The slow-growing, sometimes aniseed-fragranced, leaves tend to be heart or arrowhead in shape.
This is why they get their nicknames of the queen of hearts or the shield plant.
Potting mixes that contain peat moss ensure good drainage.
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Be sure to use a pot with large drainage holes.
Water
Proper watering is vital.
Too much moisture makes the plant susceptible toroot rotandyellow leaves, while insufficient moisture causes the leaves to fade.
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Water slowly until it comes out of the drainage holes.
Ensuring that the water temperature is lukewarm rather than cold also contributes to good plant health.
Temperature and Humidity
Given their tropical origins, unsurprisingly, homalomena like warmth and humidity.
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To prevent stains on the leaves, wipe them dry with a soft sponge.
Skip the fertilizer during the winter months, because there is no active growth.
Cut the leaves off at the base with sharp scissors or pruners.
Propagating Homalomena
The easiest and most successful way to propagate homalomena is by division.
Remove it from its pot and carefully separate therhizomatous rootsinto two or more sections.
Replant each section in its own pot with fresh potting soil at the same depth as the original plant.
Repotting homalomena every two years is usually sufficient unless it outgrows its container earlier.
Choose a pot about one size larger and use fresh potting soil.
Keeping the humidity high helps with prevention.
Root rot or fungal diseases may occur if the plant is being overwatered or there is poor air circulation.
The plants are in the same plant family but it is a different genus.
Some yellowing of the leaves is natural and nothing to worry about.
Older leaves at the bottom of the plant turn yellow before they drop.
But if there is yellowing of the top leaves, it usually indicatesimproper soil moisture, usually overwatering.
Go easy on the watering and look to see if the soil is draining properly.
If you like showy blooms, these plants won’t be for you.
Their tiny, green flowers don’t develop petals and aren’t ornamentally significant.
The large foliage overshadows them.
New York Botanical Garden.
