Indoor plants Pellionia

Description

Special Features of Pellionia

Pellionia is a genus of evergreen perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs of the nettle family Urticaceae combining about 50 currently recorded species. They are native to the tropical and temperate areas across East Asia and Polynesia.

Two or three species are domesticated, including Pellionia pulchra. They can be grown in a terrarium or hanging baskets. Depending on the variety, the leaves can be oval or oblong oval, velvety reddish brown with darker veins or pale green spots or shiny light green grayish. The flowers are small, clustered in branched inflorescences, and inconspicuous.

The Secrets to Successfully Growing Pellionia

Pellionia thrives when placed deep in a brightly lit room. Use a shelf or a stand, even a coffee table will do. When deciding on the location, take into account that Pellionia does not tolerate direct sunlight, especially in the summer. In the winter, Pellionia can be moved closer to a brightly-lit window, but remember, the excess heat from heaters under the window is harmful and the plant should be kept in preferably cool conditions.

Keept the soil moist but not waterlogged. Water Pellionia with soft boiled water. In the winter, reduce watering. The plant loves frequent misting with warm water. To increase air humidity, place Pellionia into a bowl filled with damp moss or on a tray with regularly watered pebbles.

In the summer, the best temperatures for Pellionia are 20-23 ° C, in the winter, about 13-16 ° C.

The plant loves good ventilation (but not drafts!).

From the spring to the autumn, feed Pellionia with a solution of compound fertilizer diluted half-strength. In the winter, stop feeding the plant.

From the spring to the autumn, regularly move Pellionia to a larger size pot, preferably wide but shallow. When repotting, pin a few stems in the center of the pot to hide bald spots that appear over time. After repotting, put the plant in a shady warm place for a few days.

Potential Problems

Excessive moisture can cause root, stem, and leaf rot.

The drying of the root ball leads to leaf drying and drop.

With dry or damp drafts, Pellionia's beautiful leaves quickly become inattractive.

Most often, Pellionia gets aphids and whitefly. However, the poor care can kill the plant even without these pests.