The exquisite syngonium flower with unusual leaves on long stalks, which, closing, form a magnificent cascade, looks great in any interior. If its stems do not have suitable support, then the plant grows as a groundcover or freely hanging its long shoots, like ampelous. But as soon as the stems feel vertical support, the shoots will rush up.
In this article we will talk about the types and varieties of this plant, we will answer the frequently asked question "Is it possible to keep syngonium at home?" and discuss how to care for him.
Plant description
Syngonium, the photo of which you can see in this article, is a fast-growing beautiful vine with many beautiful leaves. The plant belongs to the aroid family, which includes 33 species. In vivo, they are common in Central and South America.
Flexible grassy trunk has numerous aerial roots. In indoor floriculture, a liana can reach 1.8 meters. Numerous leaves are attached to long petioles. Closing, they form a continuous magnificent cascade.
Leaves can be swept, heart-shaped, tripartite, spear-shaped. Young leaf plates are solid, but they dissect over time, forming lobes. The sheet of syngonium can have a variety of colors: monophonic - various shades of green, sometimes almost white or pink, variegated with spots, strokes and silver streaks.
The root system of the flower is nourishing and scotropic (aerial) roots. Using air formations, the plant clings to the soil, is firmly held on a support. From each node, one rather long nourishing root appears, which the plant needs to provide itself with useful substances. Unlike airborne ones, the nourishing root is much larger and moves away from the stem at a slight angle.
Bloom
Even for experienced florists, a syngonium flower may appear as a real surprise, since this is a rather rare phenomenon when the plant is kept at home. It is a green cob with male and female flowers, which have a pale pink or red bract in the form of a bedspread, which almost completely covers the cob.
The bract in shape resembles a hood or a half-expanded scroll. Male flowers, as a rule, are located in the larger, upper part of the cob, and at its base - female. Syngonium blooms in vivo in late spring. The plant is cross-pollinated. First, female flowers open, later male ones. After pollination, ovoid or cylindrical fruits with a strong aroma appear on the plant. They contain up to 100 seeds. Animals, birds and animals feed on the fruits, carrying them over fairly large distances.
Syngonium in the house
Quite often, beginning gardeners are interested in whether it is possible to keep a syngonium at home. This question does not arise by chance. Indeed, this flower is toxic, therefore, children and pets should not be allowed to come into contact with it. All work with the plant must be carried out with gloves.
Over the entire history of plant cultivation, many signs and superstitions have appeared. Since the liana is a native of tropical forests, it reacts sharply to high humidity. This can be seen by small droplets of moisture at the ends of the leaves. Because of this, the syngonium is often called a “weather forecaster” - as soon as drops appear on the leaves, it can be argued that rain is approaching. True, a similar plant reaction may indicate an excess of moisture in the soil.
In the distant past, the syngonium, like other types of vines, was considered to be a “husband”. However, over time, this belief was recognized as just a prejudice.
Plant species
Despite the existence of 33 species of this plant in nature, only three species of syngonium are common in indoor floriculture:
- Legion-leaved syngonium (S. podophyllum). This flower with elegant stems in nature grows in Central America. Quite large (up to 13 cm) leaves, located on long petioles, densely cover the shoots. In a young flower they are spear-shaped, and in an adult they become palmate, with a maximum dissection of up to 11 lobes.
- Pixies. A small, variegated syngonium with white veins on leaf plates. The leaves are glossy, in shape resembling a heart-shaped elongated ellipse with a characteristic color - with bright green veins.
Eryngium syngonium (S. auritum). This species has thin, no more than two and a half centimeters in diameter, climbing shoots reaching 1.8 m in length. The internodes, from which aerial roots and large leaves appear, are located close to each other on the stems. The species got its name due to the structure of the leaves: each leaf of green color, which is attached to a long stalk, has two processes at the base. They resemble ears in their shape. The length of the leaves varies from 6 to 20 cm (depending on the variety). Their surfaces are shiny, with a thin waxy coating.
Common varieties
Based on these species, numerous varieties of syngonium were bred. We will list and briefly describe the most popular of them.
Wendland (S. Wendlandii)
Large climbing creeper. Its velvety, dark green colored leaves look very impressive. The variety was imported from Costa Rica. On petioles, the length of which can exceed 30 cm, leaves appear with the main vein cast in silver.
Butterfly (S. White Butterfly)
Perhaps this is one of the most common varieties. A plant with large spear-shaped leaves with a thin cobweb of veins painted in bright colors. The species is undemanding in care, reproduces at any time of the year.
Confetti
A very rare and unusual variety, each leaf of which has a unique color. Against the background of other varieties, Confetti stands out for its leaves - bright green swept plates adorn yellow and pink dots. The leaves of the plant are transformed depending on age - in young plants they are arrow-shaped, in adults - lobes resembling irregular stars with elongated rays are clearly distinguishable.
