Many are now surprised that the familiar Decembrist flower, which can often be found on the windowsills of our compatriots, is a cactus. After all, domestic cacti in our view are a streamlined plant with thorns. But scientists distinguish many unique tropical species that are significantly different from the usual cactus.
Decembrist is an attractive cactus
Decembrist belongs to the genus of epiphytic cacti. It is also called zygocactus, Christmas tree, barbarian color, Schlumberger. Brazil is the birthplace of the Decembrist plant. Home care should take into account all the features of its growth.
A Christmas tree was brought to the European continent by A. Cunninger. This collector of tropical plants in 1858 decided to call this cactus a Schlumberger.
Flat shoots are devoid of thorns. On the edge of the branch shoots have several notches. The most common shades of Decembrist flowers include:
- Orange;
- pink;
- red;
- lilac;
- white;
- purple.
Description
Deciding to grow this plant, you need to know all the features of home care. Photo of the Decembrist during the flowering period admires the colors. It begins to bloom in December, on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays. Therefore, this flower has acquired its usual name.
Petals of the plant reach 4-6 cm in dyne. The buds are not opened very quickly, so almost all winter the Decembrist can delight the eye with a bright flowering.
Only 3 species of plants belong to the genus of zygocactus, all the rest are hybrids. Today you can find an attractive flower, very similar to a Christmas flowerpot. This is the Easter Cactus. These two plants practically do not differ from each other.
In our area, the most common types are "barbarian color" and trumpet.
Care Features
A tropical cactus that has successfully taken root on our windowsills is blooming by Christmas. Its bright saturated flowers resemble a miniature fairy-tale fireworks. Such a flower perfectly complements the atmosphere of the New Year holidays. Many gardeners recommend presenting such a flower to their near and dear ones.
In order for Decembrist not only to grow well, but also to bloom abundantly, ideal conditions should be created for him. Particular attention should be paid to:
- soil composition;
- watering;
- lighting;
- humidity;
- ambient temperature.
Soil composition
For planting, it is recommended to choose slightly acidic or neutral soil with an optimal pH value of 6.5. Such soil provides good aeration to the roots. Florists recommend preparing their own soil for growing from turf, leafy land, peat and medium-grained sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 1.
At the bottom of the pot, it is recommended to lay a drain, which will occupy 1/3 of the volume of the tank. Pieces of polystyrene or pieces of brick can also be added to the finished soil.
Properly selected capacity is the key to lush flowering of the Decembrist. Home care should be done in a timely manner. Periodically, the plant must be transplanted.
The capacity should be shallow, because the root system is developed superficially. It allows you to get all the nutrients from the upper layers of the soil in the wild habitat.
Watering the Decembrist
The plant needs adequate and regular watering. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is not excessively wet. For irrigation use warm soft water.
During the flowering and ovary buds, special attention should be paid to watering. At this moment, the substrate should not dry out. As soon as the last inflorescences are removed, watering should be gradually reduced. But remember that a Christmas tree is a plant that needs constantly moist soil.
Air humidity
Humidity is very important for tropical plants such as Decembrists. Home care must take this fact into account. Florists recommend maintaining this figure at around 60%. Low humidity can cause the plant to wilt and buds to drop.
The pot can be placed in a deep drain pan. River pebbles are poured into the bottom, which is then poured with water.
The flower needs regular spraying and a warm shower. But during the flowering period, it is necessary to moisten only the air.
Ambient temperature
Many people believe that tropical plants like fever, such as Decembrists. Home care is quite simple. In addition, this plant is unpretentious to ambient temperature. He feels great in a room with a temperature from +18 ° C to +30 ° C. Rozhdestvennik can well tolerate a short-term decrease in temperature to +3 ° C. But experienced gardeners recommend gradually lowering the temperature to +15 ° C. in September. This manipulation provides plentiful flowering in the winter.
Room lighting
How to grow a room Decembrist at home? Care should be consistent with the natural habitat of the species. This plant belongs to the cactus family. Remember that its leaves may suffer from direct sunlight. Therefore, many gardeners recommend placing a Decembrist cactus on window sills facing the west or east side. At noon, glass is recommended to be shaded with gauze or a matte film.
A Christmas tree needs good lighting from the moment buds appear until the end of its flowering. In addition, it cannot be moved at this moment, otherwise the Decembrist may lose buds or flowers. After the plant can be placed in shaded rooms - a corridor or foyer.
