Imagine a world where the oceans are teeming with purple algae, and the forests rustle with blue leaves. But, of course, we’re not even talking about something from a sci-fi book, either.
It is widely believed that all plant life must be green. This is because plants generate energy using chloroplasts, chloroplasts are composed of chlorophyll, and chlorophyll is green.
Begonia pavonina, or peaco*ck begonia, Sedum Blue Pearl, Silver Sword Philodendron, Blue Agave, Blue Hosta, Crassula Ovata ‘Blue bird,’ and Cebu Blue Pothos are all examples of blue leaf houseplants. The presence of blue leaf is caused by specialized photonic crystals, which can more effectively absorb energy from the sun.
Research shows that the earliest photosynthetic organisms were purple because they used photosynthetic chemicals that absorbed light in different wavelengths.
Contents
- What Causes Blue Leaves on Plants?
- Indoor Plants With Blue Leaves
- 2. Blue Agave
- Blue Agave Care Indoors
- 3. Silver Sword Philodendron
- 4. Sedum Blue Pearl
- 5. Blue Hosta
- Planting And Growing Conditions
- 6. Crassula Ovata ‘Blue bird’
- 7. Cebu Blue Pothos
- 2. Blue Agave
What Causes Blue Leaves on Plants?
The Begonia pavonina, or peaco*ck begonia, typically possesses bright blue leaves in addition to its more common green ones.
Researchers from the University of Bristol wrote in Nature Plants (Source) that this begonia needed blue leaves because they better absorb the light needed for photosynthesis, which is especially important for B. pavonina, which grows in the shade under trees in Malaysian forests.
We know that plants take in light through chloroplast organs inside their cells.
These microscopic organelles, known as chloroplasts, are where plants store their chlorophyll.
However, in the begonia B. pavonina, the chlorophyll stacks are not arranged randomly like in other plants but form photonic crystals.
So the blue color of the begonia pavonina leaves is due to photonic crystals. But the most important thing is that chlorophyll in this form better absorbs green and red light frequencies.
So B. pavonina receives 10% more energy than its neighbors, which also helps them grow on the lower forest floors.
Indoor Plants With Blue Leaves
2. Blue Agave
Growing a blue agave (lat. Agave tequilana) is not difficult if you have enough space.
However, it can reach a diameter of 5 feet (1.5 m) indoors and has spines on the edges of its leaves that can inflict serious injury if handled carelessly.
The pot’s location must be safe from children and animals. For safety, cut off the hard needle at the end.
It doesn’t harm the plant in any way. The leaves of Agava blue are juicy and thick, covered in a smoky blue wax.
This monocotyledonous plant species belongs to the Asparagaceae family, specifically the Agavoidae subfamily. It is used to make tequila, commonly referred to as tequila agave.
Blue agave is native to Mexico and growing wild in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Oaxaca.
These states are situated in the country’s southwestern part, close to the Pacific Ocean. It thrives at altitudes between 3000-6500 feet (900 and 2,000 meters) above sea level.
Blue Agave Care Indoors
- The container – was not deep but wide. The preferred pot material is ceramic.
- Lighting – abundant. Place vases with the plant on the south side. With short daylight, you should add light to the bushes with LED lamps in winter.
- Be sure to have plenty of fresh air.
- Watering – moderate, in summer once a week, in winter enough to moisten the soil once every 25-30 days.
- Soil – sandy, with the presence of drainage. Alkaline soils are preferred.
- Carry out replanting every three years.
3. Silver Sword Philodendron
Large and glossy, the leaves of the silver sword philodendron (Philodendron hastatum) have a hint of blue and silver in their appearance.
Tropical South and Central American rainforests are home to the plant’s natural habitat.
Even with the best care, the Silver Sword Philodendron only grows to be between 15-20 inches tall at home. Even though it is small, it still needs support.
If you place a small plant shrub on a windowsill facing east or west, it appears to glow with a bluish silver color.
However, the Silver Queen crown will appear bright green if there is not enough light.
Silver Sword Philodendron prefers it when the soil dries out completely between waterings.
