Tendrils come in all shapes and sizes, from leaf-free curly ones, to long weeping ones covered in leaves. They have many uses in the plant world; for example, detecting nutrients in the air, attracting insects or as a way of attaching to a host plant.
When identifying your tendril plant, remember these top tips:
- Get a closer look at the shape and style of the tendrils
- Make note of any distinctive features your plant has that seem unusual or unique
- Do your plants have only a few tendrils, or are there too many to count?
Some of the common tendril plants in the UK are:
- Ceropegia woodii – Often called ‘hearts entangled’ because of its heart-shaped leaves, this plant only needs feeding once a month and prefers non-direct sunlight.
- Nepenthes – Also known as the pitcher plant, this tropical plant feeds off insects that fall into its ‘pitcher’ shaped flower heads.
- Cucumber – The tendrils of this vegetable plant are used to help the plant anchor itself to larger structures in order to grow better.