Homalomena rubescens 'Aurea Variegata'

Origin of Homalomena rubescens 'Aurea Variegata'

Homalomena rubescens ‘Aurea Variegata’ is a cultivated golden-variegated selection of Homalomena rubescens. The species occurs naturally from Sikkim through Assam and Bangladesh to Myanmar in wet tropical regions.

Caring for Homalomena rubescens ‘Aurea Variegata’

• Light: Give bright filtered light for steady growth and protect the pale variegated areas from strong direct sun.
• Water: Water when the surface begins to dry, soaking the mix evenly and allowing full drainage after each watering.
• Potting mix: Use a rich, airy mix with fine bark and perlite or pumice. It should hold some moisture while staying loose around the roots.
• Warmth and humidity: Keep the plant warm with moderate to high humidity.
• Feeding: Use a complete houseplant fertiliser at light to moderate strength while the plant is producing new leaves. Feed less often when growth slows.
• Potting: Repot once roots fill the container or new shoots from the base need more room.
• Propagation: Divide rooted shoots that already carry the golden variegation you want to keep.

Keeping Homalomena rubescens ‘Aurea Variegata’ healthy

• Pale areas develop crisp tan patches: Check for strong direct sun and for repeated drying of the potting mix. Move the plant into filtered light if sun is reaching the leaves, or adjust watering if the mix is drying too far.
• A shoot from the base keeps producing plain green leaves: Remove it where it emerges from the plant if you want to maintain the golden pattern.
• Several leaves yellow while the potting mix stays wet: Check the roots for rot. Remove soft tissue back to firm healthy growth with a clean tool, discard the damaged material and repot in fresh, airy potting mix.
• Tiny pale dots, 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 ‘Aurea Variegata’ 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.

Homalomena rubescens: name and meaning

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.