Plant Library

Description:

This amazing plant will grow quite large in tropical enviroments, but is perfectly suited as a housplant or garden annual in colder areas; seasonal, yellow bracted flower spikes are stunning; deep green glossy leaves with contrasting white veins

Ornamental Features

Zebra Plant features bold spikes of yellow tubular flowers with yellow bracts rising above the foliage from late spring to mid summer. It has attractive dark green foliage with white veins. The glossy oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Zebra Plant is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Zebra Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Zebra Plant will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub should only be grown in a well-shaded location. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Zebra Plant makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.