Cyanotis beddomei ‘Brown Hill’

Name and natural range of Cyanotis beddomei ‘Brown Hill’

‘Brown Hill’ is the name used in cultivation for this plant. Cyanotis beddomei is native to southern India, including Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where it grows on wet rocks beside streams in tropical areas. Spray and seepage keep the rocks moist.

Caring for Cyanotis beddomei ‘Brown Hill’

• Light: Give bright light with gentle direct sun for part of the day. Brighter light often brings out deeper bronze and purple tones.
• Temperature: Keep ‘Brown Hill’ within roughly 18–28 °C for routine growth, with protection from prolonged exposure below 10 °C.
• Humidity: Normal indoor humidity is usually suitable when watering is steady. Gentle airflow helps wet leaves dry promptly.
• Water: Water thoroughly when the potting mix has partly dried, then let excess water drain. Keep the mix lightly moist while new stems are growing and let it dry a little more when growth slows.
• Potting mix: Use a loose, well-drained mix that still holds some moisture around the shallow roots.
• Feeding: Use a balanced houseplant fertiliser at a light dose while new stems and leaves are growing.
• Support: Give the spreading stems room to trail from a hanging container or shelf.
• Repotting: Move to a larger pot when roots fill the container and need more space. If the potting mix becomes compacted or drains slowly first, replace it with fresh, loose mix in a suitable pot.
• Pruning and propagation: Trim long stems to encourage branching. Stem cuttings root readily in lightly moist potting mix.

Problems and solutions for Cyanotis beddomei ‘Brown Hill’

• Long, sparse stems: Low light is the usual cause. Move the plant to a brighter position and trim stretched stems to encourage branching.
• Dry brown tips or curling leaves: Repeated drying, hot air or fertiliser salts can dry the leaves. Check watering and rinse the potting mix thoroughly with plain water if salts have built up.
• Soft stems or a sour smell from the pot: Roots and stems may be rotting. Take the plant out of the pot, remove damaged roots and cut any soft dark tissue back to firm healthy tissue with a clean blade. Discard the rotten parts and repot in fresh, well-drained potting mix.
• Fine webbing, pale speckles or cottony insects: Spider mites or mealybugs may be feeding on the plant. Isolate it and remove visible pests, then use a suitable houseplant treatment according to the label. If repeat treatment is needed, follow the label interval; for many products this is around 7–10 days. Keep checking the newest leaves for fresh webbing, speckles or insects.

Keep Cyanotis beddomei ‘Brown Hill’ away from children and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its effects after chewing or swallowing are unclear, and plant material can still cause an upset stomach.
• Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or do not settle.

What does the name Cyanotis beddomei mean?

Cyanotis combines Greek kyanos, meaning dark blue, with ous or otos, meaning ear, referring to the blue flowers associated with the genus. Beddomei honours British botanist Richard Henry Beddome.

David Don established the genus Cyanotis in 1825 in Prodromus Florae Nepalensis, page 45.

Joseph Dalton Hooker first described it as Erythrotis beddomei in 1875 in Botanical Magazine, volume 101, plate 6150. Walter Erhardt, Erich Götz, and Siegmund Gerhard Seybold later placed it in Cyanotis as Cyanotis beddomei in 2008 in Grosse Zander, volume 2, page 1825.