Domestic flowers serve as a decoration of the house and delight the eye with all kinds of shapes and colors. Alocasia, the reproduction of which at home is available to every grower, has many adherents. This exotic plant is evergreen and rarely loses its leaves.
Appearance and specifications
A plant of the Aroid family, perennial and grassy. The leaves have a color spectrum from light green to dark with light veins. Tropical origin has left its mark, because the plant has the following set of parameters:
Alocasia appearance
- height ranges from 0.4 to 2 m;
- the stalk is thick, juicy and sometimes tree-like;
- when cut, the plant secretes milky juice;
- alocasia fruits are berries that have an ellipsoidal or hemispherical shape;
- leaves of various colors, their number ranges from one to several pieces;
- the shape of the leaves can be different: swept, heart-shaped or thyroid.
The flower with the help of leaf plates discharges excess moisture, which it can not absorb. With excessive watering or high humidity, he "cries", exuding moisture.
Common varieties
The undersized Alocasia Amazonica is a variety bred using artificial selection from two species: Low and Sander.
Amazonian flower
When selling such a flower, it is often called Sandera. They are confused because of the similarity in appearance. Amazonian alocasia is a hybrid, which means a completely different plant. You can distinguish by the following signs:
- leaf margins smoothly wavy;
- white veins near a dark sheet, deepened like scratches or small cracks.
Amazonica rarely blooms and exudes a deep intoxicating odor. Home specimens do not have fruit.
A taller species of this family is Alocásia Polly. Shrub up to 0.5 m tall with a thick vertical stem. Its tuberous roots are quite large. It differs from other species by the following differences:
- dark leaves, heart-shaped, metallic tide, up to 40 cm long;
- veins of flowers are beige or pale green;
- regular flowering.
On the edge of each leaf of the mouth to release moisture - hydrators. Alocasia Polly for home care does not require large pots and a lot of space for maintenance.
Information. Alocasia of Sander, as the species from which Polly comes from, was bred in greenhouses. This Alocásia Polly hybrid is bred specifically for indoor use.
Healing properties
Of the 70 varieties of this tropical plant, only two are assigned medicinal properties:
- Alocasia macrorrhizos (large-rhizome, popularly Indian Arum), whose thickened roots can be confused with ginseng roots, bright green heart-shaped leaves have juicy petioles up to a meter long;
- Alocasia odora (odorous) - leaves similar to shields with meter-long leaves on trunks reaching 2-2.5 m.
These two varieties are easy to confuse. The difference between fragrant alocasia is that it has stolons - side shoots that quickly die off. They are used for reproduction. On the stolons are underdeveloped foliage and axillary buds. Large-root alocasia does not have such shoots.
Alocasia is a home plant that is treated with tincture of alocasia.
Important! All plants of this family are toxic. You can not needlessly touch the leaves, tear and rub in your hands, allowing the juice to come into contact with the skin. The roots of Alocasia macrorrhizos are often passed out as ginseng roots. Such a ginseng tincture when taken orally can be fatal.
The deciduous mass of these plants disinfects the air in the home, absorbing hazardous emissions of formaldehyde, phenol and others like them. In addition, volatile, which are part of the leaf, affect staphylococci, influenza viruses. They kill Escherichia coli and streptococci.
This can also be attributed to the healing properties.
Tincture application
An alcoholic infusion of petioles and leaves can be used externally for rubbing or compress. There is an opinion that he can:
- help with inflammation and swelling;
- starts the process of tissue repair;
- reduces joint pain.
Alocasia tincture is prepared by grinding the plants in ceramic dishes. Metal tools do not use. The ratio of ground gruel and alcohol is 1: 1. The resulting solution was stored in the dark for 21 days.
Attention! Ingestion is dropwise, the amount of which is determined by a doctor who knows the dosage. Given that this type of plant is not considered medicinal, and the juice contains mercury chloride and cyanide, the treatment is of a dubious nature.
Features of home care
Alocasia home care involves maintaining the following conditions:
- temperature condition;
- soil and air humidity control;
- lighting standards;
- top dressing and soil quality.
Creating a climate close to the natural conditions of growth is the main concern of the grower.
