Bushy and upright foliage plants

Bushy foliage house plants have very beautiful leaves and can be put to many attractive uses in modern homes, both as individual specimens and in arrangements. In the ensuing paragraphs, the more popular ones are discussed in detail.

Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus' is a very attractive, easy-to-grow, grass-like plant, that grows upright to a height of about six inches. Its leaves are striped green and cream along their length. It needs light and a fairly cool position. Being a waterside plant, it cannot be kept too wet. It is an excellent subject for bottle and dish gardens.

Aglaonema commutatum (Chinese Evergreen). This is not easy to grow. To be successful, it should be maintained at a temperature of6o°-7o°F (i5°-2i°C), with no winter fluctuations. It likes shade and moisture and dislikes fumes. It should be watered well and given liquid manure during summer, with only a little watering during the winter. It appreciates being sprayed with clean water in hot and dry weather. With its nine-inch long, dark-green leaves that are blotched white, it is an attractive plant. So is its compact cultivar 'Silver Queen' which has silver-grey leaves.

Aralia elegantissima, Dizygotheca elegantissima (Finger Aralia). Its unusual finger-like, long narrow leaves, not more than half an inch wide, make this a most graceful house plant. They are deeply serrated and spread out in a flat plane at the end of its dark-green, mottled stalks. The young foliage is reddish brown, becoming almost black with age. When young and about eighteen inches tall, it is excellent for mixed groups, but a tall, mature specimen adds much to the decor of any room.

It is not easy to grow and requires warmth (6o°F, i5°C) and moisture, particularly during winter, and good light. Draughts and fluctuations in temperature must be avoided. It should not at any time be over-watered.
Araucaria excelsa (Norfolk Island Pine). Being related to the monkey-puzzle tree, this house plant grows in its habitat to a height of 100-150 feet, but kept in a small pot, it becomes dwarfed. It has very beautiful layers of emerald-green needles, which makes it an excellent permanent substitute for a Christmas tree. In a cool, light or shady room, it will grow slowly for a long time if it is kept moist. Should the needles begin to fall, the pot should be stood on a pebble tray (seepage 132-3).

Aspidistra lurida, Aspidistra elatior (Cast Iron Plant, Parlour Palm). As its first common name suggests, this plant is the hardiest of all foliage house plants, withstanding with equanimity gas, deep shade, neglect, heat, dust, dryness of air and soil, but not bright sunshine. Any care, however, brings its rewards. All it asks for is to be kept moist, given moderate humidity and reasonable warmth. It likes having its leaves sponged occasionally and to be given spells out of doors in the summer rain. The leaves of both the dark-green and variegated varieties are prized by flower arrangers. Begonias. The growing conditions that are liked by begonias are given on page 65. Probably the most decorative of all begonias, which is grown for the beauty of its foliage, is Begonia rex. The colour of its large, approximately triangular leaves covers a wide range. It includes silver to dark green and pink to the darkest purple. The patterns on the leaves are almost indescribable and are composed of dots, stripes and splashes of numerous contrasting colours with bands on their edges and the path of their veins. Superimposed on all this glamour is an exquisite metallic sheen. Another low-growing, bushy, foliage begonia is B. masoniana, which, because of the purplish-brown Iron Cross marked on the medium-green background of each of its leaves is commonly known as the 'Iron Cross Begonia'. It grows into an extremely distinctive plant.
Both species are indeed superb and put up the most glorious display when planted either as specimens or in groupings, either in dishes or bottle gardens.

Caladium candidum. With their fragile-looking, delightfully shaped, variously coloured leaves, caladiums are among the most beautiful of foliage plants. They are, however, among the most difficult to grow. So much so that they are worth treating as flowering pot plants, because they can usually only survive the winter in a heated greenhouse.

C. candidum, which is the most popular, has almost transparent, snowy-green leaves that are veined a delicate green. Attractive varieties are 'Mary Moir', with its pale-green leaves, heavily veined bottle green, with maroon flecks, 'Mrs F. M. Joyner' whose leaves are rose centred with edges of dark green and 'Frieda Hemple', brilliant carmine with an avocado-pear green margin.

Calathea mackoyana (Peacock Plant). This is the best known of the very decorative calatheas, which, having markings rather similar to the Marantas, are sometimes offered as such. It has very lovely silvery-green leaves with veins of dark green and edged with medium green. It is excellent for a bottle garden. As it is not easy to grow, it is often better to regard it as expendable. All calatheas need to be kept very warm, in the shade and in a moist atmosphere. They should be well watered during the summer, with considerably less in the winter. Possibly easier to grow, but less colourful are C. insignis, C. ornata sanderiana and C. louisae.

