Zebra Plant
Aphelandra squarrosa
Zebra plant has glossy, dark green leaves with bold white veins and produces striking golden flower spikes. It needs warmth, humidity and steady moisture.
Photo: WayneRay · CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Bright indirect light
Watering
Moderate
Keep the soil evenly moist; it drops leaves if dry.
Soil
Rich, well-drained potting mix; pH 5.5–6.5.
Temperature and humidity
16–30 °C · High humidity
Feeding
Feed every two weeks in spring and summer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings
Cut back after flowering to keep it bushy.
Zebra plant is not toxic.
Top Cultivation Tips
Use a pebble tray for humidity.
Keep away from draughts.
Leaf drop usually means it dried out.
Not the same as the zebra haworthia.
Common problems
Mealybugs
White, cottony insects that hide in leaf joints and under leaves, weakening plants and spreading easily to neighbours.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →PestSpider mites
Tiny sap-sucking mites that thrive in hot, dry conditions, causing speckled, dull leaves and fine webbing.
How to treat it →