Syngonium Pink (S. Neon Pink)
The magnificent syngonium, the photo of which you can see below, has pinkish heart-shaped leaves (sometimes with a salad-colored edging). It is interesting that in a young plant, the leaf plates are bright pink in color, which fade over time, pink streaks become more clearly visible. Another name for this variety is common among gardeners - the syngonium Neon.
Necessary conditions for growing a flower: choosing a place
Syngonium is a flower that develops beautifully, being in a bright or slightly shaded place. In winter, the plant feels more comfortable on a light windowsill at a temperature not lower than +16 ° C.
Watering
In the warm season, the syngonium needs abundant watering, but it is important to ensure that moisture does not stagnate in the pot. Humidification is necessary only after the topsoil has dried. After a while, remove excess water from the sump.
In winter, watering is carried out after drying by 1-2 cm of an earthen coma. Liana is quite enough moderate air humidity. In hot summer days, it is necessary to spray the plant daily; sometimes it is recommended to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. In winter, it is better to place the plant further from heating appliances. Spraying is not carried out. For watering and spraying the flower of the syngonium, use standing water at room temperature.
Care Features
These plants do not tolerate direct sunlight, preferring diffuse lighting. They can be grown on the eastern and western windowsills, and even at the northern window. All varieties with solid green leaves grow especially well in partial shade, but an excess of sunlight provokes pale leaves.
Top dressing
Syngonium must be fed in the summer and spring every 2-3 weeks with mineral liquid fertilizers with a low calcium content. In winter, feeding is stopped.
Plant supports
To enhance the decorativeness of syngonium, it is recommended to make a support. For this, a moss tube is most often used. The plant support is installed when the plant is transplanted into the center of the pot, then drainage is added, and then a third of the earth. The plant is placed in a pot, after spreading all the roots well, they fill the earth in a circle and lightly press the soil.
Crown formation
If you do not want the flower to grow too much, and plan to grow a syngonium in the form of a compact bush with thick leaves, you should include a pinch of the flower over 6 leaves in the plant care. This procedure will cause the appearance of new side shoots. The same should be done with them: pinch the growth point when there are 6 leaves on the stem.
Transfer
Plants up to the age of three are transplanted every year, adults - every three years. The soil mixture for the transplantation of syngonium requires slightly acidic (pH 6-7) or neutral, well-permeable and loose. The mixture is made up of sheet, sod land, peat - 1 part, and sand - ½ part. Previously, it is necessary to pour drainage on the bottom of the pot with a layer of about three centimeters.
Breeding
Indoor syngonium can be propagated by cuttings or pieces of shoot. If the shoot is divided, then there must be a kidney on it. Root it in a separate container at a temperature of +26 ° C. After rooting, young plants are planted in pots with a diameter of not more than 9 cm.
In the second case, an apical shoot 5-7 cm long is cut with a sharp disinfected knife, the cut place on the mother plant is treated with crushed charcoal. A cut of the handle is treated with a root growth stimulator and placed in a loose nutrient mixture, covered with a glass jar to create a greenhouse effect. Rooting occurs within a month.
Pests
This plant is rarely attacked by pests. The aphids and scale insects are most dangerous to him. Aphid affects the leaves on the back side, as well as the tops of the shoots. Affected areas become discolored, leaves turn yellow, curl, and then fall off.
To combat this scourge should be by spraying the plants with "Actellic", "Intavir", "Fitoverm." In case of severe damage, the treatment is repeated.
Scabies populate the stems and leaves of the plant on both sides. Syngonium stops growing, its leaves dry and fall off. To combat scabies, it is necessary to spray the plant with Actellica solution (10 drops per half-liter of water).
The appearance of thrips contributes to too high air temperature, as well as its dryness. Thrips forms numerous colonies on the back of the leaf; light dots appear on the upper side of the leaf plate. As a result, it takes on a tan with a silver tint.
The plant should be sprayed with insecticides (Fitoverm, Aktara, Intavir), if necessary - repeatedly.
Possible growing problems
Each houseplant with its appearance informs the owner about emerging problems. Carefully monitor the condition of the flower - and you can prevent many serious plant diseases:
- If the tips of the leaves have dried and become brown, the air in the room must be humidified. Spray the plant and the air around it.
- The leaves turn pale and lose their luster due to excessively high humidity or abundant watering.
- If the newly emerging leaves are smaller than the old ones, this means that the plant is experiencing an acute lack of lighting or nutrients in the soil.
- The green leaves of the variegated forms of syngonium lose their color due to a lack of light.