Scientific Name: Homalomena sp
Common Name: ‘Purple
Sword’
Hardiness: Zones 10 to 11
Ornamental Features:
‘Purple
Sword’ is an attractive tropical foliage plant with colorful upright
leaves. The foliage is dark green with silver
green mottling on top and deep purple underneath. ‘Purple Sword’ has a good suckering growth
habit and should be planted one liner per pot.
Finished six inch pots will be up to 18” tall and 10” across.
Habit and Growth Rate:
This
plant is an excellent tropical foliage variety and is well suited to indoor low
light growing conditions. It is a very
durable plant that can also be grown outdoors in warm climates or as a patio
pot plant.
Pot Size and Finish Time:
Best
suited for a 6 - 8” pot size and will finish in about 6 months.
Culture:
Light: 70-80% shade
Temperature: 55° - 95° F
Soil
/ Watering:
Use a well draining professional mix that is
slightly acidic, will tolerate some drying out.
Fertilizer: Liquid feed with complete fertilizer at 200-250 ppm
(N), weekly. Supplement with magnesium sulfate at 1/4 pound per 100 gallons
once per month. For top dress or soil incorporation, follow label rates.
Pest/Disease Problems:
Employ good sanitation practices to avoid fungal and
bacterial pathogens. A preventative drench with a soil fungicide such as Banrot
will help to prevent root rot.
For Availability and More Information:
Contact David McDonald
Mount
(352)
385-2663 office / (352) 385-2660 fax