FITTONIA
Fittonia are commonly known as nerve plant and are native to South America where they are ground cover. The Fittonias available in New Zealand come in a beautiful range of colour including pink, yellow, green and combinations with strikingly veined leaf patterns.
Light
Being a ground cover in their natural habitat, Fittonias will thrive best in medium bright to medium light.
Water
Fittonia do not like to dry out completely between waterings and prefer to remain at a consistent moist level but not soggy.
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If watering is left too late, their leaves will collapse into a puddle of drama but they will come right quickly once watered again.
Soil
The soil should be loose and not densely packed to allow for free water drainage and oxygen supply to the roots. We recommend a cacti and succulent mix for your Fittonia.
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Adding coco coir which has
water retentive qualities to the cacti and succulent mix will ensure consistent moisture which Fittonia prefer.
Temperature
Fittonias best thrive in temperatures above 20°C but can tolerate low temperatures for short periods of time during to the colder months of the year.
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In winter keep them away from log burners or away from the path of the airflow from your heat pump.
Humidity
Humidity is a must for Fittonias and the ideal spot for a Fittonia is a bathroom with medium light which naturally is more humid that the rest of our homes.
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They can also be placed in a huddle with other plants which provides them with humidity or placed on a pebble try filled with water that as the water evaporates, provides the plant with humidity.
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Their love for humidity makes them excellent plants for terrariums.
Fertiliser
Along with the rest of your houseplants, your Fittonia should be regularly fed with a well-balanced fertiliser.
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During spring and summer this should be on a fortnightly basis while in winter when the plants are going into dormancy or are dormant once a month at half strength.
Propagation
Fittonia can be propagated from leaf stem cutting which will root quite easily in either water or soil.