Homalomena rubescens ‘Lemon Lime’

Origin of Homalomena rubescens ‘Lemon Lime’

‘Lemon Lime’ is a light-green horticultural selection of Homalomena rubescens. The species occurs naturally from Sikkim through Assam and Bangladesh to Myanmar in wet tropical regions.

Indoor care for Homalomena rubescens ‘Lemon Lime’

• Light: Give bright filtered light and protect the leaves from strong direct sun.
• Water: Water thoroughly once the surface starts to dry. Let the pot drain fully while keeping the deeper roots lightly moist.
• Humidity and warmth: Keep the plant warm with average to moderately high humidity. Provide gentle airflow, especially in humid rooms.
• Potting mix: Use an airy mix with coco or peat plus bark, perlite or pumice.
• Feeding: Apply a complete fertiliser at a low to moderate rate while the plant is producing new leaves. Feed less often when growth slows.
• Shape and repotting: Turn the pot from time to time so light reaches the clump evenly. Repot when roots fill the container or shoots from the base become crowded.
• Propagation: Divide established shoots once each section has well-developed roots.

Troubleshooting Homalomena rubescens ‘Lemon Lime’

• Several leaves turn yellow while the mix stays wet: The roots may be short of air or beginning to rot. Check the roots, remove any soft rotten tissue back to firm healthy growth with a clean tool, discard the damaged material and repot in fresh, airy potting mix.
• Large pale or tan patches form on exposed leaves: Strong direct sun can scorch the light foliage. Move the plant into filtered light.
• The plant droops and the pot feels light: The potting mix has dried too much. Water thoroughly and water a little sooner next time.
• Fine pale speckling, webbing, sticky residue or cottony clusters appear: Check for spider mites, scale and mealybugs. Isolate the plant, remove visible pests and repeat a labelled treatment at the interval stated on the label.

Homalomena rubescens ‘Lemon Lime’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

Who first published Homalomena rubescens, and what does the name mean?

Homalomena combines Greek homalos, meaning flat, with mene, meaning moon. Rubescens means becoming reddish and refers to the red-toned petioles.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Homalomena in 1832 in Meletemata Botanica, page 20.

William Roxburgh first described it as Calla rubescens in 1832 in Flora Indica, 1832 edition, volume 3, page 515. Karl Sigismund Kunth later placed it in Homalomena as Homalomena rubescens in 1841 in Enumeratio Plantarum, volume 3, page 57.