Anthurium is a bright and spectacular plant. They just don’t call him. This is a flamingo flower, and a damn tongue, and a pigtail, and even an arrow of love. In our country, the name "male happiness" was assigned to him. Perhaps it is because of this name that Anthurium is surrounded by signs and superstitions? We will return to this question, but for now we will consider the flower in more detail.
Homeland flower
The native habitat of Anthurium is Central and South America. It grows there in the vast territories of the jungle and equatorial forests that extend from Mexico to Paraguay and southern Brazil. Unlike its decorative counterpart, the male flower of anthurium, wild is extremely unpretentious and can grow almost everywhere, and on roofs of houses, on telegraph poles, on tree trunks. There is nothing surprising, because the soil is hardly needed for this plant, since it receives moisture and nutrition through its leaves. In the wild, there are almost 900 species of this plant. Among them there are vines, and even shrubs.
Decorative Anthurium
By the way, the anthurium flower is not easy. Signs and superstitions in relation to him say that a lonely girl, putting this flower in her bedroom, will surely attract a narrowed one. And after the wedding, you need to attach another flower to the anthurium - spathiphyllum, or female happiness, and there will be complete harmony in this family.
Of course, signs are interesting, but let's return to the species of this plant, and as for the decorative varieties of Anthurium, there are only three of them. These are crystal anthurium, Andre anthurium and Scherzer anthurium. The most popular with us is Anthurium Andre. It can most often be found in stores. This anthurium has a not very long stem, however, over time, it grows to three, or even four dozen centimeters. The flower bedspread at the Anthurium Andre has a bright glossy shine and has pronounced veins.
Much less common at home is the appearance of Scretzer anthurium. Unlike Andre, the cobs of this flower are not straight, but twisted in a spiral, which is why the name “pig tail” came to be. The leaves of this flower are also different. They are lanceolate and matte. The height of this flower is less than the previous one, and rarely exceeds 30 centimeters.
Well, we have the rarest representative of this genus - crystal anthurium. It is not grown because of flowers, but thanks to large and beautiful leaves in the shape of a heart with silver streaks that add up to a spectacular pattern. The height of this plant reaches forty centimeters. As for the care for different decorative types of anthuriums, it practically does not differ.
Plant location selection
Place a pot with anthurium better closer to the light. For example, it may be a light windowsill. Just remember that this flower is afraid of direct sunlight, due to prolonged exposure to which sunburns will appear on the leaves in the form of yellow spots, and the flowers will bloom on very short stems.
The best option for placing anthurium in the house is the east or west window. From the south side, it is better to use blinds on the windows. In principle, you can grow anthurium on the windows facing the north side. But here, most likely, additional illumination will be needed, since due to lack of light the size of the flowers will decrease, and the flowering process itself may stop altogether.
Temperature
As for the temperature regime, since the birthplace of the male flower of the anthurium is the tropics, the corresponding temperature is required. In the summer season, the best temperature will be in the range of 25-30 ° C. He does not like a flower of coolness in winter. Here the temperature regime will be optimal in the range of 16-18 ° C. The plant can withstand a slight drop in temperature, but not more than 5-7 ° C and not for long. Preferably no more than a few hours. If the temperature drops to zero, the anthurium will die.
Optimum humidity
A resident of the tropics simply cannot exist in a dry climate, so the flower requires high humidity, not less than 70-80%. Humidify the air by spraying the plant. You can spray the stem, leaves and roots. If drops of water fall on the flowers, ugly spots form on them. In the cold season, spraying the plant itself is undesirable. It is better to spray moisture around it.
There are several more ways to create a humid climate around the flowers. You can put the pots on a pallet filled with moist expanded clay or sand. Or put moistened sphagnum moss on the earthen extract in the pots and periodically spray it from the spray bottle. In the end, you can simply put an aquarium or a container of water next to it.
Anthurium watering and top dressing
In addition to moisturizing, plants should be watered, and sometimes fed. Despite the love of moisture, Anthurium absolutely does not tolerate moist, non-drying soil. Watering it is often required, but not pouring, but as the top layer of soil dries. You need to know that Anthurium can endure a small drought without any significant consequences, but it will certainly die from excessively wet soil. As a rule, in the summer, anthurium is watered once a week, and in winter every two, or even three weeks. You need to water it with warm and settled water. Anthurium is fed during flowering. This is usually a warm season.
If in the cold season the anthurium suddenly bloomed, there is nothing to do with signs. Thanks also need timely nutrition. For fertilizer, potassium-phosphorus mixtures are used every two or three weeks. It will also be nice to feed the plant with organic fertilizers. For example, once a month, infusion of cow or chicken droppings. For crystal anthurium, top dressing for deciduous plants should be used.
Soil selection
Since in nature Anthurium doesn’t get most of its nutrients and moisture from the soil, it requires special, fairly loose and good air permeability. Special primers for growing these flowers are also sold. But a suitable mixture is not so difficult to prepare yourself. You can just take ordinary peat-containing soil and mix it half with crushed bark.
An even more suitable mixture can be made. Take universal flower soil, add coarse sand, charcoal, a little moss-sphagnum and a bit of expanded clay crumb to it. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that aerial roots appear on the stalk of the anthurium below , which, like ordinary ones, need moisture. Therefore, on top of the soil it is better to provide a layer of sphagnum moss, which will periodically be moistened.
Transfer
Transplanting is one of the most important elements of caring for the Anthurium flower. As a rule, the first time a plant is transplanted immediately after its acquisition. Then the flower is transplanted once a year, and an adult plant should be transplanted no more than once every two and a half - three years.
A transplant is best done in the spring season. A layer of expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the pot where the flower is transplanted, after which the roots of the flower are freed from the ground, inspected if there are dry or rotten ones, they are removed, after which the plant is placed in a new pot and the roots are carefully covered with the prepared soil mixture. At the same time, you need to remember that you can not press the roots of the plant to the bottom of the pot. Also, air roots cannot be covered with soil.
Reproduction of anthurium at home
At home, anthurium can be propagated in the following ways:
- By dividing the bush, that is, when transplanting, the plant is carefully divided into several and planted in different pots.
- Lateral shoots - the lateral shoot with roots is separated during transplantation and transplanted separately.
- By cutting - a stem 10-15 cm long with two leaves is cut. At five cm, the stalk goes deeper into the soil, placed in a bright place and watered, sprayed. After the appearance of the root, it is transplanted into a separate pot. By the way, one should not particularly believe in common signs and superstitions - anthurium, they say, is better to plant for a growing month and, conversely, it is impossible to decrease.
Diseases and Pests
If the leaves of the plant turn yellow, then the temperature is low in the room. The plant does not bloom well or does not bloom at all, which means either a large pot, or insufficient lighting or insufficient nutrients. Spots appear on the leaves or the leaves turn black entirely, the wrong watering is to blame. As for pests, the anthurium is susceptible to infection by fungus, aphids, scale insects, spider mites and many other flower diseases and parasites.
In order to avoid infection, the leaves should be rinsed with warm water. If the plant is still sick, you need to wash the leaves with soapy water or treat with a special tool that can be purchased in specialized stores.
Well, in conclusion, it is worth returning to the question mentioned earlier. Can I keep anthurium at home? There are various signs on this score. Yes, indeed, as mentioned above, there are many beliefs regarding this flower. But be that as it may, the beauty and exotic charm of this tropical guest will not leave anyone indifferent. Moreover, all the signs and superstitions associated with Anthurium sound in a positive manner and prophesy good events. It was not in vain that he was given such a nickname - male happiness.