Grapes and Ivy

Cissus rhombifolia Grape and Oak Leaf Ivy       Cissus ivy has been a favorite houseplant of indoor gardeners for decades.  Unfortunately, it's not always easy to find at your local nursery since only a few American growers are still producing it.  But, Cissus is well worth a search and adding to your collection of interesting indoor plants and elegant hanging baskets.    A short history of Cissus varieties, production, and use in the U.S.   I've grown several varieties of Cissus since 1975 when Rhapis Gardens was established as a producer of low-light houseplants.  The first and most common type was Cissus rhombifolia known as grape ivy since the foliage resembles grape leaves and it climbs with the aid of tendrils.  This sub-tropical variety has medium-sized elongated leaves, and thin stems which allow it to trail more than climb.  'Ellen Danica', a sport with leaves resembling an oak leaf, was the next variety to enter the market. Interiorscapers and plant enthusiasts discovered that these attractive plants did quite well in low light, and commercial growers from Florida to California added it to their production schedules.  At one time, the huge Anatole Hotel in Dallas had 12, 000 6 pots of Cissus decorating its massive ...