What are these spiky things on my plant?

June 4, 2017 7:37 AM

Something that looks like spiky hairs are growing out of my indoor plant. (link to pic inside) For the last year or so I've wondered what it was and thought maybe it was a weird feature of whatever this plant is. I wasn't too bothered until I noticed it also erupting on the spinach I'm growing in containers outside. What is this?? Should I be worried about my spinach?

Here's the plant. I don't actually know what this plant it is. I bought it during the Christmas season two years ago, when it had little red flowers on it. The instructions said to throw it away after it flowered but I never got around to it, and now it looks like this.

And for the record, this plant has never been near my spinach plants and it's NOT growing on the other indoor plants.

posted by Eumachia L F to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Best answer: The ones in the picture look like aerial roots to me. They allow the plant to absorb a certain amount of water from the air. They can provide support in climbing plants, and are a way for the plant to self-propagate - a leaf or stem can fall off, and the detached part will root, forming a clone of the original plant.

I've never seen aerial roots on spinach though.
posted by pipeski at 7:48 AM on June 4, 2017

Best answer: Those are roots! I usually add more soil when I see roots.

Maybe with that plant, I'd cut the branch off just below the roots (if there's room to do that without hurting the other brach) and put it in another pot.
posted by aniola at 8:01 AM on June 4, 2017 [1 favorite]

P.S. I think you're supposed to change out the soil in houseplant pots every once in a blue moon and/or fertilize.

Speaking of moons, if you're a person who has a menstrual cycle, you can make fertilizer for houseplants monthly. I'm sure there's instructions online, but basically just dilute, dilute ok!
posted by aniola at 8:08 AM on June 4, 2017 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I think that your plant is a kalanchoe and I agree that these are aerial roots.
posted by Too-Ticky at 8:10 AM on June 4, 2017

if you're a person who has a menstrual cycle, you can make fertilizer for houseplants monthly. I'm sure there's instructions online, but basically just dilute, dilute ok!

If you're a person who has kidneys, likewise.
posted by flabdablet at 7:05 AM on June 5, 2017