About 20 minutes after watering, empty the saucer under the pot so the roots aren’t left sitting in water. Add water until it runs from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

Keep the potting mix moist in spring and summer by watering when the soil feels dry at a depth of about an inch (2.5 cm.). If it becomes leggy, then it probably isn’t getting enough light. Place the plant near a bright, preferably south-facing window. Whether you are growing bloodleaf as a houseplant or bringing it indoors for winter, pot it up in a loamy, soil-based potting mixture. Plants grown in less than ideal conditions rarely flower. The flowers aren’t particularly attractive, and supporting flowers depletes energy that would otherwise go toward growing dense foliage. You might also consider pinching off flower buds. Pinch out the growth tips while the plants are young to promote a dense growth habit and attractive shape.

Reduce the moisture in fall and winter if you are growing bloodleaf plants as perennials. Use a 2 to 3 inch (5-8 cm.) layer of organic mulch to help prevent the moisture from evaporating. Keep the soil evenly moist all summer by watering deeply every week in the absence of rain. Set out the plants in spring after all danger of frost has passed and the soil stays warm both day and night. Amend the bed with compost or aged manure before planting, unless your soil is exceptionally high in organic matter. Growing bloodleaf in full sun results in better color. Plant in a location with full sun or partial shade and organically rich soil that drains freely. ‘Aureoreticulata’ has green leaves with yellow veins.īloodleaf plants enjoy high heat and humidity and you can grow them outdoors year-round in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 and 11.‘Brilliantissima’ has bright red leaves with pink veins.Here are two exceptional cultivars to watch for: They occasionally produce small, greenish white flowers, but they are not ornamental, and most growers simply pinch them off. The red leaves are often variegated with green and white markings and add contrast to beds and borders. In their native environment, the plants reach heights of up to 5 feet (1.5 m.) with a spread of 3 feet (91 cm.), but when grown as annuals or potted plants they only grow 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.) tall. Iresine bloodleaf plants are native to Brazil where they thrive in warm temperatures and bright sunlight. Iresine Plant Infoīloodleaf ( Iresine herbstii) is also called chicken-gizzard, beefsteak plant, or Formosa bloodleaf. Unless you live in a frost-free climate, you’ll have to grow this tender perennial as an annual or bring it indoors at the end of the season. For glossy, bright red foliage, you can’t beat the Iresine bloodleaf plant.

Blood leaf book