Ornamental foliage - Plant Encyclopedia Results (Page 3)

Adenium sp., commonly known as Desert Rose, refers to a group of succulent shrubs and small trees in the Apocynaceae family native to arid regions of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Plants develop a swollen caudex and thickened stems that store water, supporting a compact to spreading crown typically 2 to 6 ft tall in cultivation. Leaves are simple and variable in size and shape, often clustered near the tips of branches. Flowers are showy and funnel-shaped, appearing in a wide range of colors including pink, red, white, and bi-color forms, often with contrasting throats.

This group prefers full sun, excellent drainage, and a fast-draining, mineral-based soil. Water moderately during active growth, allowing the soil to dry between applications, and reduce watering during dormancy. Growth rate is moderate in warm conditions. Cold tolerance is limited, with damage likely below 40F; best suited to USDA Zones 10 to 11. Adenium species are well suited to container growing, where drainage and winter protection can be carefully controlled.See other exotic species of Adenium, photo gallery of exotic varieties and Thai Adeniums - milti-colored, multi-grafted.

See article about Adenium.

Growing to a height of about 4-5ft, this succulent plant is a member of the same family as Plumeria. Its swollen, often twisted trunk, is pale gray. The leaves are glossy and club-shaped. The flowers appear almost continuously, are trumpet-shaped, and range from white and bright pink to crimson red. They emit a highly toxic sap which in some places is used as a poison for arrows. Adeniums are not generally grown in moist tropical gardens, but are often seen as a decorative pot plants; they may also be used in rock gardens. They need full sun and well-drained potting mixture. Exotic multi-color varieties can be grafted onto the same plant. See other exotic species of Adenium, photo gallery of exotic varieties and Thai Adeniums - milti-colored, multi-grafted. More info...

Adenium 'Superbar' combines striking deep red blooms with glossy variegated foliage, making it a standout cultivar both in flower and leaf.

Adiantum peruvianum, commonly known as the Silver Dollar plant, is a popular house plant native to South America. It is a robust small shrub that grows between two and five feet tall, with ornamental foliage and a showy, tropical look.

Adiantum peruvianum is best suited to full sun, semi-shade and moderate water. This plant thrives in areas with high humidity and lots of air movement. It is hardy in USDA Zone 9-11 and can also be grown in a pot in colder regions.

For indoor growing, Adiantum peruvianum needs bright, indirect light, with the occasional mid-day sun. Keep the soil evenly moist, but not soggy, with monthly fertilizer and regular misting. When the plant is in its dormant winter stage, it is best to water only when the soil is completely dry. Be sure to keep it away from cold drafts or areas with low humidity.

Outdoors, Adiantum peruvianum can be planted in well-drained soil, with partial sun. Also, be sure to keep the soil evenly moist and supplement with fertilizer every two or three months during the growing season. If you live in a cold region, it is best to bring the plant in during the winter and protect it from frost.

Overall, Adiantum peruvianum is an easy to care for plant that can add a tropical flair to your home or garden. With some TLC, it will produce vibrant foliage, adding character and interest to any room.

Adiantum is a genus of about 200 species of ferns in the family Pteridaceae, though some researchers place it in its own family, Adiantaceae.

Adiantum has slender black stems and delicate, triangular green fronds.

The plant likes higher humidity but should not be misted.

Species:

Adiantum aethiopicum

Adiantum balfourii

Adiantum henslovianum

Adiantum macrophyllum

Adiantum peruvianum

Adiantum platyphyllum

Adiantum raddianum

Adiantum tenerum

Adiantum tetraphyllum

Adiantum venustum

The Aechmea is very diversified, hardy, extremely popular, and very easily cultivated in the bromeliad family group. They range in sizes from a very tiny 6 inches, to more than 10 feet in height and 6 feet in diameter. Their foliage colors vary from lime green, yellow, red, burgundy, and black, and incorporates many patterns, spots, stripes, bands, silvering, shadings, and blotches. These patterns often vary form the top of the leaf to the bottom of it. The Aechmea family has large inflorescence and brightly colored, long lasting bracts that holds the magnitude of tiny flowers. Often the colorful berry-like fruits mature for a long time on the flower spike. It's a very healthy, cold and rot resistant plant to grow outdoors fixed in trees, walls, or, in pots in an orchid mix.

Adult plants need a sunny position to become red in the blooming period. In a luminous shade it flowers, but the leaves remain green. The rose bracts persist a long time, and if flowers are pollinated black pointed fruits will appear as shown in the picture. It's curious because, when the plant grows in very shaded locations the leaves become very long, to the point to seem a completely different plant and very elegant indeed, with no weak aspects. However, if it is gradually moved to full sun it blooms and the leaves become red.

It bears rosettes of leaves and large pyramidal panicles of bright yellow flowers in the spring.

This hardy small shrub is native to the Canary Islands, mainly on Tenerife.

