Origin
South America
Light
Dappled shade
Watering
Twice a week
Care
Expert
Flowering
Foliage
Indoor
Misère Zébrée
The plant neighbours hand to each other: a snapped stem, a glass of water, and it starts again.
From7 DT
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Care Profile
A guide to ensuring your botanical companion thrives.
Origin
Central America
Light
Bright indirect
Watering
Weekly
Maintenance
Easy
Three centimetres of stem is enough
Native to the damp forest floors of Mexico and Central America, it trails across the ground; its silver bands and purple undersides help it work with the little light that reaches through the canopy.
That ease has a cost: escaped from gardens, it forms dense mats across humid parts of Australia, East Africa and the Pacific islands, where the smallest stem fragment rebuilds a whole plant. Its sap irritates the skin of some people and pets.
"No plant forgives neglect quite so well."
01
Styling Tip 01
Bright but filtered light
Beside a sheer-curtained window: in shade the stripes fade and the stems go bare at the base; in direct sun the leaves scorch.
02
Styling Tip 02
Pinch to keep it full
Cut the stems back by a third every two months and replant the cuttings in the same pot: it is the only way to hold a dense clump.
03
Styling Tip 03
Never throw it outside
Cuttings and prunings go in a sealed bag, never on an open compost heap or into the wild: every piece takes root.
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Origin
Southeast Asia
Light
Low to bright
Watering
Weekly
Care
Easy
Flowering
Foliage