Leea Burgundy (Leea coccinea) Indoor Care and Common Problems with Remedies
Some links in this post may be affiliate links
Leea Burgundy Plant (Leea coccinea) grows well in medium to bright light, average warmth, moderate humidity and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding in the growing season.
Leea Burgundy also called Red Leea, Hawaiian Holly or West Indian Holly 'Rubra' is a rare plant but is one of the popular tree-like plants whose foliage in young plants is bronzy red but turns green when mature.
Leea coccinea 'Rubra’ is a cultivar which features dark-red stems, bronze-red (purplish) leaves, red flowers which are pinkish inside and scarlet fruits. It is one of the popular purpled-leafed plants that will add a splash of color in any space.
Botanical name: Leea coccinea
Synonym: Leea guineensis
Family: Leeaceae
Common names: Leea Burgundy, Red Leea, Hawaiian Holly, West Indian Holly 'Rubra'
Origin
Leea is a genus of plants that are distributed throughout Northern and Eastern Australia, New Guinea, South and Southeast Asia and parts of Africa.
There are about 70 species and they are placed in the Vitaceae family. But based on morphological differences, Leea plants are often placed in their family Leeaceae.
The genus was named by Linnaes after James Lee, the Scottish nurseryman based in Hammersmith, London who introduced many new plant discoveries to England at the end of the 18th century.
Size
Leea coccinea also called Leea guineensis can grow to a height of 6-8 feet and a width of about 4-5 feet. On account of its size and dislike for direct sunshine, Leea Burgundy is among the popular low-light trees for spaces with no sunlight.
Flower
Leea flowers are attractive to wasps, bees, butterflies, flies and bettles which act as potential insect pollinators. However, it rarely blooms when grown indoors. It produces red flowers which later turn pink. The fruits are black berries.
Toxicity
Leea Burgundy (Leea coccinea) produces a milky sap which can irritate the skin. Always wear gloves when handling the plant. The plant is toxic to both humans and pets if ingested.
Leea coccinea Care Indoors
Leea Burgundy Plant (Leea coccinea) performs best in medium to bright light away from direct sunshine (filtered light), average warmth of 18-290C, moderate humidity of 50-55% and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained, all purpose soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.
Leea coccinea requires regular pruning to keep it neat as well as encourage a bushy growth. Repotting is needed only when it becomes pot-bound. Keep reading for more on these growing conditions and how to provide them.
Temperature and Humidity
Leea Burgundy requires an average warmth of 18-290C during the growing season. Keep it away from drafts and temperatures below 100C as they can cause leaf drop.
Leea Burgundy has no need for extra humidity. Average room humidity of 50-55% is ideal for the plant. To get rid of dust from the leaves and also discourage pest infestation, splash the foliage with plenty of water from a steady jet of water.
Light Requirements
Leea Burgundy grows best in medium to bright light. Keep it away from direct sunshine as it may cause the foliage to turn yellowish.
Vey low light causes loss of leaf color. Therefore, where the natural light is not adequate, you may grow Leea coccinea under grow lights. Check out these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
Regularly rotate the pot to ensure that the plant receives light on all sides for uniform growth and prevent lopsided growth.
Watering
Water Leea Burgundy thoroughly during the growing season and maintain the soil consistently moist thorough out the season.
Reduce watering during the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist but do not let the soil dry out completely.
Make sure that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is free-draining to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to root-rot and loss of plant. Learn more on how to water houseplants the right way.
Fertilizer
Feed Leea Burgundy with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 3-4 weeks during the growing season. Stop feeding in the cold season as growth is minimal and feeding at this time can lead to fertilizer burn.
Potting Mix
The best potting medium for Leea Burgundy should be rich in organic matter and free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy while providing the required nutrients. All purpose potting mixes are ideal for this plant.
Repotting
Repot a young Leea Burgundy at the beginning of the growing season into a pot 2 sizes larger than the current one. Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is free-draining to avoid soggy soil which can lead to root-rot. Check out these self watering planters on Amazon.
Replace the top 2-3 inches of soil every 2-3 years for mature Leea Burgundy plants while taking care not to injure the roots as it can lead to disease infestation.
Pruning
Pruning Leea Burgundy involves removal of yellow and dead leaves to keep it neat and tidy as well as discourage pests and diseases infestation.
Pinch the growing tips to encourage a bushy and compact growth. Cutback the stems with a sharp, clean pair of pruning scissors at the beginning of the growing season when the plant becomes overgrown to rejuvenate growth. Learn more on how to prune houseplants correctly.
Propagation
Leea Burgundy (Leea coccinea) propagation is easily done from stem-tip cuttings at the beginning of the growing season. Stem-tip cuttings are taken from the upper part of the plant.
Read more on how to propagate Leea Burgundy Plant (Leea coccinea).
Leea coccinea Problems
Leea Burgundy Plant (Leea coccinea) problems include yellow leaves, dropping leaves, leaf spots, loss of leaf color, stunted growth among others. Keep reading for more on these problems and how to fix them.
Yellowing and dropping leaves
Leea Burgundy yellowing and dropping leaves is caused by three possible reasons. One possible cause of yellowing and dropping leaves is incorrect watering; either overwatering or underwatering.
Water the plant liberally to maintain the soil consistently moist during the growing season. Cut down on watering in the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist but never allow the soil to dry out completely. Learn more on how to water houseplants the right way.
The second possible cause of yellowing and dropping leaves in Leea Burgundy is cold drafts like windy doors and windows, cold air from air conditioning units among others. Keep the plant away from cold drafts to maintain an average warmth of 18-290C. Check out this guide on understanding temperature for houseplants.
The third possible cause of yellowing and dropping leaves in Leea Burgundy is sudden change in the growing conditions. Avoid moving the plant suddenly before acclimating it to the new growing conditions.
Loss of leaf color
Leea Burgundy loss of leaf color is due to too little light. Move the plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright light to light shade away from direct sunlight or instal a grow light where natural light is inadequate. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
Stunted growth
Stunted growth in Leea Burgundy is due to two possible reasons. One possible reason for stunted growth is inadequate feeding (underfeeding). Feed the plant every 3-4 weeks during the growing season with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer but do not feed during the cold season.
The second possible reason for stunted growth in Leea Burgundy is too little light. Position the plant in a brighter spot where it will receive bright light to light shade or instal a grow light where natural light is inadequate.
Yellow and dark leaf spots
Leea Burgundy yellow and dark leaf spots are due to exposure to hot direct sunlight. The plant grows best in bright light to light shade away from direct sunlight, therefore, move it to a shadier place or shield it from direct sunlight.
You liked it? Share on social media.
Related Content
Amazon Associates Disclosure
Homeplantsguide.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.