Breynia disticha ("Seiyokobannoki")

Japanese name: セイヨウコバンノキ （西洋小判木）
Scientific name: Breynia disticha

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub reaching 1.5 m tall.
The branches are green, bend slightly in a zigzag, and branch well, with the branch tips drooping.
Leaves are simple and alternate, broadly elliptic, 2.5–5 cm long, with entire margins.
The leaves are green with white variegation, and the new shoots at the tips are white.
The white variegation gradually disappears, and older leaves become solid green.
The leaves turn black when they dry.
There is a short leaf stalk.
Flowers with long stalks are borne singly in the leaf axils.
There are male and female flowers, both green, small and inconspicuous.
The male flower has 6 tepals that curve inward and hardly open.
The fruit is a berry.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings and root cuttings.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, fertile soil rich in humus.
It also grows in bright shade.
The leaves may scorch in direct midsummer sun, so provide light shading or move it to bright shade.
It has low cold tolerance and needs 8°C or more to overwinter, so in winter bring it indoors to a sunny place.
It may drop its leaves if exposed to cold or dryness.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
Keep it on the dry side in winter.
From spring to autumn, apply slow-release fertilizer once a month.
Its ability to sprout new shoots is relatively strong, so if the shape becomes untidy, cut it back hard.
Pests include scale insects.

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