Pink Lady Inch Plant Hanging Basket

Pink Lady Inch Plant (Callisia repens 'Pink Lady') is the fastest way to get colour spilling over the edge of a basket. The stems stay low, around 150mm deep, and trail out to about 600mm, packed with tiny leaves in cream, green and rose pink. It roots as it runs, so a thin basket fills itself within a season.

Why you'll love it

• Pink that comes from the leaves. The variegation carries the colour all year, so there is no waiting on a flowering season.
• It fills a basket fast. Every node that touches mix puts down roots, which is why a few small plants close a hanging basket in a matter of months.
• Forgiving about water. The succulent stems hold moisture, so a missed week does no harm. Sitting in a wet saucer does.
• Easy to multiply. Snap off a 100mm piece, push it into damp mix, and it strikes without fuss.

Where it works best

Indoors. A hanging basket or a shelf near a bright window is where most of these plants live, and inside your climate stops mattering. The colour is strongest in bright indirect light and washes out to plain green in a dim corner.

Balconies and courtyards. It suits a pot on a sheltered balcony in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, spilling over the rim rather than climbing.

Groundcover. In a frost free garden it makes a dense mat under shrubs or between steppers. Plant 300mm apart for full cover in a season.

Growing pink lady inch plant in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light indoors, or dappled shade to morning sun outside. It is frost tender, so in cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens keep it indoors or on a covered balcony over winter. Humidity suits it, which makes it easy in the tropics and subtropics.

Soil. A standard premium potting mix opened up with perlite or coarse sand. Drainage holes are not optional, and it should never sit in a full saucer.

Water and feed. Water when the top 30mm of mix is dry, roughly weekly in summer and fortnightly in winter. A half strength liquid fertiliser once a month through the warm months keeps the pink strong. Overfeeding pushes leggy green growth.

Pruning. Trim the trails whenever they get long and thin. Cutting back hard makes the plant branch from the base, which is what keeps a basket dense rather than stringy, and any fully green stems are worth removing so the variegated growth stays dominant.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes as tube stock or as established 200mm plants in packs of six. Tubes are small rooted cuttings, ideal if you are planting a groundcover or filling several baskets. The 200mm plants already trail and can be dropped straight into a decorative pot or basket.

Soft trailing stems can arrive tangled or with a few bruised leaves after a long trip, and they recover within a fortnight. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read how to keep your indoor plants alive for light and watering basics.
• Browse the wider indoor plant range.
• See more variegated foliage plants.
• Find companions for a sunny ledge in plants for balconies.

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The sap of Callisia repens can irritate the skin and mouth of cats and dogs, and some dogs react to contact with the foliage. Hang it well out of reach if your pet chews plants.

Why has the pink faded to green?

Not enough light. Move it closer to a bright window, out of direct midday sun, and trim off the plain green stems so the variegated growth takes over again.

Why is it bare in the middle?

Long unpruned trails starve the centre. Cut everything back by half in spring and it will branch from the base within weeks.