The Zebra Plant
IT HAS all the requirements of a great indoor foliage plant. Its deep-green, glossy leaves measure between 5 and 30 cm long, and have dramatic white or yellow veins and midribs resembling a zebra’s stripes, which are responsible for its popular name, “the Zebra Plant”. It is an evergreen broadleaf shrub with a purple-tinged stem that grows upright to about six (6) feet tall, but usually stays between two and four feet tall as a houseplant.
Scientifically, it is known as the Aphelandra (af-el-AN-druh) squarrosa (skwa-RO-suh), and it is a genus of about 170 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae (ah-kanth-AY-see-ee), which is native to tropical regions of the Americas, more notably the Atlantic forest vegetation of Brazil.
The plant does not flower much, but when it does — usually as a result of a great deal of care and attention — it produces a four-inch-long, yellow-to-orange flower spike from the central top bud. If at all the plant does not flower, its striking foliage can be used for ornamental purposes.

Care and maintenance
In terms of care and maintenance, the Zebra Plant likes lots of indirect light. It is also very sensitive to moisture content; too much or too little water will cause the lower leaves to brown and fall off. It likes to be kept moist, but not wet. On average, it needs small amounts of water often, rather than a thorough watering once in a while.
A dedicated grower who pays attention to warmth and water will be rewarded for many years with the showy, long-lasting blooms.
The Zebra Plant is available for indoor use or outdoor gardening at the # 1 Plant Shop on Sheriff Street (telephone # 227-8094).