Top dressing
A sufficient amount of nutrients is very important for a good flowering of Decembrists. Home care does not require frequent top dressing. It is necessary to regularly (every 20 days) apply mineral-containing solutions to the soil before the first buds appear. After fertilizing, the plant is stopped, and after flowering, they resume again.
You should choose fertilizers designed for cacti. You can use other mineral fertilizers, but make sure that their composition contains a minimum of nitrogen, and maximum phosphorus and potassium.
These are the basic rules for caring for a Decembrist flower at home.
Plant pruning
This plant tolerates pruning. You can independently give the bush the desired shape in the phase of active growth. In addition, pruning can also stimulate flowering.
Thanks to the universal structure of the plant, sharp cutting objects are not needed. It is enough to unscrew carefully the leaflets at the places of their connection. Proper care at home for the Decembrist plant will allow you to get a spectacular flower.
Flowers in hanging, round flower-pots, flowerpots look attractive.
Flower transplant
Plant transplantation is an important component of home care. The photo of the Decembrist flower fascinates many, but not everyone knows how to transplant this amazing plant. Young plants should be replanted annually. Adults need to be transplanted once every 5 years. The plant has a developed root system with strong and strong roots. Therefore, this manipulation is easy enough.
On top of the drainage, a small amount of soil is poured into the container, a flower is lowered and the roots are straightened. The remainder of the soil mixture fill the pot and water the plant well.
In the first 2 days, it is desirable to place the plant in partial shade.
If the Decembrist does not bloom
Every year the plant must bloom. If the Decembrist did not bloom in winter, care at home for him was wrong. The plant is clearly lacking in minerals, lighting, watering, or pot volume.
The plant can be stimulated. In autumn, a period of rest should be organized by putting the flower in a cool, darkened place. Until the end of November, the flower is not watered or fed.
After the cactus, the Decembrist is put on a well-lit window sill and watered. Soon you will be able to notice the appearance of the first buds.
All flower growers need to know that the Decembrist blooms profusely, with proper care.
Care Features
Proper care of the Christmas will allow you to enjoy the abundant flowering plants in the winter. Care Features:
- narrow form of capacity for landing;
- additional lighting in winter;
- you can not move the container during the flowering period;
- do not separate the cuttings during the flowering period;
- after a period of rest, feed and water the plant carefully so that the plant does not drop buds.
Christmas propagation
Many gardeners often want to share this beauty with their loved ones. Many people like the flowering photo of the Decembrist flower. Care, reproduction at home allow you to independently grow several instances in your windowsill.
Decembrist propagates in 2 ways:
You need to know how to properly care, the reproduction of a flower at home. Often use the first method. To do this, it is necessary to separate the shoot with 4 links of leaves from the parent plant. It is not cut, but twisted. During the day, the shoot is kept in the open air so that the cut is dried.
In a small plastic cup, spread a moist substrate, plant a process in it. Make sure that there are drainage holes at the bottom of the container.
The soil is moistened, covered with a large plastic cup or jar and left in partial shade. Such a greenhouse allows you to quickly root a plant. Be sure to regularly water and ventilate the plant.
In a month, the shoot will take root, new leaves of the Decembrist flower will begin to appear. Care at home for the rooted sprout is the same as for an adult. But you should transplant the plant into another container over time.
Diseases and pests of the Decembrist
The main task of gardeners is proper care at home. A houseplant Decembrist rarely gets sick, because it has good immunity. But sometimes it is necessary to use drugs.
Fungal infections - phytium or fusarium infection are considered dangerous for the plant. The spores of the fungus first fall into the soil, and then infect the plant through wounds. First of all, the root neck suffers, so it is quite difficult to detect this symptom. Often, flower growers recognize the defeat of a plant by the color of the plant. The Christmas tree turns pale, turns gray, and part of the leaf-links fall off. These diseases are well treated: Fusarium - fungicides, phytium - drug "Topaz".
Insufficient humidity and elevated temperature will be an excellent environment for the emergence and development of pests: spider mites and scale insects. A sign of a spider mite are yellowish spots and a small silver spider web. The shield is a small gray shell on the shoots. To fight using chemicals or soap solution.
Conclusion
Decembrist is an unpretentious plant, which, with proper care, will please with abundant flowering in the winter. It will be a great gift for the New Year holidays.