Kallizia creeping is an unpretentious plant, which is ideal for growing at home. The flower is bred not only for beauty, but also for good. How to grow callis indoors and care for her, read the article.
Callisia (Callisia): description and care
This is a plant with creeping, densely leafy stems native to South America. Caring for it is not difficult, so gardeners love to grow a flower so much. The main thing is always to remember that this is a southern plant that prefers heat, light and moisture. Their lack leads to a loss of decorativeness.
In appearance, callizia resembles a tradescantia. Refers to dwarf type plants, reaching a height of ten centimeters. Blooms rarely at home. If this happens, then the whole plant is covered with numerous small flowers of lilac color.
Leaflets up to two centimeters in size are heart-shaped with pointed tips. Their surface is covered with barely noticeable specks of lilac hue. Leaves are arranged in two rows on thin stems. One side of the sheet plate is green and the other is burgundy.
Creeping creep has the ability to grow rapidly, covering the surface of the earth with a continuous low green carpet. The plant has a decorative look, so it perfectly complements the interior of any room.
Spread
Natural habitats are moist tropical forests. Creeping creeper prefers shaded areas. Due to the rapid rooting during growth, it forms a thick turf. It is found on stones and rocks, forming garlands of unprecedented beauty. Places of distribution are Mexico, Antilles, South America. The plant is widely used for indoor cultivation.
Where is the best place for a flower?
If creeping creeping is carried out in a bright room, it is not necessary to put it on the windowsill. You can determine for the flower a place in the depths of the room, where there is no direct sunlight from the plant. Due to this feature, callis is often bred for office premises.
For better flower growth and development, spacious living or office rooms equipped with ventilation are best suited, thanks to which an influx of fresh air is provided. If the room is not ventilated, it is always stuffy, smoked in it, the flower will not grow, it will die. In the summer, it is best to take a pot of plants to the street.
Temperature mode
Kallizia creeping is such a plant for which it is not necessary to lower the air temperature in winter. This is very convenient when caring for her, especially if there is no way to do it. The flower feels great at room temperature. The only thing the plant does not tolerate is temperature changes, especially towards lowering. The optimal summer indicator is considered to be 20-25 ° C, winter - 16-20 ° C. If the room is too hot, the leaves age quickly, at low temperatures there is the formation of dense growth and the color of leaf plates.
Propagation by cuttings
To do this, the apical shoots are cut so that they have two or three nodules, and put into the water. Very soon roots will appear on the cuttings. When they get stronger and develop, they are planted in a pot of soil. You can put several seedlings in one container, this will give the flower more decorative.
How to propagate callis by layering?
If the pot where the flower grows is spacious, you can dig a shoot with two or three knots in it. If there is not enough space, then next should be put another container with pre-prepared soil and place layers in it. When rooting occurs, the shoot is cut off. Reproduction, regardless of the method, can be carried out all year round, but it is better to do this in the warm season, for reliability.
Transfer
Some experts recommend planting a new flower instead of a transplant. This is due to the fact that the stems of the plant are exposed with age and its decorativeness decreases. If a flower lives in a house for a long time, they are used to it, then it is better to transplant it. With young plants this is done annually, and with adults in two to three years. What to do, the flower grower decides.
It is necessary to transplant the plant into another container with good drainage and new soil. You can do this all year long, but better in the spring. Soil can be prepared independently. To do this, in equal proportions are taken turf and leafy soil from the garden, humus, peat and sand.
Care Features
To flower, growing in an apartment or office, was healthy and pleasing with its appearance, it is necessary to care for it: water, feed, loosen the soil, remove damaged stems and dry leaves. The plant is unpretentious for irrigation, but soil should not be allowed to dry out, as this will negatively affect growth and development. The earth must be constantly moistened. It is important not to allow waterlogging, otherwise the decay of the stems and roots will begin. Kallizia creeping in care is unpretentious, however, it needs regular watering in the summer, in other periods this should be done as necessary. In winter, watering is reduced. It is required to constantly monitor the surface of the soil. If it is dry - pour it, if wet - do not moisten. If watering is rare, the plant withers, the shoots dry out.
The flower is regularly fed with complex fertilizer for flowers. This should be done monthly, excluding the winter period. At this time, top dressing stops. More frequent top dressing is undesirable, since the plant will grow wildly, the stems will weaken.
Benefit and harm
Creeping creeping, like its other varieties, has a positive effect on the body. Its juice is rich in minerals and vitamins. Beta-sitosterol in the composition of callisia helps with atherosclerosis, thyroid diseases, metabolic disorders and other diseases. From the practice of traditional healers, it is known that the medicinal properties of callisia are similar to ginseng and rhodiola, although this has not been proved by science. When a disease occurs, each person decides whether to treat him in a traditional or folk way. But what is precisely proven is the cleansing effect of the plant.
Having planted a flower, the owners of the apartment receive a free and very beautiful air purifier. The energy of creeping callisia has a positive effect on the home atmosphere. With this plant, peace and mutual understanding reign in the house. The antiseptic properties of volatile flower have a beneficial effect on humans. Therefore, it is recommended to put it in the bedroom for children. Callisia bloom is the first sign that the energy in the room is positive and there are no problems in the house.