Water when the top 1-2 inches of soil are completely dry to the touch but do not over-water.
If the leaves are overdried, they lose their turgor, making them brittle and prone to falling off.
Make use of a soil mixture that drains well. Adding Coarse coconut fiber, bark, and moss are all viable options.
Keeping the soil’s pH between 5.7 and 6.5, or neutral, but you must also water it with slightly acidic water or a fertilizer solution.
4. Sedum Blue Pearl
Sedum Blue Pearl is a chic, bright, elegant-looking beauty.
The adult plant can grow to a height of 6-8 inches and a width of 13-15 inches; it creates a dense carpet of leaves that are an intensely smoky blue with a purple-burgundy tint and large inflorescences that are bright pink.
It will make any composition’s background look stunning when contrasted with it. In addition, it can withstand harsh winters.
The family Crassulaceae includes the genus Sedum, which has about 350 species of long-branched, herbaceous semi-shrubs that creep along the ground.
Mexico, Africa, Asia, North America, and Europe are all home to species in this genus.
There is an exceptionally high diversity of sedum species in Mexico. Sedums are excellent honey plants that attract many bees and insects to gardens.
5. Blue Hosta
Intriguingly, the waxy coating on the leaves gives the blue hosta its unusual shade of blueish-blue. It may also come in with stunning blue-green variegation.
If you leave the plant in direct sunlight for an extended period, the waxy blue coating will peel off, and the leaves will appear pale green.
The leaves of blue hostas are what make them so visually appealing. Their flowers are not very pretty. They are bell-shaped and grow on long, sturdy flower stalks.
Check out this post for more on blue leaf hostas.
It can thrive in any environment, regardless of lighting conditions. However, the best thing about this plant is that it prefers semi-shady and even shady locations.
The bluish coating that forms on the leaves will be more pronounced here. It will be comfortable in the shade of trees and on the north side of buildings.
The stunning blue hosta can be used to enhance a posh outdoor space and a home’s interior decor.
Because of its high decorative value, it is frequently utilized in garden design. It is easy to care for and doesn’t hurt the plants around it.
It’s a perennial with large leaves. It can spread out and cover the ground, thereby preventing the growth of weeds.
Because there are so many species, it’s an excellent chance for people who love flowers and for landscape designers to be creative.
The blue hosta contrasts nicely with the greenery of coniferous trees.
Planting And Growing Conditions
- There must be some shade for the leaf coating to appear grayish-blue. The plant’s blue leaves turn green in the sun.
- Place the hosta near other tall plants, such as bushes or trees. The soil must be well-drained, moist, rich in humus, and slightly acidic. Hostas do not thrive in sandy or loamy soils.
- Add fertilizer after loosening the soil to 12 inches (30 cm).
- Make a hole in the loosened soil. To put it another way, its height and width equal the root ball’s.
- When you plant, the top of the root ball should be at the same level as the ground.
- The roots are straightened out carefully and then covered with soil;
- The soil around the base of the plant is pressed down and covered with shredded bark;
- Ensure that the young plant gets plenty of water;
- Make sure the planting area isn’t blown around by strong winds.
6. Crassula Ovata ‘Blue bird’
The leaves of Crassula Blue Bird are curly and have wavy edges. This distinguishes the Blue Bird cultivar from other varieties. Therefore, many people call this plant “curly crassula.”
Like most jade plants, this Succulent grows very slowly. Despite this, the plant’s most notable feature is its eye-catching shade combination of blue, green, and red.
The tallest flower can grow to about 50 centimeters, but a small pot can keep it from getting too big.
7. Cebu Blue Pothos
The arrow-shaped, blue-green leaves of this Epipremnum (Epipremnum pinnatum “Cebu Blue”) do not exhibit any signs of variegation.
The metallic sheen on the leaves distinguishes this species from others.
The young leaves of Cebu Blue have a shape similar to an arrow, while the mature plant leaves are large, blue-green, and naturally split in the same way that monstera leaves are.
The plant needs time to grow up in a warm, well-lit place for this leaf to form.
