Nautilocalyx lynchii Plants GrowTropicals
Black alloplectus

Nautilocalyx lynchii

£30.00
Humidity-lover
Pot size
9cm £30.00

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Description

Nautilocalyx lynchii, sometimes sold as the black alloplectus, is a compact gesneriad from South America prized for its dark, glossy foliage. The elliptic leaves are a deep bronze green to reddish bronze, with a glossy surface, finely toothed edges and red tinted veins. They sit on stout, rather succulent upright stems. Clusters of creamy, pale yellow tubular flowers dressed in fine purplish hairs appear where the leaves meet the stem, mostly in summer. Most plants stay somewhere between 15 and 45cm tall in a pot, which makes it a neat choice for a shelf, a plant cabinet or a roomy terrarium.

Origins

Kew's Plants of the World Online gives its native range as Colombia to Ecuador and northern Brazil, where it lives in the wet tropics. Joseph Hooker first described it in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1892 as a species of Alloplectus, and Thomas Sprague of Kew moved it to Nautilocalyx in 1912. The old genus lives on in the common name black alloplectus. It belongs to the Gesneriaceae, the same family as African violets, Streptocarpus and Episcia, and it shares their liking for soft light, warmth and moist air.

Care

Bright, indirect light suits it best, and it copes well with moderate light a little way back from a window. Keep it out of hot direct sun, which can scorch the leaves. Water when the surface of the compost just starts to feel dry, so it stays lightly moist but never soggy, and use water at room temperature. Humidity is the thing to get right: it wants moist air, so a terrarium, a plant cabinet, a bright bathroom or a tray of damp pebbles will all help. A light, open, free draining mix keeps the roots healthy. Normal room temperatures of around 18 to 24C are ideal, and it is best kept above 13C through winter, away from cold draughts and chilly glass. Its safety around pets has not been assessed, so keep it out of reach as a precaution.

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All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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How to care for Black alloplectus

Keep me in bright, gentle light away from harsh sun and never let me dry out completely.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About Black alloplectus

Nautilocalyx lynchii is a houseplant that takes a little effort. It needs bright indirect light, watering often enough to keep the compost evenly moist, high humidity and a minimum temperature of 13°C.

Good for

Kitchen Bathroom

Care level

EasyChallenge

A little effort

Light

ShadeFull sun

Bright, indirect light

Bright, indirect light is ideal, and moderate light a little way back from a window is fine. Avoid hot direct sun, which can scorch the dark leaves. Read moreShow less

Bright, indirect light is ideal, and moderate light a little way back from a window is fine. Avoid hot direct sun, which can scorch the dark leaves.

Watering

Evenly moistDries out fully

Keep evenly moist

Water when the surface of the compost just starts to feel dry, keeping it lightly moist but never soggy. Use room temperature water and never leave the pot standing in water. Read moreShow less

Water when the surface of the compost just starts to feel dry, keeping it lightly moist but never soggy. Use room temperature water and never leave the pot standing in water.

Humidity

Average homeHigh humidity

Needs high humidity

Needs high humidity. A terrarium, plant cabinet, bright bathroom or a tray of damp pebbles all help keep the air around it moist. Read moreShow less

Needs high humidity. A terrarium, plant cabinet, bright bathroom or a tray of damp pebbles all help keep the air around it moist.

Temperature

Keep above 13°C · Happy at normal room temperature

Warm and steady, ideally 18 to 24C. Keep it above 13C in winter and away from cold draughts and chilly windows. Read moreShow less

Warm and steady, ideally 18 to 24C. Keep it above 13C in winter and away from cold draughts and chilly windows.

Feeding

Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.

Growth habit

Upright →

Plant type

Foliage houseplant →

Also known as

Nautilocalyx lynchii

Genus

Nautilocalyx →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What colour are the leaves of Nautilocalyx lynchii?

They are a deep bronze green to reddish bronze, with a glossy surface, finely toothed edges and red tinted veins. Its old trade name, black alloplectus, refers to how dark the foliage can look.

Is Nautilocalyx lynchii safe for cats and dogs?

Its safety has not been confirmed. It does not appear on the ASPCA plant list or in the NC State Extension plant database. Two relatives, African violet and Episcia, are listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to cats and dogs, but that is not evidence for this species, so keep it out of reach of pets as a precaution.

Can I keep it in a terrarium?

Yes. Its love of humid air and soft, indirect light makes it a good match for a terrarium or plant cabinet. Choose an enclosure with plenty of headroom, as most plants reach 15 to 45cm tall, and give it a light, free draining mix that never stays waterlogged.

How often should I water it?

Water when the surface of the compost just begins to feel dry, aiming for lightly moist rather than wet. Let any excess drain away and never leave it sitting in a saucer of water. In a closed terrarium it will need watering far less often than on a shelf.

Does Nautilocalyx lynchii flower?

Yes. It produces clusters of creamy, pale yellow tubular flowers covered in fine purplish hairs, tucked in where the leaves join the stem. They appear mostly in summer and are a pleasant bonus, although the dark foliage is the main attraction.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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