Calceolaria Herbeohybrida Group (Pocketbook Plant)

Noted for its unusual flowers, Calceolaria Herbeohybrida Group (Pocketbook Plant) is a showy perennial, usually grown as an annual, boasting loose clusters of slipper-shaped flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow or reddish brown. The blossoms are often spotted or blotched with contrasting color. They rise in dense corymbs just above the decorative foliage of large, roughly heart-shaped leaves, up to 8 in. (20 cm). Blooming for about a month or several weeks, Calceolaria Herbeohybrida is to be discarded once the blossoms have faded. Used primarily as a potted houseplant, Calceolaria Herbeohybrida is quite demanding in terms of care, but it will reward you with weeks of pleasure.

• Grows up to 6-12 in. tall and wide (15-30 cm).
• Requires a spot with bright light but not direct sunlight.
• Should be kept in cool room temperature: 45-50°F (7-10°C) at night; 55-60°F (13-16°C) during the day.
• Water as often as necessary to keep the potting mixture moist. Never allow the soil to dry out. Avoid watering over the crown to avoid rot problems.
• Requires a slightly humid atmosphere.
• Pocketbook Plant is perennial in hardiness zones 10-11 or climate zones 14-24, but treated as an annual in cooler areas or as a houseplant.
• Keep an eye out for root and crown rots (from the soil being too wet or fluctuations in watering), gray mold, aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites.
• Pinch back to maintain shape and encourage blooming.
• The genus is native to Central and South America.