Want to grow a cheek plant ? Learn how to care for these tropical houseplant .
Nerve plant , also acknowledge as fittonia , mosaic , or net plant , is a tropic works aboriginal to Peru . These small plant have oval - shaped leaves with eye - catching violent , pinkish , lilac-colored , or ashen veins that give these plants an eye - catching show . They ’re mostly grow as houseplant in the U.S. , though they can grow outdoors inUSDA Hardiness Zones11 - 12 . boldness plant are n’t theeasiest houseplants to care for , and they wo n’t entrust you off the hook shot for tending . Here ’s what you require to know to arise boldness plants successfully .
Where to Plant Nerve Plant
Nerve plant boom in a tropical clime , which is why it is typically grown as a houseplant . It works well as aterrarium plantbecause the enclosed environment offers higher humidity . If you live in a frost - gratuitous climate , you’re able to grow boldness plants outdoors in container or as a groundcover out of direct sun .
Nerve Plant Care Tips
cheek industrial plant require specific conditions to arise , such as high-pitched humidness and plenty of warmheartedness . Here ’s what they necessitate to expand :
Light
Nerve plants preferindirect but bright brightness . They do n’t like direct sunlight . Place them near a window that receives ample indirect sun for most of the mean solar day .
Soil and Water
Nerve plants arise indoors do best in peat - free-base potting premix . The soil must be well - draining to forestall overly wet atmospheric condition . This flora like dirt that leans toward the acidulent side witha soil pHof around 6.5 .
These plants are especial when it derive to water . They love plenty of wet , but filth that stays too crocked may ensue in jaundiced or wilted leave androot rot . A rule of ovolo is to check the soil to see if the flora needs water . The first inch of stain should find moist ; if not , it ’s time for a drink . If you blank out to irrigate your nerve plant for a while , the leaf might droop dramatically . However , nerve plants reclaim well soon after you give them more water .
Temperature and Humidity
brass plants fly high when temperature are around 70 ° fluorine , but they can cover somewhat grim temperatures in the mid-60s and up to the low-down eighty before they show signs of stress .
nervus plant love humidity , so grow them in a bathroom where there is quite a little of moisture and steam is a good choice . A plant life humidifier nearby also help boost humidness , or grow nerve plants in aclosed terrarium . stave off aim these plants near draughty window , heaters , or vents .
Fertilizer
In the spring and summertime , the nerve industrial plant ’s grow season , use a cosmopolitan houseplant fertilizer to give these plants a hike . A fertilizer created for tropic plants is honest . Use a balanced liquid plant food diluted to half the recommended strength . In the fall and wintertime , growth slows down , and they do n’t need fertilizer then .
Pruning
When nerve plants have their favorite conditions , they can grow speedily . Sometimes , thestems become leggy , but that is easy to dissolve . vellicate back the stems just above a leaf guest with your fingers ( or use scissors ) to encourage bushier growth . If any flower spikes appear , which is rare , snip them off , too .
Potting and Repotting Nerve Plant
Choose a containerwith a hole in the bottom for drain and use a good caliber potting mix . In a couple of age , your works might give you clues that it is ready to be upgrade to a raw pot . If you see the plant ’s roots emerge from the drainage kettle of fish or it ’s beginning to need more weewee more often , you should repot .
The good metre to repot your brass plant life is in the spring when it begins to show new development . seize a slightly bigger potbelly with drainage holes and fill it partway with fresh potting mix . Place the industrial plant into the soil and continue the roots completely . Add additional potting mix if needed to fill the pot .
Pests and Problems
Aphids and mealybugs arecommon houseplant peststhat can rag a heart plant . Check the leaves for aphid , which bequeath secretion with a wet or sticky residue . If you see a few mealybugs , swob them with a cotton fiber swab dipped in alcoholic beverage . Bothaphidsandmealybugscan be handle withneem oilapplied directly to the infested areas .
The leaves of a nerve works will give you hints about the problem it has :
How to Propagate Nerve Plant
spunk plants are sluttish topropagate from stem cuttings . The idealistic fourth dimension is in late springiness or early summertime .
root typically sprout between two to three weeks later .
Types of Nerve Plants
Visit your local nursery or fiat online , and you ’ll find an array of spunk plant life to purchase . Here are some mixed bag you might find .
‘Fortissimo’
Fittonia albivenis‘Fortissimo ’ is one of the turgid nerve plant at 6 inches tall . It has large green leaves with salient garden pink to red - hued veins and inconspicuous , tiny unripened efflorescence .
‘Frankie’
Fittonia albivenis‘Frankie ’ has dark greenish leafage leaves that have more pink coloring than green . As it grows , it displays hearty pinkish leaves . Its soil should never all dry out out ; keep it moist , not wet .
‘Pink Angel’
Fittonia albivenis‘Pink Angel ’ has dark unripened leaves with bright pink veins . Although it reaches only 6 inches tall , it circularise up to 18 inches and has a get behind habit ; its leave-taking disgorge over the sharpness of the crapper or hang up basketful .
‘Purple Vein’
Fittonia albivenis‘Purple Vein ’ is a large - leafage salmagundi with dark unripened leaves and luminance lavender veins that contrast with the farewell .
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes , face plants like to be misted . They thrive in a humid environs that mime a tropic rain forest , and haze over on a regular basis helps create the right humidity for them .
Although mettle plant are n’t especially hard to like for , they can be moody . They need a warm , humid , almost tropical environment , which can be challenging to maintain indoors .
Credit: Marty Baldwin
