THE PLANT DIRECTORY

The plant directory is divided into two sections.

The first part deals in depth with the most popular indoor plants, and the second part covers some of the less common subjects. All the plants in the main directory are illustrated with specially commissioned photographs. In order to include the maximum number of plants, the Secondary Plant List

carries illustration only of some. However, the same type of information is given for the plants in both sections.

Two pages from the main directory are shown below. They contain most of the elements that appear in all the entries, and to help you make the best use of the information, these elements are clarified in the accompanying notes.

Botanical name Plants are listed alphabetically by their botanical name.

Family name Knowing what family a plant belongs to helps you understand its requirements and allows you to discover other indoor plants to which it may be related.

FACT FILE

Origin Tells you the geographical area in which the plant originated.

Height Gives the height most average specimens, kept in good growing conditions, are likely to reach in the home within two or three years. The ultimate height will, of course, be determined by the size of container, level of care, and any pruning carried out, so this is only a rough guide.

Potting mix Indicates whether the plant prefers a soil-based or peat-moss-based (soilless) medium. Where peat-moss- based medium is specified, the new peat- substitute mixtures may also be used. Repotting Explains the best time of year to move the plant into a larger container, and gives an idea of how often this should be done. When you are advised to repot “as necessary,” this means when the roots are showing through the base of the pot, or a plant is overcrowded in its container.

Propagation Tells the main methods of increasing the plant in the home. Methods that require special equipment, such as a heated propagator or that are difficult to do are noted.

Keeping plants A plant’s preferences and special needs—for pruning and training, pinching off growing tips, deadheading, and the like—are listed, along with information about how to treat the plant in the different seasons of the year.

Beloperone GUTTATA (syn. Justicia brandegeana) Acanthaceae

Primp plant

The reddish brown bracts of this plant, resembling overlapping roof shingles, appear almost all year-round, and the white flowers that emerge at the end of the bracts are insignificant and short-lived. The leaves are l-3in/2.5-8cm long, light green, oval, and pointed.

Disregard those who tell you to throw beloperone away after flowering: the plant is easy to care for and can survive for many years, reaching 3ft/90cm in height and spread. It is best to pinch out the stem tips regularly to make the plant bushier, and annual pruning will renew its vigor. If you do not prune, the plant will almost certainly be larger and will produce colorful bracts, but the relatively weak branches will probably require staking.

One of the prettiest of bromeliads, this is also one of the easiest to grow. Its tough, straplike, tooth-edged, olive green leaves, which can be as much as 16in/40cm long and V2in/13mm wide, arch over in an attractively random fashion. The pendant flowers, which usually appear in late spring, are tinged with blue, yellow, pink, and green and are encased in pink bracts. Nectar formed within the small flowers sometimes drops out when the plant is touched or moved, giving it its common name; it is also called the friendship plant.

A much underrated, easy-care plant, this billbergia is seen to best effect when grown at eye-level, as in a hanging container, which will show off the pendulous bracts to full advantage. While most plants in elevated locations may suffer as a result of dry conditions, billbergias are much more tolerant, and small hanging pots can be plunged into water occasionally to give them a good soak.

FACT FILE

ORIGIN Argentina; Brazil; Uruguay.

HEIGHT To 16in/40cm in flower.

POTTING MIX Commercial bromeliad or orchid potting mixture, or soilless potting mix.

REPOTTING In spring, in a pot up to 5in/13cm in diameter. PROPAGATION Detach offsets when they are half the size of the parent plant. Let the cut surface dry for a day or so before potting up. KEEPING PLANTS Empty the water reservoir in the center of the rosette once a month and refill with fresh water.

PLANT CARE

Keep in good light but out of direct sunlight to maintain good leaf color and promote flowering. # Normal room temperature, but will tolerate temperatures as low as 35°-40°F/2°-4°C for a short while.

• Water moderately all year-round, with rainwater or cool boiled water. # Apply weak liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks both to the soil and as a foliar spray.

 

HEIGHT To 3ft/90cm.

POTTING MIX Soil-based.

REPOTTING Repot every spring and cut stems back by about half. PROPAGATION Take 3-in/8-cm tip cuttings in spring; use the prunings but remove the bracts, which will rot if they are left.

KEEPING PLANTS The arching stems and drooping flower heads make this a good plant for a hanging basket.

