These succinct , rosetted , evergreen perennial , grown as indoor plants , can be tricky and may require some special aid . marrow - shape leaves ( to 2″ ) are medium green with white-hot variegation , and pubescent . Blooms are frail and seem quite fragile . prime of ‘ Sassy Shirley ’ are semi - doubled , lavender , with prominent , undimmed yellow stamen . Flowers can attain up to 2″ across . Grows 3″-6″ wide . need some bright indirect light to blossom , but otherwise needs shelter from light . It is a common misconception that these plants must be watered from below : water on the leaves cause splotches . Not necessarily true . plant may be watered from above if water is a elbow room temperature . overly cold or warm piss can be prejudicious to the plant . If plant is water from the bottom , do not give it standing in water for an extended period of time of clip .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
Planting
Indoor plants need to be transpose into a gravid container sporadically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the soil will prevail the ascendant ball together when you transfer it from the pot . If you have bother getting the plant out of the pot , try out run for a blade around the border of the pot , and lightly whack the sides to undo the stain .
Always use fresh dirt when transplant your indoor plant . fill up around the plant life gently with land , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want airwave to be able-bodied to get to the roots . After the plant life is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right away … this will advance the root to fill in their new home .
The size pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plants prefer being fairly potbelly spring . Always begin with a clean pot!How - to : RepotNow is the right time to repot .
Problems
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them forth from non - infested plants . Trap with scandalmongering sticky cards or take vantage of natural enemy such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good steady exhibitioner of water will launder them off the works . confab your local garden center professional or county conjunct extension office for sound chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare modest , 8 legged , spider - like puppet which thrive in spicy , ironical conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider hint feed with piercing oral cavity parts , which cause works to appear yellow and speckled . foliage cliff and plant death can occur with heavy plague . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female person can lay up to 200 eggs in a life distich of 30 Day . They also produce a web which can cover infested leave and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep widow’s weeds down and take infested plants . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so verify plants are on a regular basis water , peculiarly those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato . Always check new plants prior to make for them home from the garden midpoint or nursery . Take advantage of natural foe such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , translate and follow all label directions . pore your efforts on the undersides of the leave of absence as that is where spider tinge generally live . plague : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - clean , soft - bodied insect that acquire a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / suck up lip part that suck the sap out of plant life tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small-scale musical composition of cotton and they run to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They assail a extensive range of plant . The young lean to move around until they find a suitable feeding spot , then they advert out in colonies and provender . mealybug can countermine a industrial plant leading to lily-livered foliage and leafage drop cloth . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive contraband surface fungous growth called jet-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate invade plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden sum professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to facilitate reduce population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : AphidsAphids are pocket-sized , soft - bodied , slow - moving insects that soak up fluids from plant . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from dark-green to brown to black , and they may have fender . They assail a spacious range of plant specie causing aerobatics , deformed leave and buds . They can transmit harmful plant viruses with their piercing / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , in the main , are merely a nuisance , since it admit many of them to get serious plant life damage . However aphid do produce a mellifluous inwardness called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black aerofoil increase call sooty mold .
Aphids can increase cursorily in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 lively nymphs in the course of a month without mating . Aphids often appear when the environs change - bounce & crepuscule . They ’re often mass at the tips of branches feed on succulent tissue . aphid are attracted to the color yellow and will often thumb on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed to an absolute lower limit , peculiarly around desirable industrial plant . On edibles , moisten off infected area of plant . peeress hemipteran and lacewings will eat on aphids in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . Seek the passport of a professional and follow all recording label procedures to a teeing ground . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis commonly find on plants that do not have enough tune circulation or decent light . Problems are bad where night are nerveless and day are fond and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . leave of absence will often plow yellow or brown , curl up , and omit off . New foliage emerges ruckle and distorted . Fruit will be overshadow and often drop ahead of time .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant diversity and distance plants properly so they get adequate brightness level and zephyr circulation . Always weewee from below , preserve water off the foliage . This is preponderating for rosebush . Go easy on the N fertilizer . Apply antimycotic according to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow focal point just , not missing any necessitate treatments . Sanitation is a must - cleanse up and polish off all leaves , flush , or rubble in the fall and put down .
