There’s a boom at the florists selling plants that take very little care, little space good for windowsills and office table tops. This Nertera granadensis is one plant that sells well. Usually I see the ones all in orange, but I thought the white and orange berry combination was more interesting.
Its nickname is a good one – PINCUSHION! It is a native of New Zealand native,. In late summer, it covers itself with beadlike, brilliant orange berries the size of pinheads – they last for more than three months.
More rich color comes from a deep green dwarf philodendron, whose glossy leaves are a foil to the pincushions’ fine texture. A single pincushion in a tiny pot also makes a charming gift. Pincushion is best treated as an annual (you can discard it when berries fade); although it will continue to live as a mounding green houseplant, it’s unlikely to rebloom. In frost-free climates, it can be grown outdoors in a rock garden.
It needs bright, indirect light indoors, or part sun to shade outdoors (during mild weather). Keep it moist but not soggy; do not allow it to dry out. Once a month, apply a water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half the recommended strength. Temperature: Hardy to 30 degrees-40 degrees.
NATURE IN JAPAN 