This is a small tree or shrub that is native to the South Sea Islands. This plant can be grown in greenhouses and in Florida and California, outside. Breynia nivosa is prized for its decorative foliage, which is white and green. Its variety, atropurpurea has dark purple leaves and the variety, roseo-picta, has pink and red colors on its leaves.

When you grow this plant outside, it will thrive in full sun and in any good soil. In greenhouses that have 55-degree temperatures, it can be potted in the spring in fairly rich, well-drained soil. After they've been repotted, they should be shaded from bright sunshine until they're established. They can then be grown in full sun. They shouldn't be potted in pots that are too large because they develop the best colors when their roots are rather cramped. In nice, bright weather, they should be sprayed with water quite often. Water them well from spring through fall, and less in the winter.

Cuttings can be inserted in sand, or sand and peat moss, in a warm, closed propagating case in the spring.

Breynia nivosa and its varieties autropurpurea and roseo-picta.