Achyranthes verschaffeltii

Family Amaranthaceae. Native to South America.

A decorative-leaved perennial plant, 30—60 cm tall, with oval leaves slightly split at the top, red-brown with pale reddish veins or yellow-green veins. Light- and heat-loving. In semi-shade the internodes elongate strongly. Develops well on fertile, moderately moist soils. With insufficient moisture it loses its decorative appearance; the lower leaf drops from the plants.

In cultivation well known is Achyranthes verschaffeltii (Achyranthes verschaffeltii Hook). Plants with fleshy red or brownish-red stems and almost rounded leaves. There are garden forms: golden-reticulated (Achyranthes verschaffeltii var. aureoreticulata hort.) — with golden-yellow veins on green leaves and purplish-red petioles and stems; brilliant (Achyranthes verschaffeltii var. brilliantissima hort.) — with strongly expressed veins on acute, narrowly oval purple-pink leaves; Vallis (Achyranthes verschaffeltii Vallisii hort) — up to 30 cm tall, with small narrowly oval dark red leaves with a metallic tint.

Used for carpet bedding, plantings in flower beds and borders, edging, rarely in groups, as solitary plantings, and in containers.

Location: prefers well-lit and warm sites; with insufficient light it becomes leggy and loses its decorative value.

Soil: not demanding, but grows better on soils rich in organic matter.

Planting: the spacing between plants when planting in a permanent place is from 8 to 12 cm.

Care: the plant forms a dense carpet, suppressing everything around. Grows quickly but is easy to control. Responds well to trimming, becomes bushier and more decorative. The plant can be maintained at a height of 20 cm. Pruning is carried out 2—3 times per season.

Propagation: by cuttings. Mother plants are lifted from the ground into pots, boxes or greenhouse shelving in advance, before autumn frosts, and stored until February in a greenhouse at 10—12 °C. In February the temperature is raised to 18—20 °C. Cuttings are planted in a warm bench from March to May. The substrate is prepared from peat and sand. Cuttings root within 12—15 days, after which they are planted into pots 7 cm in diameter, boxes or heated cold frames. The tops of the plants are pinched. Plants are set out in the open ground in early June. The spacing between plants when planting in a permanent place is from 8 to 12 cm. Responds well to trimming, becomes bushier and more decorative. The plant can be maintained at a height of 20 cm. Pruning is carried out 2—3 times per season.