Description - a chameleon plant from the Gesneriaceae family. In the wild, prefers shady, moist forests, located up to 2 thousand meters above the sea.
Description
The writing is appreciated for its foliage. It comes in a variety of colors: emerald, jade, bronze, copper, silver. Greens are poured by nacre. In many species, a pattern is observed in the central region of the leaf.
Leaf plates have a different shape: round, oval, elliptical. Their surface is smooth with a luster or pubescent, similar to velvet. The edges are smooth, serrated.
Inflorescence in the form of a bell on a shortened stalk with 5 petals. It blooms in July-September. The formation of fiery red buds occurs in a single quantity or in bouquets.
Has creeping shoots and antennae, like strawberries. Thanks to them, the plant multiplies.
Home views
Not every species of plant was able to change the wild habitat to room conditions. The description has the following varieties that can be grown at home:
| Grade | Description |
| Copper. | Large view. With an oval-shaped plate expanding at the base. Brownish-greenish foliage with a red tint turning into a copper color, velvet. A white streak is observed in the central zone of the leaf, creating contrast. The plate is reddish from the lower zone. The arrow on it is in bright green tones. Greenery in the sun shimmers. The inflorescence is bright scarlet or fiery. The beginning of the petals is yellowish. Flowering is observed all summer. |
| Carnation. | Some experts distinguish this variety in a separate genus Alsobia. Like all species, it has antennae with daughter rosettes, short processes, densely dotted with small leaves at the ends. The plate is dark green, it seems almost black. A purple streak runs in the middle. The flowers are white with red freckles at the base. The edge of their fringed petals. |
| Creeping. | The name is due to the strong branching, forming a dense network of shoots. The variety has small leaves (length 9 cm, width 4-5 cm). A plate of olive color from the upper region, dull red below, is covered with villi. The shape of the leaves is heart-shaped. Peduncles are crimson. Petals crimson inside, bloody from the outside. Flowering is observed from July to September. |
| Chocolate soldier. | Has thickened leaves. A network of veins is observed on the plates, making them voluminous and embossed. The foliage is green and purple. Flowering is observed for a long time. |
| Forest beauty. | The foliage has a silver-lavender hue with a bluish tint. Pastel pink flowers are observed in a single amount. They are small in size. |
| Northern Lights. | The leaves have a unique combination of lilac-golden and dark green with a brown tint. Plates are pubescent, with cross-veins. The petals are bright scarlet. |
| Silver shine. | The leaves are elongated, oval with pointed ends. Greens light green tone with a silvery embankment. Between the leaves there are rare flowers of scarlet hue. |
| Blue Nile. | It is quite rare. Gives heavenly flowers with a lavender tint. The middle of them is yellow. Brown-green foliage with a fluff. In the middle there is an olive-greenish streak with middle veins. |
| Silver Heaven. | Red-red inflorescences strongly contrast against the background of silver foliage. |
| Pink Panther. | It does not require special care, grows to large sizes. The flowers are large, bright strawberry. Green foliage with a calcareous, bronze tint. Plates can reach fifteen centimeters. |
| Pink acaju. | Leaves are silvery green with snowy green stitches, pink splashes. Blooms with red-red inflorescences with a yellowish core. |
| Strip of tiger. | It is similar to tiger description. A distinctive feature is the shallow greens with silver streaks. |
| Strawberry patch. | Has small leaves with pointed ends. The greens are bright, pinkish-red. Scarlet buds with a lemon base. |
| Chocolate cream. | Silver-brown greens with pinkish lines. Inflorescences are red. |
| Ronnie | The buds are coral, the leaves are brown with silver-green streaks. |
| Degas | Brown-green leaves with lines. Inflorescences are large, red. |
| Aloha Mauna Loa. | It features quilted leaves that look like dark green velor. Reddish red flowers. It is a hybrid bred specifically for home use. |
| Dutch woman. | The leaves are dark brown in color, velvety, medium in size. Light green, silver-pearl veins have a herringbone pattern. The inflorescence is red with a pinkish tint. |
At home, watercolor varieties are bred. They are distinguished by an unusual color of foliage and are not found in natural conditions. The following species are in demand among flower growers: Danae, Inessa, Black Queen, Strawberry myst (Strawberry mist) and Strawberry patch, Safari, TM-Sahara, Tiger stripe, Tricolor, Brown beauty, Panama white, Lilacina viridis, Sun Gold (Chimera), Dixie Dynamite, Smoky Topaz, Country Kitten, Coco, Gray-haired Lady, Longwood, Sea Foam, Neptune, Silver Tire, Miniature Symphony (symphony), Temptation, Sports, Suomi, Helen Dixie.
