Dischidia nummularia (String of Nickels)

Scientific Name

Dischidia nummularia R.Br.

Common Name(s)

Button Orchid, String of Nickels

Synonym(s)

Dischidia glaucescens, Dischidia pubicaulis, Leptostemma truncatum

Scientific Classification

Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Genus: Dischidia

Description

Dischidia nummularia is a creeping plant with slender, twining stems and round, dull greenish-yellow leaves. The leaves are opposite, thick and fleshy, orbicular, and can reach up to 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter. They are attached to the stem by a very short petiole. The young leaves occasionally have a powdery bloom.

The white to yellowish flowers appear in umbels of 1 to 5, typically in the spring. They are followed by lance-shaped follicles that split open at one side when mature.

Origin

The native range of this species is from southern China to Tropical Asia and northeastern Australia, including India, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Malaysia. It is an epiphyte frequently seen on the trunks of trees, forming dense masses.

Dischidia nummularia (String of Nickels) — *Photo via garden.org*

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 45 °F (+7.2 °C).

How to Grow and Care

Allow the soil to dry out before you water the plant. They are used to getting moisture only from dew and the air and cannot tolerate boggy media. When the bark medium is dry to the touch, submerge the container in water until air bubbles are gone.

Dischidia also needs high humidity. Mist the plant daily or place the container on a saucer filled with pebbles and water. The water will evaporate and moisten the air, while the pebbles will hold the sensitive roots out of the water.

Dischidia doesn't need fertilizer, but you should change the planting media yearly. If you wish, apply a diluted half-liquid plant food when you water from spring to fall.

See more at How to Grow and Care for Dischidia.

Photo Gallery

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