Alternanthera ficoidea (Variegated Joseph's Coat)

A white-variegated garden form of a species native to tropical America, this perennial herb is grown for its foliage. Small, inconspicuous flowers cluster in the leaf axils and are surrounded by papery sepals. Low-growing selections are used for borders, groundcover, containers, and terrariums. Pinching the growing tips encourages branching, while stem cuttings and division are used for propagation. Some variegated shoots can revert to solid green. Photographed in Quindio, Colombia.