Not so long ago, a novelty appeared in indoor gardening. She became a beautiful ornamental foliage ampel plant, bearing the name "Silver Dichondra." It was first presented at the International Exhibition of Horticulture "Flowers 2004". There, this plant became the owner of a silver medal.
Description
Dichondra "Silver Falls" refers to an extensive family of bindweed. About ten species of this amazing plant are known . The homeland of dichondra is considered to be subtropical and tropical swamps, as well as the moist forests of America, East Asia and Australia.
Dichondra "Silver Falls" is an ampelous plant that does not require special care. It has thin numerous lashes that hang down two meters, and in warm climates - up to six. Twigs covered with small silver leaflets can spread along the surface of the soil.
The flowers of the plant are not of particular interest, since they are rather inconspicuous in appearance.
Use in design
Dichondra "Silver Falls" is considered one of the best decorative deciduous crops that are planted in flower pots or hanging baskets. The plant is loved by masters of phytodesign. It attracts attention with the unusual color of the leaves, which can serve as an excellent backdrop for any flowering crop.
If you decide to create an imitation of a lake or a streaming stream in your conservatory, then you need the Silver Waterfall dichondra. Photos of such design decisions indicate the ability of the plant to serve as a true decoration of any site. The falling stalks of the dichondra, having reached the soil, take root and continue to grow.
This crop looks particularly attractive under the trees of the garden and in the shade where lawn grasses cannot grow. Dichondra "Silver Falls" is often sown in between the slabs of paths on patios.
Care
Decoration of any room will be the Silver Waterfall dichondra. The reviews of the owners of these plants indicate that they feel great in partial shade or in the sun. The temperature in the room where the dichondra is located should be from eighteen to twenty degrees. It is highly undesirable for the air to cool below ten degrees.
The plant of the marshy areas is the amazing dinar “Silver Falls”. Growing should take place in humid air. In such conditions, it feels much better. In dry air, it is advisable to spray the plant.
It is recommended to water the dichondra on time, because this plant is accustomed to moist soil. However, at the same time, the container should have good drainage, since the plant disappears in places of stagnation of water. But to overdry, however surprising it may be, dichondra is quite stable.
Top dressing is carried out in the summer, when there is an intensive growth of this decorative culture. To do this, it is enough to apply conventional fertilizer once every fourteen days. If the plant is indoor, then in winter it should not be fed.
In order for the decorative dichondra to have a thicker and more beautiful crown, the twigs must be regularly cut. In winter, the plant should be moved to the room. Before that, all long loops should be removed.
As for the soil, the dichondra is not particularly demanding on its composition. Recommended acidity is in the range of 3.3 to 8 pH.
Seed propagation
Young shoots of dichondra can be obtained from stem cuttings. For growing, plant seeds are also suitable, which must be sown in a bowl in January or February.
For good germination, creation of a comfortable environment for the plant is required. The bowl should be covered with glass. It requires maintaining constant temperature values (from twenty two to twenty four degrees), as well as high humidity. About one week after planting, seedlings appear. From this moment, the glass from the bowl must be gradually removed. Seedlings need to dive. However, this should be done only after two leaves appear on the seedlings. In this case, the sprouts are transferred into separate small-sized containers, the diameter of which should be ten centimeters. The silvery waterfall dichondra has green color. Young specimens grow very slowly. An amazing plant will reach its greatest decorative effect only in three or three and a half months.
Vegetative propagation
Much simpler is the propagation by stem cuttings. Dichondra is often cut off. Cuttings obtained after cutting, easily rooted in the greenhouse. A growing shoot can simply be laid on moist ground and pressed in several places.
When the roots sprout into the soil, the stem can be cut. In this case, the ambient temperature should be in the range of twenty two to twenty four degrees.