Codiaeum variegatum pictum (South Sea Laurel). This vertical-growing, single-stemmed plant and its varieties are commonly known as crotons. Their leaves are deeply veined, varying in shape, sometimes straight, other times twisted and variously patterned with orange, yellow, red, green and black. Crotons are difficult to acclimatize and need to be in a continuously centrally-heated, humid room, free from draughts and out of bright sunshine.

C. variegatum pictum is an excellent plant for a bottle garden. Its very colourful cultivars are red and crimson chelsoni, the 'Blood Red Croton', Pennick, orange-pink reidii, thompsonii, which is gold, chocolate and crimson and green, crimson and magenta williamsii. C. ostenzee is a slow grower with dainty narrow, variegated yellow and green leaves.

As crotons become older, they often lose their lower leaves. This can be remedied by air-layering (see page 50).

Cordyline terminalis (Flaming Dragon Tree). There is some confusion about the botanical classification of this plant. It is additionally known as Dracaena baptistii, D. terminalis, D. indivisa and is often sold by florists as a 'Dracaena'. Whatever it is called, however, it has pink, cerise, or cream, oval young leaves, that eventually become mainly green and red with splashings and margins of these brighter colours. Its palmlike leaves are much sought after by flower arrangers. It is relatively easy to grow in an average light room. If the lower leaves fall as it grows older, this can be remedied by air-layering (see page 50).

Cryptanthus (Starfish Plant, Star Plant and, because its leaves change colour on moving in and out of the sun, Chameleon).

They are all low-growing bromeliads, that are easy to grow, provided they are given good light and not too much water. The two most common species are C. bivittatus with nine-inch long, evergreen leaves, with sharply toothed edges and two yellow bands running along their length and C. zonatus, that has alternative green and silvery-grey bands across its leaves of similar length, which are whitish underneath. Also there are C. tricolor, with cream stripes diffused with pink, and mottled-leaved C. fosteriana.

Ctenanthe lubbersiana. This plant has very attractive, narrow leaves about eight inches long, which have their undersides pale green with their upper surface a deep green variegated with yellow. In bright sunshine, which it dislikes, the edges of its leaves roll up. It needs a shady, warm and moist position for success, and is good in a bottle garden.
Cyperus alternifolius. Being a swamp lover, it cannot be over-watered. It is easy to grow and will thrive in an unheated area. It has grass-like leaves emanating from its base, from which it also produces tall flowering stems which are dominated by crowns of shorter leaves, giving the appearance of an umbrella. Hence its common name 'Umbrella Plant'.

Dieffenbachiapicta (Dumb Cane, Mother-in-Law Plant). Most dieffenbachias are tall, handsome plants with prominently marked leaves. They all need a fairly high and constant temperature and, provided good humidity is present, they do well in a centrally-heated room. Although deep shade might reduce their variegation, they do better in a shady position. They appear to be unaffected by gas fumes. They need well watering in the summer, with considerable reduction in winter. Their large leaves should be sprayed with water every ten days. Their sap is poisonous, and children and pets should not have access to them.

D. picta has dark-green, pointed oblong leaves, covered with white and pale-green spots. Its cultivar 'Rudolph Roehrs' is mottled pale and dark green. D. exotica (arvida) has large, irregular markings of creamy white and D. amoena with its white feathering on immense, glossy, green leaves can be a valuable asset in any decor.

If they lose their lower leaves, air-layering (see page 50) can put this right.

Dracaena (Dragon Plant). All dracaenas are very lovely, comparatively tall, slow-growing, foliage plants. Most species have long, firm, silky, long-lasting, pointed leaves, that are variously striped. Most of them shed their lower leaves as they grow taller, but this is not to their disadvantage. While they grow under average conditions, they are at their best in centrally-heated rooms, in which the temperature is never lower than 55°F (i3°C) and the humidity is reasonably low. They need to be well watered in the summer, but this must be reduced during winter. Generally dracaenas do well in both bright and medium light, but indirect sunlight is beneficial to the variegated types. There are two more dwarf dracaenas, which are very attractive in the house:

D. godseffiana, which is one of the shorter growing types, has dark-green leaves with pale-yellow spots.

D. sanderi (D. sanderiana), which is smaller than most, is very attractive with its grey-green leaves, bordered with a white band. It thrives in semi-shade. It is a good plant for dish and bottle gardens.

