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Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica - The Waffle Plant
September 24, 2008
On a previous hydro log, I mentioned the summer vacation I took down
south with the family to Pennsylvania (Hershey & Lancaster), Washington, D.C, and
Virginia (Arlington & Virginia Beach). I also wrote that I would break down the trip into three different
articles to keep the reading material a reasonable length. A couple of articles ago,
I wrote about Virginia Beach and today I’m going to write about Washington, D.C., which is a phe-no-me-nal place.
I mean, wow, what a place. Where does one start when they visit Washington? Museums, galleries, monuments,
memorials, parks, shops, restaurants…you name it, it’s there. This is one of the most remarkable places I’ve
ever been to, bursting with exciting attractions and memorable places to visit. And most of them are free!
The multitude of museums is astonishing, but since we were limited on time, we only got the chance to explore the
National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum. Both of these attractions are Smithsonian
Museums, which (according to certain sources) are some of the most visited museums in the world. Well, I certainly
have no trouble believing this after having been there. I never saw so many people in a museum in my life!
Washington is filled with monuments and memorials dedicated to a variety of events and people. Amongst some of these
are the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the United States Navy Memorial,
the National WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the well-known Lincoln Memorial, a memorial to Abraham
Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States of America, something I’ve always hoped to visit in my
lifetime. This memorial - a fixture on the National Mall since 1922 that was built in the style of a Greek temple, one
for each state at the time of Lincoln’s death - has been the site of many famous gatherings and speeches, including
the most famous one of all: Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech in 1963. I mean, wow, I stood where
Martin Luther King stood in 1963 as he gave his historic public speech. Wow.
Inside this immensely popular place is a 19-foot tall statue of President Lincoln that looks east toward the
Washington Monument and the Capitol. I have seen photos of this statue on websites, in brochures and in many
different types of advertisements, but I have to tell you that none of them do it justice. When you see this statue
in person, you will be awed by how massive, overwhelming and unbelievably imposing it is. And when you stand on the
steps at the front of this memorial, you really do have a great view of the Washington Monument and the Capital,
both of which we walked over to for a closer look (and an opportunity to take a gazillion photos of).
Let’s not forget The White House that we strolled over to peak at through the fence on Pennsylvania Ave., which is
closed to vehicular traffic. While standing there snapping photos of the official residence and principal workplace
of the President, my husband wondered out loud how long it would take before security noticed that he was climbing the
fence, and how far he could get before they tackled him. I don’t know why he has these strange thoughts but it’s an
interesting question. One that, for obvious reasons, we left unanswered.
Our hotel was situated in Arlington, Virginia, which is located directly across the Potomac River from
Washington, D.C. Our car sat idle for most of the day. There was a shuttle from the hotel to the metro system, which
we used to get to and from Washington. Although we didn’t dedicate much time in thoroughly exploring Arlington, we
did drive by The Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, and the world’s largest office
building. The building really is shaped like a pentagon and it is massive, housing about 23,000 military and civilian
employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel. Quite impressive.
In addition to The Pentagon, we drove over to the Pentagon Centre in (where else?) Pentagon City, an unincorporated
neighbourhood (also called an ‘urban village’) located in the southeast portion of Arlington County. We didn’t know
this at the time but this area is a major tourist stop because of its proximity to Washington, D.C. Not that it makes
much of a difference even now that we do know. Anyhow. We ended up there by accident, simply because we were
searching for a place to have supper, and we noticed that this centre had restaurants in it. We ended up eating at one
of the California Pizza Kitchen restaurants where I had the Adobe Chicken Chowder, one of the most scrumptious soups
I’ve ever eaten in my life. What’s more, California Pizza is a chain of restaurants with more than 240 of them in 33
states and a few of them in nine foreign countries. I’d never head of CPK restaurants before, despite their size and
(apparent) popularity, but I’m glad I got the chance to eat there because the soup I had was out of this world.
And I’m even more grateful that we found this little shopping mall because inside it there was a Borders bookstore,
which literally made my day. Being afflicted with chronic bibliophilism (the habitual longing to purchase, read,
store, admire and consume books in excess), you can understand my enthusiasm. I’m not alone in this either; three out
of four of us are bibliophiles (me and my two kids). There must be a genetic disposition or something.
So how do plants fit into this Hydro Log? Well, I’ll tell you. While sightseeing in Washington, D.C., we stopped in at
the Smithsonian’s first building, popularly known as “the Castle”, which houses the Institution’s administrative
offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. Apparently, this is one of the most famous of all the Smithsonian’s
many buildings, as well as the first Smithsonian building ever constructed. Well, much to my delight, behind this
building is the Enid A. Haupt Garden, which consists of over four acres of elaborately manicured gardens filled with
an assortment of gorgeous plants, some of which are grown indoors up here in my northern world.
