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Expert: - 9/6/2009


Question

Plant
Hi! I feel really silly for this, but I've been having what I think is a problem with these two plants that I have in baskets in our backyard. I carelessly threw out the tag that came with the plant (it didn't have the name on it anyway).

I bought them in Spring (New Orleans, so around March). When I first had them, they were pretty short (about 4 inches, tops) but they really grew up fast. The problem is that the leaves, new and old, have become wrinkly around the edges, as you can see in the picture. They look like new leaves before they completely unfurl, but they remain wrinkly through their whole lives. They're bouncy, colorful, and otherwise healthy, but it's the wrinkling that's relatively new and I don't know why they're doing it.

Firstly, can you identify the plants? They look to me like a cross between coleus & caladium (google image search). Secondly, can you tell me if this wrinkling is their way of asking for something I'm not providing?
Thanks so much!!

Answer
First of all, you have a Polka Dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya). This plant does best in bright light but no direct sun. They grow very tall if they don't have enough light, but shorter when in a bright location.  

The curling of the leaves could be a couple of things and I'll list them and you can see what might apply to your plant:
1. Curling of leaves is often a sign of plant stress - windy locations can make leaves curl, or uneven watering. This plant likes it moist but not swampy - don't let it sit in water or dry up inbetween waterings.
2. Aphids or whitefly: these are insects that suck plant juices and when they pierce the foliage the growth is distorted. Whitefly is the most common on this plant - if you shake it, you'll see tiny white insects fly about if you have whitefly.

I hope this helps,
C.L.
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentDear CL, Thank you so much for your answer! I was told when I bought my plant that it was a shade plant, so I guess it's not getting enough sunlight! I try to water it on a fairly regular basis & not get too wet, and I haven't noticed any bugs in a while (we did have red & black beetle-type bugs all over them a month or so ago), so I think I'll try moving it to the sun! Thanks again!


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C.L. Fornari

Expertise

Annuals suggested for specific situations (sun, shade, windowboxes etc) New or unusual annuals are a particular interest of mine, and I grow many of these from seed. I am happy to help problem solve, answer questions about maintenance, and guide you to sources of unusual plants.

Experience

I am a garden writer/speaker/consultant and host of a weekly gardening radio program in the Northeast. I have been gardening all my life for my own pleasure, and started as a professional gardener and garden communicator 15 years ago. I work part-time at a garden center, selling and tending shrubs/trees/annuals/perennials...and doing some propagation and design work. I often think that all these professional activities serve to put a somewhat legitimate framework around a serious case of plant-lust.

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