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marguerite_gw

Alternathera? Has anyone heard of it?

In an old houseplant book (American)I was reading some scrumptious descriptions of different varieties of this plant - has anyone heard of it? Because I can't find a reference to it anywhere else and am wondering if it's undergone a name change? It's a coloured-foliage plant, apparently.

Comments (20)

  • Floral_Artistry
    21 years ago

    There are many great varieties available through mass foliage producers in FL. It is still Alternathera in the trade but I don't know of any name change.
    I would do a search on Google and see what you get. There are several available.
    They are used a lot in Germany and Holland as summer color bedding plants in public gardens.

    John Ingram

  • marguerite_gw Zone 9a
    Original Author
    21 years ago

    Thank you, John. I began to think by another posting that it should be 'alternanthera' -
    Best wishes -

  • Josh
    21 years ago

    Margarite, These are fun plants, some of which do well for me as houseplants in a sunny window. The best selection I've found is from Singing Springs with good photos and descriptions. Mine came from a small nursery now out of business but I plan to order more this year. They grow as quickly and easily as Coleus. jo

    Here is a link that might be useful: Singing Springs

  • Floral_Artistry
    21 years ago

    Other foliage plants to consider for a big foliage show include:
    Acalypha
    Iresine
    Fittonia
    Talinum
    Plectrasnthus
    Psuederanthemum
    Stobilantes
    Sanchezia
    Chlorophytum (look past the common spider plants, there are some huge killer varieties)
    Alocasia/Colocasia/Xanthosoma
    Ipomoea (of course)
    Heuchera/Heucherella
    Brunnera
    Phormium
    Canna
    Coleus (like duh)
    Dianella varirties - yellow and white
    Cordyline

    For even more "Color Pops" visit Terra Nova. They have links on the web site for suppliers all over the world.

    John Ingram

    Here is a link that might be useful: Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.

  • marguerite_gw Zone 9a
    Original Author
    21 years ago

    Josh and John, thank you both very much for the links - I strayed away on both from my original search - not alone do I thank you sincerely, but I know my internet service provider is very happy too!

  • MeMyselfAndI
    20 years ago

    I think it is spelled 'alternanthera.' I got one last month from Glasshouse Works. It's althernanthera versicolor 'snowball.' Most of the tiny leaves are almost completely white. It's very unusual, seems to like a lot of moisture. It had a hairy white thing at the tip of one branch when I bought it, which I was told was its' flower.

  • mocountryboys
    20 years ago

    I bought some cuttings this year to try. I got mine from North Carolina Farms (ncfarmsinc.com), and they had 8 varieties listed.

    I'm curious to see what they'll grow up to look like...right now, they're still pitiful little slips of reddish foliage, LOL.

    Tim

  • springcherry
    20 years ago

    I picked up a little pot of it at the Philly Flower show because it was so pretty -- tiny, crinkly, pink, white and green-tinged leaves. I did a google search and found it was a popular Victorian bedding plant with lots of different forms. My guess is that many of its varities will make a comeback because it can have both interestingly-colored and textured leaves. Now, if they can just breed it to have monsterously-large leaves and give it a demonic-sounding common name, it may be the trendy plant of the mid-aughts.

    Springcherry

  • marguerite_gw Zone 9a
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Thank you all for the replies! Now I might know one if I see one!

  • rusty_blackhaw
    20 years ago

    There's seed of an Alternanthera variety called 'Purple Knight' that has just entered the U.S. major catalog trade. I have 7 seedlings that are just starting to grow vigorously indoors. It's supposed to make a good medium-sized groundcover outdoors.

  • Bryan_FGS
    20 years ago

    They are very common in warmer parts of Australia. They are fast growing groundcovers forming a very thick mat. They come in Gold/green, red, browny red, and dark purple. They are used for borders, and they are also used to make large "signs" (words)- gold colour background with red/brown writing and clipped into words. (business/town name etc)

  • Rockee
    20 years ago

    I wish I would have seen this thread before I posted in "These four purple foliage plants--please comment"---anyway--I wish there was a way I could get a positive ID for what might be a spelling error--there are so many plants with similar spelling. If my plant has the correct spelling (Alteranthera) then I have a noxious weed according to Google.

  • marguerite_gw Zone 9a
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Rockee, if you look at the Mimosa pudica thread in Houseplants, you might feel differently about Google and your plants!

  • Bryan_FGS
    20 years ago

    The correct spelling is Alternanthera, but there are a few different species. Also remember a weed in some areas may not be a weed in other areas. It depends on the conditions (rainfall, temps etc).

  • Rockee
    20 years ago

    Thank you Marguerite and Bryan, I will do some more checking. I am hoping that WalMart just had the name spelled incorrectly, but the plant I have does not fit any of the descriptions that I've read on the threads so far. My plant is about 6 inches high with dark purple/bronze foliage. As I mentioned before--the plant came without any id of any kind, no tag, nothing but the word Alteranthera stamped onto the plastic container.

  • Bryan_FGS
    20 years ago

    They do grow to about 6-8 inches high. A species I know is dentata, if that helps your search. I just checked the spelling again, it is Alternanthera.

  • shadeE
    20 years ago

    Hi Rockee and all,
    Is this your plant -Eric check out what your seedlings will look like.
    http://www.simplybeautifulgardens.com/plant_pages/alternanthera.htm
    I just bought one at walmart today. I love picking up somthing new --especially when they are on clearence for .25 --but thats another whole string :)

  • MeMyselfAndI
    20 years ago

    Since my last post about the 'snowball' cultivar, I've also purchased a couple of the 'purple knight' mentioned above and another that looks like a coleus crossed with amaranthus. It has formed a clump of stalks with green leaves. But near the tips of the stalks, the leaves are white. The ends of the stalks have fuchsia leaves.

    I expected many more varieties out there in stores after the article about "all those great alternantheras" in May/June issue of Fine Gardening magazine a couple months ago while standing in a checkout line.

  • marguerite_gw Zone 9a
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    Are these plants actually related to Coleus, does anyone know? I've tried to find the answer surfing but without success. No luck with the above links either, but thank you all.

  • donnasaverino
    13 years ago

    I JUST came home to find the same answer. I bought 3 plants that have a tag in the dirt "Joseph's Coat Yellow" from Wal-Mart too and I canÂt find ANYTHING on the net about it. The pot has the word Atlernathera on it. What gives? I need to know how to plant it! I looked through lots of pictures and none of them look anything like the plant I have in my hands. Maybe I should take them back so not to have dead or out of control plants running rapid...
    donna

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