Aerva lanata, the mountain knotgrass, is a woody, prostrate or succulent, perennial herb in the family Amaranthaceae, native to Asia, Africa. It has been included as occurring in Australia by the US government, but it is not recognised as occurring in Australia by any Australian state herbarium. The plant sometimes flowers in the first year.Aerva lanata is a common weed which grows wild everywhere in the plains of India. The root has a camphor-like aroma. The dried flowers which look like soft spikes, are sold under the commercial names Buikallan and Boor. It is one of the plants included in Dasapushpam, the ten sacred flowers of Kerala.
Aerva has good resistance to disease and is generally not prone to illnesses. However, it can be vulnerable to pests and diseases present in its surroundings. These infections are usually mild. For care, the plant requires medium maintenance. It should be pruned regularly to keep a neat appearance and promote healthy growth. Fertilizing can also help encourage flowering. Aerva is suitable for anyone with outdoor space, such as a garden or patio, and does not demand extensive plant-care experience. It may need more attention when grown indoors.
How to keep Aerva Lanata.
Light
Aerva is a sun-loving perennial herbaceous plant native to open habitats, frequently found in meadows and grasslands. It prefers full sun but can also tolerate partial sun.
Temperature
Aerva comes from tropical areas, where the climate is generally warm and humid. Therefore it is well suited to high heat and humidity. It dislikes abrupt temperature shifts and prefers a consistent thermal environment, so preventing temperature swings indoors is important. It generally cannot tolerate cold and requires relatively high temperatures to grow. If the surrounding temperature falls too low, the plant may stop growing or even die.
Fertilizer
Aerva needs the most fertilizer during its active growth period, which takes place mainly in spring, summer, and early fall. Fertilizing supplies essential nutrients that the soil may lack, supporting healthy root and stem growth as well as attractive foliage, a key feature of this plant.
Botanical profile.
- Plant Type
- Herb
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Genus
- Aerva
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Hardiness Zone
- 9-11
- Mature Height
- 30 cm to 91 cm
- Mature Spread
- 20 cm to 49 cm
- Leaf Color
- Light Green, Gray
- Leaf Type
- Evergreen
- Flower Color
- White
- Flower Size
- 0.20 cm to 0.25 cm
- Bloom Time
- Summer, Early fall, Mid fall
- Planting Time
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Harvest Time
- Late summer, Fall, Early winter
- Native Area
- Sri Lanka, Burkina Faso, Somalia, Egypt, India, Angola, Madagascar, Rwanda, Pakistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Yemen, Australia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Benin, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Indonesia, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Liberia, Mozambique, Burundi, Ghana, Ethiopia, Botswana, Congo, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Malawi, Central African Republic, South Africa, Zambia, Sudan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Chad, Vietnam, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Congo (DRC)
Other names.