Home Care
Care at home for the episode should be performed in accordance with all the rules:
| Factor | Recommendations |
| Location | Location is important when growing. The pot is recommended to be placed on the windowsill on the north side. If this is done from the south, the plant moves a couple of meters from the window. When a flowerpot is placed from the west or east, it is suspended from the left or right side of the window sill. |
| Lighting | The light must be diffused. The plant does not like the direct rays of the sun. In winter, additional lighting is needed to extend the daylight hours by several hours. |
| Humidity | The minimum humidity indicator is 60%. To increase it, it is recommended to put containers near water with a solution of water solutions or moss, expanded clay, coconut fiber, peat, moisturizing them. If this is not enough, then the pot with the plant can be moved to the kitchen (there the air humidity is higher). Spray and wipe. |
| Temperature | There is no dormant period in an episode. Feels comfortable at from + 22 ° to + 26 ° C. In winter, the temperature can be lowered to + 18 ° C. At + 16 ° the flower dies. At + 30 ° and more, he will survive, but with proper watering. |
Pot, soil, transplant
The rhizomes of the flower are thin and fragile. Creep close to the surface of the soil. Therefore, for planting, you need to choose a shallow planter or a wide bowl. The plant is planted in groups (three or more).
When growing a flower "carpeted way" you need to pick up a large pot so that there is enough space to cling antennae. If disembarkation is made in a hanging planter, then the capacity can be taken less: the mustache will hang down.
The soil is light, with medium acidity. The soil consists of sheet land, peat and sand (3: 1: 1). Sphagnum and ash are added. Drainage is mandatory: the bottom is lined with expanded clay or polystyrene (layer three centimeters).
The plant grows rapidly, transplanted it once every twelve months. It happens as follows:
- the substance is watered and carefully removed from the cache-pot;
- the root is inspected: dried and rotten areas are removed;
- a drainage layer of 3 cm is laid on the bottom, soil is poured on top;
- landing, watering.
The circumference of the transplant pot should not exceed 20 cm.
Watering
Abundant watering is necessary from the beginning of spring to October, every other day. When watering, it is necessary to take into account the temperature and humidity. In winter, you can manipulate less frequently: wait until the soil on top is completely dry. Water drained into the sump must be poured immediately. Excess moisture will destroy the plant, as well as drying out.
The water is taken soft, settling for 2-3 days. Temperature - + 28- + 30ºС. Tap water is softened with lemon acid.
It is necessary to ensure that the drops do not fall on the greens: a watering can with an elongated nose is used. Water is poured along the edges of the pots.
Top dressing
With active growth, top dressing with organic or complex fertilizers for indoor flowers is recommended. Use and top dressing for decorative foliage and flowering plants. You can buy it at a specialty store.
The dosage is indicated on the packaging of the fertilizer, it is reduced by 2-2.5 times.
Top dressing is done twice a month. In autumn and winter, you do not need to fertilize the soil. When the soil is overdried, the event can not be carried out: you can burn the roots.
Shaping and trimming
Young shoots should not hang from the pot: they are exposed and injured. This can be avoided by inserting a 20 cm lattice into the pots and fixing the processes on it. When the shoots fill it, they can be allowed to sprout on their own.
Long processes take root in neighboring flower pots. Therefore, they need to be trimmed. Daughter sockets can be planted in a pot with a maternal description. The plant will become even more beautiful and magnificent.
Breeding
Ways:
- by seed;
- child sockets;
- side shoots;
- cuttings.
