Cabinda Beauty Plant Care
Beirnaertia cabindensis (Exell & Mendonça) Troupin
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
This plant is known for its striking bright red and green variegated leaves, making it a standout in any collection. Originating from the tropical rainforests of Cabinda, this plant is highly sought after by collectors for its unique coloration and rarity in cultivation. Its vibrant foliage adds a pop of color to any indoor garden or terrarium.
Every 7–10 days
Partial shade to full sun
65–80°F
60–80%
At a glance
How do you care for Cabinda Beauty?
Water Cabinda Beauty every 7–10 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it partial shade to full sun. It prefers temperatures of 65–80°F (18–27°C) and 60–80% humidity. Fertilize it every month during the growing season. It is reported as toxic to pets, so keep it out of reach of pets.
Where Is the Cabinda Beauty Native To?
- Angola
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- DR Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What Is the Cabinda Beauty?
Cabinda Beauty (Beirnaertia cabindensis) belongs to the Menispermaceae family within the Beirnaertia genus. Cabinda Beauty is native to Cabinda, Gabon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and Democratic Republic of the Congo in west-central tropical Africa. Cabinda Beauty is also known as Cabinda Lily.
Cabinda Beauty displays a twining vine growth habit, reaching up to 2 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Cabinda Beauty produces small greenish-yellow flowers in clusters.
Leaf size: approximately 10 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Cabinda Beauty?
Beirnaertia cabindensis requires watering every 7–10 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 7–10 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Cabinda Beauty Need?
Cabinda Beauty thrives in partial shade to full sun.
Light Requirement
Partial shade to full sun
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Cabinda Beauty Prefer?
Beirnaertia cabindensis grows best at temperatures of 65–80°F. Cabinda Beauty prefers humidity levels of 60–80%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.
Temperature
65–80°F
Humidity
60–80%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Cabinda Beauty?
Rich, well-draining loamy soil with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Cabinda Beauty to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Cabinda Beauty?
Feed Cabinda Beauty every month during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every month
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Cabinda Beauty?
Repot annually in spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Cabinda Beauty?
Cabinda Beauty can be propagated through softwood cuttings, air layering.
Is the Cabinda Beauty Toxic to Pets and Children?
Toxic (caution)
Reported as toxic in our plant data. Not verified by the ASPCA.
Toxic to humans and pets
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Cabinda Beauty?
Cabinda Beauty is susceptible to spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Cabinda Beauty Need?
Cabinda Beauty grows outdoors in USDA Zone 11b – 12b. It survives winters down to planting zone 11b. Cabinda Beauty is native to Cabinda, Gabon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and Democratic Republic of the Congo in west-central tropical Africa. In cooler regions, grow Cabinda Beauty as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 11b – 12b
Keep exploring plants
Cabinda Beauty is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Beirnaertia genus — compare its care with other Beirnaertia species on PlantoScan.
Beirnaertia is part of the Menispermaceae plant family — browse all Menispermaceae genera and species.
Cabinda Beauty thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
Related Plant Care Guides
Closely related plants with similar care requirements:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Beirnaertia cabindensis (Exell & Mendonça) Troupin, family Menispermaceae (first published in Bull. Jard. Bot. État Bruxelles 29: 220 (1959)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Cabinda Beauty is reported as toxic to pets in our plant data (not verified by the ASPCA), so treat it with caution. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 11b – 12b, estimated from the plant's typical growing conditions.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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