Among the larger types are D. deremensis' Warnecki', which has grey-green leaves with two silver stripes and D. deremensis 'Bausei', with its dark-green leaves with a broad central stripe of white, growing from silvery coloured stems. Others are D. fragrans, which has broad, strap-shaped leaves with a gold band down their centres, D. marginata, which is perhaps a little easier to grow than the rest and has dull red-margined leaves and, finally, D. 'Firebrand' which is unusual but very lovely, with its narrow pink and red leaves.

Fatshedera lizei (Fat-headed Lizzie, Ivy Tree). This plant, which is a cross between the fatsia and ivy, has the characteristics of both its parents. It will grow eight feet tall or more, but it can be kept bushy by pinching out the leader. Its leaves, which have the texture and colour of the fatsia, have the shape of the ivy. It is easy to grow in cold and average rooms, particularly as it needs no winter heat. It should be well watered in the summer, but not excessively so, because this tends to brown the leaf edges. Direct sunlight tends to make its leaves wilt.

Fatsia japonica (Aralia, Castor Oil Plant, Fig Leaf Palm). This large-growing plant, which is happy in cold and average rooms, is excellent for an entrance hall. In average size rooms, it can be kept bushy by topping it in the spring. It is a very valuable accent plant, with its large, glossy green, round leaves, which have up to seven or nine blunt points.

Ficus (Ornamental Fig). Some of the climbers of this genera have already been described on page 35. There is little doubt that ficus are the most popular among the house plants. This is because of the dramatic effect that they can impart to the decor of modern rooms.

F. benjamina (Weeping Fig, Willow Fig) has the most fascinating ovate leaves, that quite abruptly terminate in a sharp point, closely clothing its graceful, drooping branches. It is not easy to grow, needing a well-lit, warm room, in which the temperature never falls below 50°F (io°C). It must not be over-watered, particularly in the winter when it partially rests and may lose some leaves. If it becomes too dry, however, it wilts.

F. elastica 'Decora' (India-Rubber Plant). This is probably the best known and easiest to grow ficus that has taken the place of the Victorian aspidistra in modern living. Being hardy, it adapts itself to both warm and cold conditions, but it prefers to be in a room in which the temperature never fluctuates or falls below 50°F (io°C) in the winter, and there is not too much sunshine. It appreciates generous summer watering and liquid feeding, with less watering in the winter.

It enjoys having its leaves washed frequently in luke-warm water. It is happier when planted in a small pot.

It grows dignified, large, shiny, leathery, dark-green leaves, that first appear clothed in a red sheath, almost like a flower. Although it grows six to eight feet tall, it can be kept smaller by being cut back in the spring. Its tall growth and tolerance to cooler conditions make it an excellent specimen for shops, hotels and offices, in which it is in full harmony with any decor. Although rather more difficult to grow, its variegated counterpart, F. elastica 'Tricolor' with its leaves of pink, silvery-grey, cream and green is a very beautiful house plant.

Air-layering. F. elastica 'Decora', in common with cordyline, dracaena, dieffenbachia and fatshedera (see pages 44-7), loses its lower leaves as it matures. As mentioned previously, this can be overcome by air-layering. To do this, a narrow ring is cut in the bark at a point about twelve inches below the tip of the plant. This is moistened with water and hormone rooting compound is applied to it with a camel-hair brush. It is then covered with a sizeable handful of sphagnum moss, which is bound into position with raffia and covered completely with a small sheet of polythene, which is affixed to the stem with cellophane tape. When the roots can be seen through the polythene, the stem is cut below the bundle of moss and the new plant is potted. The remaining stem on the old plant is cut down to soil level. With watering and feeding, new shoots will soon appear (see Figures 4, 5, page 54).

F. lyrata, F. pandurata (Fiddle-leaved Fig, Fiddle Leaf). The leathery leaves of this large, handsome house plant, which eventually grow eighteen inches long, are in the shape of a violin. They are strikingly marked with cream-coloured veins. Although a little more difficult to grow, it reacts to much the same handling as F. elastica 'Decora'. It is superb in a spacious hall.

F. schryveriana. The leaves of this hardy ficus which are green and yellow, are smaller than those of F. elastica 'Decora'.

