SYMMETRY IN YOUR PLANTS

By Nancy Robitaille

It is not difficult to get symmetry in each of your plants. Look in the center and see three small leaves. Sometimes one or two leaves may be very tiny.

1. Now look in the second row of leaves and picture three more leaves.

2. The third row of leaves completes three triangles which magically all together make a circle.

3. Remove any other leaves which are excess and will mess up your symmetry. The only reason to keep excess leaves is when the plant is weak and needs the extra leaves for making food for the plant.

An easy way to see the three leaves in each row is to use small pieces of paper to cover other surrounding leaves so you can see the triangle better.

If you begin early enough, that is, when the plant is just a plantlet, the plant will continue making its triangle of leaves for each row it produces.

Diagram from Pauline Bartholomew's " Growing to Show"