Iresine

DESCRIPTION: These plants are grown for their richly colored leaves. They are natives to tropical America. There are between 20 and 25 species, but only a few are cultivated. I. Herbstii has purplish-red stems and leaves and will stay 12-20 inches tall if the shoots are pinched. Its variety aureoreticulata has oval, waxy leaves that are mid-green with bright to pale yellow or red veins. They grow on fleshy, red stems. I. Wallisii has smaller leaves that are bronze-red above and dark red underneath. Iresine rarely produce flowers, which are insignificant anyway, because they are propagated by cuttings and their shoots are pinched.

Pot Cultivation

These plants need a minimum temperature between 50 and 60 degrees. In cool climates, they should be grown in a house or greenhouse, or they may be planted outside during the summer and brought in before frost. They should be grown in two-thirds loam, one-third leaf mold or peat moss and decayed manure. Water them abundantly while they are growing actively, otherwise moderately. Pinch the young growing tips to encourage bushiness.

Propagation

Cuttings taken in the spring can be used to increase this plant. The shoots are inserted in sand and placed in a propagating case in a greenhouse that has a temperature of 60 degrees. When they've formed roots, they should be potted in 3-inch pots in the compost as described above in potting. If they are planted outside for the summer they should be placed 6-10 inches apart.