Dianthera pectoralis
Carpenter's grass · Freshcut · Tilo
Description
Source: wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Dianthera pectoralis is an herb in the family Acanthaceae. This water-willow is widely known as tilo in Latin America and in Cuba. In Haiti, it is called chapantye and zeb chapantyè on Dominica and Martinique. Other folk names are freshcut, chambá carpintero ("carpenter"), té criollo, curia, death-angel, masha-hari, or "piri piri". This species was described by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin in 1760, who provided additional data in 1763. A well-marked variety, var. stenophylla, was described by Emery Clarence Leonard in 1958.
Care Guide
💧 Water
☀️ Light Partial sun
Freshcut occurs naturally in habitats like forest understories or rocky areas, where it is exposed to natural shade. It favors partial sun but can also grow in full sun or full shade, illustrating its versatile and hardy nature.
🌡️ Temperature 20–37.8°C
Freshcut comes from tropical areas, where the climate is generally warm and humid. As a result, it is well suited to high temperatures and humidity. It is sensitive to sudden temperature changes and prefers a stable temperature environment, so it is important to avoid indoor temperature fluctuations. It usually cannot tolerate cold temperatures and requires warmer conditions for growth. If the ambient temperature drops too low, the plant may stop growing or even die.
💨 Humidity
🪴 Soil 6-7
🌱 Fertilizer
Adequate fertilization is essential for Freshcut's health and appearance. Fertilize Freshcut during summer, repeating the application monthly throughout the summer. Nutrients fuel growth and sustain the plant's parts. Fertilization boosts Freshcut's floral display, ensuring the best blooms.
🪴 Pot & Repot
✂️ Pruning
🌿 Propagating
🐛 Diseases & pets
☠️ Toxicity
Characteristics
- Plant Type
- Herb
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Genus
- Dianthera
- Family
- Acanthaceae
- Hardiness Zone
- 10-12
- Mature Height
- 30 cm to 61 cm
- Mature Spread
- 30 cm to 46 cm
- Leaf Color
- Green, Dark Green
- Leaf Type
- Evergreen
- Flower Color
- Lavender
- Flower Size
- 1.02 cm to 2.03 cm
- Bloom Time
- Summer, Early fall, Mid fall
- Planting Time
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Harvest Time
- Late summer, Fall, Early winter
- Native Area
- Belize, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Suriname, Costa Rica