Asplenium - home care, photo

Asplenium (Asplenium) - an ornamental plant from the Kostenets family, belonging to the species of ferns. Very common in indoor floriculture. The birthplace of asplenium is Australia, Southeast Asia, Malaysia. This fern grows beautifully, both indoors and in the garden. Provided that good conditions are created, the asplenium grows into a large lush bush from 30 to 90 cm in height and in width. The leaves of the plant can be simple or pinnately dissected, have a juicy green color.

There are up to 650 species of fern in the world, but only a few are used in indoor floriculture. With proper care, the plant can grow up to 10 years. Asplenium is valued only for its beautiful leaves; this fern never blooms. It is often used to decorate offices, administrative buildings and institutions.

Useful properties of asplenium

Keeping an asplenium in your home is not only pleasant, but also beneficial. Its green large leaves clean the air well of harmful impurities. Ferns perfectly disinfect the atmosphere in the room, having the ability to absorb gases and chemical compounds from it that are harmful to humans.

Caring for asplenium at home. Briefly

When buying a fern in the house, you need to know the simplest rules for caring for it. They are not complicated, so even beginners and inexperienced flower growers can cope with the cultivation of asplenium.

Caring for asplenium at home. In detail

Caring for asplenium at home is not too difficult. The main thing is to create optimal conditions as close as possible to its natural habitat. Ferns grow better in shaded rooms and prefer frequent watering. But if stagnation of moisture in the soil is allowed, then its roots can quickly rot.

Flowering asplenium

Like most ferns, asplenium does not bloom. On the back of its leaves spores form that can be used for reproduction, but do not have decorative value.

Temperature mode

An amazing feature of aspleniums is to adapt to air temperature, which is installed indoors, but sudden changes for this thermophilic plant are harmful. Normally, ferns are able to grow and look beautiful at temperatures from +12 to +22 degrees.

Asplenium calmly reacts to drafts, and in winter it is even recommended to install it in a room where the air temperature does not rise above +15 degrees.

Spraying

Home asplenium needs high humidity. In the hot season, its leaves must be sprayed at least once every 2-3 days, otherwise yellow or brown spots may appear on them. From time to time, you can put a flower pot in the bath and water it from the shower.

Asplenium will look great if you place a flower pot in a tray in which constantly moistened expanded clay is laid.

Lighting

Asplenium at home should not be in a too lit place. In nature, ferns are sheltered from the bright sun by the crown of higher plants and trees. In the room, in order to create optimal conditions for the asplenium, it is necessary to install it on the windowsill from the north or north-west side. Any other place is suitable where direct sunlight will not fall on the leaves of the plant.

Watering Asplenium

So that the fern asplenium at home grows well, it must be abundantly watered. Water should be soft, settled for several days.

In this case, water must not be allowed to stagnate in the sump. In the cold season, watering is carried out once a week, making sure that the earthen lump does not dry completely.

Asplenium pot

The root system of the plant very quickly fills the pot, so it should be quite roomy, but not too big. In a very large capacity, the plant will put all its strength into the development of the roots, and the leaves will slow down growth.

In addition, in too large a container, the likelihood of root rotting increases.

Asplenium soil

The plant prefers slightly acidic, loose, well-permeable soil. In specialized stores you can buy already prepared substrate for ferns. If this is not possible, then the mixture can be made independently by mixing in equal proportions turf and leafy soil, peat and sand.

Fertilizing and fertilizing asplenium

Asplenium needs fertilizer. For top dressing, complex mineral compositions are used, which contain potassium. Fertilize with watering once a month. In this case, it is desirable to reduce the dose of the concentration in half from that indicated on the package.

Asplenium transplant

Owners of aspleniums often notice that the roots of the plant begin to sprout through the drainage holes or go outside. This is a sign that the fern urgently needs a transplant. A plant transplant is required and if it slows down or completely stops the growth.

Annual transplantation of young plants is carried out in spring or autumn. Adult ferns can be transplanted every 2-3 years.

Pruning

Pruning fern leaves is necessary not only to give the plant a beautiful and neat appearance, but is also a necessity when young shoots begin to grow actively. If too large leaves are not removed, then new becomes difficult to develop. Pruning is carried out 1 time in 2 years, removing leaves with a sharp knife or secateurs at the very base of the plant.

Rest period

The period of rest in ferns begins in late autumn and lasts until the beginning of spring. At this time, the flower pot must be placed in a cooler place away from heating radiators. Watering regime is also changing. During dormancy, the asplenium is watered no more than 1 time per week, but at the same time, it is imperative to ensure that the earthen lump does not dry completely.

If on vacation

Fern can tolerate the lack of watering for 1-2 weeks. If the vacation is not too long, before leaving the plant should be well watered, set on a pallet of water in which expanded clay or brick chips are poured. Place the pot so that its bottom does not stand in the water.

Growing Asplenium from Spores

Asplenium seeds are spores that form on the inside of leaves. They are removed from the sheet and sown on moist soil. Sprinkle pores with earth is not necessary. On top of the container with a landing cover with a film or glass. Every day it is opened for ventilation and the future seedlings are sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle.

After about 1.5 months, seedlings will appear. When they reach a height of 2-2.5 cm, seedlings need to be thinned out, leaving only the strongest sprouts. The grown plants are planted in a separate pot. This method of growing asplenium is very long and requires constant attention, so it is rarely used.

Reproduction of asplenium by dividing the bush

Asplenium can be easily and quickly propagated by dividing the bush. An adult plant with a large number of broods is removed from the pot and carefully divided into several parts so that each has at least 7-10 growth points.

Plots that are too small do not take root well, so it’s important that the plant is strong and that there are enough growth points for it to take root quickly. Each new plot is buried 2-2.5 cm into the ground. If the seedling is buried too much, it may not begin to grow and die over time.

Diseases and Pests

When growing asplenium, common problems may arise:

• asplenium leaves turn brown - not enough moisture, more frequent watering is required;
• the tips of the leaves of asplenium dry - the room is too dry, it is necessary to spray the leaves more often;
• Asplenium leaves drop but do not dry - very low air temperature;
• asplenium leaves turn pale and lose their luster - it is necessary to remove the pot with the plant in a shaded place;
• brown spots on the leaves of asplenium - it is required to change the temperature regime, remove the asplenium from the radiators, rearrange in a cooler place;
• brown spots appear on the yellow leaves - this indicates that the sporulation period begins;
• appeared on the bottom surface of the sheet
• brown dots - the place for asplenium is chosen too sunny.

Asplenium can be attacked by pests. Most often, this is a spider mite and scab.

Types of asplenium home with photos and names

Asplenium nest (Asplenium nidus)

The most common epiphyte in indoor floriculture. The leaves are long, grow up to 1.5 meters, wide enough. The root system is powerful with many confused roots. The decorative qualities of the plant are enhanced by a purple strip in the center of each leaf.

Asplenium viviparous (Asplenium viviparum)

Large wavy light green leaves of this asplenium are collected in a narrow outlet. Each shoot has many small narrow segments no more than 1 cm long. An adult plant forms brood buds at the edges of the leaves.

Asplenium bulbiferous (Asplenium bulbiferum)

A view with high decorative qualities. The leaves are long up to 120 cm, hanging beautifully, forming a magnificent hat around the pot. The segments of each sheet are wide. The plant takes root very quickly during planting and has a high growth rate.

Asplenium dimorphum (Asplenium dimorphum)

Very common in indoor floriculture. It is used to decorate shaded rooms, and is also grown in greenhouses and conservatories. Has large, up to 1 m long dissected leaves.

Watch the video: Bird's Nest Ferns - How to Grow and Varieties (May 2024).