Pellionia pulchra T8
climbing tropical plant in an 8cm pot, ideal for rainforest terrariums
Pellionia pulchra, also known as "watermelon plant" or "creeping Pellionia," originates from the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia. The species belongs to the family Urticaceae (nettle family) and is popular for its striking leaf pattern.
The species name pulchra means "beautiful" – a direct reference to its attractive appearance.
Characteristics: The plant grows low, creeping or slightly hanging with soft, flexible stems. The oval to elongated leaves display an impressive pattern: the upper leaf surface is greenish-brown with a prominent, almost black midrib and fine, net-like markings reminiscent of watermelon rinds. The underside of the leaves is often reddish. Pellionia pulchra is ideally suited as a ground cover in tropical terrariums or as a hanging plant.
Care Instructions:
Light: Bright to partially shaded, no direct midday sun. Water: Keep evenly moist, avoid waterlogging.
Humidity: High (60%+), ideal for terrariums or humid window sills.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, feed 1–2 times a month with a heavily diluted green plant fertilizer.
Temperature: 18–26°C, no cold below 15°C.
Note: Pellionia pulchra is excellent for tropical arrangements, moist plant bowls, or as an accent plant in terrariums. Regular pruning encourages a bushy growth form.
Our greenhouses are equipped with modern energy screens and double glazing to efficiently save on heating costs. Additionally, we collect rainwater over the entire roof area of 9,000 square meters and use only this water to irrigate all our crops. We collect the rainwater in underground tanks with a total volume of 600,000 liters.
Since 2007, we have been heating our entire operation with a fully automated 850 kW wood chip heating system and a 100,000-liter buffer storage tank. Environmentally friendly and CO2-neutral. Only to support during very cold winter days and nights is a conventional oil heating system available.
Since 2014, the heating has been supported by a solar thermal system with an annual yield of about 20 megawatt-hours.
In 2020, we installed a photovoltaic system with 30 kW peak and have been producing more green electricity per year than our entire operation requires.
Since 2021, we use exclusively pots for our self-produced plants that are not only 100% recyclable but are also entirely made from recycled pots. To this end, we collect all used pots that arise in our operation and have them picked up in big bags by our pot supplier Göttinger. There, the pots are cleaned and processed in a water-free recycling facility into new pots that come back to us.