Plant Care Library

Other Names:  Calico Plant, Joseph's Coat, Parrot Leaf

Description:

A mounding, dense plant presenting yellow-green emerging leaves that mature to glossy green and burgundy; small white flowers in summer; best color in full sun; great in containers or as an accent groundcover

Ornamental Features

Versicolor Alternanthera's attractive glossy oval leaves emerge chartreuse in spring, turning green in color with showy burgundy variegation the rest of the year on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Versicolor Alternanthera is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Versicolor Alternanthera is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Versicolor Alternanthera will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Versicolor Alternanthera is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a canvas of foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.