Fittonia argyroneura (Snakeskin Plant) is a low-growing plant that is difficult to grow because of its heavy demand for warmth and humidity. It is, nevertheless, very attractive with its dark-green leaves, heavily veined with silver. F. verschaffeltii has pinkish-red veins on very dark leaves. Of the two, it is the easier to keep outside a bottle garden.

Grevillea robusta (Australian Wattle, Silk Oak). This beautiful evergreen shrub has silvery, finely divided foliage. It is easy to grow. It must not be allowed to dry out, because otherwise its leaves drop. It ultimately grows very tall.

Gynura sarmentosa. This delightful plant grows either upright or as a trailer. It is a great joy with its velvety, purple foliage. Its rather unattractive, ill-smelling, orange flowers are better removed. It likes central heating, good lighting and being allowed to dry out between waterings. Its cuttings root very easily.

Helxine soleirolii (Mind Your Own Business, Baby's Tears). This rather invasive, carpeting plant is very easy to grow, but it should be used with discrimination. Its bright-green, rounded foliage looks beautiful if it is allowed to grow alone in a shallow pan. It is a water lover, and best grown with its pot standing in a saucer of water. It grows in deep shade, but ideally it should have a moist, cool, partially shady position. It abhors gas fumes.

Lauris nobilis (Bay Tree). This evergreen, the leaves of which are prized by cooks, makes an excellent and useful indoor shrub. It will succeed in any normal soil, but it is a lover of full sun. Its size can be kept under control by careful trimming or by picking the leaves for drying for storage.

Maranta. The plants in this group are not easy to grow because they need warmth, shade, root moisture and humidity. They are excellent for bottle gardens and terrariums because of their very ornamental foliage. Similarly, they can give a dramatic effect to the simplest dish garden.

Maranta leuconeura 'Kerchoveana' (Prayer Plant, Husband and Wife). Its first common name comes from its habit of closing up its leaves at sundown. It is a delightful bushy plant with prominent purple-maroon blotches on either side of its centre veins.

M. leuconeura 'Erythrophylla' (Tricolor) is attractive with its bright-green leaves with red and brown markings.

M. picturata has light-grey leaves with dark-green edges and maroon underneath. It is difficult to grow.

Monstera deliciosa 'Borsigiana' is a giant, handsome foliage plant that fortunately grows fairly slowly in a small pot; it can also be kept down in height by cutting out its top periodically. Its enormous dark-green leaves are slashed and perforated in an almost startling fashion. Its new leaves, which are produced from a long cone-shaped bud attached to the stem of an old one, are very glossy and delicate green in colour. It produces abundant, long aerial roots, which can beneficially be tied together and inserted in the soil in its pot. Another feature is that in time it produces a flower, followed by a delicious fruit with an elusive flavour between that of pineapple and banana. For this reason, the Australians call it the 'Fruit Salad Plant'.

Although it will adapt itself to cooler conditions, it likes warmth, good humidity, plenty of water and feeding during summer. The soil should be allowed to become fairly dry between waterings. It has no objection to smoke or gas fumes. Neoregelias are bromeliads (pineapple family). They have striking, colourful foliage, particularly in their cup-like centres which, during the growing season, should be kept filled with tepid water, preferably rainwater. They have insignificant flowers that grow in these centres. When they fade they should be removed with tweezers and the cups washed out because otherwise they smell unpleasantly. Neoregelias need well-lit quarters and a temperature that never falls below 50°F (io°C).

Neoregelia carolinae has a brilliant vermilion foliage centre. N. carolinae 'Tricolor'   has green leaves with lengthwise-running, pinky-cream stripes and a pinky-red centre.

N. marechali is particularly attractive. It has broad, strap-like, bright-green leaves with spiny edges and a bright-red centre.

Nidularium fulgens (Bird's Nest Bromeliad) is generally easy to grow. It prefers a minimum temperature of 50°F (io°C), and should not be kept too wet, even in the summer, but its central nest of scarlet leaves should be kept filled with water after its whitish lilac-coloured flowers have faded. It has gorgeous, twelve-inch long and two-inch broad, dark-green leaves with up to ten short scarlet ones in the centre.

Pandanus veitchii (Screw Pine). This palm-like plant, which has long and narrow leaves, with serrated edges like those of a pineapple, is difficult to grow, needing constant warmth, a temperature never below 55°F (i3°C) and a moist atmosphere. It does best in central heating. It needs to be well watered during the summer, but it should be allowed to become fairly dry between waterings. It likes a small pot.

Peperomias. These are moderate or small plants with very lovely leaves and flowers, sometimes carried high on colourful stalks, which together make the plants extraordinarily decorative.

