DICHORISANDRA (Dichorisan'dra)

DESCRIPTION: These tender perennials are mainly grown for their ornamental foliage. They are natives to the tropical areas in Peru. D. reginae is an erect, clump-forming variety with large, evergreen, oval leaves that are shiny green, banded and mottled with silver above and purple-red underneath. The small, purple-blue flowers are borne in thick spikes from summer to fall. This plant grows 24 to 30 inches high. D. mosaica has blue and white, smooth, round leafstalks and leaves that have a mosaic pattern of whitish lines and purple underneath.

POTTING: These plants need a minimum temperature of 68 degrees. In cool climates, they can be grown in a house or greenhouse. They should be planted in moist, fertile soil or potting mix with good drainage. The best mixture consists of equal parts of peat, leaf mold and loam with an addition of sand. They should be placed in partial shade. While they are growing actively, they need plenty of water and humidity; otherwise moderately.

PROPAGATION: Seeds may be sown in containers of light soil in the spring, or better, by division in the spring or stem cuttings in the summer.

VARIETIES: D. reginae; D. mosaica & var. undata; D. thyrsiflora & var. variegata.

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