Sanchezia zebra plants not for gardens of all stripes.

Sanchezia, also known as The Zebra Plant, can “botanical up” your garden but only if you’ve created a proper microclimate for this tropical beauty. It’s not for all stripes of plant beds and certainly won’t thrive in wide-open sunny spaces like a new-build property.

Instead, this evergreen perennial shrub from the family Acanthaceae requires its own little microclimate, where temperatures are regulated to reduce exposure to extreme hot or cold temperatures.

What’s a man-made microclimate?

Examples of man-made microclimates abound. An interior courtyard. Pool cutouts within a screened enclosure. Under the canopy of a fine-textured tree. A long entrance to your front door with side planting-bed cutouts under roof cover. A secret garden close to the beach (Sanchezia is salt tolerant). Even indoor environments such as homes, malls and movie theater lobbies can be suitable for sanchezia. They do well in containers, too.

Sanchezia adds instant botanical garden flair.

To bring out the best variegation in the foliage, you’ll want to grow your Sanchezia in shade or part shade. Water regularly, especially during hot, dry weather and/or if it’s planted in a container garden.  

Sanchezia can grow six to eight feet tall and wide but usually reaches four feet. In summer, yellow tubular flowers emerge from eye-catching orange bracts, which contrast beautifully with its ornamental foliage. Deep green leaves with white main and secondary veins grab the eye every time.

All this said, do ArtisTree landscape designers recommend Sanchezia? Not often because the majority of its customers in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties prefer more mainstream plant choices. But if you’re looking for a magical specimen to create your own private botanical garden, Sanchezia can be a wonderful addition. In fact, some Siesta Key homes on the Sarasota Garden Club’s past “Gardens in Paradise” tours have incorporated it into their private landscapes.

Call ArtisTree & get your dream landscape off the ground.

ArtisTree provides landscape maintenance services for HOA communities throughout SW Florida. Contact Mike Casper at 941.488.8897 for a proposal. Services include irrigation/water management, turf/ornamental maintenance, mulching and seasonal color.

Want to get your Sarasota landscape renovation started? Browse ArtisTree’s portfolio and then call Jenni Lassen at 941.488.8897 to meet with one of our award-winning designers. We’ve proudly served Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties since 1990.

DEEPER ROOTS. HIGHER STANDARDS.®

Category News, Shrubs