Stromanthe sanguinea

Stromanthe (Stromanthe sanguinea) is the indoor plant for colour without flowers. It clumps to about 80cm tall and 70cm wide, every leaf painted in cream, deep green and burgundy over a solid wine red underside. It is also non-toxic to cats and dogs, which narrows the field for a plant this decorative.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that never stops. The variegation is the display, so there is no waiting on a flowering season and no bare patch afterwards.
• Pet friendly. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it can sit at floor level in a home with animals.
• A neat clumping habit. At 80cm by 70cm it fills a corner or a plant stand without sprawling into the room.
• It moves. The leaves fold upward at night and open again by morning, so the plant changes shape across the day.

Where it works best

Indoors, anywhere in Australia. A bright bathroom, a bench out of direct sun, or a spot two to three metres back from a north or east window. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts with a plant this frost tender.

Courtyards and balconies. Outdoors it needs a frost free tropical or subtropical garden, in shade or dappled light under a verandah or canopy.

Mass planting. In warm humid gardens a drift set 50cm apart makes a rich understorey where turf will not grow.

Growing stromanthe in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light is the sweet spot. Direct sun bleaches the burgundy out of the leaves, while deep gloom flattens the variegation to plain green. Outdoors it is limited to tropical and subtropical zones, because even a light frost will finish it.

Soil. A quality indoor mix opened up with perlite or coarse bark, in a pot with a working drainage hole. It wants moisture held around the roots, but air as well.

Water and humidity. Keep the mix evenly damp, never soggy, watering when the top 2cm dries. Humidity is the part most people get wrong: dry indoor air browns the leaf edges, so group it with other plants or sit the pot on a pebble tray.

Feed and grooming. Half strength liquid fertiliser monthly from spring to autumn is plenty. Cut spent leaves at the base, and divide the clump every two or three years once it fills its pot.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes as tube stock, or established in 200mm pots sold in packs of six, or 250mm pots in packs of three. Tubes are young, usually three or four leaves, and take a season or two to look like the photo. The 200mm and 250mm plants are already clumping and can go straight into a decorative pot.

Some curling or a browned edge after transit is normal for a humidity lover, and the plant grows out of it. Unpack promptly, water it in, and give it a fortnight somewhere bright and indirect before you judge it. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, 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 covers the light and watering mistakes behind most indoor failures.
• Browse the wider indoor plant range for companions on a similar schedule.
• See other pet friendly indoor plants if you have cats or dogs.
• Compare the rest of our variegated foliage plants.

Common questions

Why are the leaf edges going brown?

Almost always dry air, sometimes salts in tap water. Raise the humidity around the plant, switch to filtered or rainwater, then trim the damaged edge with scissors.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Yes. Stromanthe is not toxic to cats or dogs, so a nibbled leaf is a problem for the plant rather than the pet.

Can I grow it outside?

Only in a frost free tropical or subtropical garden, in shade or dappled light. Anywhere colder it is an indoor plant, or a pot moved under cover before winter.