Foliage Plants

Foliage Plants

Araucaria Heterophyllla

Common Name: Norfolk island pine

Description: This is a straight tree with symmetrical branches and needle like foliage. The tree grows very slow, but eventually reaches a height of ten feet.

Temperature: 60 degrees.

Light: Bright light

Water: Allow the top of the soil to dry out between thorough watering/drenching.

Humidity: Low level.

Pinching and Pruning: None needed.

Fertilizer: Once a year.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Very difficult, although one can try using leader cuttings.

Pests and Diseases: Stem or Root Rot

Caladium

Common Name: Caladium

Description: Caladium are famous for their extraordinary colourful leaves. One to two feet in size, the leaves can be green, red, yellow or pink.

Temperature: 75 degrees.

Humidity: High level.

Pinching and Pruning: Trim off faded leaves and cut off any dead foliage regularly.

Fertilizer: Fertilize every two weeks during growth period.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Seeds, tubers. For tubers, remove them from the container when the plant dries out and place them in peat moss in a cool location until summer. approaches. Then divide the tubers and place in small pots in a warm, moist area.

Chlorophytum

Common Name: Spider plant

Description: Features long, thin green and white leaves. “Baby” plants spring up from the ends of the mother plant’s stems.

Temperature: 65 to 75 degrees.

Light: Bright light

Water: Keep soil evenly moist at all times.

Humidity: Normal level.

Pinching and Pruning: Rotate plant regularly.

Fertilizer: Every two weeks.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Division, plantlets. For plantlets, simply cut them off and root in water or peat moss.

Pests and Diseases: Scale, Salt Damage.

Coleus

Common Name: Flame nettle, painted leaf plant.

Description: Velvety leaves with many different colors mark this popular plant. The leaves are often scalloped, and the small blue or white flowers sometimes form at the end of summer.

Temperature: 70 degrees

Light: Bright light

Water: Keep soil evenly moist throughout the year.

Humidity: High level.

Pinching and Pruning: Pinch off flowers and growing tips regularly to prevent leggy growth.

Fertilizer: Fertilize every two weeks.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Stem cuttings, seeds.

Pests and Diseases: Mealybugs, White Flies.

Dieffenbachia

Common Name: Dumb cane.

Description: A popular houseplant possessing large, speckled green and cream colored leaves. The sap from the cane like stems, if eaten, can result in paralysis of the vocal cords.

Temperature: 65 to 75 degrees

Light: Bright light

Water: Allow the top of the soil to dry out completely between watering.

Humidity: Normal level.

Pinching and Pruning: Remove dead foliage immediately and keep leaves free of dust.

Fertilizer: Fertilize every two weeks during growth period.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Root stems and cuttings in sand.

Pests and Diseases: Rarely bothered

Dizygotheca

Common Names: False Aralia, Thread leaf.

Description: An element looking plant with finger-like, bronze-green leaves. Features a single stem which often reaches up to six feet in height.

Temperature: 65 to 70 degrees

Light: Bright light

Water: Allow the top of the soil to dry out between thorough watering.

Humidity: High level.

Pinching and Pruning: None needed.

Fertilizer: Fertilize monthly.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Cuttings.

Pests and Diseases: Aphids, Mealybugs, Scale.

Dracaena

Common Names: Dragon trees, Complant.

Description: A very contemporary tree. Dracaena is a member of the lily family. Its palmlike appearance can be most striking, especially with the taller varieties, which sometimes grow as high as 20 feet tall.

Temperature: 65 to 75 degrees

Light: Bright light

Water: Keep soil moist.

Humidity: Normal level.

Pinching and Pruning: Cut off brown tips.

Fertilizer: Fertilize every two weeks.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Stem cuttings or top of plant.

Pests and Diseases: Rarely bothered.

Fatshedera

Common Names: Tree ivy, Fat lizzie, Botanical wonder.

Description: A very tall plant which resembles over grown ivy, Fatshedera is actually a hybrid between Fatsia japonica and Hedera helix.

Temperature: 55 to 65 degrees

Light: Bright light

Water: Keep very moist at all times.

Humidity: High level.

Pinching and Pruning: Pinch off growth tips and tie branches to a trellis every six month.

Fertilizer: Fertilize monthly during growth period.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Root cuttings in water.

Pests and Diseases: Botrytis Grey Mold

Fatsia Japonica

Common Name: Japanese aralia

Description: The leaves of this plant resemble over-sized maple trees. Waxy, green leaves are sometimes speckled with white.

Temperature: 65 degrees

Light: Filtered light

Water: Keep soil evenly moist during growth period, but allow soil to dry out between watering during dormant period.

Humidity: Normal level.

Pinching and Pruning: Prune leaves back to the stalk when plants grow unwieldy.

Fertilizer: Fertilize every two weeks except in wet season.

Soil Contents: Common indoor all-purpose mix.

Propagation: Seeds, stem cuttings.

Pests and Diseases: Rarely bothered. /MP