Candle Plant

4.8 out of 5 (4 experiences)

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Also known as

Curio articulatus and Kleinia articulata

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Baculellum articulatum

Genus

Baculellum

Family

Asteraceae

Order

Asterales

How to care for Candle Plant

💦 Water

How often to water your Candle Plant

Candle Plant needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Candle Plant in your home

Candle Plant may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Candle Plant in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Candle Plant

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Candle Plant: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Candle Plant after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Sorry for the delay! Day 4 of One year with my plants. Today I picked an unusual succulent. Curio Articulatus #BeforeAndAfter #NewGrowth #HappyPlants #HoyaAddictHome When I received this cutting (and numerous others on 10th dec 2021) I was really not prepared for so many different plants. I hardly had any soil let alone pots 😂 So this poor thing got pushed into this 👀NO DRAINAGE 👀 plastic pot with a tonne of other plants. (Pic 1) Luckily it was succulent soil but not much else, this was very compacted but surprisingly everything managed to root! 😃 I have circled exactly what it looked like in (pic 2.)Basically it was a green tube…I had no idea what it was, it’s requirements, needs or anything else. All I could tell was it was a succulent, by February (pic 3) it was growing two arms. Then some spectacular leaves! Completely unexpected for me and I still had no idea what it was. After a long search I discovered it was the candle plant (curio articularis) I gave it a terracotta pot and some fresh soil then moved it from a south facing window to a north facing (I’m in Australia so switch it if your in the northern hemisphere) I figured it would appreciate more sun and fast drying soil. After watching the curious curio, I discovered it drops many or most leaves in the summer! Presumably to save water, smart cookie. But they will grow back for the other half of the year which is a cool thing to look forward to in winter! I used to love stroking my plant, but then discovered it creates farina (a white powdered layer that protects the plant from the sun) 😅 if you touch it, it will never return boo 😒 so now I don’t get to stroke it but that’s okay I still love this little guy. You can see the darker colour of his main stalk…this was my touching haha. Recently he has sprouted two new growth points from beneath the soil! I can’t wait to watch him grow over the next few seasons. Pic 4 is him today, one year on and I’m very proud of how far he has come! My best advice is use terracotta, a small pot as they have shallow roots. Lots of light as they’re drought tolerant they’re obviously used to lots of sunlight. I water the same amount all year around, when 100% dry soil. In a 9cm pot this is usually 60ml a week. I’m looking forward to him growing so big I need to take cuttings for the garden 😁 I have a feeling they will grow very well outdoors! (I’m zone 9b/10a) Please feel free to tell any tales of this plant (or any other!) There is also a variegated version of you fancy getting one 💚

💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

Candle Plant prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Candle Plant Water Frequency →

Candle Plant Root Rot →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Candle Plant is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Candle Plant Toxicity to Cats →

Candle Plant Toxicity to Dogs →

Candle Plant Toxicity to Humans →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Candle Plant can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Candle Plant Temperature Tolerance →

🌱 Propagation

Candle Plant can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Candle Plant →

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Care Summary for Candle Plant

Candle Plant

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Fast grower 2

Easy to propagate 2

Blooms easily 2

Survivor 2

Large, lush leaves 1

@@JferLuvsConifers

70 Plants

14,723 XP

Greensboro, NC

08/08/2021

It’s fun to watch all the growth on this easy to care for plant.

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Blooms easily

Candle Plant plant photo by @JferLuvsConifers named Rapunzel on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Risaree1957

66 Plants

4,188 XP

Tualatin, OR

05/10/2021

This plant has unique shaped leaves. They are shaped like an arrow. It has a velvety texture and seems to handle a slightly dry soil. It’s growing quickly

Fast grower

Survivor

Large, lush leaves