- Ideal soil and exposure for Fittonia
- Date of cuttings and planting of Fittonia
- Board of maintenance and culture of Fittonia
- Diseases, pests and parasites of Fittonia
- Location and favorable association of Fittonia
- Recommended varieties of Fittonia for indoors
The Fittonia are pretty creeping plants that owe their name to Elizabeth and Sara Fitton, authors of the book Conversations on Botanywhich contributed to its introduction later in Europe in 1867.
Tropical ground cover plants that grow naturally in South America, at home they make very beautiful indoor ground cover that require a humid and warm atmosphere. They also grow well in wet terrarium. The secret of the success of their culture is to water well and never allow the soil to dry out. As a result, they are considered delicate to treat.
Leaves 6 to 10 cm long are opposite with short petioles, they are ribbed either white or carmine red, depending on the species.
In the summer, inflorescences may emerge from the foliage: as these plants are grown for their graphic foliage, it is advisable to remove the insignificant flower spikes.
- Family: Acanthacées
- Type: houseplant
- Origin: Peru
- Color: whitish flowers
- Sowing: no
- Cutting: yes
- Planting: spring
- Flowering: summer
- Height: up to 15 cm
Ideal soil and exposure for Fittonia
Fittonia is grown in shallow pots, exposed to indirect light with high hygrometry, in a mixture of Âľ of moorland and 1/4 of soil. He does not like drafts.
Date of cuttings and planting of Fittonia
It is in spring that you will make cuttings of Fittonia from end of stems bearing 3 or 4 pairs of leaves. The layering also succeeds from April to June.
Board of maintenance and culture of Fittonia
Fittonia should be at least 15° C, ideally at 18-20° C. Watering is done 2-3 times a week during growth and less in winter, but make sure that the pot is well drained. You can spray it daily. Repot each year.
Pinch the young shoots so that the plant is bushy.Diseases, pests and parasites of Fittonia
Aphids can set in but it is especially the excess of water (leaves that turn yellow) and the lack of water (shriveled leaves) or the cold (falling leaves) that are to be feared.
Location and favorable association of Fittonia
It is a plant that is grown in suspension, indoors, greenhouse or terrarium where it can be associated with Hedera, Chlorophytum, Pilea.
Recommended varieties of Fittonia for indoors
The two main species marketed are Fittonia argyroneura with ribbed olive green leaves of silvery white and Fittonia verschaffeltii darker green with crimson-red veins.
FAQ - 💬
❓ Is Fittonia a trailing plant?
👉 Fittonia typically grows to a height of 3 to 6 inches with a trailing spread of 12 to 18 inches. Although the slow-growing plant rarely flowers when grown as an indoor houseplant, it does occasionally bloom with insignificant reddish or yellowish-white spikes.
❓ Is Fittonia a ground cover?
👉 Fittonia albivenis is an evergreen perennial plant from the Acanthaceae family. In cultivation, it is usually grown indoors as a houseplant, but they can be used as groundcover in mild climates. It's grown for the strikingly-veined and often pink leaves and commonly known as a Nerve Plant.
❓ Can Fittonia grow inside?
👉 Hailing from Peru and other areas of the South American rain forest, this colorful houseplant craves high humidity but not too much irrigation. This little beauty does well in terrariums, hanging baskets, dish gardens, or even as a ground cover in the right climate.
❓ How do you take care of Fittonia Verschaffeltii?
👉 Fittonia needs moisture at all times, but it won't tolerate soggy soil. Cut off yellow leaves and allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Humidity: High humidity (around 60-70% relative humidity). Nerve plant grows well in the humid environment of a wardian case or a terrarium.
❓ Does Fittonia spread?
👉 Growth. As a creeper, Fittonia can grow fairly fast, and it does like to spread out and make use of the space. You might find pruning the stems to be useful every now and again to keep in check.
❓ How do you make Fittonia bushy?
👉 Pinch Back Leggy Growth You can use your fingers to literally “pinch” it back, or use a clean, sterile pair of pruning shears or scissors. This will encourage bushy growth. Use pruning shears to prune back fittonia when it gets leggy.
❓ Can Fittonia grow in low light?
👉 Nerve Plant, or Fittonia, is another easy-care low-light plant, with a little more visual interest. Fittonia features small leaves with veins in either bright white or bright red. Their high-contrast leaves are beautiful to look at. Nerve plant is fairly low growing and will live happily near any window.
❓ How often should Fittonias be watered?
👉 In the growing season you should water your Fittonia every 3-4 days, but let the soil dry out between each watering. In the Winter, once a fortnight should be enough. Nerve Plants don't like having wet feet so avoid letting them sit in water for prolonged periods of time.
❓ Is Fittonia poisonous to humans?
👉 What Parts of Fittonia are Poisonous or Toxic? No part of this plant is toxic, and humans consume the leaves as remedies for headaches, muscle pain, and even a mild hallucinogenic. While it's unlikely your cat will care about any of these uses, it won't harm them if they happen to nibble on a leaf or two.
❓ Are Fittonias hard to care for?
👉 Fittonia are fairly easy to care for–they can tolerate a range of lighting conditions and like to be kept moist. They prefer humid environments and will benefit from regular misting. If you are a plant parent that loves to tend to your plants often, this is the plant for you.
❓ Is Fittonia poisonous?
👉 What Parts of Fittonia are Poisonous or Toxic? No part of this plant is toxic, and humans consume the leaves as remedies for headaches, muscle pain, and even a mild hallucinogenic. While it's unlikely your cat will care about any of these uses, it won't harm them if they happen to nibble on a leaf or two.
❓ Can you grow Fittonia under glass?
👉 This cute plant can be grown under glass as houseplants but also as a groundcover in mild climates. Fittonia verschaffeltii, named also red nerve plant, is a perennial tropical plant native to Peru. This compact plant has unique patterned foliage with dark green leaves and red to pink veins.
❓ What is the scientific name of Fittonia?
👉 Fittonia is a genus of perennial plants belonging to the Acanthaceae family. The plants of this genus are native to the rainforests of South America (Colombia and Peru). They are most often called by their Latin name “Fittonia”, “Nerve plants” or “Mosaic plants”.
❓ Do Fittonia flowers flower?
👉 Also, these plants rarely flower when grown indoors. Fittonia care is fairly easy, just give them what they need, they will certainly thrive and make you happy at the same time. Fittonia albivenis, also known as Pink Angel, is a creeping perennial plant that comes from tropical rainforests in South America.
❓ Is Fittonia gigantea an evergreen?
👉 As a houseplant, it is spreading and works well in a pot or hanging basket and stays fairly small. Fittonia gigantea is an evergreen perennial mat-forming, creeping plant native to Ecuador (Pastaza). This species can reach 60 cm height and has purple stems, oval, pointed, dark-green leaves and dark red veins.