Tropical Plants 7 Created Summer 2008 Araucaria-Epipremnum

BOTANICAL NAME  ARAUCARIA HETEROPHYLLA

PRONUNCIATION  ah-raw-KAIR-ee-uh het - er - oh - FIL - uh

COMMON NAME  Norfolk Island Pine

DESCRIPTION  Leaf is a needle, but the plant is not really a pine even though it produces cones  Small tree  Horizontal  Whorled branching with short needles

Water  Keep Evenly moist  Severe drying will kill needles and branches

Fertilizer  Feed year round with all purpose or foliage fertilizer

Light  High

Size and Growth Rate  Grows slowly  Height controlled by container size

Propagation  Sow seeds any time  Terminal Shoot may be rooted  Air layering

Additional Information  Will not tolerate hot, dry drafts

BOTANICAL NAME  ASPARAGUS DENSIFLORUS cv. ‘Sprengeri’

PRONUNCIATION  As - PAIR - ah - gus den - sih - FLOOR - us SPRENG - ger - eye

COMMON NAME  Aspargus Fern

Connecting the Scientific Name with the Common Name (the Mrs. A Way)  Sprengeri and Sprengeri  Remember that the cv. in the scientific name means Cultivar (this is a test question)

DESCRIPTION  Leaves are needles and occur all around the stem  Stem has thorns when mature  Spiny, Deeply arching stems are covered with bright green 1” needles

Water  Keep soil moist  Allow for good drainage  Do not allow to dry out severely

Fertilizer  Feed all-purpose fertilizer year round

Light  High

Size and Growth Rate  Vigorous  Fast-growing plant with 18-24” stems

Propagation  Sow seeds  Divide established plant

Additional Information  Will bear tiny white flowers  Followed by green berries which turned red  Hanging baskets and mixed pots

BOTANICAL NAME CHLOROPHYTUM COMOSUM cv.

PRONUNCIATION  klor - OH - fie - tum koe - MOE - sum

COMMON NAME  Spider Plant  Airplane Plant

Connecting the Scientific Name with the Common Name (the Mrs. A Way)  Chlorophytum bite ’em because spiders bite you

DESCRIPTION  Arching leaves and flower stems  Stolons support flowers and plantlets  Green leaves with yellow or white stripes

Water  Water freely from spring to fall  Reduce in winter

Fertilizer  Feed every other week

Light  High

Size and Growth Rate  Can grow to about 3’ tall  Stems up to 5’ long  Moderate growth

Propagation  Remove plantlets  Rooted side shorts as they form  Seeds

Additional Information  Perfect in hanging baskets  Easy to maintain

BOTANICAL NAME DIEFFENBACHIA MACULATA

PRONUNCIATION dee - fen -BACH- ee -ah

COMMON NAME  Dumbcane

Connecting the Scientific Name with the Common Name (the Mrs. A Way)  You are Dumb if you eat this plant because you could Die

DESCRIPTION  Leaves are dark green with spots of grey-silver on them  Evergreen featuring a single, thick trunk when young  Maturing to multiple trunks with a palm like appearance

DESCRIPTION  Arching, oblong, pointed leaves  10”-12” long, spiral around the trunk

Water  Water thoroughly but allow to dry between waterings

Fertilizer  Fertilize all year  More heavily in summer

Light  Medium

Size and Growth Rate  Moderate growing to 24”

Propagation  Stem cuttings or air layering

Additional Information  Juices can temporarily paralyze vocal cords  Throat may swell shut as well

BOTANICAL NAME  EPIPREMNUM AUREUM cv.

PRONUNCIATION  e - pi - PREM - num OW - ree - um

COMMON NAME  Golden Pothos

Connecting the Scientific Name with the Common Name (the Mrs. A Way)  You can put pepper in a pot  AU is the periodic table symbol for gold

DESCRIPTION  A fleshy vine climbing by rootlets  The leaves are heart shaped on 3” petioles  Leaves are waxy dark green with yellow or creamy white variegation

DESCRIPTION  Stems are rougher than the philodendron (you will learn this plant next week)

Water  Water when soil dries out to touch

Fertilizer  Fertilize lightly throughout growing season

Light  High

Size and Growth Rate  Moderate growth rate

Propagation  Take stem cutting at any time

Additional Information  Used as vining ground cover in interiorscapes  Cascading accent plant  Hanging Basket