Gynura aurantica T8
small tropical plant in an 8cm pot, ideal for rainforest terrariums
Gynura aurantiaca, often referred to as velvet plant or purple passion, is a true insider tip for lovers of special foliage plants. With its velvety purple leaf surfaces, it immediately draws attention and adds colorful accents to any room. Its extraordinary texture and color make it a popular collector's and gift plant.
Characteristics:
This tropical beauty impresses with deep green leaves that are densely covered with purple, velvety hairs – depending on the light, the foliage shifts from purple to magenta. The Gynura grows upright to slightly hanging and is excellent for pots or hanging baskets. With good care, it produces bright orange flowers in maturity, providing an exciting contrast to the dark foliage.
Care Instructions:
Light: Bright, but without direct midday sun – adequate light intensifies the purple color.
Water: Keep evenly moist, avoid waterlogging – sensitive to constantly wet substrate.
Humidity: Average – tolerates normal room air but appreciates occasional misting.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1-2 times a month with a diluted green plant fertilizer.
Temperature: Optimal at 18-24 °C, not below 15 °C.
Note: The decorative hairs are sensitive to constant touching or too much water from above – it is best to water directly into the substrate. If necessary, trim regularly to promote bushy growth. Easily propagated through head cuttings.
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.