Acalypha wilkesiana

RHS Plant Profile
Jacob's coat

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Acalypha wilkesiana?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
Jacob's coat visionspictures.com
Jacob's coat visionspictures.com

Other common names

beefsteak plant, copperleaf

Synonyms

Acalypha tricolor
Acalypha amentacea subsp. wilkesiana

Award of Garden Merit
Shrubs

A tropical, evergreen shrub grown as a house or conservatory plant. It has multi-coloured, variegated and mottled leaves in shades of green, white, yellow and pink. Long green or bronze flower catkins may sometimes be produced. In their native environment plants may reach 2m in height

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H1B

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Euphorbiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Acalypha can be evergreen shrubs or trees, or annuals, with simple leaves and catkin-like racemes of tiny flowers, brightly coloured in some species
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Pacific Islands

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass or indoors in peat-free potting compost in full or filtered light. When in growth water freely and apply a balanced liquid feed monthly. Water sparingly in winter, keeping barely moist. Plants can be moved to dappled shade on the patio during summer

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Houseplants
  • Patio and container plants
  • Bedding
  • Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 11

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly, glasshouse red spider mite, mealybugs and scale insects

Diseases

Generally disease-free