HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-22, Page 72Add a touch of colour t
Lush green houseplants are a delight -to
the eye, but sometimes they can become
monotonous. One way to add a touch of color
tothe."all-green tcene" is with variegated
plants. Their leaves can be just as vibrant
and colorful as flowering plants.
Variegated plants such as the silver table
fern (species' Pteris) and the multicolored
croton are particularly -:decorative during
fall -and winter, when many flowering
houseplants are dormant.
These and Other colorful bushes, trees and
vines are also easier to grow and maintain
than their flowering counterparts. They
need less light. and will tolerate lower room
-temperatures.
Consider the pin stripe plant c Calathea or-
nata). Its bright -green oval leaves are vein-
ed with pink and white stripes. For added in-
terest, the undersides of the leaves are
maroon or burgundy.
It is an elegantfocal point,ina display of
dark -green philodendrons and scheffleras.
The surrounding foliage helps create the
'high humidity it needs. The plant seldom
growsmore than 18 inches tall.
Croton is another eye catcher when tuck-
ed in ,among a mass of greenery. Its
leathery leaves are dappled with splotches
of yellow, copper, pink, red, :orange, brown
or ivory: In faet,no.two leaves are alike on
�ttti:c, �rt.0 Ctiri rt )\
the same plant.
Crotons grow fast, often as much as 12 in-
ches a year. Top leaves should be pruned to
beep the plant a manageable size.
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Summer '87
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housepL:rTts
ColoIful plants for table tops and
bookshelves include the pilea "Siver Tree"
and the coleus, a member of the mint
family.
"Silver Tree" has lightly -quilted leaves
marked with a central band of silver, and
bronze -green edges. Coleus varieties pre-
sent an amazing range of color combina-
tions and leaf shapes, including some with
ruffled edges. Top leaves should be pinched
off frequently to encourage dense growth.
The dwarf silver table fern I Pteris
toriae") is. another choice candidate for
table -top display. Each spender frond has a
silver stripe running down the center. -It
thrives in low light.
Variegated Swedish ivy is neither Swedish
nor fvy. It originated in Australia and is
another member of the mint family. Its
light -green leaves are streaked with cream.
This plant is excellent for hanging baskets.
Most people are familiar with the dark -
green, broad -leafed dieffenbachia,
sometimes call "dumb cane." The leaves of
some species are veined and mottled with
white.
One variety, •.Rudolph Roehrs," has pale
gold -green leaves with white splotches and
dark -green edges and ribs. Dieffenbachias
are tolerant of low light.
Page 45
.ifnese variegated plants are all relatively
problemfree. Cool room temperatures t 65
degrees - •70 degree F.i will help bring out
the best of variegated colorations.
It's important to fertilize variegated
plants cautiously; too much feeding can
cause the calor -splashed leaves to turn com-
pletely green.
To promote steady leaf growth without
sacrificing colour,- fertilize once every two
months with a mild, nitrogen -based nutrient
such as Knox Unflavored Gelatine. Univer-
sity research has concluded that unflavored
gelatine, commonly used in recipes, helps
variegated plants become fuller.
To apply, dissolve an envelope of gelatine .
with one cup of hot tap water in a pitcher or
large mixing bowl. Add three cups of cold
water to make a quart. Water the plants
every two months with this mixture.
Decorating with variegated plants is a lit-
tle like decorating with fabrics. Too many
patterns clash.
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