Scientific Name:
Strobilanthes alternata
( syn.
Hemigraphis alternata
)
Pronunciation:
stroh-bil-AN-theez al-ter-NAY-tuh
Common Name:
waffle plant, red ivy
Family Name:
Acanthaceae
Plant Type:
Indoor foliage plant
Key ID Features:
Leaves toothed, ovate-elliptic, are metallic silvery gray-green above and purple beneath, blades up to 7cm long x 5cm wide, petioles up to 4cm long (blades puckered or "waffle-like" in S. 'Exotica').
Habit:
Spreading
Form:
Mounded
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
0.2 - 0.4m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Origin:
South Asia / India (India & Java)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 10: (-1 to 4 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun only if soil kept moist, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Bedding plant, Hanging basket, Indoor plant
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown may include S. 'Exotica'.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Leathery
Surfaces:
Rugose
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green, Purple, Silver / Grayish, purple undersides
Shapes:
Elliptic, Ovate
Apices:
Rounded
Bases:
Cordate
Margins:
Crenate, Serrate
Inflorescence Type:
Spike
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Tubular
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, White
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May, Jun
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Jul, Aug
Additional Info:
Fruit insignificant, (two locules)
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green, Red, Tan
Organ Modifications:
Leaf-like bracts
Propagation:
Stem tip cuttings
Optimal Temp.:
Medium
Light Level:
Medium
Maintenance:
Medium
Pest Susceptibility:
Aphids, Mites
