Stromanthe
Also called Triostar, Never never plant.
| Light | medium light |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 5 days in the growing season, every 10 in winter |
| Humidity | high |
| Difficulty | fussy |
| Height | Up to 70 cm (28 in) tall |
| Pets | Cats not known, dogs not known |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, no entry for Stromanthe sanguinea.
The most strongly coloured of the prayer plant family: leaves striped in cream, pale green and rose above, and a solid deep magenta underneath, which is what you see every evening when the whole plant folds its leaves upright. That movement is the family’s trick and it is also the best health check there is, because a plant that stops folding at night is a plant in trouble. It wants what the others want and slightly more of it: shade rather than sun, steady moisture, real humidity and water without much in it. Hard tap water is the commonest reason one ends up with brown edges. It is not a beginner’s plant, and a bathroom suits it far better than a living room.
Ailments observed
| Brown crisp edges on the leaves | Hard tap water, dry air, or both. Use rainwater or filtered water and raise the humidity. Judge any change on the new leaves, because a browned edge stays brown. |
|---|---|
| Leaves curling inwards or under | Dry compost or a cold draught. Water it and move it away from the door. Some folding at night is normal and is what the family is named for. |
Filed underPlants for a bathroom, Plants for humid air, Statement plants
Neighbouring entries
African violet
Streptocarpus ionanthusAfrican violet care that keeps it flowering all year, with why you water from below, what makes the pale rings on the leaves, and how to root a single leaf.
Calathea
Goeppertia orbifoliaCalathea care that keeps the leaves whole, with the humidity and water quality it insists on, why the edges curl, and how to divide a crowded pot.
Chinese evergreen
Aglaonema commutatumChinese evergreen care for a dim room, with how often to water, why the leaves curl at the edge, and which forms need more light than others.