Ephelid plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya), different polka from Fittonia
The ephelid plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya syn. Hypoestes sanguinolenta) is a sub-shrub native to Madagascar, cultivated as a houseplant in France since the plant needs a minimum of 10 ° C
- Family: Acanthaceae
- Type: houseplant
- Origin: Madagascar
- Color: magenta to lilac flowers
- Sowing: yes
- Cutting: yes
- Planting: spring
- Flowering: summer
- Height: 30 cm
- Soil and exposure: Hypoestes is grown in soil, in full sun.
- Date of sowing, cuttings: sow however you will gain by making herbaceous cuttings in May.
Planting and repotting are scheduled for spring, a season favorable to restarting the plants.
Advice on maintenance and cultivation of the ephelid plant
You can pinch the stems to prevent the plant from growing disorderly and maintaining a bushy habit. You will remove flowers that are of little interest and prevent the foliage from fully blooming.
Regular waterings but not excessively in summer are necessary to maintain a humid atmosphere with the pot placed on a bed of gravel but they must be spaced out during the winter
