Transcript Tropicals 7
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
QuickTime™ and a
Photo - JPEG decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Water
Water thoroughly but
allow to dry between
waterings
Fertilizer
Fertilize all year
More heavily in summer
Light
Medium
QuickTime™ and a
Photo - JPEG decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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