At present, probably, every house or apartment has fresh flowers. Someone is breeding them for sale, but for someone it’s a fascinating hobby. Home flowers become an excellent decoration of the room, which is perfect for any interior. Just do not forget that for healthy growth they need constant proper care. Nematanthus, which requires considerable effort at home care, belongs to the Gesneria family, numbering 28 species. The flower was discovered in 1846 by the German botanist and Dr. Heinrich Adolf von Schroeder. Nematanthus is also called the money flower. This plant symbolizes prosperity, thanks to which many flower growers grow it at home.
general information
The genus Nemantanthus includes semi-artisanal and artisanal plants, whose homeland is Brazil. But these days, these flowers can be found on almost the entire continent. Its leaves are elliptical, small in size and dark green in color. The stems are straight and very thin, therefore, as the plants grow, they bend under the weight of the flower. Peduncles have a tubular shape and can reach a length of approximately 5 centimeters. The corolla of the nematanthus (whether it is possible to keep at home and how to properly care for it will be described later) can be red, pink, yellow or purple. The flowering period is quite long and lasts from spring to autumn. In indoor conditions, the flower is grown, as a rule, in various decorative vessels and hanging baskets.
Plant care
So, you decided to breed nematanthus at home. Caring for this plant at home is a very painstaking task, but if you adhere to some tips and recommendations, which will be described later, even a beginner grower will not have any special problems with this. Despite the fact that the plant is not particularly demanding and whimsical, nevertheless, in order for it to grow well and please you with its beauty, it is necessary to create special conditions for it. This is where the main difficulties lie.
Indoor flowers need bright lighting for at least 12 hours a day, but you can not leave the plants in direct sunlight. Particular attention should be paid to lighting in winter, when there is a clear lack of sunlight.
It is best to keep the nematantus on a windowsill facing west or east. For this, a special flower stand is used. On the south side of the house you will have to close the flower from sunlight at noon, and on the north side you need to include artificial lighting, which should provide the plant with light for at least 15 hours.
Microclimate
Nematanthus, home care which requires the creation of certain climatic conditions, feels best at an air temperature of 20-24 degrees in the summer, and at 16 degrees in the winter. If the room is 28 degrees and above, then the flower will suffer. Therefore, at night it is better to take it outside or to a cooler room with a temperature difference of about ten degrees. This is necessary in order for Nematantus to rest from the heat of the day and gain strength. The plant is quite normal for short-term cooling, but it is not recommended to keep it for a long time at a temperature below 12 degrees, because otherwise the nematanthus will lose its attractive appearance. And at a temperature of 5 degrees the leaves may fall off the flower.
A lot of attention when caring for this plant should be given to the humidity in the room. Nematanthus (a goldfish is one of its names) _ grows best with a humidity of at least 50 percent. But here the environmental temperature plays a big role. The higher it is, the higher the humidity should be. For this, it is necessary to spray plants with water from a spray bottle. But this must be done in such a way that water does not fall on the flower itself, otherwise it will lose its decorative effect. A good alternative to spraying is to install a container with wet pebbles near the plant. In winter, spraying is not required, because due to the low temperature the flower may freeze and die.
Watering Recommendations
As for watering, then do not do it too often. The signal for watering is the drying of the earth in the pot. Water must first be defended so that it warms up to room temperature. A sign of lack of moisture is twisting and falling of leaves. If this began to happen, then Nematanthus flower is immersed in a container of water so that the water does not overflow into the pot. Thus, the plant itself will take as much water as it needs through the drain holes on the bottom of the pot. As soon as the earth is moistened, the plant gets out of the water, is covered with polyethylene and left in this form until the flower regains its attractiveness. When watering, do not overfill the nematanthus, as this can cause rotting of the roots and death of the flower.
Plant pruning
To nematanthus, home care which should be carried out regularly, was attractive, and its flowering is magnificent and stable, it is necessary to periodically prune the flower. This is best done in mid-autumn, after the end of the flowering period, when the flower is preparing for wintering. However, if the plant is kept in a warm room in winter, it is better to postpone pruning until the beginning of spring. Trim need weak and thin shoots.
Preparing nematanthus for wintering
In order for the plant to winter well, it is very important to provide suitable conditions for it. The plant should be placed in a place with good lighting, which is located away from the heating system. In addition, during the winter period, the amount of watering should be reduced, and top dressing should be completely stopped. If the room temperature does not exceed kept at 12 degrees, then you can not water the flower at all.
If the nematanthus is kept in a warm room during the winter, then the flowering period will not be so plentiful or will not come at all. Therefore, it is recommended to place the plant in a cool room for at least 8 weeks.
Plant nutrition
Fertilizer for indoor flowers is an essential component necessary for the normal growth and development of any plants, and nematanthus is no exception. Feeding is recommended at the onset of the growing season. For this, balanced mineral fertilizers are well suited, which are added to the soil once every two weeks. When using concentrated fertilizers, it is necessary to dilute twice as much liquid in water as the manufacturer indicates in the instructions.
Nematanthus is fed in the evening when the sun sets. First you need to water the flower with a small amount of water so that the fertilizer penetrates the ground and reaches the root system of the plant. This will also protect the roots from burning. As autumn approaches, the amount of feeding is gradually reduced, and in the winter they completely stop.
