About
Acalypha wilkesiana is an evergreen shrub typically cultivated indoors or in conservatories. Its leaves display a mix of variegated patterns featuring green, white, yellow, and pink hues. Occasionally, it may produce elongated flower catkins in green or bronze. In ideal conditions, this species can grow up to 2 meters tall in its natural habitat.
About the genus
Acalypha comprises evergreen shrubs, trees, or annuals, characterized by their simple leaves and racemes of small flowers resembling catkins, with some species displaying vibrant colors.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1B
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 1-1.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Houseplants, Patio and container plants
- Native to
- Pacific Islands
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow under glass or indoors in peat-free potting compost in full or filtered light. When in growth water freely and apply a balanced liquid feed monthly. Water sparingly in winter, keeping barely moist. Plants can be moved to dappled shade on the patio during summer
- Pruning
- Pruning group 11
- Propagation
- Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly, glasshouse red spider mite, mealybugs and scale insects
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free