Gone Gardenin’: Bridak veil great for the winter green thumb

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This article was published 01/12/2016 (3213 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Although I am very fond of the interior landscape plants that I have in the living areas of our home, they do tend to be what I call “heavy” plants — plants that are quite substantial and have a lot of visual weight, such as Chinese evergreens and pothos. Sometimes I like to add a finely textured plant that is light and airy that provides contrast with its filmy presence to the heavier plants.

One such plant is Tahitian bridal veil, Gibasis geniculata, or more commonly called bridal veil. This is a hanging plant suitable for growing in a basket or it can be placed on a pedestal where its finely cut foliage will cascade down from the container.

Bridal veil is not a large plant; its stems reach a length of just 30 cm and if grown in a very large pot it might get 60 cm wide. Using a smaller pot containing fewer plants will create a smaller specimen.

When I look at bridal veil, the foliage does remind me of the foliage of tradescantia in that its leaves are oval and pointed, albeit much smaller than the leaves of any tradescantia that I have ever seen — the leaves are only two cm or so long. The shape of the leaves and the fact that they are green on the top and purple on the undersides I think reminds me of tradescantia.

The two-tone colouration of the leaves of bridal veil gives the plant a jewel tone effect because although the purple on the undersides of the leaves is not pronounced, this color is visible here and there when viewed from a distance, creating this interesting two-toned effect.

The small olive green leaves are stemless, being attached directly to fine, wiry stems. The stems cascade from the container and tumble downward, creating a mass of airy foliage.

Bridal veil likes strong indirect light and indoors, in the winter time, it will perform well in front of a sunny window. In the summertime, the light in such a location would be too strong and might burn the plant so it should be moved back from the window accordingly.

If bridal veil gets adequate light, it will bloom almost continually all year. The flowers are rather insignificant when looked at individually.

Tahitian bridal veil has tiny, white, three-petaled flowers that are produced at both the tips of the stems and also at the leaf junctions along the length of the stems. The tiny flowers coupled with the fine, airy, foliage creates a cascade of flower-dotted greenery.

A loose, well drained soil is best for bridal veil as this plant is subject to root rot if it is overwatered or if its container does not have proper drainage. It is wise, even if the pot has good drainage holes, to provide extra drainage by placing some stones or broken pottery in the bottom of the pot under the piece of landscape fabric or coffee filter or whatever material you use to keep the drainage holes free of soil.

The plant likes to be moderately moist so watering enough but not so much as to drench the soil is recommended. A weak application of a 20-20-20 soluble plant food can be used a couple of times during the year — most preferably in the spring and again in the late summer as growth will slow during the winter months.

Plants that are a bit fussy about how much water they receive often benefit from being watered from the bottom. This is often difficult to do if the plant is grown as a hanging plant unless the container is one with a reservoir built into its base to which water can be added.

A specimen displayed on a plant stand, however, might have its container sitting in a deep saucer which can be used to water the plant from the bottom. Care has to be taken that too much water is not put into the saucer, causing the pot to sit in excess water for long periods of time. Put just enough water in the saucer so that it is all absorbed by the soil within an hour.

A native of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Tahitian bridal veil is a tropical plant that likes to be kept warm. On the other hand, it does not like extremely high temperatures and will turn brown if exposed to such high temperatures. It is happy in normal room temperatures.

Bridal veil is not usually bothered by insect pests, although aphids and scale have been known to attack it, so be on the lookout for any signs of these pests. It is also not prone to disease.

If a plant gets too large, it can be cut back without harming it — in fact, the plant can be pruned to shape it. The cuttings can be planted to create new plants — they will root in water or if planted directly into a damp planting medium; about 10 slips in an eight inch pot will create a nice full pot.

Bridal veil is a lovely delicate-looking plant that adds an airy note to the interior landscape. The filmy cascade of foliage and flowers is indeed reminiscent of a bride’s veil.

Albert Parsons lives, writes, and gardens in Minnedosa.

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