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Persian Shield can be grown indoors or out
October 11, 2019
By Maria Sobczak - Victoria County Master Gardener
Edited by Charla Borchers Leon
PHOTO BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER VIRGINIA RUSCHHAUPT
The Persian Shield plant can become a large, perennial evergreen with leaves reaching 4 to 7 inches long and 3 inches wide as shown in the forefront here. This perennial plant can come back if harmed from frost and grow up to 3 to 4 feet across at maturity with adequate light and in rich, well-draining soil. A well cared-for Persian Shield plant is known to have had a lifespan over 20 years in a Victoria landscape growing in the right conditions.
PHOTO BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER MARIA SOBCZAK
Persian Shield can be easily propagated from cuttings as shown here by Master Gardener Maria Sobczak with removal of young stems at a length of about 2 to 3 inches from the mother plant just below a growth node. Bottom leaves are stripped off and the cutting is placed in a cup of water until roots form. Alternatively, the young stem can be placed in a non-soil mixture, misted and covered with a plastic bag keeping in humidity but aired out dialy to prevent mold. Either way, ,when roots form several weeks later, the plant can be placed in a good potting mix to grow.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER MARIA SOBCZAK
These Persian Shield plants were potted and placed on a partially-shaded deck by Master Gardener Maria Sobczak. They can continue to provide seasonal color until cool weather at which time they will need protection from frost. Should they be damaged from cold, they will come back next season and provide the most color in bright light.
Zones 8 to 11 perennial; annual in cooler regions
Often remains “ever purple” through fall/winter (Zones 10-11)
A good way to provide extra moisture for an indoor plant is to place a thin layer of rocks in a saucer and balance the pot on top. Keep the saucer full of water. This keeps the roots out of the water but the evaporation of the water provides higher humidity to the air. Dry air will cause leaves to dry and drop. Misting daily is recommended, but be sure to use soft water as chlorine will damage the leaves.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION
Persian Shield provides seasonal color indoors in a container or it makes an eye-catching border or container plant, as well as a striking focal point in a flower bed as shown here. While it is able to grow in sun or shade, it is recommended that it not be placed in hot, direct sun, but have adequate light to ensure the best intensity of "ever purple" leaves with iridescent green veins.
Until just a few years ago, I had never heard of or seen a Persian shield plant, known scientifically as Strobilanthes dyerianus. When I did, I became quite enamored with it. Derivation of name – not from Persia
Although the name is Persian shield, it is native to the warm and humid nation of Myanmar (formerly Burma), not Persia.
The shape of each leaf, however, with its purplish iridescence and slight hint of silver, gives it the appearance of an armored shield ready for battle. Thus, part of the name being “shield.”
The jury is still out on the Persian part of the title. Perhaps, it flows better than Burma shield (and won’t mistakenly get mixed up with the vintage signs of years ago advertising Burma shave.)
And mighty it is
It is a wonderfully adaptable specimen, able to grow in sun or shade, in pots or in the ground, outdoors or indoors. How much more could one ask?
In a natural habitat, it can become a large, evergreen perennial with leaves reaching 4 to 7 inches long and 3 inches wide, growing 3 to 4 feet high and 2 to 3 feet across.
Planting it in a perennial bed, pairing with silver plants, such as artemisia and dusty Miller or chartreuse plants like Margarita ornamental sweet potato and variegated yucca plants, will provide a dramatic addition to any garden.
Outdoor plants
It is best not to place Persian shield in full sun in our area.
Rather, give it a partial shade location with a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch over the soil around the plant and regularly water in hot weather. When cold weather strikes, it would be wise to cover it or protect it. The Persian shield plant might die back to the ground after a frost but remain alive and grow again the following season.
The stems can sometimes get tall and flop over, so it is a good idea to pinch the plant back a few times early on to help create more branching.
If Persian shield plants bloom, it is usually in fall or winter, but you may want to pinch them off. The flowers are small and blue-violet, hardly noticeable, basically insignificant against the brilliant color of the foliage for which the plant is grown. Once the plant produces spikes, floral buds arise from every node and the stems can no longer be used for propagation.
As plants age, they develop woody stems, and the coloration of the foliage tends to decline. It is best to start with fresh plants or take cuttings annually to obtain the most ornamental foliage.
Persian shield can be propagated from cuttings, so it makes a great pass-along plant to share with family and friends.
One method of propagating suggests cutting off young stems from the mother plant at a length of about 2 to 3 inches, just below a growth node, stripping off the bottom leaves and placing them into a cup of water until roots form.
An alternate method inserts the cutting into a non-soil medium such as peat, misting the medium and placing a plastic bag over the cutting. This gives it the semblance of needed humidity. Remove the bag for one hour daily to keep the cuttings from molding. In a couple of weeks, roots should have been produced. Then, simply plant them in a good potting mixture. How much easier can it get?
Indoor plants
Use good quality potting soil and a container with adequate drainage holes. Keep the soil moderately moist with weekly watering or water when the top couple of inches of the soil is dry.
Fertilization is one of the most important of care instructions, especially for potted plants. Feed them every two weeks with a half dilution of liquid plant food. Suspend feeding in fall and winter.
Persian shield plants need bright lights to help keep marvelous colors and temperature above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
These pests can be combated easily with horticultural soap and by changing the soil.
Persian shield is an easy-to-care-for plant. Use it indoors to brighten up the home and create tropical ambiance. Or outdoors, it makes an eye-catching border or container plant, as well as a striking focal point in your flower bed.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
ph: 361-935-1556
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