Plant in Focus: Acalypha

ACALYPHA 

Copperleaf, Chenille Plant, Red-Hot Cat’s Tail 

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Originally from New Guinea the Acalypha was introduced to greenhouse gardeners in 1896. These plants are grown for the interesting copper hue of the leaves or hanging 
flowers. The flowers are bright crimson, lack petals and hang down in long slender tassels. This plant has been considered a symbol of longevity. Info Source

Acalyphas are probably better known as an old fashioned plant. But their attributes show they are a much underrated and underused plant.

Acalyphas are grown for their wonderful coloured foliage – ranging from autumnal shades of copper, bronze and pink, to dark green, yellows, greens and reddish purples. 

Brisbane’s Roma Street Parklands has one of the largest collections of acalyphas in the world. These plants belong to the Euphorbiaceae family, and there are more than 400 species in the acalypha genus ranging from ground covers to large shrubs. 

Some to look out for include:

• Acalypha godseffiana ‘Firestorm’. The leaves have pink margins which make it look attractive. Plant them in a group for an absolutely stunning look.

• Acalypha ‘Inferno’ will grow to about a metre, are easy to manage and also have interesting foliage.

• The newer dwarf varieties are also good for the garden. Look out for ‘Trendy’ and ‘Spitfire’. These grow well in the ground or try them in a pot or a hanging basket. Just trim them back to the size you want.

• And one that is different is Acalypha reptans sometimes sold under the cultivar name ‘Summer Love’. It reaches about 30cm and each plant spreads about the same distance. Grow it in a hanging basket or try it cascading over the side of a pot or a low stone wall. 

Propagating acalyphas is dead easy. Just take a tip cutting, but shorten the leaves – so that they don’t transpire and breathe out moisture. Don’t be too fussy with the leaves - just trim them off. Then dip the end of it into some honey, or vegemite and put it into some seed raising mix. Keep it moist and warm, and before long, you’ll have a new acalypha. 

The acalyphas that we filmed in the garden received no supplementary water during the drought, and yet despite that, only one died, the rest have survived well. 

Acalyphas are not prune to any diseases and are troubled by few pests. But the large succulent leaves are attractive to chewing insects such as grasshoppers. Control these pests by spraying a mixture of molasses and water. The stickiness keeps the insects away, or alternatively use a safe insecticide like pyrethrum. 

Acalyphas are tropical and subtropical plants, and so they need a warm frost free location, preferably sheltered from the wind. They like humus rich soil, and keep them well fed to ensure the foliage is lovely and lush. As well as a complete fertiliser in spring, add about a hundred grams of sulphate of potash in spring and autumn to help bring out the foliage colour even more. 

Acalyphas are versatile plants. Use them in pots, as mass planting and they also work well as a screening or hedging plant. The brightly coloured foliage of acalyphas gives a tropical feel to any warm climate garden. Info Source

Plant in Focus: Yucca Elephatipes

Yuccas are presently one of the trendiest plants around. Drive past any strikingly modern home and chances are you’ll see a yucca plant through the window or somewhere in the architecturally planned garden. But you don’t have to be on the upper rungs of the real estate market to enjoy these tropical plants, they look great in almost any setting.

The yucca most commonly available as an indoor plant in New Zealand is the Yucca Elephantipes. Known variously as the Spineless Yucca, Spanish Dagger, Adam’s Needle, Spanish Bayonet and Soapweed yuccas are hardy perennials that generally range from 30 cm to 2.5 meters in height. They have thick woody stems that bear, at their upper ends, clusters of long, dark-green, spear-shaped leaves.

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Symbolism: Transmutation, Protection, Purification

During late spring and summer, yuccas may produce dramatic clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers. So striking are these flowers that early settlers of the south-western United States called them “Lamparas de Dios” or “Lanterns of God”. Pollination and proper yucca care are necessary for the formation of these flowers on indoor plants.

A member of the Agavae family, the yucca is closely related to the lily and has its origins in Mexico and Central America where it was prized by indigenous peoples for the medicinal and nutritional properties of the yucca flower. North American natives, too, found the plant useful, using it to make clothing and soap (yucca roots are rich in saponins).

If you want a houseplant that will grow in most conditions and which requires minimal care, you won’t go far wrong with a yucca – in fact the plant is so hardy it is sometimes called the “No Water Plant”.

Yucca plants fare best in bright light situations. Indoor yuccas should therefore be placed near windows to take advantage of natural light.

Yuccas like sandy, well-drained soil. Use an appropriate potting mix and place a 5 cm layer of pebbles in the bottom of the pot for optimum yucca care. Do not put a catcher or plate under your yucca’s pot. Waterlogged roots are one of the most common killers of this plant.

Though yuccas are almost set-and-forget houseplants, they will benefit from a dose of fertilizer two or three times a year.

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Plant in Focus: Yellow Iris

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In the language of flowers dating back to the Middle Ages, iris flowers have conveyed many meanings and emotions, with the yellow iris signifying passion. Victorian suitors displayed the depth of their feelings by including yellow irises in bouquets sent to their love interests. In general, iris flowers symbolize hope, faith, wisdom and promise in love, but when singled out by color, the yellow iris is meant to convey passion. 

Yellow iris, or yellow flag iris, is a perennial aquatic plant native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It was first introduced to North Americain the 1800s as an ornamental plant for ponds and water gardens. The plant has since spread to many waterways, including those in parts of southern Ontario. In addition to its use in gardens, it has been planted in wastewater ponds because it is known to absorb heavy metals.

Yellow iris can grow in both treed and open wetlands, along river and lake edges, and on floodplains. The plant spreads by seeds and by underground stems known as rhizomes that send out new shoots above the ground and roots below. Stands of yellow iris develop thick mats of rhizomes that can connect several hundred plants. Fragments of rhizomes that break off can also form new plants

• Yellow iris can form dense stands with very thick mats of rhizomes and dead leaves that can displace native plants and change wetlands from a wet to a drier environment.
• The plant reduces habitat available for wildlife, including native fish habitat and bird nesting and rearing sites.
• The dense mats can block water flow in irrigation and flood control ditches.

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