Cordilina "frutikoza" is a beautiful houseplant with large leaves. In appearance, it resembles a palm tree and is distinguished by original stains on the foliage. It used to be that cordilina belongs to the agave family, now botanists tend to believe that the plant is more suitable for the dracaena family. Sometimes people use the name "cordilina-dracaena", but this is an erroneous combination, since we are talking about two different plants.
Description
Cordilina "fructicose" is a shrub or semi-shrub. The birthplace of this beautiful plant is the Southern Hemisphere (tropics and subtropics), as well as East Asia. In the wild, the plant can reach five meters, but at home, the height usually does not exceed one and a half meters in height. Cordilina leaves are round or sword-shaped, their length varies from thirty tofifty centimeters, the width is a maximum of sixteen centimeters. As the plant grows, the lower leaves dry and fall off, the trunk becomes bare, and the cordilina becomes like a palm tree. The crown of the shrub has different types of color: from rich green to red-violet. Some types of cordylin are presented in different combinations of shades: lilac, purple, yellow and white.
Roots are fleshy elastic branches on which babies and buds are formed. In order not to confuse dracaena with cordilina, you need to pay attention to the cut of the root. In cordilina it will be white, and in dracaena it will be rich yellow or orange.
Apical
The most popular of the twenty types of cordilina is cordilina "apical". This is a beautiful tree with broad leaves that cover the trunk and top. Their height varies from fifty to eighty centimeters, the width is ten centimeters. A vein is visible in the thick central part. Inflorescences look like white and purple flowers with a diameter of up to one centimeter. Popular varieties of cordilina "apical" are:
- "red edge" - not very large leaves with a red rim;
- "tricolor" - the leaves are painted in pink, brown and yellow stripes;
- "August" - dark green leaves covered with crimson stripes;
- "kiwi" - wide leaves covered with raspberry stains.
"Southern" or "shrub"
"Shrub" cordilina has a short trunk and long (up to one meter) and not very wide (up to four centimeters) sword-shaped leaves. The foliage may be covered with yellow or red longitudinal stripes. During flowering, panicles of white or purple color appear, which exude a pleasant aroma. The plant prefers a cool winter, during which the temperature will not exceed plus five degrees.
Direct
Cordilina of this species has a low trunk and a dense crown. The leaves reach from thirty to sixty centimeters in length, have small teeth on the edges. The plant is painted in rich green color. For comfortable germination, it prefers a cool room.
Fruticose
Cordilina "frutikoza" is distinguished by small leaves in the form of side shoots on a thin trunk. They make up a lush crown of green, purple or purple hues. This Tropican is completely unpretentious in care, feels great in any temperature room conditions.
Choosing a he althy plant
To get a he althy plant that will bring aesthetic pleasure to the owners, you need to heed the advice of experts. Cordilina "frutikoza" must be bought exclusively in specialized stores, which guarantee the excellent quality of the goods. Before buying, it is recommended to inspect all the leaves so that theywere elastic, lively, had an attractive appearance. The leaves should grow from the very base of the plant, be placed on a thin stem and be concentrated in a bunch at the top. This suggests that cordilina is young and strong.
Not only elasticity, but also the color of the plant is of no small importance. It should be bright, but not oversaturated. A natural shade indicates the he alth of the flower, too bright color and a loose stem signal an excess of fertilizer. Some unscrupulous sellers prefer to saturate the plant with an excessive dose so that it has a marketable appearance. But with such a purchase there will be many problems, since the flower will become too susceptible to disease.
Home Care Primer
Cordilina "frutikoza", the photo of which is presented in the article, is especially susceptible to the choice of soil. In this regard, the Tropican can be called whimsical. There must be drainage at the bottom of the pot. Then take three parts of the following mixture:
- garden soil;
- coarse sand;
- peat.
To improve growth, you can add some bone meal and horn shavings.
Pot
Cordilina "frutikoza", home care for which does not cause any problems, is very susceptible not only to the soil, but also to the choice of a pot. There are no special indications about the material from which the container will be made, but plastic is still considered the best choice. The pot should be the same length and width as the root should be able to developin different directions. The size of the container itself should be selected based on the size of the plant.
If the cordilina is small, the pot should also not be very massive. Plant care involves periodic transplantation. Therefore, as the flower grows, the size of the container should be increased (each transplant should be accompanied by the choice of a larger pot).
