How to Help My Exotic Angel Plants Grow

Exotic angel plant is a term used to describe a wide variety of tropical foliage plants bred to thrive in indoor conditions as houseplants. Grown and sold by Hermann Engelmann Greenhouses (See resources), these plants range from begonias to coffee and banana plants and are available at selected outlets across the United States and Canada. Identified with a bright red angel tag, these plants have been acclimated to household growing conditions. Care depends on the particular plant, but there are general care guidelines for all angel plants.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Fertilizer (1-2-1 ratio)

1. Follow the recommended guidelines for watering your particular plant. Plants requiring evenly moist soil must be watered often, those requiring moderately dry soil should be allowed to dry between watering, and those with needs for slightly moist soil require frequent light watering to maintain the level of moisture.

2. Water with tepid water. Tap water is fine as long as it is not chlorinated. To remove chlorination, allow the water to set for 24 hours prior to use on plants. Apply water until it runs through the drainage holes from the bottom of the pot. Water flowing through the bottom rapidly upon watering is a sign that the soil has dried and pulled away from the pot. Immerse the pot to a depth of 1 inch in a container of tepid water. Allow to set for 30 minutes. Remove and allow excess water to drain.

3. Fertilize foliage plants once a month with fertilizer that has a 1-2-1 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This may be labeled as 10-20-10 or 5-10-5. Follow the directions on the container to mix to the appropriate strength. Generally, new plants do not require fertilizer for the first two months.

4. Follow the lighting requirements for your specific plant. Those requiring low light conditions thrive in indirect light from a northern window. Plants with needs for medium light thrive in partial shade and benefit from light filtered by a sheer curtain. High light plants do well in a southern window where they receive direct sunlight.

Resources

• Hermann Engelmann Greenhouses