Amongst the many displays, these are some of the plants I noticed: two different types of Iresine (Chicken Gizzard),
an assortment of Alocasias, some Ferns, Palms, Coleus, Caladiums and containers full of Zantedeschia Aethiopica
(Calla Lily). But the one that caught my attention more than any other is the Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica,
commonly-known as the Waffle Plant. I haven’t seen this plant for sale in years and was quite impressed by its
vigorous and healthy growth in the great outdoors. I guess it’s quite happy in Washington, D.C., in weather that is
much warmer than what I’m accustomed to, and in an area that offers more sunshine.
This interesting plant can be grown indoors year round. Below is some basic care information.
Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica Growing Tips
Although I haven’t grown a Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica in
years, the memory of it and its care requirements are etched in my mind. There
are three reasons why any plant is permanently stored in my memory bank: 1) I
succeeded with it with little effort, 2) I failed miserably no matter how hard
I tried and 3) I could’ve succeeded but failed miserably because I
(deliberately) neglected it. Now, without going into any gory details, I will
confess that I have this terrible habit of (occasionally) getting tired of
(some) plants and (in cold blood) weeding them out (committing ‘plantocide’?). Some
of these victims come back to haunt me, mostly because they were easy to grow and
did not deserve such an unfortunate ending. This plant is one of them.
It’s not that I don’t like Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica; I think it’s alright. But I
tend to add one too many plants to my already overloaded,
filled-with-more-responsibilities-than-I-need life and eventually some of them
(especially the less desirable) end up looking a little shabby from being
continuously neglected. And out they go. So, now that I’ve confessed my plant
sins concerning this lovely specimen, I’ll repent by offering advice about it
to my readers.
Maybe I should repent further by visiting the local greenhouse and adopting a plant
that needs a home. But in the meantime...
Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica, native to tropical Asia, is a thin-stemmed plant valued for
its coloured foliage. The large puckered leaves that are a purple-green sheen
on the surface and dark red underneath are oval in shape. Although it doesn’t
happen often in cultivation, this attractive plant produces tubular, five-lobed
white flowers in the spring and summer. And while the blooms are not very
significant, they are a welcome reminder that the plant is thriving in your
home, under your care.
This Hemigraphis enjoys bright but filtered light to grow happily. Some direct early
morning eastern or late afternoon western sun will enhance the colour of the
leaves. Avoid direct sunlight, especially midday, which can burn the thin leaves.
Your plant will adapt to lower light but growth will slow down and be spindly
and pale. As you can see, it’s important to find just the right balance because
too much or too little light will cause the plant to decline.
Use a fast-draining medium and water generously
during the active growing period – from spring to early autumn - to keep the
plant evenly moist. It is important that you use a porous soil that does not
compact because susceptibility to rot is high and chronic over-watering will
inevitably kill your plant. In winter, allow the potting mix to dry slightly
between watering sessions. Never allow the plant to dry out completely; this
may cause the leaf edges to brown. I have not personally grown a Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica in
hydroculture, but don’t be reluctant to try it yourself. There’s no reason why
it shouldn’t adapt. And if I do convert one to hydroculture at some point, I
will return to this article and add some information about the experience.
A warm location with average to high temperatures – 15.5ºC (60ºF) and above - is ideal. Keep your plant away from
cold drafts and drying winds; do not expose to temperatures below 13ºC (55ºF). This plant does not like dry air;
a humid environment with medium to high levels of humidity (40 percent and higher) is preferred. Raise humidity by
placing the plant’s container on a pebble tray filled with water or by adding a humidifier nearby. (For other ways to
increase moisture in the air, visit Improving Humidity). Provide plenty of fresh
air and proper ventilation; avoid hot and stuffy rooms that can encourage pest infestations. Give the plant a shower
now and then to keep the foliage clean and to keep pests at bay. This is not a hungry plant; feed once a month
(or 3 – 4 times throughout the growing season) with an all-purpose fertilizer that is diluted to ½ strength.
Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica has a vigorous root system and may need to be repotted
annually, unless you prefer to trim the roots to maintain a certain size. Pinch
out the growing tips regularly to keep the plant bushy and thick. If the stems
become long and bare, prune back heavily to promote
new, compact growth. Trimming back also encourages branching, which this plant
does easily. New plants can be started from stem cuttings that root easily in soil or water.
My trip to Washington brought to memory a plant that once occupied a space in my home. Perhaps at some point, when
I have more time to spare, I may reintroduce a Hemigraphis Colorata Exotica into my plant kingdom – if it becomes
available at a local greenhouse. For now, the only thing I can do is share some growing tips about it in case you are
interested in adding one to your home or office.
I leave you with the image below...
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