PLANT CARE

A bright place, with direct sunlight for short periods during spring and summer will help to produce colorful bracts. • Minimum winter temperature of 60°F/16°C; ideally 75°F/24°C at other times. • Keep fairly dry during winter and moist, not wet, at other times. # Feed every 2 weeks in summer with a weak solution of fertilizer.

Illustration Photo shows typical plant of the size and form you are likely to find available for sale in garden centers and nurseries.

Plant description Introductory text describes the plant’s main features and lists some of the varieties and allied species that may be available.

Second illustration On full-page entries, an interesting feature of the plant, or another variety or related species is pictured.

Annotation Tips on cultivation or information about pests and diseases that may affect the plant are given in annotations near the main illustration.

Bougainvillea glabra Nyctaginaceaep

 

PaPER FLOWER

A true tropical exotic, in its natural environment this showy climber produces such dense and vivid color on 15-ft/4.5-m trading stems that it outshines almost everything else in the vicinity. Its strong twining branches, which carry narrow, smooth, 3-in/8-cm-long leaves, have vicious barbs. This drawback is, however, more than compensated for when the colorful papery bracts, some F'iinAkm long, appear at the beginning of summer.

Bougainvillea can be most frustrating to grow as a houseplant, for it is reluctant to flower in limited light. Fine indoor specimens can, however, be grown beside large windows and in greenhouses or sunrooms. Although a climber, this plant can be trained to keep it bushy indoors—wire hoops have become popular supports—and there are some dwarf types that do not require special training.

Bougainvillea glabra, with purple-pink bracts in summer and fall, is the species most easily obtained. This, and the less vigorous B. x buttiana, have given rise to dozens of hybrids with a range of highly colored bracts, many being smaller than the species.

FACT FILE

ORIGIN Brazil.

height To 15ft/4.5m.

POTTING MIX Soil-based.

REPOTTING When new growth appears in spring, move the plant into a pot one size larger. When a pot size of 8in/20cm is reached, simply top-dress the plant.

PROPAGATION Not easy. In late spring or early summer put 3-4-in/8-10-cm stem cuttings in a heated propagator.

KEEPING plants If the plant becomes straggly, prune it lightly in fall. But flowering is better if new growth is wound around established stems and tied in.

PLANT CARE

Bougainvillea needs 4 hours of direct sunlight daily. Place in a sunny window close to the glass, but do not allow it to bake in hot weather. Set outdoors in summer, if possible.

• Minimum winter temperature of 50°F/

10°C. • Water well during active growth, but the plant must not stand in water; do not water in winter until new growth appears. • Apply a high-potash feed every 2 weeks in spring and summer.

 

ALSO RECOMMENDED

Bougainvillea glabra Alexandra’ is rose pink and one of the most free-flowering. ‘Variegata’ has leaves bordered with cream. B. x buttiana hybrids ‘Killie Campbell,’ ‘Orange King,’ and ‘Golden Glow’ (‘Hawaiian Gold’) are shades of gold and orange; ‘Jamaica Red’ is crimson; ‘Surprise’ (‘Mary Palmer’) is rose purple or white or a combination of the two.

Yellowing of the leaves is caused by too much moisture at the roots. Make sure that the soil has good drainage.

Water left on the leaves or papery bracts may cause scorching when the plant is in full sun.

 

PLANT CARE

The information is always given in the following order.

Light This tells you whether a plant needs bright, moderately bright, or shaded conditions. “Direct sun” or “Full sun” means a plant can be exposed to sunlight all day, all year-round: “Some direct sun” means it benefits from several hours of sun a day but does not require day-long exposure. “No direct sun” means that damage is likely to occur to leaves or flowers if sunlight is allowed to fall on the plant, particularly through glass. “Filtered” or “diffuse” light means sunlight should be filtered by a lightweight curtain. Temperature Where plants are not very specific in their temperature requirements, “average” or “normal” room temperature is advised. This means ordinary, comfortable living conditions both winter and summer— usually around 65^o-70°F/18°-2TC. Minimum recommended temperature is sometimes given; this is the lowest temperature possible for healthy growth and development, but plants will not necessarily be damaged by an occasional dip below this point.

Watering This gives advice as to watering the plant freely, moderately, or sparingly. (For step-by-step instructions on this topic, see pp. 196-97.) Keeping the potting mix moist means that it should be neither saturated nor allowed to dry out so that it shrinks away from the sides of the pot. Feeding Explains the type of fertilizer to use and when and how often it should be applied. (For how-to instructions, see pp. 198-99.)

Other points Any other special needs such as increasing the level of humidity are noted here.