When propagated by seeds, the plant in 90% of cases loses its varietal characteristics. Landing is done in January or June in the surface layer of the earth, without sprinkling. Seeds need greenhouse conditions + 20ºС. The first shoots are shown after 10-14 days. After a month they can be transplanted into separate containers.
When propagated by rosettes, they, not separating from the adult description, are buried in the soil and rooted. After that, the flower is placed in a new flower pot or planted on the mother plant. Roots appear a week later.
Neatly cut cuttings, previously treated with “Kornevin,” are planted in previously prepared soil. Covered with glass. Within a few days, the cuttings will take root.
The developed antennae are cut from the mother plant. Each is divided into three parts and is rooted in water. Next, the landing.
Possible problems
With care errors, problems arise:
| Problem | What is the reason and how to eliminate it? |
| On the green, brown spots of irregular shape are formed. | When watering, too cold water is used. Before the procedure, it must be heated. |
| The green turns yellow, falls away. | There is an excessive amount of nutrients in the soil: you need to fertilize the plant less often. The reason may lie in prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays, too abundant watering. |
| Foliage is curled in a straw. | The flower is rarely watered, but abundantly. |
| The ends of the leaves become brown, dry. | Lack of moisture in the air or in the ground. |
| Leaves fade, fade, shrink. | The plant lacks light. It must be put closer to the window or use additional lamps. |
| The greens are covered with a pale dirty or gray coating. | The flower does not have enough fresh air: the room needs to be ventilated regularly, or a transplant is needed. |
| Does not bloom. | The aeration is watered very rarely, the soil has time to dry out. This may be due to an excess of nitrogen in the soil, lack of fertilizer, dry or cold air. |
| The scarcity of flowering, stretching stems. | The plant lacks light. |
Diseases, pests
Ways to eliminate diseases, pests:
| Disease | How to recognize | Prevention and treatment |
| Hearts | The plant turns yellow and dries up, a gray coating, lumps similar to cotton wool appear on the leaves. | It is recommended to keep the room high humidity: this prevents the reproduction of the pest. It is necessary to remove dried leaves. The plant can be treated with cotton soaked in soap suds or sprayed with the same liquid. In the store you can buy drugs against parasites: Tanrek, Apache. |
| Nematodes | These are worms that infect rhizomes. The plant grows poorly, its leaves curl. | It is necessary to maintain the required temperature and observe watering rules: heat and excess moisture help nematodes multiply. To get rid of the parasite, the roots of the plant are lowered into hot water + 50ºС. Mercaptophos, BI-58 solutions help. When a plant is severely affected, it has to be destroyed and the soil thrown away. |
| Root rot | The roots become soft, the foliage fades. | To prevent the formation of rot, it is necessary to drain excess water in a timely manner, to avoid stagnation. When planting and transplanting, it is recommended to use the drug Gliocladin. To get rid of rot, you need to disinfect the pot and improvised tools. |
| Spider mite | Foliage becomes translucent, dims and dries. The petiole has a spider web. Beige-yellowish plaques appear at the bottom of the leaf plates. | It is necessary to increase air humidity, perform quartzing twice or thrice a week (especially the lower part of the sheet). To get rid of the parasite, they disinfect the pot, you can buy poison in the store. You can cope with the problem if you keep the plant in a container with onions, horseradish, infusion of tobacco or kerosene, wrapped in polyethylene, for three or four days. The flower is sprinkled with dried black bleached powder. |
| Thrips | Parasites can be seen with the naked eye, shaking the leaves. They are small, dark brown or black. Grayish-brown lines appear on the foliage, similar to scratches. The greens become whitish or silvery. | To avoid illness, the room is ventilated, humidity is maintained in it. Near the pot it is recommended to install devices for catching flies. Other plants should be kept away from the description. To exterminate the pest, purchased poison is used. Onion and garlic infusions are placed nearby. The flower is watered with decoctions of medicinal herbs. |
Signs and superstitions
Signs and superstitions associated with the flower: for a long time there is a belief that the presented epistemion brings love and happiness to the house. For the sake of this, you can make several copies of the plant at home. Moreover, the flower is unpretentious in care.
