Emerald Gem Homalomena

Emerald Gem Homalomena (Homalomena 'Emerald Gem') is the indoor aroid for thick, glossy foliage in something that stays small. It forms a tidy clump about 50cm tall and 60cm across, with heart shaped leaves on short upright stems in a deep, polished green. Give it bright indirect light and a steady watering routine and it holds that look all year.

Why you'll love it

• It stays small. About 50cm tall and 60cm wide, so it suits a sideboard or plant stand rather than a whole corner.
• Foliage that carries the year. Thick, glossy, heart shaped leaves on a plant that never goes bare. The flowers are insignificant; the leaves are the point.
• Low maintenance in practice. No pruning schedule, no staking, no repotting for two or three years. Light and water are all you must get right.
• Comfortable in humidity. Bathrooms, kitchens and sheltered tropical verandahs suit it, where plants from drier climates sulk.

Where it works best

Indoors, anywhere in the country. Near an east facing window, or a metre or two back from a north facing one. Inside, your climate stops mattering.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. It is frost tender, so outdoors it belongs in tropical and subtropical gardens or a sheltered balcony. A 200mm to 250mm pot with drainage holds a plant for years.

Shaded borders and edging. In warm humid gardens it edges a shaded path, with plants 60cm apart so the clumps just meet.

One caution: like most aroids, the sap carries calcium oxalate crystals, which irritate the mouth and throat if a leaf is chewed. This is not a pet safe plant, so keep it off floor level if your dog or cat grazes on foliage.

Growing Emerald Gem Homalomena in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light indoors gives the best leaf size and colour. Deep shade thins the clump, direct sun scorches the leaves. Outdoors it suits tropical and subtropical gardens only; in warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens keep it inside all year.

Soil. A premium indoor mix opened up with perlite or fine bark. Aroid roots want air as much as water, and a heavy mix with no drainage hole kills them.

Water and feed. Water once the top 2cm to 3cm of mix is dry, soak right through, then tip out the saucer. Feed a half strength liquid fertiliser monthly through spring and summer, and stop over winter.

Pruning. Almost none. Cut spent leaves away at the base, and divide the clump every two to three years once it fills the pot.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are grown: tube stock, and established 200mm plants in packs of six. Tube stock is young, three to five leaves, and fills a 150mm pot within a season. The 200mm plants are already a presentable clump, ready for a decorative pot.

Expect a creased leaf or some drooping for the first few days, which is transit rather than damage. Leave it bright and indirect, water once, then allow two or three quiet weeks before new leaves unfurl. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse the wider indoor plant range.
• Compare the plants that cope with low light.
• Repotting without setting a plant back

Common questions

Is Emerald Gem Homalomena safe for cats and dogs?

No. The sap contains calcium oxalate crystals, so a chewed leaf brings on mouth irritation, drooling and sometimes vomiting. It is rarely serious, but keep the plant out of reach if your pet chews foliage.

How much light does it actually need?

Bright indirect light: a spot where you could read comfortably without a lamp. It survives less, though new leaves come smaller and the clump opens up.

Why are the leaf tips going brown?

Usually dry air, or a mix that dries too far between drinks. Group plants together, move it clear of air conditioning vents and water more often.