Pseuderanthemum

The genus includes about 60 species of evergreen perennials and shrubs from forests in tropical regions worldwide. As the genus name indicates, Pseuderanthemum resemble Eranthemum in appearance (Latin: pseudo - «false»). Pseuderanthemum are grown for their attractive decorative foliage, which somewhat resembles fig leaves. Flowering is rare under indoor conditions. Decorative forms of the dark-purple Pseuderanthemum are popular in cultivation. Its native range is Polynesia. The key to successful indoor cultivation is high air humidity.

Pseuderanthemum tuberculatum – (Pseuderanthemum tuberculatum)

A low-growing, freely branching shrub with horizontally spreading shoots. Stems thin, tuberculate. Leaves opposite, unequal in a pair, oval to rounded, with a wavy margin, 1-3 cm long, glossy. Flowers numerous, pure white, solitary in the leaf axils, with a long (up to 4 cm), thin, almost filiform tube slightly widening at the top and a spreading 5-lobed limb 3-3.5 cm in diameter. Flowers almost year-round. Native to New Caledonia.

Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum – (Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum Bailey = Eranthemum atropurpureum hort.)

An evergreen shrub up to 120 cm tall. Stems glabrous, branching, quadrangular. Leaves up to 15 cm long, opposite, shortly petiolate, oval or ovate, acute, entire, reddish-lilac above, less often green, green beneath, tinged with red. Flowers are gathered in a terminal many-flowered compound racemose inflorescence up to 15 cm tall. The calyx, like the corolla, is five-parted, yellowish or reddish. The corolla is funnel-shaped or wheel-shaped, about 3 cm long, white with a reddish throat. The limb is shorter than the tube; its lobes are ciliate on the margin. In cultivation since the second half of the 19th century. A more popular form, `Tricolor`, has leaves adorned with irregular dark-green, yellow, and pink spots.

Location: sheltered from direct sunlight, semi-shade at a temperature of 20 °C. Plants are kept in winter at 16-18 °C. Light-loving. General care.

Lighting: good, but not direct sunlight.

Watering: requires frequent watering with soft water at room temperature.

Air humidity: cultivation of this plant is possible at an air humidity of at least 60%.

Care: apply a complete mineral fertilizer in spring and summer.

Propagation: by terminal cuttings, rooting them at 20-25 °C in water or in a light loose substrate made of a mixture of peat with sand or sphagnum.

Repotting: as needed, in spring, into a light nutritious substrate.