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Chocolate Soldier

Alsobia dianthiflora (al-SO-bee-a die-AN-thuh-flor-uh)

Family: Gesneriaceae Unknown Herbaceous

Lace flower is one of two species of the Alsobia genus. It is a tender perennial succulent that is native to Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and parts of Central and South America. Its fringe-edged petals make it an attractive houseplant. It tends to trail as it grows making it ideal for hanging baskets. The plant has a stoloniferous habit, where rapidly growing stems are produced from the leaf axils. At the tip of the stems are plantlets that root readily and, when left alone, can result in a large mat of plants, each of which may have originated from the same parent plant. Alsobia dianthiflora in particular, is a small-leaved, compact plant that produces large white, frilled flowers and numerous stolons. As a houseplant, lace flower does require some warmth and humidity and does well under artificial light, or on a windowsill. The plant prefers well-drained and somewhat moisture-retentive soil, such as standard African Violet soil mixes. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant disease or pest issues.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 35 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Hoya australis Hoya kerrii Strobilanthes alternata 'Exotica'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Houseplant; Succulent
Life cycle
Perennial
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Dense; Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf size
< 1 inch long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Bright green, furry, leaves form a mat beneath and around the flower stalks.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower shape
Wheel
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Petal margins are deeply fringed.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Mexico to Northwest Colombia
Distribution
Parts of Central America, Venezuela, and Bolivia
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Hanging Baskets; Houseplants
Design feature
Accent; Specimen
Garden tags
#tropical herbaceous perennial #tender perennial #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #houseplant #succulent #container plant
Problems & Resistance
Propagation
Division
Fire risk
low flammability

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.