Propagation of a flower at home
If you want to breed nematanthus at home, reproduction can be done in two ways: seed and vegetatively. In the first case, the seeds are evenly distributed over a sheet of paper, after which, slightly tapping, pour them onto moist soil. To do this, it is better to use a small container in which drainage holes will be made to remove excess moisture. The container is covered with glass and installed in a special container in which water for irrigation will subsequently be poured. After the seeds have sprouted, the container periodically opens slightly to provide the sprouts with an influx of fresh air. Nematanthus transplantation can be carried out after two weeks.
The vegetative method is more preferable because it is much simpler and gives results much earlier. For propagation in this way, apical or stem cuttings are used, the length of each of which should be approximately 10 centimeters. Cutting cuttings is best from old shoots, as young ones take root very rarely. The bottom cut should be immediately below the knot. Planted on the ground so that the site was completely in the ground. This is very important, because it is from it that the future nematanthus blooming will form the root system.
The flower should be rooted in water, live moss or loose peat substrate. In the latter case, the plants are placed in a greenhouse, in which the air temperature is maintained at 22-24 degrees. The formation of the root system in most cases takes 2-3 weeks, after which the flowers are transplanted in pots filled with a special substrate, which is used to grow violets. The soil for nematanthus is prepared according to the following recipe: two parts of leaf soil and peat are taken, and mixed with one part of humus and sand. You can also add some mineral fertilizers to the substrate. Some gardeners claim that pine bark can also be added. To prevent root decay, a drainage layer is placed under the substrate. Next year, flowers can be planted in larger pots. Young nematanthus, who have not yet had time to get stronger and gain strength, need to be transplanted every year. In addition, a larger pot is used each time.
Why the flowering period does not begin: the main problems
Many flower growers are faced with a situation where the nematanthus does not bloom. Most often this happens due to improper care of the plant. To make the flower always look excellent and delight you with its exoticism, it is not recommended to use too large pots. In addition, it is necessary to ensure bright lighting, regular watering, optimal temperature and humidity level in the room, and also use fertilizer for indoor flowers in accordance with the recommendations that were given earlier. And do not forget to prepare the flower for wintering, because rest at this time of year is vital for him.
Diseases and pests
Nematanthus is highly resistant to various diseases and harmful insects, but this does not mean that the plant does not need any protection. Very often, the flower affects plant mites, aphids, vesiculate and shaggy lice.
Shaggy lice are very difficult to detect because they live in the axils of the leaves. The damage to the flower by these pests can be found in white formations resembling cotton wool. Manually remove insects with a swab dipped in alcohol.
Insectoacaricides are used to combat all other harmful insects. This should not be delayed, since pests, sucking out the juice from the plant, can cause the development of various viral diseases of Nemantanthus, the cause of leaf fall can also be this.
If the flower is contained in a hot room that is poorly ventilated, then Nematanthus can be affected by fungi. With proper maintenance and care, the likelihood of this is extremely small, but if this suddenly happened, then the flower is treated with fungicides.
The most common problems that flower growers face when breeding nematanthus are:
- drying of the top of the leaves: occurs due to the content of the flower with the wrong microclimate;
- foliage falling: may occur due to improper watering or a strong difference in ambient temperature;
- the leaves turn brown or become stained: due to watering with too cold water.
If all agricultural technologies are followed, you will never have any problems with this plant.
Types of Nematanthus
The following types of nematanthus are suitable for growing at home:
- Nemantanthus riverine is a flower with green leaves, in their shape resembling an ellipse, which can reach a length of up to 10 centimeters. The flowers have a bright yellow color.
- Fritsch - flowers growing up to 60 centimeters, with green shiny leaves. The stem is quite thin, so it bends under the weight of the flowers.
- Nematanthus ankle - a plant from the category of shrubs. The leaves are elliptical in shape, bright green in color and grow up to ten centimeters in length. Flowers grow on shoots one by one and have a bright red color.
- Nemantanthus Vetstein is an ornamental climbing plant with long flexible shoots. The stems are very thin and grow in length to almost one meter. The leaves are oval in shape, dark green in color and are small in size. The flowers are orange and small in size. This species is appreciated for abundant flowering.
- Tropical Nematanthus - an exotic flower with oval leaves, slightly pointed at the end, and yellow-orange flowers. A decorative flower stand for this variety will be a great addition to a flower.
- Nematanthus Gregarius is popularly called the "goldfish" because of its flowers, which in their shape and color resemble this fish. The leaves are small in size and dark green in color.
- Nematanthus naked is a climbing plant with fleshy leaves of an elliptical shape. The flowers are small in size and have an orange color.
- Nematanthus monolithic is another curly variety with round leaves of light green color, the length of which is only 2 centimeters. Flowers - red with yellow stripes, look very contrasted with leaves. After the flowering period ends, the plant discards foliage.
The species of Nemantanthus considered above belong to the group of indoor plants, but there are also wild plants.
Some interesting facts
The people of many plants have various beliefs and traditions, and nematanthus is no exception. If you believe the beliefs, then in the house in which this amazing flower grows, happiness and family idyll will always reign, and its inhabitants will be lucky in all endeavors. In addition, the plant purifies the air and serves as an excellent decoration of the interior. With proper care, the flower will always look amazing, and will also give people a good mood. Due to its exotic nature, Nemantanthus are able to bring a touch of rainforest to the decor and make the room more vibrant, colorful, interesting and cheerful.
As you can see, growing nematanthus at home is quite realistic. The most important thing is to adhere to certain tips and recommendations, as well as provide the flower with proper care.