Queen of the Abyss
Scientific name: Sinningia leucotricha
☘️ Toxicity: Safe for cats
☀️ Ideal light: Bright indirect light
💧 Watering: Low — water only when the substrate is completely dry
🌿 Category: Ornamental
The Queen of the Abyss is a unique Brazilian plant known for its soft, silver-velvet leaves and stunning tubular flowers in shades of red and orange. Delicate yet resilient, it’s an exotic and elegant species that also happens to be completely safe for cats.
Essential care
- Light: Requires bright indirect light and can tolerate gentle morning sun.
- Water: Water sparingly — only when the soil is completely dry. Avoid wetting the velvety leaves.
- Substrate: Well-draining mix of coarse sand, perlite, and light organic matter.
- Environment: Prefers dry, well-ventilated spaces; avoid excessive humidity.
- Fertilization: Once a month in spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer (e.g., diluted NPK 10-10-10).
- Pruning: Remove dry leaves and faded flowers to encourage new growth.
Curiosity
💡 The “Queen of the Abyss” is native to Brazil and perfectly adapted to dry environments thanks to its silver, fuzzy leaves — a natural adaptation that helps reduce water loss and withstand arid conditions.
Cat safety
- Classification: Non-toxic to cats.
- Best practice: Even though it’s safe, discourage your cat from chewing the leaves to keep the plant beautiful and healthy.
Quick checklist
- ☀️ Bright indirect light
- 💧 Low watering (only when soil is dry)
- 🪴 Well-draining substrate
- 🌿 Dry, ventilated environments
- 🐾 Safe for cats