When properly cared for, Cynanchum marnierianum aka "Bundle of Sticks" is a low-maintenance plant. The kind of plant where people aren't entirely sure if it's alive, because it does in fact look like a bunch of thin scraggy twigs for a good part of the year!
Basic care instructions
Cynanchum marnierianum is a close relative of stapeliads, also classified in the Asclepiadoideae subfamily but in the Asclepiadeae tribe alongside milkweeds (whereas stapeliads belong to the tribe Ceropegieae).
As such, their care is mighty similar to stapeliads and other milkweeds:
- Soil: well-draining soil. Use perlite, pumice, or other similar elements liberally. The golden rule is that the soil should not stay wet for more than three days after watering.
- Pot size: compact to the plant/root size; shallow roots! Cynanchum marnierianum is hardy a can stay in the same pot and soil for quite a few years, but it is recommended to refresh the soil after three or so years if the plant begins to struggle.
- Light: filtered sun or bright indirect light, may need supplementation from a grow light indoors. More sun brings out stress coloration.
- Water: occasional deep watering. Allow to dry between waterings; keep dry over winter.
- Overwintering: hardy to 40-50°F, may tolerate light freezes if soil is kept dry.
- Fertilizing: once established, fertilize 1x per month during the growing season (spring-summer) using a balanced or high-potassium fertilizer at half strength.
- Propagation: easiest from cuttings. See below.
- Maladies: succumbing to root rot and mealybugs most common.
(see the full Stapeliad care guide)
Specific details
Planting
This one is probably obvious, but you're going to want to set up this bad boy with a hanging pot. You can use a regular pot, but plan ahead to give it a tall ledge to hang down from. In nature these plants sprawl dozens of meters down cliff-sides. Once established, you'll be surprised how fast your plant runs out of room vertically.
Lighting
Cynanchum marnierianum prefers bright light protected from full sun such as under a tree, so hooking a hanging pot to a high branch is a great option in warmer climates. The plant is accustomed to high-sun environments, and may need full sun in more northern climes. Similarly indoors, it will respond well to a bright window or grow light compared to a dim corner.
In more light-protected environments like a shaded greenhouse, the stems appear fairly green. With more sun, the plant takes on stress coloration more in the brown-purple-green range.
Water
I find the water needs of this plant are fairly low compared to a lot of stapeliads, almost more on par with a cactus. It will need water more frequently when getting established and in the growing season (spring-summer when you see fresh green growth), but otherwise is hardy to long spells without water.
Inspections
Once your plant is mature, I recommend occasional inspections for broken strands. It's always good to have an "inspection" routine for your plants anyway to catch an illnesses or pests early! Specifically, Bundle of Sticks can be brittle so this will help you catch strands cut off from the main plant before they die back.
Scarring is common with Cynanchum marnierianum, but keep an eye out for cases where it encircles the strand or the stem looks thin, dry, and pinched. The stem has died there, and the section below it is no longer receiving water or nutrients! It may already look dry and shriveled.
This scarring is more likely to occur if your plant is outdoors and subject to storm conditions. Brittle strands can drop off the plant when jostled. Scarring also more commonly occurs right where the strand drapes over the edge of the pot, likely due to the weight of the strand hanging below (these get pretty hefty!)—think about choosing a pot design that will relieve this stress point.
There is an easy fix; Cynanchum marnierianum will easily root from cuttings. Simply snap where the stem is dry and dead, then follow the instructions below.
Propagation
WARNING sap can be irritating!
Propagation of Cynanchum marnierianum is easiest from from cuttings, seeds lose viability quickly and are not as practical. Cuttings can take several weeks to root, but have a high rate of success.
Stems will try to root wherever nodes make contact with soil; roaming strands are known to try to root into surrounding pots or the ground if given the chance. You can trim back stems and create new cuttings.
A single strand can grow several yards in length, but the plant takes longer to branch out and grow additional strands so as not to look stringy. Trim longer pieces and plant them back into the same pot for a fuller effect.
Procedure
The best time to take cuttings from your plant is the Spring, or whenever the plant is damaged. The best time to root cuttings is the spring thru summer; growth slows over the winter dormancy period.
- Trim. Honestly the plant doesn't seem too picky about "where," but stems break more easily at nodes so I take my cue from that.
- Treat. This plant is pretty tenacious and cuttings will usually root without this step! If you have the supplies available, dip the fresh-cut stem in rooting hormone (which will encourage rooting) and horticultural sulfur (which reduces the risk of root rot).
- Dry. It is always good practice to let succulent cuttings dry a few days before planting to avoid rot.
- Plant. Use a very lightly moist well-draining soil like you used for the parent plant. Simply poke the end of the strand upright into the soil, and allow it to lay across the soil surface. The weight of a hanging strand can pull cuttings out of the soil; trim long cuttings into multiple or allow the stem to rest on a shelf until rooted. Alternatively, use a small loop stake to hold it in place.
- Water (DON'T!). The general rule with succulents is DO NOT WATER cuttings until you see new growth or signs of the plant shriveling. The cutting won't have roots at first, so watering just ups the risk of root rot. With Bundle of Sticks it can understandably be a bit hard to tell if it is growing or shriveling! I start giving cuttings a deep watering about a week after planting, and allow soil to dry fully between waterings.
The vast majority of my cuttings take using this procedure. Soon you will notice fresh green growth at the end of strands.