Sanchezia speciosa or Shrubby whitevein

Care of the indoor plant Sanchezia speciosa or Shrubby whitevein

The genus Sanchezia, family Acanthaceae, comprises 50 species of herbaceous plants native to tropical regions of the American continent. Some species are: Sanchezia speciosa, Sanchezia parviflora, Sanchezia lampra, Sanchezia sericea, Sanchezia arborea.

Common name: Shrubby whitevein. This species is native to Ecuador and Peru.

They are herbaceous plants with a shrubby habit that reach 60 cm/1.96 feet (grown in pots). The opposite arrangement leaves are very decorative due to their large size (30 cm/11.8") and their bright green color with marked yellow or cream colored veins. The flowers arise in panicles and are yellow with red bracts. They can bloom in different seasons of the year; in their natural habitat they do so throughout the year.

In climates other than tropical or subtropical they are used as indoor and greenhouse plants. They lose quite attractive from the age of 3; then it's convenient to renew them.

The Sanchezia speciosa needs an illuminated exposure but without receiving direct rays of the sun, especially in the warmest hours of the day.

The soil can be a mixture of 1/3 leaf mulch and 2/3 heather soil. The transplant is done in early spring.

Water with lime-free water 2 times a week at the rate of one glass of water per plant. It's very important that the humidity is high; sprinkle the leaves from time to time and place a plate with wet stones under the pot. Every 2 weeks, immerse the pot in lime-free water for 10 minutes and let it drain well.

Fertilize in early spring with a slow-release fertilizer.

Prune in late winter to remove damaged branches and maintain a compact demeanor.

They can be attacked by mealybugs if the humidity is too low.

They are propagated in summer from cuttings (15 cm/5.9" long); root in a hotbed with background heat.