They all require warmth, humidity, some shade and, as they have small roots, to be grown in small well-drained pots. At no time should they be excessively watered and should be kept rather drier in winter than is usual for plants kept under warm conditions. They are very suitable for bottle gardens.

P. caperata is among the best known. It has dark-green, corrugated leaves on pink stems and curious, cream flowers, like shepherds' crooks, borne on light-brown stalks. It will grow in deep shade.

P. hederifolia is similar to, but rather larger than, P. caperata. Its glossy leaves are less crinkled and metallic grey-green in colour. It is a little more tender.

P. magnoliaefolia (P. obtusifolia 'Variegata') is a tough, but slower-growing, shrubby plant, which has brilliant cream and green leaves, borne on short, branching, reddish stems. The most beautiful of all is P. sandersii (P. argyreia), called the Watermelon Peperomia, because of the shape of leaves, which are dark green patterned with crescents of silver. It forms a very lovely clump.

Philodendrons. The culture of these beautiful foliage plants has been discussed on pages 35, 37. In addition to the climbers and trailers dealt with there, there are several lovely bushy species that are very valuable for decoration, see page 59.

P. bipinnatifidum. Although it requires plenty of room for display, it is not difficult to grow. The long fleshy roots that emerge from its growing point should be trained back into the soil.

P. 'Burgundy' is very tolerant. It benefits very much from the support of a moist moss stick into which its aerial roots can penetrate. It assumes a rich hue from the reflection of the colour of its deep, wine-red stem in its superb two-foot long leaves.

P. dubium is slow growing and never gets out of hand.
P. pertusum is like a smaller version of Monstera deliciosa and is often referred to as such.

P. selloum. This very striking, sturdy, slow-growing philodendron has its very large leaves cut into strips half-way to the midrib. As they fall, they leave white scars on the stem, which add to its attractiveness. It is particularly resistant to cold and will stand freezing temperatures.

P. wendlandi is tolerant of extremes of temperature and humidity. It is compact and has long narrow leaves.

Pilea cadierei (Aluminium Plant, Friendship Plant) is a very decorative, small, bushy plant with pointed oval leaves that are dark green with broken aluminium stripes. It is easy to grow in an average or warm room, and is excellent for growing in a bottle garden and as a low component of a dish garden. It dislikes strong sunshine and likes plenty of water and liquid manure during the summer. There is a dwarf version, P. cadierei 'Nana'.

P. muscosa (microphylla) (Artillery Plant, Gunpowder Plant, Pistol Plant) is quite unlike cadieri with its minute, light-green, moss-like foliage, but it likes much the same environment. It is easy to grow.

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii' (Mother-in-Law's Tongue, Bayonet Plant, Snake Plant). This very decorative, but rather vicious-looking plant, is easy to grow. It loves sunshine, but does not mind shade; it is adaptable to high and low temperatures, but at the latter it should be kept fairly dry. It should be allowed to dry out between waterings. It has narrow, fleshy, pointed, slightly twisted leaves, edged with yellow and banded alternatively with light and dark green. Saxifraga sarmentosa, S. stolonifera (Mother of Thousands) is a low-growing, hardy plant, that likes a cool room and dislikes sunshine. It should be grown in a small pot. Its leaves are particularly decorative and are dark green with cream-coloured veins, with their undersides purplish red. It is easily propagated by layering.

Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree) is a delightful foliage plant with glossy, green, long pointed leaves in groups of three or five at the top of a stalk, like the segments of an umbrella. It flourishes in almost any room, even in a dry atmosphere. It grows fairly quickly and eventually makes a large plant.

Setcreasea purpurea (Purple Heart) is a very attractive, rich purple, rather straggly, foliage plant. It is a quick grower that is easy to grow. Sunshine intensifies its colour. It likes a lot of water unless it is kept in a cool place.

Stenocarpus sinuatus is another easy-to-grow, nearly hardy plant, that is suitable for cold and average rooms, which are well lit. It does not like direct sunshine. It is very decorative, with light-green, glossy leaves that have a slight wave. The young leaves have three lobes, but they increase in number with age. With its leaves growing to six inches long, it can ultimately become large.

Tolmiea menziesii (Pick-a-back Plant, Piggyback Plant) is an easy-to-grow, simple plant, that grows in cold and average rooms. It likes shade and plenty of water and regular feeding during the summer, with reduced watering in the winter. It freely grows plantlets that can be cut off and potted.