Cissus alata ‘Ellen Danica’

Identity and natural origin of Cissus alata ‘Ellen Danica’

‘Ellen Danica’ is a cultivated grape ivy long sold as Cissus rhombifolia, a name now treated as a synonym of Cissus alata. Its exact horticultural origin is unclear.

Cissus alata occurs naturally from Mexico to Bolivia and Trinidad and grows as a liana in the wet tropical biome. Its tendrils catch neighbouring stems as the ground-rooted vine climbs through surrounding vegetation.

How to grow Cissus alata ‘Ellen Danica’

• Support and light: Put a slim trellis or other support within reach of new tendrils and give the vine bright filtered light. Sparse shoots with long gaps between leaves usually need more light.
• Water: Rewater after the upper layer of substrate dries while the deeper root ball remains lightly moist. Wet the complete pot thoroughly and let it drain fully so the deeper root ball is moistened evenly.
• Root mix and repotting: Use an aerated, moisture-retentive mix. Move to a fresh pot when roots crowd the drainage area, watering becomes unusually frequent or the support can no longer stand securely; keep an attached trellis with the root ball during repotting so established tendrils stay intact.
• Pruning: Trim healthy long shoots to control length and encourage branching. Direct fresh growth onto support before older stems become rigid.
• Warmth and feeding: Maintain steady indoor warmth and keep thin leaves away from cold glass or draughts. Use a light dose of balanced foliage feed while the vine is actively making new stems and roots.

Troubleshooting Cissus alata ‘Ellen Danica’

• Toothed leaves hang limp: Dry mix with firm stems points to dehydration; wet mix with continued wilt suggests damaged or oxygen-starved roots. Check below the surface first, then either rehydrate evenly or remove soft roots and refresh the mix.
• New stems have long bare gaps: Insufficient light can produce stretched growth with wider spacing between leaves. Move the vine gradually into brighter filtered light and judge the response in the next stems. The gaps on existing stem sections will stay the same; prune an overlong shoot above a healthy node if you want to encourage fresh branching.
• Leaf edges turn crisp: Severe dryness, hot direct sun or accumulated salts can damage the toothed margins. If the mix is dry, water thoroughly and shorten the next dry interval; if the exposed side is scorched, move the vine out of hot direct sun; if mineral crust is visible, flush the mix and reduce fertiliser or mineral-heavy water. Trim dead edges after the source of damage is corrected.
• White cotton collects at stem joints: Mealybugs can hide where leaf stalks and tendrils meet the vine. Isolate the plant, wipe away visible colonies and use a labelled treatment as directed. Inspect the trellis and pot rim at each check.
• The vine blackens from the base: Spreading softness indicates stem or root rot. Save firm shoots above the dark boundary as cuttings and discard the decayed base and sour substrate.

Keep Cissus alata ‘Ellen Danica’ away from children and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its effects after chewing or swallowing are unclear, and plant material can still cause an upset stomach.
• Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or do not settle.

What does Cissus alata mean, and who first published it?

Cissus comes from Greek kissos, ivy, a reference to the climbing habit shared by many species in the genus. The Latin epithet alata means winged.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Cissus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 117.

Nicolaus Joseph von Jacquin first described Cissus alata in 1763 in Selectarum Stirpium Americanarum Historia, page 23.