The exotic silver rain cuts a fine figure both as a ground cover and in a bucket. If you overwinter it correctly, it will stay with you for several years.
Silver rain is an extremely attractive traffic light plant. The rounded leaves appear like silver thalers threaded on a string. In combination with colorful summer flowers, the result is a high-contrast picture that is sure to catch the eye. The silver rain can pour down up to two meters from the balcony. How this attractive plant is cultivated can be read below.
Origin and Spread of Silver Rain
The hallmark of silver rain is the silvery shimmering leaves, which can spread out like mats and form meter-long cords. In its natural home, the tropics and subtropics, the plant grows as a ground cover.
The silver rain is not an independent species, but is a particularly attractive cultivar of Dichondra argentea, which is native to Central and South America. The genus Dichondra includes 15 species. Two forms are also native to Australia and New Zealand.
The silver rain belongs to the morning glory family and is therefore related to the sweet potato.
Tip: The sweet potato can also become an attractive hanging plant if half of the tuber is planted in potting soil.
Is silver rain poisonous?
The plants are not necessarily edible, but they are completely non-toxic to humans and animals.
In this context, it should be noted that there should be no confusion. Silver rain is the common German name for the common robinia. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Poisoning can lead to death in humans and animals.Plant Silver Rain
Suitable location for the silver rain
Prefers a sunny and warm spot. Temperatures must not fall below 16 degrees all year round. The plant knows how to help itself in shady locations and aligns its long shoots towards the sun. This is beneficialfor balcony planting. While only the shoots are in the sun, the substrate in the bucket needs less watering.
Tip: If the plant is too cold, growth will stop.
The silver rain should be protected from wind and rain. A particularly impressive picture emerges when the plant is associated with red flowering perennials or summer flowers.
Ideal substrate for silver rain
The silver rain can be placed in conventional balcony potting soil. The plant is not picky about the right substrate. The only important thing is that it is loose soil with good permeability. The plants prefer to be too dry than too wet and are sensitive to waterlogging.
When planting in boxes and tubs, the risk of waterlogging is particularly high. Therefore, good drainage should not be neglected. Excess irrigation water must not accumulate in the saucer, but must be poured off immediately.
Prefer silver rain
Silver rain is available in pots (e.g. from Blumen Eber), but can also be grown from seeds. You can get these from existing plants, but you can also get them in stores.
The seeds can be sown in plant pots filled with potting soil from mid-January. The planters get a bright window seat and are placed at about 22 degrees.
Tip: The soil is kept only slightly moist and is best sprayed instead of watered.
A soil that is too damp leads to mold growth. Germination occurs after about two weeks. The ambient temperature can now be reduced to around 20 degrees.
The seeds can also be sown directly outdoors. However, this has to wait until May, because the temperatures must not drop below 16 degrees.
You can cultivate the plant as a groundcover or as a hanging plant.
Planting silver rain as ground cover - step by step
1. Select location
2. Prepare soil
3. Dig planting hole
4. Observe distance
5. Insert plant
6. Fill up substrate7. Water the plant
If the silver rain is to be planted as ground cover in the bed, ensure a plant spacing of at least 20 centimetres. The plants can spread more than half a meter.
Planting silver rain as a hanging plant - step by step
1. Select planter
2. Prepare substrate
3. Drainagelay
4. Fill in the substrate
5. Insert the plant
6. Fill in the substrate
7. Press the soil down gently
8. Water the window box
The necessary planting distance must also be maintained in the balcony box. Up to four plants can be placed in a balcony box that is 50 centimeters long. It should be noted that the plants grow about 20 to 25 centimeters in height. In order to create an attractive overall picture in the tub, higher accompanying plants should be used.
Care for Silver Rain
Pour silver rain correctly
The plants need little water. A dry and sheltered location should be chosen outdoors. Otherwise, waterlogging can quickly occur in rainy summers. The plants in the bed only have to be watered in the event of a prolonged drought. You can wait until the floor has dried about two centimeters.
But silver rain is usually cultivated in balcony boxes or planters. The water requirement is higher in a small area. The plants need regular watering. To prevent waterlogging, a drainage made of potsherds or gravel should be laid in the bottom of the container.
Fertilize silver rain correctly
If the soil has been enriched with mature compost or horn shavings before planting outdoors, an organic long-term fertilizer is provided and no additional fertilization is required.
Less nutrients are available in the box or tub. Therefore, the joy of growth can be promoted if every two weeks some liquid fertilizer is added to the irrigation water.
Cutting Silverfall
In an ideal location, silver rain will grow profusely. If you let him run free, the effect is all the more impressive. If there is less space, the shoots can be trimmed at any time with sharp pruning shears. At the same time, this offers the hobby gardener the opportunity to propagate the plant.
Increase silver rain
Propagation can be done by sowing. The procedure has already been described.
However, there is a quicker and simpler method: you can take cuttings from existing plants and propagate them.
Proceed as follows:
1. Cut cuttings
2. Put cuttings in substrate
3. Put cuttings in a bright and protected place
4. Wait for rooting
Stems about five centimeters long are suitable for cuttings. These are cut off or simply pinched off. The cuttings are immediately placed in plant pots filled with potting soilplugged. A bright location that is protected from the blazing midday sun is ideal. The cuttings root within a short time. The successful propagation can be recognized by the new shoots of the leaves. Once the plants are rooted, you can move them to boxes and tubs or plant them outdoors.
Wintering Silver Rain
In our latitudes, the exotic plant is usually cultivated as an annual plant and disposed of in beds or containers after the summer. This is not necessary because the plants can be overwintered quite easily.
The winter quarters should be bright and the temperature must not fall below ten degrees. Otherwise, the plants will extend their dormant phase and stop growing altogether. This is not conducive to lush growth in the next season.
In winter, the silver rain is only irrigated sporadically. In the spring the plant is cut back and begins to sprout again. Now it is watered regularly again. Once the danger of frost has passed in mid-May, the plants can go back outside.