Pseuderanthemum alatum

Native to Mexico and Central America, Pseuderanthemum alatum or Chocolate Plant is a small shrub that reaches a height of 2-5 ft. and grows best in areas with partial shade to semi-shade. This plant is known for its ornamental foliage and the color of its leaves, which range from coppery-brown to silvery-green with distinctive silver blotches.

These plants are quite easy to take care of, requiring little more than regular watering and maintenance throughout the year. During summer, water your Pseuderanthemum alatum once a week, making sure that the soil is slightly moist after every application. In winter, however, the frequency of watering can be reduced to once every two weeks to avoid over-hydrating the plant.

Additionally, this small shrub produces beautiful pink, blue, lavender, and purple flowers. The clusters of fragrant blossoms arrive right after the rainy season, often starting in the late spring. This showy display will last you until late summer, making it a wonderful addition to any garden.

Pseuderanthemum alatum requires a warm climate to thrive, being listed as hardy to USDA Zone 9-11. For those living in cooler regions, your Chocolate Plant can be grown in pots and kept indoors during the winter months. Make sure to place it in a sunny spot with access to bright light, but not direct sunlight. Additionally, water your potted plants thoroughly, but only when the top couple of inches of the soil begins to dry.

Similar plants:

• Pseuderanthemum carruthersii 'Black Magic'. Eranthemum nigrum (Black Magic, Sky Flower, Ebony)
• Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum 'Variegatum', Pseuderanthemum variegatum (Variegated False Eranthemum)
• Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum, Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum (Purple False Eranthemum)
• Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. reticulatum, Pseuderanthemum reticulatum (Yellow-Vein Eranthemum, Golden Pseuderanthemum)
• Pseuderanthemum graciflorum, Pseuderanthemum graciliflorum, Pseuderanthemum andersonii (Blue Twilight, Blue Crossandra, Florida Twilight)
• Pseuderanthemum laxiflorum (Shooting Star, Star Flower, Furple False Erantheum, Dazzler)
• Pseuderanthemum seticalyx (Shooting star, Australian Nerve Flower)
• Pseuderanthemum sp. (Shooting Star)
• Pseuderanthemum x carruthersii, Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum Rubrum (Iguana Mia, Black-Purple-Green Varnish)