Chapter 12 - Foliage Plants

If you are planning to grow more than just one or two plants at a time, the chances are most of them will come under the heading of foliage plants. Not as showy as the flowering beauties described in the last chapter, they make up for this lack, if lack it is, by growing with ease, propagating simply and acclimating themselves beautifully to any environment into which they are put. Foliage plants are the backbone of every home garden; with few exceptions they know no seasons, but continue to grow and prosper all year round.

There are in common cultivation hundreds and hundreds of different types of foliage plants and many, many thousands of hybrids and varieties. The choice offered the home gardener as to size, shape, leaf form and leaf color is almost endless. The plants we have described here are capable of being grown in any part of the country with equal ease and are available everywhere.

Asparagus Fern, like so many plants, carries a name which doesn't really belong to it. Although it certainly looks fern-like (as you can see by the picture, it is the foliage that florists use to back most cut flowers), it is a member of the lily family and is a close relative of the vegetable asparagus. Its botanical name is A. plumosis. The plant needs a rich soil, well fed, and will grow well with plenty of light but little or no sun. Because it is often attacked by red mites, Asparagus Fern should be regularly sprayed with water and during its periods of active growth should be kept well watered. The plant will do well at room temperature, but doesn't like extreme heat or cold, so avoid setting yours directly above a radiator or in a place that is constantly subject to drafts. Although we have placed it in the section on foliage plants, the Asparagus Fern does put minute white flowers and purple berries. The best method of propagation is by seed, but it can also be increased by cuttings.

Aspidistra is a plant that almost asks to be mistreated. Its sturdiness and indifference to soil, cold, heat and humidity have earned it the nickname, cast-iron plant. The leaves of the Aspidistra are large, measuring up to twenty inches in length, oblong, coming to a point at the end. Although in theory a flowering plant, it almost never blooms indoors and so is considered for all intents and purposes a foliage plant. There is a variety with striped green and white leaves but it is comparatively uncommon. Keep this plant well watered and spray it often to keep it clear of red spider mites. Plant polish used on the leaves will serve a double purpose of protecting them from infestation and improving their looks. Aspidistra is propagated by division.

Chinese Evergreen, or, if it is to be given its botanical name, Aglaonema, is one of the easiest of all plants to grow. It will prosper in water as well as in soil and requires very little care other than on occasional spraying. There are several varieties which have slightly different characteristics. A. simplex is the most common. Its stem is about three feet long and the leaves, pointed and oblong, run up to almost a foot. A. commutatum is again not so large as A. simplex, but is roughly the same shape and has striped dark and lighter green leaves which grow to about ten inches. All these plants can be propagated by root divisions or slips.

Coleus is one of the handsomest of foliage plants, with colorful leaves of pink, brown and yellow amid the green. They like a warm and sunny atmosphere and should most definitely be placed in a south window in the winter. It will do them no harm during the winter to water with warm water. There are several popular varieties of this plant with leaves ranging from an inch and a half to eight inches. You can assure your plant of larger leaves if you pinch it back, limiting the number of leaves you allow to grow. Propagation is easy by seeds or cuttings. The most persistent enemy of the Coleus is the mealybug. Treat as outlined in Chapter 9.

Dracaena is a plant of the lily family which grows long striped leaves and in some varieties will grow to enormous proportions with leaves more than three feet long and the top touching the ceiling. D. sanderiana, one of the varieties most widely grown, has leaves up to ten inches long which are green with a white border and grow in a cluster. The leaves of D. godseffiana, which grow from a stalk, are green with spottings of white covering. D. fragrans is the tall growing member of the family and should be propagated by air layering when it begins to grow too tall and leggy. These plants are all easy to grow and can be kept at a normal room temperature all year round. Propagation is by seed or stem cuttings.

