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Could I get some more info on 'White Candles' plant?

wendync
10 years ago

The species name for it is "Whitfieldia elongata". I got one of these off eBay, but I can't find a lot of info on it other than it "flowers really well in low light".

Any one have one of these? Any tips? Watering/lighting/fertiziling? Thanks.

It seems to be a pretty neat plant.

Comments (11)

  • pirate_girl
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Did you ask the vendor who sold it to you for care info? (Seems kind of obvious to me, but I don't buy plants on EBay.)

    Try doing a search on the Internet, I found plenty of info, when I did a search.

    Also, it seems best to research the plant BEFORE you buy, not after, since you can't do anything after the fact if the plant needs conditions one can't provide.

  • wendync
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, I've bought a lot of plants off ebay, Amazon and online. It's the only way I have of getting rare stuff and there are plenty of reputable sellers on there. I've never had a problem.

    Any way, I wanted to know if anyone had personal experience with the plant. Thanks.

  • mrlike2u
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My my please let me know if this makes scene:

    If you cant ask a question about plant care here then whats is garden webb for anyways ?

    Answer: to give and receive responses directing someone where not to buy them.

    You have a semi tropical/tropical plant that most folks never even heard of on GW. It seems to do well in low light conditions and regular watering.

    Your plats faith may lay in a generic response of water it once and wait If it gets a bit leggy then you've over watered it if not then wait to water until it's growth comes to a standstill .... How long ? I dunn know My thought is cultivate it as you would a Brunfelsia with lower lighting conditions Air and heat will also have a slight factor in it's growing and watering needs

    Adding to the Ebay mayhem I'll add this:
    How in the heck did I acquire some of the plants I got with out Ebay ?
    Response: I should have waited for GW member approval to give me permission.
    Sarcastically speaking..... yeah right imagine me meeting someone's approval for me to do something that's well in my rights to do.

  • christine1950
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    mrlike2u, looks to me like you are having a bad day, and since when cant we give our opinion, its remarks like yours that turn people away from this forum.. To much nit picking goes on here.
    We are here to learn & give advice, NOT criticize what others have to say. You need to grow up and learn how to respect others comments.

    P.S. you need to learn how to spell by the way LOL !!!!

  • greenchic
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    popcorn anyone? lol, cuz it seems the show must go on....

    ...okay back to lurking...

  • christine1950
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I never should have made my comments, I tried to delete my post but I cant.

  • rachels_haven
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    *Random pregnant lady amused...and wants to steal/share your popcorn* I'm siding with mrlike2u. If someone asks a question, they're asking for a specific answer, and it's a good idea to give one, or don't at least don't get knickers in a twist. (*yawn-it's late*) It's part of keeping a friendly fourm where people feel comfortable asking questions. Give advice if you'd like, but always err on the side of super politeness/harmlessness because you never know who's feeling down-you might hurt them more than you intended...also you don't want to come across as uppity. In the end we all really know nothing in comparison to it all. There's just too much out there to learn.

    To Wendync, you might want to start with a little stronger inside light for this plant, then supervise for any mellowing of color or drooping of leaves that would indicate burnout or too much light because inside "shade" is different than outside "shade". It looks like it might be an outside tropical plant that you can possibly grow inside, if you watch it carefully. Think of this as an opportunity to practice your plant whispering skills, and move it if it starts complaining about too much sun.

    If you type "Whitfieldia elongata" into google or some other search engine you can go to the encyclopedia type page other garden sites have on it. One lady who reviewed the plant grew it as a house plant in a west facing window and loves it. She also mentioned cutting it back, probably when it was out of bloom, to encourage more fullness.

    As far as feeding goes, I'd go easy, but still do it every few weeks or so, especially when growth is steady. It seems to be able to get pretty big (4-8 feet?) , and feeding plants tends to make them take off, so you'll have to get a feel for it. As previously mentioned, pruning will be a great idea, and it should promote a more compact, full plant. Keep them house temperature warm...

    As for watering, I'd say, keep it in a well drained mix (maybe a little extra perlite in some normal potting soil), water, then watch the plant for the first subtle signs it needs more-a slight color change or a slight reduction in the turgidness of the leaves and don't rot or fry the roots while you're getting to know it. The key here is careful watching until you get a feel for this plant. It's definitely gorgeous.

    I think that's all I can tell you based on the info I've found. Basically just watch and experiment, like mrlike2u said. If people can grow mini roses inside, you can definitely grow this little guy inside too, and it should be easier because roses are sun/food/water hogs as well as pest magnets (that I happen to love growing inside because they're so cute). Oh, and if, by chance, you have any trouble getting it to rebloom, recheck the lighting.

    Sorry I can't give you more than this. I wish I had personal experience like you're asking for, but all I can really do is tell you to trust your instincts and wish you the best...

    ...just like everyone else here who knows "nothing" but has a love for plants and a will to keep them alive.
    -R

  • trini1trini
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi,
    I grow this plant outside with minimum care but I'm in zone 10. When I purchased it (years ago), the key thing I was told is to grow in shade. It flowers about 10 months for me and I cut back once a year to avoid legginess. I can't help much with pot culture info but I don't think u'll have a lot of problems with it.

  • garyfla_gw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi
    Like trini1 i grow mine outdoors in fairly dense shade. It almost constanly flowers in very low light levels so think it would be a good houseplant for that reason alone??
    gary

  • flora_uk
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    There's good info at the link. Key words are shady, warm, humid. That last one is sometimes hard to achieve in a house, easier in a greenhouse.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Whitefieldia elongata