica plant all by yourself.

What Is Cissus Amazonica?

Cissus amazonica is a creeping vine that can easily be kept as a houseplant. It is a tiny vine with plenty of foliage. The most unique aspect is, of course, the Cissus amazonica leaves. These leaves are green on the top and burgundy on the bottom.

Cissus Amazonica Care

The caretaking for the Cissus amazonica plant by giving only indirect light, regular deep watering, high temperature as well as high humidity levels. Find out the detailed care guide in the upcoming sections.

Water Requirements

The Cissus amazonica plant needs a constant, moderately moist soil all through spring till fall. Always give plenty of water.

Watering Schedule for Cissus Amazonica

The Cissus amazonica plant needs moist soil at all times to grow properly. As soon as the top two inches of the soil become completely dry, you must water your plant right then and there.

In moderate regions, this plant needs to be watered every seven to nine days. In very hot and dry areas, you will need to water it more often.

You can carry on watering at the same schedule during spring, summer, and even fall time. However, decrease the frequency of watering in the winters because the plant becomes susceptible to root rot.

– Watering the Cissus Amazonica

The Cissus amazonica plant loves and thrives on deep watering. This is when you give a large volume of water to it each time.
Always water the soil and not the plant. Keep watering at a steady pace until you see excess water coming out of the drainage hole at the bottom.
Collect this excess water in a pan. Dry this pan as well. If your pot stays on top of this water-filled pan for a long time, it will develop fungal infections eventually.

Light Requirements

The Cissus amazonica plant grows well under dappled or indirect light. Read all about its light needs here.

– Growing The Plant Indoors

Indoors, you must place the amazonica plant in a room with plenty of light. This light can be indirect, natural light, or artificial fluorescent light. Find out the best placement of this plant in the room according to the type of windows that you have in the coming section.

– Southern-Facing Windows

Keep this plant at a minimum distance of three feet from the southern window. This is because a southern-facing window receives quite intense sunlight throughout the day, especially during mid-afternoon. There is a lot of risk of your plant getting sunburnt from this window.

– Eastern-Facing and Western-facing Windows

Both these windows receive moderately bright light only for a couple of hours during the day. This light is mild enough to be tolerated by the Cissus amazonica plant. You can keep this plant near these windows safely.

– Cissus Growing Outside

Outside in the garden, provide a proper shade to your plant. Furthermore, keep them under a larger tree to recreate the overhead canopy it faces in its natural habitat.

Soil Requirements

This moisture-loving plant needs soil that both retains moisture and also gets rid of excess water by draining quickly. The latter is the reason why the soil for Cissus amazonica should have a balanced amount of water-retaining elements like peat or sphagnum moss as well as draining elements such as perlite or sand.

Mulch is another ingredient you can add to the surface of your soil to improve its moisture retention without contributing to waterlogging. You can use bark pieces, newspaper, and grass clippings as effective mulching materials.

Temperature Requirements

Common indoor temperatures of 53 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit are perfect for this plant. In fact, it can tolerate temperatures as high as 85 degrees. Frost during winter and sudden drops in temperatures are not well tolerated and will lead to severe growth retardation.

Here is how you can protect the Cissus amazonica plant from temperature shocks.

Move the plant indoors as soon as the outside temperatures start falling below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night time.
Indoors, don’t keep the windows open at night time. The cold drafts of air are not healthy for this plant.
Keep away from air conditioning units as well.

Humidity Requirements

More than 70 percent humidity is needed in order for this vine to thrive. Given below are a few tips you can employ to increase humidity levels around this plant.

Move the plant to a more humid location within the house. A kitchen or a bathroom might just be the right place for it. Place the pot on top of a water-filled pebble tray. Just make sure that the pot is not in contact with water.

Misting regularly is another good option. We always mist our plant in the morning as this allows plenty of time for the water to evaporate till night.

If you still feel like the air in your house is not moist enough, then investing in a humidifier is your best option.

Fertilizer Needs

This plant doesn’t really need to be fertilized every so often. During the growth period, fertilize every two months. And then stop fertilizing during fall and winter.

Fertilize using a moderate fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 20 20 20 or 10 10 10. Always wet the roots of the plant first before applying the fertilizer. This will save your plant from developing burns.

You can also add organic fertilizer to the soil. These include compost, ground coffee, blood meals, etc.

– Repotting

Cissus amazonica growth rate is medium level. But as a creeper, it likes its roots to be bound within the pot. So you will need to repot this plant every year during the spring season. Use only a slightly larger bowl i.e one with a diameter of more than two inches from the previous one.

Propagation

Propagate Cissus amazonica using three to four inches long stem cuttings and then propagate it in either water or soil as a medium.

Find out the step-by-step guide below.

– How To Take Stem Cuttings for Propagation?

Choose the healthiest stem for taking a cutting, this way will automatically increase your chances of getting a successful propagation by tenfold. The second most important step is to take clean, disinfected gardening tools, hence it will prevent your cutting and the parent plant from catching infections.