Dumb Cane gets its name because, as one of the Arum family, it contains a white sap which, when it gets in the mouth through chewing the leaves, will cause speechlessness (and considerable pain) for a short while. There are several species whose leaves are splotched with white or yellow. They grow to several feet tall and have leaves up to a foot long. There are seldom more than a few leaves on any one plant. These plants can be placed near your African Violets as they also demand a high humidity and a constant temperature of about 70° or a little better during their growing season. They can be propagated by stem cuttings.

English Ivy is perhaps the most widely grown of any house plant in the country. People who have no other plant in the house will often have a pot or two of ivy around the house. There are several reasons for the plant's popularity. First, and most obviously, it is extremely versatile and can be trained to climb or allowed to trail with equal ease. Secondly, it is wonderfully easy to care for and will survive under the most adverse conditions. Ideally, most of the varieties of Hedera helix or English Ivy like a moist, cool and shady atmosphere. In practice, they will live at normal room temperature quite happily, especially if you spray them frequently to increase the moisture and clean off any insect pests that may have reached them. Ivy is propagated easily by leaf and stem cuttings. The varieties of English Ivy are so many that it is impossible to list them here. Besides the familiar five-pointed leaved trailing or climbing variety, there are those which grow in shrub-like form, some whose leaves are bordered with white, other midget varieties, etc. If you are interested, you would profit from visiting your local florist or nursery to look at the various ivies in stock. You'll be amazed at the shapes and forms this old standby takes.

chinese evergreen                     dracaena warkecki  

dumb cane                                english ivy

Kangaroo Vine can be recognized by its long narrow shiny leaves, which are heart-shaped and have ragged edges. The plant grows to a height of about three feet.

Propagation is by slips and these plants should do well in an east or west window.

Maranta, which is also sometimes called the Prayer Plant, after the way its leaves close up at night, grows low, seldom reaching the height of more than a foot. Its charm lies in its leaves which are a beautiful green covered with diamond-shaped spots which are purple when the leaves are young, and then become brownish as they get older. They need a humid atmosphere, which can be provided by regular spraying, and a spot in an east or west window. Maranta should be fed frequently for top performance and kept well watered at all times. Propagation is by leaf cuttings.

Pandanus. Some species of this plant will grow to a height of fifty feet or more, but others are cultivated for potting. The popular name of Screw Pine covers both the varieties grown at home and those that live in a natural state. The sword-like leaves grow in spirals out of a common base. They are narrow and grow up to three feet in length in the house-plant variety (P. veitchi) and are a deep green with silvery stripes at the base. The edges of the leaves, like those of most Bromeliads, are spiny with sharp points. They should be kept as moist as possible and well watered. Spray the leaves as often as possible and keep in partial shade an east or a west window. They will tolerate a fairly warm atmosphere. Another species of Screw Pine used as a house plant is P. utilis which has leaves with red spines. Pandanus is propagated by cutting off the suckers at the base and rooting them in a Vermicu-loam mixture.

Peperomia, specifically the species P. sandersi, is sometimes called the Watermelon Begonia because of the color of its leaves which are striped to look like the southern American watermelon. As the leaves are oval-shaped, smooth and shiny and the stems red or pink, how it got to be called Begonia is a mystery. Peperomia tends to be low growing and bushy and both the leaves and the stems are fleshy. As they are Brazilian jungle plants originally, they like a warm moist climate, free from drafts of any kind. Partial sun (and not too much of it) and plenty of room-temperature water and healthy feedings of plant food will keep this plant happy. It can be propagated by stem or leaf cuttings, preferably made in the spring.

Pick-a-back Plant, also known as Piggy Back Plant, whose botanical name is Tolmiea menziesi, gets its name from the curious fact that it grows new plants from its leaves at the joint of the leaf and its stem. In its natural state it comes originally from our own West Coast, growing in California and on up to Alaska the plantlets will root when they touch the ground. The leaves of this plant are light green, airy and heart-shaped and grow at the end of a long stem. Pick a-back Plant should be kept well watered in only partial sun. Propagation is simple. Place a leaf-bearing new plantlet in a starting mixture and allow it to root. It can even, if you like, be started in water. If you use this method, be sure to dissolve some charcoal in the water to purify it.

