How to Grow Zebra Plant
Aphelandra squarrosa
Zebra plant is a striking tropical houseplant with bold white-veined dark green leaves and bright yellow flower bracts in late summer. It demands consistent warmth above 15C, high humidity, and evenly moist but never waterlogged soil. Keep in bright indirect light and mist regularly or use a pebble tray. After the flower spike fades, cut back hard to maintain compact shape. It is fussier than most houseplants but rewards with spectacular foliage year-round.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser from spring through summer. Reduce to monthly in autumn and stop in winter. Resume feeding when new growth appears in spring.
Watch For
- Leaf drop from draughts, dry air, or irregular watering
- Aphids on new growth and flower bracts
- Scale insects on stems
- Brown leaf tips from low humidity
- Leggy growth after flowering if not pruned back
Pet Safety
Care Requirements
Light
Bright indirect light, no direct sun
Needs bright indirect light year-round. Direct sun scorches the leaves. Too little light causes leggy growth and poor flowering.
Watering
Evenly moist, never waterlogged
Keep soil consistently moist during the growing season. Use tepid water. Reduce in winter but never let the soil dry out completely.
Fertilizing
Fortnightly in spring and summer
Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser from spring through summer. Reduce to monthly in autumn and stop in winter.
Pruning
Cut back hard after flowering
Once the yellow bract fades, cut the stem back to a pair of healthy lower leaves. This prevents leggy growth and encourages compact bushy regrowth.
