A Beautiful Plant For Your Window
Shrimp-plant (Beloperone) quickly fills a window with nice clean foliage and brilliant splashes of color. All they ask is a large pot, rich sandy soil, a night temperature of around 55 degrees and an occasional drink of water. My plants are not bothered by insects and seem immune to disease of any sort. Beloperone receives its common name from the resemblance of the over lapping bracts to that of a shrimp.
Three varieties, Beloperone guttate, Beloperone comosa and Beloperone longispicua pupurea, each distinct in appearance and, each flourishing with a minimum of care should appeal to the window gardener whose leisure time is not what it used to be. Two of these varieties, Beloperone guttata and Beloperone comosa, grow equally well in an east or south window.
However, the bracta are more colorful and the growth of the plants more compact if they are given sun most of the do.Both are large growers, the former with shiny medium green leaves and slender stems which are in-dined to straggle a bit if not staked. The bracts are pink to rosy bronze according to the amount of sun given. These bracts, about an inch in length and. almost an inch across, are composed of overlapping scales. from -which peep small white flowers with purple dots. They are borne profusely and once blooming commences, the plant is rarely without these graceful “shrimps.”
The leaves of Beloperone comosa are larger and much thinner and a lighter green than those of Beloperone guttata. They are slightly pubescent. The hairy stems are slaeder and strong enough. that they do not require staking. This plant presents a very striking appearance with its vivid ‘crimson bracts and orange-red flowers which spring boldly from the scales with slightly ruffled edges.
Beloperone longispicua pupurea is a neat compact grower with smaller and darker leaves than the above varieties. The bracts,. shaped like those of Beloperone guttata and with the same small white flowers, ale a lovely golden bronze, rich and glowing, when grown in a south window. It appears rather somber if grown in the shade.
All of these plants will be improved by pinching out the topmost leaves from the taller branches. If pinching is started when the plant is small, a bushy, more-shapely plant will be the result and one which bedecks itself gaily and happily, the winter through, with interesting and lovely blossoms.
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