Aeonium sedifolium is easy to grow, and it is perfect for beginning gardeners. It may grow up to 2-5 ft tall and can spread up to 4 ft from the center. It prefers full sunlight but can tolerate partial shade. It needs low water for keeping the soil moist, but not waterlogged, and should be watered moderately. Fertilizing in the spring and summer is necessary for the best results.

Its ornamental foliage makes it a great addition to any garden. It has oval succulent leaves colored with red stripes and a glossy surface. This small shrub produces small yellow and orange flowers that become very attractive in clusters. The flowers appear in spring, making it a great plant to decorate your garden in this season.

For growing Aeonium sedifolium in colder regions, it is recommended to grow it in pots or containers and move the containers indoors in winter. When the temperatures lower, make sure to keep the soil moist. Be sure to keep it in a bright area. Planting it in a place with good air circulation is also important to prevent diseases.

Aeonium sedifolium is a great addition to any garden. Its ornamental foliage and its yellow and orange flowers make it a great plant to decorate your garden in spring. It is easy to grow, and it is perfect for beginning gardeners. It prefers full sun and low water for keeping the soil moist, and it can tolerate some cold temperatures. It is suitable for USDA Zone 9-11, but growing it in pots or containers in colder regions and moving the containers indoors in winter is the best solution.

Aeonium is a genus of succulent plants in the stonecrop family, prized for its striking rosettes, architectural growth habit, and exceptional diversity of leaf colors and forms.

Most species are native to the Canary Islands, with the genus also occurring in Madeira, Morocco, and parts of East Africa. Unlike many desert succulents, aeoniums are adapted to mild winters and dry summers. They range from small branching shrubs to tree-like species several feet tall, with symmetrical rosettes at the tips of stems in shades of green, yellow, red, purple, nearly black, or variegated, depending on the species and cultivar.

Aeoniums are unusual in that they grow most actively during the cooler months and become semi-dormant in hot summer weather. Mature plants produce large conical clusters of star-shaped flowers in yellow, white, pink, or cream. Some species are monocarpic - an individual rosette dies after flowering - while others continue growing through branching stems.

These plants prefer bright light, excellent drainage, and moderate watering during active growth, requiring less summer irrigation than most garden plants and adapting well to containers. Popular species include Aeonium arboreum, A. haworthii, A. canariense, and numerous ornamental hybrids selected for unusual foliage colors and patterns.

USDA Zones 9b-11. Most species tolerate only light frost, although established plants may survive brief exposure to temperatures near 25-30F under favorable conditions.

Aeschynanthus longicaulis, commonly referred to as Zebra Basket Vine, is a unique, semi-evergreen, perennial, flowering vine native to Southeast Asia. It is an ornamental climber with the eye-catching glossy green foliage, marked with an unmistakable maroon central venation pattern which gives the plant its distinct zebra-like stripe. This tropical vine is perfect to be grown in most climates as an evergreen wall cover or climber on overhead structures.

While growing in its native tropical climates, its preferred position is semi-shade, such as on side of a building or under a tree. However, in cooler zones, the Aeschynanthus longicaulis can successfully be grown in pots and moved indoors in winter, providing they are kept warm. The caring and growing requirements of Aeschynanthus longicaulis are quite simple and easy to follow. It requires regular water in a well drained soil and should be fed with a balanced liquid fertilizer a few times during the growing season.

The Aeschynanthus longicaulis performs best in USDA Hardiness Zone 9 to 11. Given the right conditions and growing requirements, it will attractively bloom in summer with unusual small, tubular flowers in attractive shades of pink, yellow and orange. Combining its attractive foliage and interesting blooms, it's not difficult to see why this vine can make a lovely addition to virtually any garden.

Overall, Aeschynanthus longicaulis offers an unusual color combination and eye-pleasing ornamental foliage and flowers, making it a great container plant for patios and terraces and an ideal choice for planting along walls and trellises. The Zebra Basket Plant, if provided with sufficient indirect sunlight and regular water, will surely make a wonderful show because of its stunning foliage and extraordinary bloom.

Agave angustifolia Marginata, more commonly known as the Agave Maguey Lechugilla, is a small shrub native to Mexico. This spiny or thorny succulent is popular for its ornamental foliage and grows between 2-5 feet in full sun, and in dry conditions. This is a hardy succulent, suitable for use in xeriscaping and is grown in USDA zone 9-11.

Agave Maguey Lechugilla, like most succulents, will produce best results in well-draining soil. Watering should be done sparingly and with care, as too much water can lead to the plant's death. When water is necessary, it should be done deep and slow. During the winter months, when growth is at a minimum, water should be reduced even more.

In cold regions, where freezing temperatures are expected, the best way to grow Agave Maguey Lechugilla is in a pot. Containers should also ensure adequate drainage, and during the hot summer months should be moved to a sunny spot outdoors and brought inside during winter.

Overall, the Agave Maguey Lechugilla is an attractive and hardy plant. When growing conditions are provided and cared for, the plant will grow to a maximum of 5 feet. Foliage is normally very ornamental, and is sure to be a winning addition to any xeriscape or cacti garden.