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Let The Leaves Do The Coloring

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By B.C. MANION | The Tampa Tribune,

Published: November 9, 2007

Why wait for blooms to bring color to your garden?

Some plants do that and more all year long, says Kim Kerby, of Kerby's Nursery & Landscaping Inc. in Seffner.

Allergy sufferers may especially appreciate purple, yellow and red leaves and stripes, speckles and interesting shapes. They bring color and interest to a yard without the sneezes and runny eyes.

They also tend to be easier to maintain.

"A flower's purpose is to attract a bug for pollination," Kerby explains, "so flowering plants do not necessarily mean bug-resistant plants."

In general, use an 8-4-8 fertilizer that has the minor nutrients, such as calcium and magnesium, for foliage plants. Fertilize once a month, skipping December, January and February, she says.

If you're establishing the plant in a sunny area, water daily for the first month and every other day for the second month. In shady areas, watering needs vary according to the plant. To find out if it needs water, stick your finger in the ground to see if it is moist. If it is, leave it alone; if not, water it.

Here are Kerby's five favorite foliage plants:

Colorama dracaena

Long, spiky leaves striped with pink, white and green grow 12 to 16 inches long. The plant can grow 6 to 8 feet tall.

It performs best in partial shade, with morning sun and afternoon shade, and can be grown in a container or in the ground.

Be sure to give it enough water to keep it lightly moist.

Variegated stromanthe

This plant does better in partial to full shade. Too much direct sun can burn the flat, broad leaves.

It can grow up to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide and is great for putting around an oak tree or in a big mass in a flower bed. It's very eye-catching, especially from a distance.

Setcreasea pallida (purple queen)

When a ground cover is needed in a place where little will grow, reach for this hardy purple beauty that occasionally offers delicate pink blooms. It does well in sun or shade and is easily propagated by cuttings: Just break off a piece and stick it in the ground.

That said, be sure you love purple queen if you plan to put it in the ground. It needs some room to spread and, once it's established, it's difficult to completely eradicate..

It has a waxy leaf, almost like a succulent, and typically gets to be 8 to 16 inches tall.

Croton mammie

Unlike a traditional, flat-leafed croton, this variety has a crinkled leaf that reflects light differently.

It can take sun or partial shade, but remember to water more often if it's in the sun. It grows 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide.

Croton mammie can be planted as a hedge or in clusters for more impact.

Duranta erecta (gold mound)

Add a pop of golden color to a landscape of forest green with this shrub, which grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Planted en masse, it's eye-catching.

Plant gold mound in the sun. It's a nice substitute for Indian hawthorne — about the same size but providing more color.

Do you have five favorite plants that love the Bay area clime? Can you tell others what helps them grow best? E-mail Penny Carnathan at pcarnathan@tampatrib.com or call her at (813) 259-7612, and you could be our next Dig This!

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