Acalypha are mainly grown in tropical and subtropical regions (but not found in Hawaii and a few other islands in the Pacific Ocean ), and only a few species live in temperate regions. Native North American species are generally inconspicuous most of the year until the fall when their stems and foliage turn a distinctive coppery-red.
From the beginning of spring to autumn they are watered abundantly. In winter, watering is reduced, making sure that the soil does not dry out. They need high humidity, so you need frequent spraying. To increase the humidity, you can put a pot with a plant in a container with wet peat (expanded clay, pebbles).
Acalypha prefers good lighting, but from direct sunlight it should be shaded. With a lack of light, the plant is drawn out, it blooms poorly, and the variegated forms lose their bright color.
Acalypha need fertilizer from March to September, every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer for decorative plants or flowering plants for all varieties. Respect the dosage and add the fertilizer to your water. A fertilizer for green plants brings a lot of nitrogen, which would have the effect of pulling your Acalypha to hues more greenish than red or pink.
The soil mixture for cultivation should be light, permeable to water and air. Its composition: turf, leaf soil, riding peat, sand, taken in equal proportion. In different sources, the ratio of parts of the substrate varies: 4 parts of sod, 1 part of leaf, 2 parts of greenhouse soil and 0.5 sand or sour high-moor peat and one part of leaf soil and sand.
Pruning is done in spring. Young plants are also removing buds from the top shoots. For renewal of adult plants it is necessary to apply annual pruning. This procedure is carried out in February before the start of the growing season. All shoots are cut off at the plant, leaving hemp 25-30 cm high, after that the plant is constantly sprayed, it is possible to put on a transparent plastic bag for better adaptation.
Copperleaf need a minimum temperature between 12 ° C and 15 ° C, a good 22 ° C suits them perfectly. In summer, the optimum temperature for it is 20-24 ° С, in winter it is not lower than 16-18 ° С. If in winter the temperature is above the optimum, then water them more often.
