Monolena 'Ant Plant'

Botanical: Monolena primuliflora

Common: Monolena Ant Plant, Ant Plant, Primrose-flowered Ant Plant, Primuliflora Ant Plant

• Light: Bright Indirect
• Ideal Temperature: 65-80°F
• Humidity: High
• Water: When the top inch of soil is dry
• Fertilize: Once a month during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer diluted to half strength
• Preferred Soil: Well-Draining Potting Mix

• A mix of regular potting soil with added orchid bark and perlite is ideal to provide both nutrients and aeration.

• Member of the Araceae family, also known as the Arum family, which is a large family of flowering plants that includes over 3,700 species.
• Native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America, particularly in countries like Ecuador and Colombia.

• Monolena produces beautiful, small, pink to purple flowers that can appear throughout the year
• Being native to Ecuador and Peru, these plants naturally grow on the branches of trees, where they develop a caudex that becomes a home for ants. This forms a symbiotic relationship, where the plants offer shelter and protection to the ants and the ants supply food by leaving waste that fertilizes the plants.
• In its natural habitat, Monolena can grow as an epiphyte, attaching itself to trees and drawing moisture and nutrients from the air and rain.