The brocade tree is a versatile plant that can be used in various ways to enhance the beauty of your garden. Its vibrant colors make it an excellent choice for border planting, corner decorations, and adding texture to garden miniatures. It also serves as a great background plant and can be used in construction trees and garden plants.
Solenostemon is a stunning plant that is known for its unique foliage colors. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors in a variety of containers such as pots, balcony boxes, hanging baskets, and flower beds. This perennial herbaceous plant belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and has a shiny trunk that can reach a height of 30 to 60 cm. It flowers from June to October and has leaves with an ovate shape and toothed edges. The upper surface of the leaves can be purple with a green edge or purple-red with a bright yellow border that is unevenly shaped. The long and thin petioles are dark like the leaves, and it’s these unique features that create the amazing variety of colors. Broccoli, on the other hand, is a low bushy herbaceous plant that grows many branches and large leaves that grow opposite each other. It reaches a height of about 30-50 cm at maturity and has red-purple leaves with bright green-yellow borders. Inflorescences appear at the tops of branches, with purple bracts that fall early. Brocade leaves have been hybridized to create rich, colorful, and eye-catching colors, making them ideal for potted plants as interior plants for office and living room decoration. Brocade trees are easy to care for, grow quickly, and have become a focal point in public landscape works such as parks and schools. They are often used in public spaces as a background plant, to decorate borders, or to cover foot columns or the base of walls.
Brocade plants are a trendy choice for constructing green walls because they come in various colors that cater to different preferences. It is widely believed that having brocade trees in your home brings good luck and happiness to the household, which has been supported by recent studies. The ornamental perilla family has numerous species with a diverse range of leaf shapes and hues, resulting in a delightful ambiance wherever they are grown. Additionally, the cluster growth pattern of perilla plants changes from red to blue, which signifies good fortune, reunion, and joy. Interestingly, despite its stunning appearance, this potted plant is remarkably robust and low-maintenance, requiring only minimal attention. Following proper guidelines on how to care for and where to plant colorful-foliaged trees will undoubtedly yield satisfying results with ceramic leaf plants.
In order to bring out the full color of Solenostemon’s foliage, it needs to be placed in a bright spot that receives a few hours of direct sunlight every day. Lack of light can lead to spindle growth and fading of the leaves, so it’s important to avoid dark locations. The plant requires temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius year-round and cannot tolerate cold temperatures without damage. A substrate rich in humus and nutrients, with good water capacity and permeability to air and water, is necessary for strong root growth. When planting Solenostemon, it should only be done after mid-May in an open place or on a balcony, as it is not a hardy plant and cannot survive cool temperatures. It can be grown indoors year-round and repotted every two months. It’s important to use pots with drainage holes and a substrate with good air and water permeability. The plant should be watered moderately but often and excess water should be removed from the dish or pot to prevent waterlogging. Fertilization should be done from April to August with a liquid flower fertilizer or long-term fertilizers, using half the recommended dose. In winter, fertilization should be stopped. To maintain the color of the foliage, remove flowers early and prune the plant as required to promote bushy growth. Solenostemon is a great option for both indoor and outdoor growing, as long as its specific needs are met.
To maintain the health of your brocade tree, it is important to follow some simple tips throughout the year. Trimming shoots that have few leaves or are too long is recommended, and always cut right on a pair of leaves. For perennial planting, cut in late winter or early spring and cut to about a third of the original size. Young shoots can be pinched off easily, while ribbed branches should be cut with sharp scissors to minimize damage to the tree. Since the brocade tree is native to Southeast Asia’s warm regions, it is sensitive to cool temperatures. If temperatures drop below 12 to 14 degrees Celsius, the tree may stop growing and suffer damage. When grown outdoors, it is best to remove plants after they die, or they can stay in the ground and get flooded in the spring. As a room plant, keep it in a light and warm place (above 16 degrees). Solenostemon is easiest to propagate by cuttings, but it can also be grown from seed. When propagating by cuttings, choose a healthy and strong shoot without flowers, and cut it about 10 cm long. Remove the leaves below and put it 2-3 cms into moist substrate. When roots are about 5 cm long, plant them in standard soil mixed with sand. When growing from seed, mix the seeds with fine sand and plant them in sterile potting soil or cactus compost. Moisten the substrate and spread the granule-sand mixture on top. Do not cover the seeds and put them in a miniature greenhouse or wrap them in freezer bags. The germination period is 14-21 days, and as soon as the first cotyledons appear, plant each one in a single pot. All cultivars of Solenostemon look similar when young, but after the fifth pair of leaves, the characteristic color appears. These tips will help you keep your brocade tree healthy and thriving all year round.