maranta ieitzi                                         peperomia 

pick a-back plant                                  pothos marble queen

maranta ieitzi                             peperomia

pick-a-back plant                                 pothos marble queen

Philodendron. Along with Ivy, Philodendron is the most widely grown of all house plants. They are decorative, easy to grow and ' .expensive. They require only minimum care and will last for years in your home. There are hundreds of species and varieties in popular usage, most of which are climbing vines. The most popular and most widely sold is P. cor datum, which has no other name and is generally known just as Philodendron. It has shiny, heart-shaped leaves growing in clusters. It is usually seen supported by a slice of bark, but, of course, you can use anything you feel would be decorative. It will grow well in a good potting soil at room temperature. It should be well watered and fed regularly. Philodendron is another of those plants which have gained a good part of their popularity by the fact that they can be grown in rooms which don't get the benefit of direct sun. It will grow without ever seeing sunshine and be none the worse for it. Of course, it must have light as must all plants. The leaf surface of a Philodenron plant will benefit by the application of a good plant polish. This will help keep the dust off and keep the leaves looking well besides protecting the plant from insect infestation.

In addition to P. cordatum, there are many other Philo-dendron plants that are ideal for home culture. A couple of the most popular are mentioned here. P. pertusum, generally known as Cut Leaf Philodendron, has large oval-shaped leaves which are split in many places, with the splits running from the edge of the leaf almost to the spine. P. hastatum is an upright plant which has enormous leaves growing from long stalk-like stems. Propagation for all Philodendron types can be accomplished by stem cuttings.

Pothos, which is also called Devil's Ivy, is a large-leaved climbing plant which in its native state grows to immense sizes. Its leaves are green with uneven lines and splotches of pale yellow running through them. It can be treated just as described above in the section on Philodendron.

philodendron cordatum             philodendron dubium

philodendron hastatum  philodendron panduraeforme
 
Rex Begonia is the large-leaved Begonia which is grown for its foliage alone. There are many, many varieties of this plant, each with a different leaf pattern and color. The leaves are large and usually hairy at the edges sometimes in the middle as well with prominent veins. (See Chapter 7 for the special method of propagation of Rex Begonia.) Some of these plants produce flowers which sit up above the leaf mass, but they are insignificant as they are infrequent and add little to the charm of the plant. Rex Begonia likes a moist cool air with plenty of sun, a difficult combination to work up in the house. Like most plants, however, they will tolerate less than the ideal.

Rubber Plant, also known as Ficus elastica, is a much maligned but still tremendously popular plant. You can practically fill a small room with a well grown rubber plant. They have a rather solid charm. They have huge leaves, sometimes a foot long, which are heavy and fleshy, secreting a white juice. If you want to contain your Rubber Plant and keep it from taking up most of the place in your house, you should try air layering as described in Chapter 8. Rubber Plant likes a warm moist atmosphere, but is very easily acclimated and will prosper in almost any climate. One of the great dangers with this plant is over-watering.

rex begonia                                           rubber plant

sanseviena                                            wandering jew

Sansevieria is the widely grown Snake Plant, another old favorite. It will live and grow well at room temperature and is another of those plants which do not require sun and which will thrive in comparative darkness. The leaves, which grow up out of a thick root stock, are green mottled with yellow, with yellow stripes along the edges. They are generally slightly concave and grow to a height of up to two-and-a-half feet. The plant is propagated by division and cuttings. As with Rubber Plants, Sansevieria should prosper almost anywhere if you avoid overwatering.

Wandering Jew is a popular name for two botanical species, Tradescantia and Zebrina, which are rather similar. They both have long, narrow pointed leaves, which are striped with white or yellow, growing from a low fleshy stalk. They are extremely decorative and quite hardy. One way to display Wandering Jew, especially the variety called Z. pendula, is in a hanging basket. This plant should have only partial sun and likes a warm climate, and so is excellent for indoor growing. All varieties have flowers of purple or white, but they are insignificant in comparison to the foliage.

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