Branches loaded with brightly coloured fruit make Jerusalem Cherry a favourite decorative houseplant in fall and winter.
Learn the way to develop Solanum pseudocapsicum plant in a container. On this information, you will get care suggestions for rising, watering, pruning, and overwintering this eye-catching plant indoors.
Fruits look festive, turning from inexperienced to crimson late within the yr. Picture: Marjon Besteman-HornGet to Know Your Houseplant
White, star-shaped flowers cowl this shrubby plant in summer time. Starting in fall, the flowers are adopted by small, spherical fruits that flip from inexperienced to yellow to orange to crimson as they slowly ripen. They’re long-lasting and can “enhance” the plant proper by way of the winter.
Though the fruits look loads like cherry tomatoes and could appear tempting, they’re toxic and shouldn’t be eaten. Hold Jerusalem Cherry plant away from kids and pets who could also be tempted by this colourful houseplant.
Recognized botanically as Solanum pseudocapsicum, this magnificence is native to Brazil and likes the identical heat temperatures we do, making it preferrred for rising indoors.
How huge does it get? You possibly can count on Jerusalem Cherry plant to achieve 1-2 ft (30-60 cm) tall indoors.
You will discover these decorative crops on the market nearly any time of yr. They’re typically bought as Christmas Cherry or Christmas Pepper across the holidays.
A variegated selection exists; Solanum pseudocapsicum ‘Variegata’ has leaves edged in creamy white.
How one can Take care of Jerusalem Cherry
Let the solar shine in. Jerusalem Cherry makes a lovely patio plant, the place it is going to get the direct solar it must develop, flower and produce fruit. Simply you should definitely deliver this tender perennial again inside earlier than the temperature drops in autumn. This South American native is frost-tender.
Give it a winter relaxation. After the fruit is not enticing, reduce the stems again by half. Cut back watering, however do not enable the soil to dry out utterly. Place the plant in a cooler spot (round 60°/16°C). In late spring, transfer it again to a sunny window — or open air after the final risk of frost has handed — and resume regular care.
Received a reluctant bloomer? Crops that do not bloom often do not get sufficient gentle. The cool relaxation adopted by a heat, sunny summer time ought to set off a flush of recent flowers adopted by fruit. Remember to fertilize throughout the rising season. Crops grown in pots must be fed frequently. Received blooms, however no fruit? Crops saved for a second yr might bloom, however not produce fruit as a result of they aren’t pollinated. Don’t fret — it is simple to do.
How one can pollinate your plant: Crops grown open air get pollinated from the wind or bugs that carry the pollen from flower to flower. If you happen to’ve saved your plant indoors, it wants some assist from you. Use a small, clear paintbrush to dab the stamens within the middle of the flowers, transferring from flower to flower to unfold the pollen round.
Repot root-bound crops in spring. Transfer as much as a pot 1 dimension greater to provide it a little bit house. Use a pot with a drainage gap to stop over-watering, which might result in root rot.
Take care of pests. One thing bugging your plant? Jerusalem Cherry is usually infested by aphids, whiteflies or spider mites. Common misting with tepid water will assist to stop an infestation of spider mites, which want sizzling, dry situations. Use an insecticide, if wanted. Natural neem oil insecticide is an efficient therapy for a lot of pests.
Jerusalem Cherry Plant Care Ideas
Mild: Put your houseplant in a brilliant location the place it is going to get just a few hours of direct solar every day. You possibly can transfer it open air for the summer time, if you would like. Convey it in earlier than the primary frost and you will take pleasure in its colourful show by way of the vacation season.
Water: Hold the soil evenly moist, however not soggy. Cut back watering in spring, after the fruit has fallen off and the plant is resting. At all times use lukewarm water to water your tropical crops; chilly water is a shock to them.
Humidity: Purpose to take care of 40-50% relative humidity across the houseplant. To lift humidity, use a cool-mist room humidifier or stand the pot on a tray of moist pebbles. Hold the plant away from warmth/air vents. Blasts of dry air will trigger the fruits to shrivel and fall off early.
Temperature: Common room temperatures (65-75°F/18-24°C). If you happen to transfer your plant open air for the summer time, don’t fret — it might take the warmth. If will not, nevertheless, tolerate frost. In the autumn and winter months, protecting it on the cool facet (round 60°/16°C) will assist the fruit to last more.
Soil: Any good-quality, all-purpose potting combine.
Fertilizer: Feed month-to-month spring by way of fall with a tomato fertilizer, which has the micro-nutrients this plant wants.
Propagation: Stem cuttings or seeds. Take stem cuttings from Jerusalem Cherry in spring and root them in moist potting combine. Collect seeds from ripe fruits and sow in pots indoors in early spring.