Tropical Plants 7

Araucaria-Epipremnum
BOTANICAL NAME
ARAUCARIA
HETEROPHYLLA
 PRONUNCIATION
ah-raw-KAIR-ee-uh
het - er - oh - FIL -
uh
COMMON NAME
Norfolk Island
Pine
Connecting the Scientific Name
with the Common Name

I am going to
ARAUCARIA (ah-
raw-KAIR-ee-uh)
in Norfolk Island
 DESCRIPTION
Leaf is a needle, but the
plant is not really a pine
even though it produces
cones
Small tree
Horizontal
Whorled branching with
short needles
 Water
Keep Evenly moist
Severe drying will
kill needles and
branches
 Fertilizer
Feed year round
with all purpose or
foliage fertilizer
 Light
High
 Size and Growth
Rate
Grows slowly
Height controlled
by container size
 Propagation
Sow seeds any time
Terminal Shoot may
be rooted
Air layering
Additional
Information
Will not tolerate
hot, dry drafts
BOTANICAL NAME

ASPARAGUS
DENSIFLORUS cv.
‘Sprengeri’
PRONUNCIATION
As - PAIR - ah - gus
den - sih - FLOOR -
us SPRENG - ger -
eye
COMMON NAME
Sprengeri Fern
Connecting the Scientific Name
with the Common Name

Sprengeri and
Sprengeri
Remember that the
cv. in the scientific
name means Cultivar
(this is a test question)
DESCRIPTION
Leaves are needles
and occur all around
the stem
Stem has thorns when
mature
Spiny, Deeply arching
stems are covered with
bright green 1” needles
 Water
Keep soil moist
Allow for good
drainage
Do not allow to dry
out severely
 Fertilizer
Feed all-purpose
fertilizer year round
Light
High
Size and Growth
Rate
Vigorous
Fast-growing
plant with 18-24”
stems
Propagation
Sow seeds
Divide established
plant
 Additional Information
Will bear tiny white
flowers
Followed by green
berries which turned red
Hanging baskets and
mixed pots
BOTANICAL NAME
CHLOROPHYTUM
COMOSUM cv.
PRONUNCIATION
klor - OH - fie -
tum koe - MOE -
sum
COMMON NAME
Spider Plant
Airplane Plant
Connecting the Scientific Name
with the Common Name

Chlorophytum
bite ’em
because spiders
bite you
DESCRIPTION
Arching leaves
and flower stems
Stolons support
flowers and
plantlets
Green leaves with
yellow or white
stripes
Water
Water freely from
spring to fall
Reduce in winter
Fertilizer
Feed every other
week
Light
High
Size and Growth
Rate
Can grow to
about 3’ tall
Stems up to 5’
long
Moderate growth
Propagation
Remove plantlets
Rooted side shorts
as they form
Seeds
Additional
Information
Perfect in
hanging baskets
Easy to maintain
BOTANICAL NAME

DIEFFENBACHIA
MACULATA
PRONUNCIATION
dee - fen -BACH-
ee -ah
COMMON NAME
Dumbcane
Connecting the Scientific Name
with the Common Name

You are Dumb if

you eat this plant
because you
could Die
DESCRIPTION
Leaves are dark green with
spots of grey-silver on them
Evergreen featuring a single,
thick trunk when young
Maturing to multiple trunks
with a palm like
appearance
DESCRIPTION
Arching, oblong,
pointed leaves
10”-12” long,
spiral around the
trunk
 QuickTime™ and a
Photo - JPEG decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Water
Water thoroughly
but allow to dry
between
waterings
Fertilizer
Fertilize all year
More heavily in
summer
Light
Medium
 QuickTime™ and a
Photo - JPEG decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Size and Growth
Rate
Moderate
growing to 24”
Propagation
Stem cuttings or
air layering
Additional
Information
Juices can
temporarily paralyze
vocal cords
Throat may swell
shut as well
BOTANICAL NAME

EPIPREMNUM AUREUM
cv.
PRONUNCIATION
e - pi - PREM -
num OW - ree -
um
COMMON NAME
Golden Pothos
Connecting the Scientific Name
with the Common Name

You can put

pepper in a pot
AU is the periodic
table symbol for
gold
DESCRIPTION
A fleshy vine climbing
by rootlets
The leaves are heart
shaped on 3” petioles
Leaves are waxy dark
green with yellow or
creamy white
variegation
DESCRIPTION
Stems are
rougher than the
philodendron
(you will learn this
plant next week)
Water
Water when soil
dries out to touch
Fertilizer

Fertilize lightly
throughout
growing season
Light
High
Size and Growth
Rate
Moderate
growth rate
Propagation
Take stem
cutting at any
time
Additional
Information
Used as vining
ground cover in
interiorscapes
 Cascading accent
plant
Hanging Basket