Temperature
Temperature range for alocasia:
- spring and summer - 23-25 0С;
- winter - 18-20 0С.
As with all indoor flowers, exposure to drafts is unacceptable.
Lighting
The most favorable lighting for growth and reproduction is scattered light. Direct sunlight is not permitted. Arrangement of flower pots on window sills on the south side necessarily involves shading.
For your information. Green leaf varieties can be kept both in shaded and in illuminated places. Flowers with variegated leaves are more demanding on illumination, they can lose color.
Watering
In the warmer months, watering daily. In the autumn period - once every two to three days. In winter - a day after the drying of the upper layer. If a small amount of water has accumulated in the pan of the pot, it is drained.
Spraying
Wetting the leaves with warm water using a spray is carried out daily. Every three days, it is advisable to wipe the surface of the leaves with a damp sponge or fiber.
Humidity
Humidification of the air is ensured by arranging large-diameter water cups among the colors. Water, evaporating, will give the necessary percentage of moisture.
Priming
For indoor flowers use special low-acid (5.5-6.5) substrates from the store. Nutrition of the roots will be provided by mineral supplements and charcoal. Give preference to universal compositions based on peat (top). Ordinary land will not do.
Top dressing
Fertilizers are better to take complex with a high percentage of nitrogen for decorative and deciduous crops. Mineral nutrition is needed a couple of times a month.
In winter
Alocasia care in the winter is to maintain the desired temperature and light. Exclude a sharp drop in temperature when ventilating the rooms. Spraying is carried out once a week.
Pruning
This operation is carried out with gloves with sharp clippers or a knife, always a clean tool. Dry leaves are removed. Green - only as a last resort.
How the plant propagates
Florists share planting material and acquire new types of flowers. The main methods of reproduction include the following options:
- cuttings;
- by seeds;
- division of roots or stolons (lateral shoots).
Information. Variegated varieties are not propagated by seeds. Variegation during such reproduction is not transmitted.
Seed germination
For germination take cartridges for seedlings and suitable soil. Seeds are planted immediately after they are harvested. The cassettes are filled with soil, the seeds are laid out in cells and drowned to the depth of one finger phalanx. Then a thin layer of soil is laid on top and moistened. The cartridge is tightened with a film (a kind of greenhouse) or covered with a sheet of glass. Humidity of the soil is maintained by increased lighting constant. Germinate at a temperature of + 22 ... + 25 ° C.
Open cassettes after the appearance of sprouts. When 2-3 leaves appear on the shoot, they are planted in pots with a diameter of up to 10 cm. Further transplantation is performed when the roots fill the tank.
Rooting cuttings
The sheet is cut at an angle of 45 °, leaving a fragment with the pulp of the trunk. Stand for 2-3 hours, sprinkling a slice with ash. After that, the stalk is lowered into Kornevin (sold in stores) for 2 hours and planted in a container. The pot is pre-filled with suitable soil. When there are signs of the development of new leaves, it means that the rooting of the stem has occurred.
Transfer
Having examined how alocasia propagates, you need to learn how to transplant it correctly. This is done in the spring. Young shoots are transplanted every year, mature - 1 time in 3 years.
For this, the transshipment method is used. The plant is taken out of the old pot, together with the ground placed in a more spacious (one size), filling the free space with new soil.
Possible problems in growing
Alocasia has no less diseases than other flowers. Leaves can signal this.
Leaves turn yellow
What to treat if the leaf turns yellow? Leaves can change color for the following reasons:
- yellowness at the edges - poor composition of water;
- the whole leaf has changed color - lack of nutrition or a sign of aging.
Old leaves are cut off after drying.
The tips dry on the leaves
This is a sign of infection with necrosis. Draft, a violation of the temperature regime, stagnation of moisture in the pot lead to such a problem.
Lower leaves fall off
This happens when the flower is closely in the pot, there is a lack of nutrients, or pests have appeared.
Pests
Alocasia has a large enemy - a spider mite. Invisible by a simple eye, it lays larvae on the bottom of the leaf. White spiderwebs and red dots are sure signs of a pest.
Proper plant care, pest control will help alocasia to take its rightful place in the house. If you take care of it, the plant will bloom and not only decorate the interior, but also create a healthy microclimate throughout the room.