The cutting should be approximately three to four inches long and should have about four to five lead nodes in it. Remove half the leaves from their nodes and leave the remaining half leaves still attached.

The next step is to allow the cutting to dry and form calluses on both ends for a couple of days. Then apply rooting hormones at both their ends before inserting them into the propagating medium.

– Propagating In Water

Propagating stem cutting in water is a smart move because you can see the progress of the baby plant with your own eyes.
Take a clean and transparent jar and fill it halfway with clean water. The jar should be transparent so that light can easily be accessible to your cuttings.
Now place this cutting in an upright position within the jar using something like a moss stick for support. The part of the cutting with leaves should be above the line of water whereas the empty leaf nodes should be under the water.
Change the water in the jar with fresh water every third to the fourth day.
In a couple of weeks, tiny new baby roots will begin to emerge from the underwater leaf nodes. When they grow about an inch and a half long, you can take the stem out and repot it in the soil.

– Propagating In Soil

Repotting in the soil is quite straightforward, additionally, take a new pot and fill it with the appropriate potting mix.
Make a small hole in the center of the soil, gently place your stem cutting in this hole. The leaves on the cutting should be above the surface of the soil whereas the empty nodes should be buried within the soil.
Make sure this pot is kept in a bright, warm, and humid place for the first couple of weeks after propagation. In addition, you can also place a plastic wrap over it to further improve its humidity.

Problems

The problems with this plant include brown edges and spots on the leaves due to underwatering, pest attacks by spider mites and mealybugs, and potential toxicity on accidental ingestion.

– Leaves Having Brown Spots and Edges

The leaves of your plant will develop dry, brown spots and edges either when it is being underwatered or when the surrounding air is too dry for them.

It is best to keep a hygrometer with you so that you can check the humidity levels of your plant at all times. Similarly, keep a constant check on the soil as well. Never let it dry more than two inches from the top.

– Pests

Mealybugs and spider mites are the insects to be on the lookout for when it comes to Cissus amazonica. Find out how to identify which insect is the problem and how to deal with it in the coming sections.

– Mealybugs

Mealybugs are cotton-candy-like tiny pests that you will find lurking under the leaves of your Cissus amazonica plant. They also leave a tell-tale sticky substance over the surface of the affected leaves called honeydew. Honeydew traps in fungal molds and contributes to the development of superadded fungal infections.

– How To Get Rid of Mealybugs

Wash the plant with soap and water to get rid of as many mealybugs as possible.
Use a Q-tip to apply a couple of drops of neem oil to these bugs. This highly viscous oil will suffocate these bugs and kill them.
Mix vinegar with water to create an insecticidal spray that you can apply daily on the affected plant.

– Spider Mites

Spider mites are sap-sucking insects that will take all the important nutrients from your plant. A plant infested with spider mites will exhibit yellowing of leaves, rapid exfoliation, and web-like lines forming on the undersides of the affected leaves.

– How To Get Rid of Spider Mites

Physically remove as many spider mites from the plant as possible. You can do this either by washing the plant or using a soft bristle brush to scrub them off. Neem oil is just as effective against spider mites as it is against mealybugs.

If the infestation is pretty severe, then you can also go for a strong insecticidal spray.

– Toxicity

All parts of this unique plant are toxic for both animal and human consumption. Keep this plant away from the reach of little kids and overly curious pets. Eating leaves and stems of the Cissus amazonica plant will lead to the development of severe stomach aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea.

FAQ

What is the best soil for Cissus Amazonica?

The best soil for Cissus Amazonica is one that is well-draining and rich in organic matter, such as a mix of potting soil, peat moss, and perlite. It also benefits from regular fertilization.

Does Cissus Amazonica like high humidity?

Cissus Amazonica prefers moderate humidity levels around 50-60%. It can tolerate some fluctuations in humidity but too much or too little can harm the plant. It’s important to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.

Is Cissus Amazonica pet friendly?

Cissus Amazonica is not toxic to pets, according to the ASPCA, but it’s still recommended to keep it out of reach of cats and dogs who may chew on the leaves and cause gastrointestinal upset or irritation.

Conclusion

Find out a concise summary of this guide below.

The Cissus amazonica plant is a creeping vine from the Amazon. It grows well under dappled, indirect light. Deepwater this plant every seven to nine days. Don’t allow the soil to become dry more than two inches from the top.
The soil for this plant should be well-draining and yet able to retain moisture well. Also, add a layer of mulch to the surface of the soil.
This plant is sensitive to moisture levels in the air. Maintain humidity at more than 70 percent.
The Cissus amazonica plant is propagated through healthy stem cuttings. Choose water or soil as the propagating medium as per your convenience.
It needs moderate temperatures in the range of 55 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. However, as high as 85 degrees Fahrenheit is also well tolerated.