What is this plant with shiny green striped leaves?
Hi Judy,
My wife and I could use your expertise. We have a plant that spends the summer months in the shade and is brought indoors for the winter. It’s leaves have fallen off over the years and the stalk is shaped like an S.
Can you tell us what plant this is and can we replant/ regenerate is some how?
Best, Kevin Eugenia
Hi Kevin and Eugenia,
Your plant looks like a Zebra Plant (Aphelandra). Here are some Zebra Plant pictures that you can compare your plant to. If it were my plant I would try to propagate it using stem cuttings. Use a sharp, clean scissors or razor blade to cut a 3”-5” piece from the end of a healthy stem just below a leaf node. A node is where a leaf joins the stem. Dip the cut end of the stem into a small amount of Rooting Hormone that contains a Fungicide. Plant the stem in moist potting soil. Cover the pot with clear plastic to increase the humidity and prevent the soil from drying out. Check the plant every few days to be sure the soil stays moist. Tug on the stem cuttings after a few weeks, if there is resistance, roots have developed, the plastic can be removed, and the propagation was successful.
After taking some stem cuttings, you can try to regrow your original plant using my plant care tips for a Zebra Plant found in the Popular HousePlant section of the website.
Zebra Plant (Aphelandra squarrosa)
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