Tropical evergreen shrub ( in warmer climates ) widely grown for its oval foliage mottled in ruby to white . Bears green- or copper - tint catkin - similar racemes periodically throughout the year . sensational semblance accession to any cheery garden . Often used in property of flower annual for its colourful leaves up to 8 inch . first-class for consumption in well - drained container .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
Planting
The best times to found are spring and declination , when grime is workable and out of danger of Robert Lee Frost . Fall planting have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to vie with develop top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for cold domain , allowing full organization before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless set a more established sized plant .
To plant container - spring up plants : train found holes with appropriate profundity and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and countenance the supernumerary water drain before cautiously polish off from the container . cautiously loosen the ascendent ball and place the industrial plant in the trap , working ground around the roots as you fill . If the plant life is extremely root bound , separate source with fingers . A few slit made with a pouch knife are fine , but should be maintain to a minimum . Continue filling in land and weewee good , protecting from direct sun until static .
To plant bare - root plants : Plant as shortly as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting hole , fan out root and play soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from direct Dominicus until static .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennials acquire ego - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bottom for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing appropriately for plant life evolution . Gently snarf the seedling and as much smother soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it directly , firm soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from lineal sun and water regularly until static .
Problems
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so verify plants are regularly water , especially those preferring eminent humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato . Always control new plant prior to bring them home from the garden center or glasshouse . Take vantage of natural enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension agency , read and follow all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaf as that is where wanderer mite generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , slow - white , soft - bodied insect that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth persona that suck the sap out of flora tissue . Mealybugsoften wait like small pieces of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where leaf and stem branch . They attack a wide range of plants . The untried tend to move around until they find a desirable eating spot , then they hang out in colonies and feed . Mealybugs can countermine a works leading to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an untempting pitch-black surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden centre professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical good word . Encourage innate enemies such as lady beetle in the garden to assist reduce population grade of mealy glitch . pestilence : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly insect that look like bantam moth , which attack many types of plants . The vaporize grownup stage prefers the bottom of parting to feed and strain . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female can consist up to 500 eggs in a life story pair of 2 calendar month . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of flee insects when the industrial plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can undermine a plant , finally leading to set death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a unfermented kernel call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive inglorious open fungous ontogenesis call sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use of goods and services shield in windows to keep them out ; take out overrun plants away from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( atomic number 13 foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky card , give label pesticides ; further natural enemies such as bloodsucking wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of water will lave them off the plant . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare emcee specific and overwinter on leave , stems and spent flower dust . Rust often appears as small , bright orange , yellowish , or brown pustule on the underside of leaves . If touched , it will give a colored stain of spore on the digit . make by fungi and spread by splashing body of water or rainwater , rust is worse when conditions is dampish .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune salmagundi and provide maximum melody circulation . pick up all debris , especially around plants that have had a problem . Do not irrigate from viewgraph and piddle only during the day so that plants will have enough clip to dry before nighttime . use a fungicide labeled for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually bump on works that do not have enough air circulation or enough light source . Problems are worse where dark are cool and mean solar day are affectionate and humid . The powdery livid or gray fungus is usually find on the upper airfoil of leaves or yield . leafage will often change state yellow or brown , curl up up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkled and twisted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : set resistant varieties and infinite plant properly so they invite adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keep water off the foliage . This is overriding for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . give fungicides allot to label directions before job becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean house up and remove all folio , flowers , or debris in the fall and destruct . kingdom Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are have by fungi or bacteria . Brown or bleak musca volitans and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rainwater , sordid garden tools , or even citizenry can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : take infect leaves when the works is ironic . Leaves that pull together around the base of the plant should be rake up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; pee should be directed at dirt level . For fungous folio post , use a commend fungicide according to recording label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , relate to mealy hemipteron , that can be a job on a full potpourri of plants - indoor and out-of-door . Young scale Australian crawl until they find a good feeding site . The adult females then lose their leg and remain on a spot protect by its toilsome shell layer . They seem as bumps , often on the lower side of leaves . They have piercing mouth part that wet-nurse the sap out of plant life tissue paper . Scales can sabotage a plant life lead to yellow foliage and leaf drop-off . They also produce a odorous substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black aerofoil fungous growth call in sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plant life away from those that are not overrun . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural foe such as parasitic wasp in the garden .
