Alternanthera ficoideaParrot Leaf

The Alternanthera ficoidea, commonly known as the Parrot Leaf and supplied in tender documents as Alternanthera versicolor, is a low, dense, mat-forming perennial from tropical America grown entirely for its foliage. Small crinkled leaves are marked in combinations of green, cream, pink, orange and red, and the flowers are insignificant.

It is the classic carpet bedding plant for formal pattern work, holding a clipped line as tightly as any dwarf hedge at a fraction of the height. It is used in carpet bedding, formal parterre patterns, roundabout displays and low colour edging.

Specifications

• Height0.15 to 0.3 metres
• Width0.3 to 0.5 metres
• Native toTropical Central and South America
• FoliageSmall crinkled leaves marked in green, cream, pink, orange and red; evergreen in warm climates and the sole reason for planting
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers moist, well-drained loamy soils with reasonable organic content; dislikes drying out completely
• LightFull sun to partial shade, with the strongest leaf colour in full sun
• WaterModerate; needs regular irrigation and is not a drought-tolerant plant
• ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions and in warm arid climates under irrigation; frost-sensitive

Additional Features

• FormLow dense mat that holds a clipped edge precisely, allowing fine pattern work at ground level
• UsesCarpet bedding and formal parterre patterns, roundabout and civic display beds, low colour edging, seasonal display planting
• SpacingPlant 0.2 to 0.25 metres apart for a closed carpet within one season
• Low MaintenanceClip regularly to hold the pattern and the colour; this is a display plant and needs the attention that implies
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust, with caterpillars the main occasional issue
• Seasonal AppealFoliage colour is held all year in warm climates, giving display value outside any flowering season
• VersatilityUsed equally in ground-level pattern bedding, raised planters and container displays
• Frost SensitivityDamaged by frost and treated as a warm-season display plant in cooler locations

The Parrot Leaf is a formal display plant, and it earns its place where a scheme genuinely needs pattern and colour at ground level.