Breynia

Family. Euphorbiaceae.

Origin. Tropical Asia, Pacific Islands and Australia.

Description. Breynia is a broad-leaved evergreen shrub with slender branches densely covered with round, elliptical or ovate green leaves up to 3 cm long. Variegated varieties have white stripes on the leaf blade, and there are also species with pinkish or even purple leaves, which from a distance give the impression of a flowering bush. Small greenish axillary flowers, which sometimes appear on adult plants, are hidden under the foliage and are inconspicuous. The leaves at the tops of the stems are more intensely colored, while those inside the crowns are mostly green.

Height.  90 cm – 2.4 m.

Home care

Temperature for indoor plants

The optimal temperature range is 18 - 24° C., the minimum temperature is 16° C. 

Reproduction

Propagated by apical cuttings in summer, seedlings take root in moist soil. Cover the pot with cuttings with a plastic cap. Plants also reproduce well by root suckers. Seeds.

Lighting

Moderate, bright reflected light.

Keeping in the house

Breynia grows quickly and reaches large sizes. Prune stems with sharp pruning shears to maintain a nice, compact plant shape. Make a cut just above the leaf node at a 45° angle. 

Soil

Moderately rich, moist, well-drained soils. Tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers those rich in organic matter.

Feeding

Feed your breynia every 2-3 weeks in spring and summer with liquid fertilizer at half strength.

Purpose

Decorative foliage plant with foliage of a wide variety of shades.

Flowering time

Spring. 

Air humidity

Maintain uniformly high humidity. Place the pot on a tray of damp pebbles or use a humidifier to keep the relative humidity above 50%.

Watering

Water deeply and often. Do not allow the soil to dry out at any time of the year. 

Breynia transplant

Repotting is done in spring. This fast-growing shrub will need a new, larger pot every 2 years.

Pests and diseases

If the soil gets too dry, it may shed its leaves.

Healthy specimens that receive proper care have virtually no pest problems, but spider mites, aphids, scale insects and thrips may occasionally appear.

Note

Breynias have a difficult time wintering in dry rooms. As a rule, they shed their leaves.