Kodiyeum (croton) is a perennial plant of the family Euphorbia native to the tropics of Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands. Under natural conditions, its height reaches 3.5 meters, at home - 1 meter. The stems are strongly branching straight lines, the leaves are large, leathery. Their shape can be narrow, oval, carved. Codiyeum is famous for the original brightness of its leaves. The upper leaves are often lighter, have golden streaks. Saturated dark maroon leaves with amber painting increase with age. There are pink shades, as well as dark red, raspberry spots. A variety of bright colors of leaves of various shapes, rare pale flowers - such is the codium.
Caring for this evergreen at home is quite difficult. Often grown numerous varieties of the variegated Codium species (lat. Codieum variegatum). It very effectively decorates the interior with its leaves with colorful spots and splashes. Flowering in the rooms is rare.
Codium: Plant Care
Kodiyum, which takes a long time to take care of, is a poisonous plant. You need to work with him with gloves on. The temperature of its content is 25 ° C, only small (not lower than 20 ° C), short-term fluctuations are possible. The plant does not tolerate drafts, requires bright lighting. It can be either direct or diffused sunlight. It is advisable to spray the leaves daily with warm water. Watering should provide constant moisture without drying, without stagnation of moisture. It is advisable to water the plant abundantly every three days, pouring excess water from the sump. He needs neutral humus-rich soils. Substrate for soil: turf land with the addition of sand and sphagnum; standard land with the addition of bark and peat.
Good drainage is required. Lack or excess of watering, as well as low humidity immediately affect the plant. Lack of moisture is manifested in drying and wrinkling of leaves, waterlogging leads to decay of the base of the plant and wilting of the leaves. Spraying in direct sunlight can cause leaf burns.
The codium, which is properly managed, is growing. When newly emerging leaves are small, it needs to be transplanted into a more spacious pot. It is necessary to fertilize the plant every 2 weeks, in winter enough times a month. Suitable flower fertilizers.
Codium: reproduction
Propagation of the plant is carried out by apical cuttings, which are cut in the middle of spring. To root them, it is convenient to use a small greenhouse, since it will be necessary to maintain high humidity and a constant temperature. New plants are planted in separate pots after two months.
Blooming guest from the tropics - Crossandra
A less whimsical guest from the tropics is a blooming crossander. Caring for it will also require a certain temperature regime: 18 - 20 ° C, regular watering and spraying. In this case, moisture should not fall on the flowers. Direct sunlight is also undesirable for her.
The stem is erect, tetrahedral, the leaves are oval grayish-green. The color of the flowers is yellow-orange. They are collected in an inflorescence-colossus, formed on top of the stem. This plant of the acanthus family reaches a height of 60 cm. Neutral or slightly alkaline soils, liquid organic fertilizing are suitable for it. With age, crossander stretches and loses attractiveness. It can be updated throughout the year by grafting the tops of the shoots. Cut stalks about ten centimeters long are planted in wet sand. Rooting occurs within two weeks. Rooted cuttings begin to bloom in about 8 months. The plant transfers the transplant easily. You can change the soil annually by adding an admixture of humus to it.