Shingle Plant (Rhaphidophora cryptantha)

A unique and fascinating climber native to southeast Asia, Shingle Plant plasters its 2” leaves against any vertical surface that it’s climbing on. The velvet green leaves with silver veining sit closely on the stem and often overlap a bit. The plant, in its juvenile form, is a thin stemmed vine with small leaves that are hardly noticeable. At this stage, it’s running horizontally along the soil surface. Once it reaches a vertical structure and starts to climb, the leaves increase in size and the internodes shorten up. That’s when its full beauty is clearly seen. Tolerant of low light but liking warm temperatures, it’s a good plant for homes with a bright growing space. If the vining stem reaches the top of the climbing structure and grows off into the air, it reverts back to its juvenile form so it’s important to provide a tall structure for climbing. This rare plant is sold in its mature form growing in a long pot with the leaves climbing on a 12” stake. This rare species looks very similar to Monstera dubia.