Aphelandra squarrosa ‘White Wash’

Parentage and origin of Aphelandra squarrosa ‘White Wash’

Aphelandra squarrosa ‘White Wash’ was bred from an unnamed Aphelandra squarrosa selection and Aphelandra squarrosa ‘Snow White’. The species is native to northeastern and southeastern Brazil.

How to care for Aphelandra squarrosa ‘White Wash’

Light and position: Give the broad white areas bright filtered light and protect them from prolonged hot sun. Choose a sheltered position away from cold draughts and cold window glass.

Temperature and humidity: Keep temperatures around 18–24 °C and avoid prolonged temperatures below 15 °C. Aim for a humid 60–80% range, paired with gentle circulation around the foliage.

Keep the root ball lightly moist in a houseplant mix that holds some moisture while draining freely. Use a pot with drainage holes, water when the surface begins to dry and allow excess water to escape freely.

Feeding: Apply a balanced houseplant fertiliser about once a month while the plant is actively growing.

Repotting: Use a slightly larger container with fresh mix when roots have filled the pot. If the root ball is difficult to keep evenly moist, check root crowding and the condition of the mix before choosing a larger pot.

Problems and solutions for Aphelandra squarrosa ‘White Wash’

• Leaves hanging limp or dropping: check the potting mix first. If it is wet, the roots may be staying too wet; let the pot drain and inspect the root system. Cut soft brown roots back to healthy tissue with a clean tool, discard the rotten material, then repot the plant in fresh, freely draining mix. If the mix is dry, water thoroughly and keep moisture more even as the plant recovers.
• Dry brown patches on the palest parts of the leaves: intense direct sun can scorch the white tissue first. Move the plant out of strong direct sun and keep it in bright filtered light.
• Brown, crisp leaf tips while the mix is evenly moist: dry air may be the cause. Raise humidity around the plant and keep it in a warm, sheltered position.
• Sticky leaves, small insects on tender growth or cottony white deposits: aphids, mealybugs or another pest that feeds on plant sap may be present. Move the plant away from other houseplants and rinse the affected areas to remove visible insects. If they return, use a treatment labelled for the pest and suitable for this plant. Repeat it only as directed on the label.
• Fine webbing or widespread pale speckling: spider mites are a likely cause. Rinse the leaf undersides thoroughly and keep the plant separate while you monitor new damage. Use a labelled mite treatment if the mites persist. Repeat it only as directed on the label.

Aphelandra squarrosa ‘White Wash’ is non-toxic to cats and dogs

• This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
• Its effects on people are unclear, so keep it away from young children who may chew it.
• Eating a large amount can still cause an upset stomach. Seek medical or veterinary advice if symptoms continue.

Where does the name Aphelandra squarrosa come from?

Aphelandra combines Greek apheles, meaning simple, with aner or andros, meaning man, a botanical reference to its simple one-celled anthers. The epithet squarrosa means rough or spreading and refers to the projecting bracts around the flower spike.

Robert Brown established the genus Aphelandra in 1810 in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, page 475.

Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck first described Aphelandra squarrosa in 1847 in Flora Brasiliensis, volume 9, page 89.