Irrigation
Home care for cordilina "frutikoza" involves constant watering of the plant. The flower loves moist soil and does not tolerate drought. In order not to accidentally skip watering and not leave it without drinking, it is necessary to place a layer of gravel, richly moistened with water, in the pot tray. So cordilina will be able to make up for the lack of moisture at any time.
In spring and summer, it is necessary to water the plant very abundantly, but at the same time monitor an excess of water in the soil, since an abundance of moisture is fraught with the occurrence of diseases. Also during these times of the year it is worth doing regular spraying, which should be done at least once a week (in a very hot period, increase the number of sprayings to two or three times a week).
In winter, it is recommended to reduce the amount of water and keep the ground moist. Cordilina is very fond of moist air, this effect can be achieved by artificial humidification or conditioning. An indicator of excessive dryness is the appearance of brown spots on the leaves.
Reproduction
At home, cordilina reproduces by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds that appear on the plant do not retain parental characteristics, so it is recommended to buy them in specialized stores. To plant seeds, follow these steps:
- make a sand-peat mixture;
- moisten the mixture generously;
- sow the seeds deepening them one centimeter;
- cover the soil with seeds with a film;
- wait for germination (about two weeks);
- wait for four leaves to appear;
- dive cordilina into pots of two or three pieces.
The second, more effective way is to separate the children of the root zone. To do this, it is necessary to cut off a young plant so as to capture part of the root. Place the cut is recommended to sprinkle with charcoal. Plant the young flower itself in fresh fertile soil.
You can also propagate the plant by cuttings. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the semi-lignified stems, dividing them into several parts. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that in each section there are two or three internodes. Immerse the lower cut into the ground, having previously processed the root. The recess should be two to three centimeters. Then the pot with the plant must be covered with a film and placed in a bright place, while the air temperature should be from twenty-five to thirty degrees. "Greenhouse" is recommended to ventilate daily and, if necessary, moisten. The roots will finally be strengthened in a month.
Transfer
Cordilina "frutikoza" must be transplanted regularly. A young plant should be "relocated" annually, a more mature flower needs this care once every two or three years. With each transplant, you need to increase the size of the pot, because the roots need room. The earth should be slightly acidic, the mixture should include one part of leaf or garden soil, sand and peat.
Plant care
Cordilina "frutikoza", the care of which is not very difficult, still requires skills from the owners in order to receive aesthetic pleasure from a he althy plant. Since this flower is tropical, it loves warmth very much. The best option would be the south room or side of the room. Cordilina is afraid of direct sunlight, so it does not need to be placed near the window. A plant with a solid green color is less demanding on light.
In the summer, the temperature in the room should be between twenty and thirty degrees. The winter temperature gradually drops to twelve. Do not allow cold snaps and frosts, as the plant can get sick and even die. In favorable weather, it is recommended to take the cordilina outside, but avoid drafts in every possible way.
The flower loves moist air, in the summer it must be sprayed several times a day. An excellent solution for dampening would be a set container of water or wet pebbles. The soil should be moist, but not heavily flooded, as stagnant water is detrimental to the flower. Irrigation water neededstand for at least three days, when watering it should be warm.
Feeding the plant is of no small importance. It starts in early spring and ends in autumn. It is worth giving preference to mineral fertilizer complexes for indoor flowering plants. The feeding procedure must be carried out twice a month.
Diseases
Cordilina "frutikoza", the photo of which is presented in the article, is not very prone to disease. With proper care, there will be no problems with it. But still, there are some moments when the plant begins to lose its original appearance, which indicates a disease. Among them are the following indicators:
- The formation of thrips on the underside of the leaves, and spots of light color appear on the top. This indicates that there is too dry air in the room. To cure the plant, it is necessary to spray it with insecticides and humidify the air (install an air conditioner, put water containers, etc.).
- The appearance of brown plaques on the stem - scale insects. These growths take all the cell sap from the flower. To get rid of them, it is necessary to treat the plant with a soapy solution, and then spray it with insecticides.
- Yellowing of the leaves. The source of this disease may be too dry air or lack of nutrients in the soil. By eliminating these factors, you can be sure of a quick restoration of a he althy appearance of the plant.
- Spots of brown or brown colorindicate insufficient watering.
- Twisting leaves indicates the presence of drafts or too low air temperature.
With careful care and following the basic rules, you can grow an unusually beautiful plant that will delight all family members and their guests with its freshness and extraordinary color.
