Aphelandra tetragona, Aphelandra cristata

These attractive tender perennials and shrubs are grown for their ornamental foliage and interesting flower spikes and require high humidity and warm temperatures to flower. The color of the flowers is orange-scarlet to scarlet.

Aphelandra tetragona are considered great groundcover and can add dramatic color to your garden. The plant is native to South America and stands out with its bright red, crimson, and vinous flowers. This shrub thrives in USDA zones 9-11 and grows between 2 to 5 feet tall. It prefers partial to full shade with semi-shade being more beneficial to its growth.

For cold regions, these plants can be grown indoors and brought out in the summer. The plants should be grown in pots using a soil mixture of loam and peat and a generous amount of sand and placed in bright, indirect light. They require regular watering but must be careful not to drown the plant. In addition, the plants should be fed with liquid fertilizer as the flowers form, and when finished blooming, less water is needed. The plants should be kept out of drafts and in humid environments. To keep them low-growing, around two feet, regular pruning is necessary.

Similar plants:

• Aphelandra aurantiaca (Fiery Spike)
• Aphelandra goodspeedii (Aphelandra )
• Aphelandra hartwegiana (Yellow Aphelandra )
• Aphelandra scabra, Aphelandra panamensis (Aphelandra)
• Aphelandra schiedeana, Aphelandra melgariensis (Aphelandra)
• Aphelandra sinclairiana (Orange Shrimp plant, Coral Aphelandra, Panama Queen)
• Aphelandra sp. (Shrimp Plant, Coral Aphelandra)
• Aphelandra squarrosa (Zebra Plant)