Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-08
By W. u. YoUNGMAN

at night and a maximum Of 65
in the daytime.
/ House plants to be suitable
| for the modern home should be
able to thrive ON nighttime
temperature of so TO SIS and a
daytime temperature Of 10 to
rs. Plants requiring higher or
lower temperatures should be
left to the conservatory or the
cool plant porch.
Dry Air Is Chief Problem
The biggest problem with
house plants is the dry atmos-
phere. This may be overcome
in various ways. A humidifier
in the heating system is one
way, Or place the plants in
planter boxes where they are
packed In peat moss. The moss
prevents loss Of moisturel
through the sides OF the porus
clap pots. also there is some
evaporation from the moss into
the air ABOUT the plants. Set
ting the pots on a gravel-filled
tray is another means. OF
course. stringing the plants
every day is an effective means
OF maintaining a humid atmoS-
phere.
I Most house plants are lacking
in common names. The botani-
cal names are difficult to pro-
nounce and to remember. but
that is little reason why choice
plants should be overlooked
when making selections for In
door use. The following list
gives a few pertinent facts
about some unusual plants.
Keep It for reference. Better
still. take it with you when you
visit a florist.
APHELANDRA-~Attrae for fo.iAge
Aad handsome flowers. A. aarantlaea
ts loW-zIoNing perennial hero
) Nav AZ em ms premin.ns hi S,iHed.
dark green above Flowers cTange
eolored A. TetrAgonA Is . shrub 20
( 3 or 4 feet with leaves TO > inches
2as snS ssOG ysrg ,nss ssoS slos sa1n1
{ situation and culture Is about the
\ same as for the poinsstta.
ARDISIA--Attraetiye for flowers and
fruit Needs q sunny situation ana
should be foreihly sprayed once
I makes q compact pot plant. leaves
ah inches long REQUIRES cooler
Z growing conditions than other plants
I listed Sometimes called Coral berry.
BIC ONiA. Rex-An attractive shade
lover. with many variations IN leat
J colors The LARGE trtansular leaves
I borne on lone hairy stalks, may De
Up 20 ? inches In ienGth This is
sometimes called the beefsteak.
name which really belones 70 BeEe-
MIA hestt eui more properly tae
: AssamkiRE beGoniA. But there are
many named varieties with Earia-
/ lions IN colo rand patterns from
this species. II Is, OF course,
yhade lover
CROTONs -Bo.Anieaily. the crotons
are codiseurr. &. NAriegAtum Is the
species from which most Of the
color and leaf variations are de-
rived The leaves which ranEe N
ienrtn frSm 70 . inches. vary
in form from finely cut to euried.
cTisp-msrStned. ana Sone are spl-
rally twisted The crotons Ike
warmer day and night temperature
than most house plants. but be-
Z cause OF the " usefulness IN planter
boYes are mentioned here They
will reach . heiFht OF several feet
II nVerfeu or given too much room
in which 70 GToW. Lisht shade.
CROWN or THORNs tEuphsrbia
4 spIendens1. An old-timer eoming
back into popularity. A sun-lover
{ that blooms ell season long VIII
( reach q heiEht Of . feet in time
needs support Stems sptny. leaves
/ narrow and about > inches in iength.
CuPHEA. G. hyssopifoila Is q much
I branched small shrub with tiny
crowded leaves that bears numer-
Gus vIolet-white noyers. a very
interesting small pot plant for the
Il sunny window. e. platyeentra. Tor
meriy known as G. iGnsa. and the
I common name Il cigar flower be-
+. cause % the Ions tubular red now
ers with white tip resembling
clsar ashes II grows bit taller,
I s TO Is inches A sun-loyer, u Is
more common that &. Hyssopifolia.
DRACRNA--No common name al
though q closely related plant - the
TT plant Of Hawaii They are tree
Il like with Q crown OF leaves when
vary In length from 9 feet for ID.
frangTAms TO those OF u. sandefiamA