Aphelandra squarrosa (commonly but ambiguously called "zebra plant") is a plant species in the family Acanthaceae, which is native to Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil. This plant is often used as a house plant. This plant is cited in Flora Brasiliensis by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius.
This plant flourishes in abundant, but not direct, light. It does not bloom often, but it can be encouraged to bloom by prolonged daily exposure to light. It is also very sensitive to moisture content; too much or too little water will cause the lower leaves to brown and fall off. It likes to be kept moist, but not wet. On average, it needs frequent, small amounts of water, as opposed to an occasional, thorough watering.
The plant flourishes when the temperature is in the range of 18C21C; and will suffer if the temperature drops below 15°C for prolonged periods.