If you don’t have access to African violet potting soil mix, try combining two parts of peat moss with one part each of vermiculite and perlite.Ī standard potting mix should also work, provided that it isn’t too heavy. Give zebra plants a light, fluffy, and mildly acidic potting soil such as an African violet mix with a pH between 6 and 6.5. Red Apollo: The ruddy ‘Apollo’ adds another color to the green, white, and gold mix, with its stems and leaves’ undersides being stained with red.Apollo: This cultivar boasts wider white stripes than ‘Dania’ does, but ‘Apollo’ is otherwise similar to it.Dania: The most common variety, ‘Dania’ has the typical white-veined, dark-green leaves accompanied by yellow bracts and blooms.RELATED: What Does Root Rot Look Like in Houseplants? Types of Zebra Plant After all, a zebra can’t change its stripes! squarrosa, you might want to check out other Aphelandra houseplant species with different common names. If you don’t like the veined markings on A. They don’t last long, but the more showy bracts persist for up to 2 months. Each of those two-lipped blooms is considered a zebra flower. The veins of its glossy and ovate dark-green leaves are heavily striped with white, and the zebra plant occasionally sends up stalks topped with clusters of yellow bracts-usually in autumn-from which emerge tubular yellow flowers. Although it can attain heights of 6 feet or so in the wilds of its native Brazil, growers often treat it with a growth suppressant so it seldom surpasses 2 feet when in a container. Safety: Nontoxic Zebra Plant CharacteristicsĪ member of the Acanthaceae family, the zebra plant only is hardy in USDA Zones 11 and 12. Temperature and Humidity: Above 65 degrees, high humidity RELATED: 15 Essentials for Beginner Plant Parents: What Every New Plant Owner Needs Zebra Plant Care at a Glance However, only care instructions for the Aphelandra zebra plant will be covered here. While it is not toxic, zebra plants can irritate your skin.Other houseplants that go by the common name of zebra plant include Dipteracanthus spp., Haworthia spp., and Cryptanthus zonatus. You should also take care while handling this plant. If you wish to promote the best blooms for this plant, make sure you are using diluted fertilizer regularly. Ensuring an air temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, maintaining humidity, and keeping the soil moist will allow the foliage to look its best. You should do all you can to maximize the plant’s beauty. Zebra plants play a purely ornamental role in the garden. An incorrect amount of water can also cause the leaves of this plant to wilt. Since zebra plants require a moist environment with plenty of humidity, they are susceptible to fungus and leaf spots. This species can have problems with aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and several other pests.ĭiseases can also occur in a zebra plant. ![]() There are a few common issues you will need to look out for while caring for a zebra plant. This prompts your zebra plant to be dense and vigorous, rather than leggy. You can also use this time as an opportunity to cut back the leaves and stems. This will encourage the plant to have an improved bloom in the following season. The plant’s flowers dying is your signal to prune it.Īfter the flowers are spent, remove them promptly. The best time to prune a zebra plant is in the late summer and fall. ![]() Regarding soil acidity for a zebra plant, a neutral or slightly acidic pH works well. The ideal fertilizer mix has equal amounts of primary plant nutrients. Fertilizing regularly will encourage the plant to have a more profuse bloom. You can fertilize a zebra plant as often as you water it. When you do, make sure you soak the soil entirely with warm water. One way to achieve this ideal level of moisture is to water every few weeks. While you do not want the soil to be too dry, you do not want it to be excessively moist. You can also use a spray bottle to create a similar effect. To accommodate this need, you might need to bring a humidifier into the room where your zebra plant grows. Zebra plants need a lot of humidity to put forth their best growth. Direct sunlight is especially harmful to this plant during the hottest times of the year. ![]() When choosing an indoor location, select an area that receives a few hours of sunlight or bright but indirect light. Zebra plants grow naturally in zones ten and eleven, so most gardeners will need to grow this plant indoors. By John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on December 2, 2021
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