Maggi Homalomena

Maggi homalomena (Homalomena 'Maggi') is the indoor plant for the room that never gets much light. It forms a tidy clump around 60cm tall and 60cm wide, with glossy heart shaped leaves on upright stems, and it holds that shape for years without staking or pruning. Unlike most tropical foliage plants it keeps its gloss well back from a window.

Why you'll love it

• It handles low light honestly. Bright indirect light gives the best growth, but it stays presentable in the dim corners where a fiddle leaf fig drops leaves.
• A neat, self contained shape. At roughly 60cm each way it fills a floor pot without sprawling into the walkway.
• Leathery leaves forgive a missed watering. The foliage is thick rather than papery, so it recovers from drying out far better than a calathea.
• Humidity is a plus, not a chore. Bathrooms, kitchens and humid coastal apartments suit it, with no misting or pebble tray needed.

Where it works best

Indoors. Living rooms, hallways, offices and bathrooms anywhere in the country. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts for a plant this frost tender.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A 250mm to 300mm pot with drainage suits a single plant for two or three years. In tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens it also lives outdoors year round in full shade, under a covered balcony or a dense canopy.

One caveat: like other aroids it carries calcium oxalate and is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, so keep it off floor level in a home with pets.

Growing Maggi homalomena in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light indoors, deep shade outdoors, since direct sun scorches the leaves within days. Outdoor planting suits frost free tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens only; cooler southern regions should treat it strictly as an indoor plant.

Soil. A quality indoor potting mix opened up with perlite or fine bark. The pot needs a drainage hole, because water sitting in a cover pot is what kills most of these plants.

Water and feed. Water once the top 3cm to 4cm of mix is dry, then let it drain fully: roughly weekly in summer and fortnightly in winter. Half strength liquid fertiliser monthly through spring and summer keeps the colour deep.

Grooming. There is no pruning as such. Cut old leaves off at the base as they yellow, and wipe dust from the foliage monthly, which matters when the plant is working with limited light.

What to expect when it arrives

Plants are supplied in 200mm pots, sold in packs of six, arriving as established clumps rather than single rooted cuttings. Each can go straight into a decorative pot, or all six into a shaded courtyard bed.

Expect a few weeks of stillness while it adjusts to your light levels, and a lower leaf or two may yellow. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Best low light plants for the home
• Browse the full indoor plant range
• Plants for balconies and courtyards

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Like other aroids it contains calcium oxalate crystals, and chewing the leaves brings on mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting. Rarely serious, but keep it out of reach if your pet chews foliage.

How dark a room can it cope with?

It stays healthy several metres back from a window, though a room with no natural light at all is too dark. If new leaves come through small and the stems stretch, move it closer to the glass.

Why are the leaf tips going brown?

Usually dry air, or a build up of salts from tap water. Water thoroughly until it runs from the drainage hole rather than in small sips, and keep it away from air conditioning outlets.