VELVET PLANT

GYNURA AURANTIACA

The leaves of this plant are covered in fine, purple hairs, making them velvety to the touch. With a metallic green topside and dark purple underside and stems, the plant has a rich, luxurious appearance. It thrives in moderate humidity and filtered sunlight and is not a hard plant to place.

HEIGHT 8in (20cm)

SPREAD 8in (20cm)

FLOWERS Orange/yellow

FOLIAGE Green and purple, velvety

LIGHT Filtered sun

TEMPERATURE 59–75°F (15–24°C)

CARE Fairly easy

PLACE OF ORIGIN Southeast Asia

CARE

Filtered or bright, indirect light is required to keep the color of the velvet plant strong and vigorous.

Grow this plant in a generous container filled with an organically enriched potting mix. Keep the plant moist and also apply half-strength, balanced fertilizer in the spring and summer. Reduce watering slightly during the winter and also stop feeding.

The foliage will look good only if it’s always kept dry. If the leaves turn brown (indicating low humidity), don’t resort to misting the velvet plant. Instead, place it on a dish filled with soaked clay granules.

Regularly pinch off with your fingers or scissors the growing tips to keep it bushy. If flowers start to form, cut them off, as they have an unpleasant smell.

PROBLEM SOLVING This velvet plant is seldom affected by pests and diseases but it’s common for the foliage to lose its appealing color. This is due to light levels being too low—remedy this by moving the plant to a sunnier spot. Overwatering can cause rot.

The leaves of this plant have a wonderful velvety texture.

DISPLAY

This plant is quite capable of attracting attention all on its own, especially in a purple or pink container. With its fabulous, velvety leaves, it’s a terrific conversation piece, making it an ideal plant for a coffee table.

To create a mixed display in one pot, pair it with neatly shaped, smaller plants that enjoy the same conditions, such as the mosaic plant or the radiator plant.

The flowers look fantastic, but their smell is unpleasant.

Houseplants A–Z | VELVET PLANT

ALSO TRY

A good collection of houseplants should include a mixture of colors, textures, and shapes. If the idea of tactile plants appeals to you, then why not consider these two plants:

• Moonstones (Pachyphytum oviferum), height 4in (10cm). This plant has plump, rounded succulent leaves that are as soft as a smooth pebble to the touch.
• Spear sansevieria (Sansevieria cylindrica), height 30in (75cm). The smooth, cylindrical leaves of this succulent plant have a wonderful structure.

Spear sansevieria occasionally produces fragrant flowers.