Image – Wikimedia/Kauwotgungcheia
The red and green leafy plants are very, very pretty. They can be large or small, but their colors are magnificent, ideal for decorating the home, the garden or the patio. But, what are their names?
Some of which I am going to tell you, surely you will know, but there are others that you will not. But apart from telling you about several plants that have leaves of these two colors, we will see what their resistance to cold is. Thus, you can decide whether to grow it indoors or outdoors.
Aglaonema
Image - Flickr / Ahmad Fuad Morad
All the aglaonema They are herbaceous plants that reach a height of about 40-50 centimeters, and that can sometimes exceed a meter. They are native to the tropical regions of Southwest Asia, and have lanceolate leaves up to 40 centimeters long by 15 centimeters wide, which in some varieties, such as the 'Red Zirkon', are red and green.
They are not easy to care for, but they are not overly complex either. Just it is important that they be protected from the cold, and that they be placed in a place where there is a lot of light and high air humidity. Of course, we cannot forget to water them every time we notice the soil is somewhat dry.
Alocasia x Amazonica
La Alocasia x Amazonica (o alocasia amazon) is a tropical plant that It has dark green leaves with white nerves on the upper side and reddish on the underside.. Also, you should know that they have a leathery texture, and that they can also measure about 30 centimeters long by about 10 centimeters wide.
How is it taken care of? Well, so that it is beautiful, it is essential that it is kept protected from direct light, as well as from the cold, since it does not support temperatures below 15ºC. Also, you should give it a moderate watering so that it does not dry out.
Begonia (maculata begonia)
Image - Wikimedia / GCornelis
La maculata begonia, also called polka dot begonia or bamboo begonia, is a shrubby evergreen plant that reaches a height of up to 1 meter. It is native to South America, and as you can imagine, it has leaves with rounded whitish spots on the upper side; on the underside, on the other hand, it does not have any, and it is red.
It is quite delicate, since should not be exposed to low temperatures, and also requires an environment with high air humidity.
Caladium (Bicolor caladium)
Image - Wikimedia / Joan Simon
El caladium It is a tuberculous plant that receives various names, such as wounded heart, painter's palette, or elephant ear. It is native to South America, and when it sprouts it can reach a height of 90 centimeters. Its leaves are also large, about 30 centimeters, which can be red and green.. And I say "may be" because about a thousand cultivars have been obtained from the original species, which have redder, pinker, greener and whiter leaves, or etc.
Its growth is quite fast, but as soon as the first cold weather arrives we will see that its leaves dry up, something that should not worry us. For it to sprout again in spring, it must be placed in a place where there is a lot of filtered light, and it must be watered from time to time. It does not support temperatures below 15ºC.
Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides)
Image - Wikimedia / Filo gèn '
El coleus. Who has not heard of him? It is a plant of tropical origin, specifically from Southeast Asia, which reaches a maximum height of 75 centimeters. Its leaves are about 3 centimeters long, have toothed margins and can be very, very different colors: more greenish, more reddish, bi or tricolor, etc.
Now, not only does it not support the cold, but it will also need to be watered frequently. And it is that its resistance to drought is practically nil. Now, we should not keep it with the substrate always wet.
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Image - Wikimedia / David J. Stang
El croton It is an evergreen shrub native to tropical Asia that reaches a height of approximately 3 meters. Its leaves are large, up to 30 centimeters long by about 7 centimeters wide, and also have a leathery texture.. Its color varies a lot, since there are different cultivars, but the most common are those with shades of red and green.
It is a species that in Spain is usually kept indoors, since does not support temperatures below 0 degrees. But it needs a lot of (indirect) light, and high air humidity, so its cultivation is sometimes not easy.
Peperomia (Peperomia caperata 'Rosso')
Image - Wikimedia / Mokkie
La Peperomia It is a herbaceous plant native to Brazil. It reaches a height of up to 20 centimeters, and its leaves are heart-shaped, somewhat succulent. These They can measure about 7 centimeters long, and are dark green on the upper side and reddish-pink on the underside..
Be careful with excess water, since its roots do not support it. Therefore, it is always better to let the soil be a little dry, before soaking. In addition, it does not like low temperatures at all.
flamingo plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
Image - Flickr / Forest and Kim Starr
La flamingo plant, also called blood leaf or hypoestes, is an evergreen herb native to Madagascar. It can reach more or less 1 meter in height, but in cultivation it is rare for it to exceed 50 centimeters. The leaves are 5 centimeters long and 2-3 centimeters wide, and are usually red and green in color. (there are cultivars that have them green and white, or green and pink).
Its resistance to cold is very low, which is why it is usually kept as an indoor plant. However, it is important that it does not lack indirect natural light, and that the risks are controlled, since excess water can be fatal.
Always alive (Sempervivum calcareum)
Image - Wikimedia / Cillas
La evergreen plant It is a succulent native to the Alps. It grows forming rosettes of green leaves with dark red tips, which measure about 3 centimeters high by 6 centimeters in diameter.. It tends to produce many suckers, which once they reach about 2 centimeters can be separated from the mother plant.
It is very easy to maintain, beautiful: you just have to plant it in well-drained soil (it can be a substrate for cacti and succulents, such as this), water when the soil is dry, and protect it from direct sun if you are in the Mediterranean region. It resists frosts down to -18ºC.
Tradescanthia (Tradescanthia spathacea)
Image - Wikimedia / Tauʻolunga
Tradescantia, known as purple maguey, is a herbaceous plant native to Central America. It has lanceolate leaves, green on the upper side and lilac-reddish on the underside.. It is relatively small; in fact, it does not usually exceed 30 centimeters in height, so it is very interesting to have it in pots or in any garden.
It is very easy to care for, as it has the advantage that it grows well in the shade. Also, you should know that withstands cold and temperatures down to -3ºC.
Did you know some of these red and green leafy plant names?