Tropical beauties are the houseplants of the month of May
Magnificent Medinilla
Among the decorative, wavy leaves, square stems grow in high arches from which large pink bells hang. And when they open, a spray of deep-pink flowers emerges. This majestic houseplant does best in a well-lit area, but not in direct sun. The plant tells you how it is doing: if the leaves and buds turn dark or black, then the root ball is too wet and/or the plant is too much in the shade. Pale hanging leaves and buds need more water. If you adjust the conditions quickly, this houseplant can flower for 3 to 5 months.
Glamorous Gloriosa
Large, green and transparent, with corkscrew tendrils on all sides that want to climb, up to 2 metres tall in the wild. And then the famous flowers: deep red, bright pink or orange with saffron yellow. The long stamens lie perpendicular to the petals. Gloriosa is not only lovely to look at, it is also a botanical curiosity with its lily-like bulb and climbing habit. To keep this houseplant beautiful, it prefers a place where it receives sunshine in the morning. In addition, the pots must allow water to drain away, or the bulb will rot. So choose a tall pot in which the plant can stand on a raised platform and don't let the temperature drop below 16°C.
Distinctive Anigozanthos
Branched, leafless stems extend from a rosette of pointed, narrow, green leaves. In the wild it can grow to 2 metres in height, but cultivated Anigozanthos keeps to a more sensible format. At the top of the stems, whimsical tubes grow that are coloured red, yellow, orange or pink. None of them is identical, and the tubes are also covered with hairs, giving them a velvety appearance. Each tube contains a flower that emerges like a fan with six petals: distinctive, decorative and as ancient as the time of the Aboriginals. Being a desert plant, Anigozanthos likes warm, sunny locations in porous soil that can be allowed to dry out occasionally: it is better to water it too little than too much.
The Houseplant of the Month campaign is conducted in the Netherlands, France, Germany and the UK.
For more information:
www.funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk