Coral Drops Plant Care
Bessera elegans Schult.f.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Bessera elegans, also known by the common name coral drops, is a cormous herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, from Mexico.
Every 7–10 days
Full sun to partial shade
50–80°F
40–60%
At a glance
How do you care for Coral Drops?
Water Coral Drops every 7–10 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it full sun to partial shade. It prefers temperatures of 50–80°F (10–27°C) and 40–60% humidity. Fertilize it every 6 months during the growing season.
What Is the Coral Drops?
Coral Drops (Bessera elegans) belongs to the Asparagaceae family within the Bessera genus. Coral Drops is also known as Elegant Bessera.
Coral Drops displays a clumping herbaceous perennial growth habit, reaching up to 1 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Coral Drops produces tubular flowers in shades of red, orange, or pink.
Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Coral Drops?
Bessera elegans 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 Coral Drops Need?
Coral Drops thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Coral Drops Prefer?
Bessera elegans grows best at temperatures of 50–80°F. Coral Drops prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.
Temperature
50–80°F
Humidity
40–60%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Coral Drops?
Well-draining sandy soil mix with added perlite for improved drainage. Good drainage is essential for Coral Drops to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Coral Drops?
Feed Coral Drops every 6 months 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 6 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Coral Drops?
Repot every 1-2 years in early 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 Coral Drops?
Coral Drops can be propagated through seeds, division of offsets.
Is the Coral Drops Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Coral Drops, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
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 Coral Drops?
Coral Drops is susceptible to spider mites, aphids, 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 Coral Drops Need?
Coral Drops grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. In cooler regions, grow Coral Drops as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 12a
Keep exploring plants
Coral Drops 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 Bessera genus — compare its care with other Bessera species on PlantoScan.
Bessera is part of the Asparagaceae plant family — browse all Asparagaceae genera and species.
Coral Drops 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: Bessera elegans Schult.f., family Asparagaceae (first published in Linnaea 4: 121 (1829)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Coral Drops, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 12a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- 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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