When you see this plant for the first time, you can easily mistake it for a beautiful artificial copy. Juicy beautiful leaves with a spectacular color - that's why flower growers love pedilantus titimaloid. Its curved stems, variegated leaves, with wavy edges in some varieties, make this plant a great home decoration. How to grow this miracle at home? We will talk about this in the article.
Homeland of pedilanthus
This plant belongs to the representatives of the genus Euphorbia. It is grown as an ornamental garden decoration, if climatic and weather conditions permit. Among flower growers, pedilanthus tithymaloid has gained great popularity as a houseplant.
In general, the homeland of this miracle are the tropical and subtropical territories of Central and North America. There, shrubs can be found in well-lit areas with dry soils, with a sufficient content of sand, as well as iron, copper, boron, molybdenum, zinc and manganese.
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There are about 15 species of this plant. They differ in the shape and color of the leaves,stems, sizes. The most popular varieties of pedilanthus can be found among indoor plants. In its natural environment, it can reach two meters in height. At home, titimaloid pedilanthus is not so gigantic in size. In addition, its shoots can be formed. For an unusual break in the stems, the Dutch called it the devil's backbone. In fact, the name of this plant comes from two words of Greek origin: shoe and flower.
Appearance
Pedilanthus titimaloid is difficult to confuse with another plant. It is very colorful and effectively stands out against the background of other colors. Its stem can reach a diameter of one centimeter. Pedilanthus leaves look like they are made of wax. In sufficient light, they have a variegated color and are edged with a white or slightly pink uneven stripe.
In some varieties, they can be bent around the edges, acquiring a bizarre boat shape. If you place the flower in a darker place, then its leaves will acquire an even green color. The flower of pedilanthus tithymaloides practically does not change throughout the year and very rarely blooms in captivity. All its beauty and uniqueness lies precisely in the leaves.
Precautions
It should be noted that, despite all its beauty, pedilanthus is a toxic plant. Its juice is very dangerous. Experienced gardeners know this and take precautions when working with shrubs. The sap of the plant, when in contact with exposed skin, causesinflammation. And if you try the beautiful leaves by the tooth, you can get poisoned.
That's why you need to protect children and pets from contact with this plant. When transplanting or trimming pedilanthus, it is best to use gloves, protective clothing and goggles. If poisonous juice gets on the skin, wash it with warm water and soap several times.
Lighting
Pedilanthus titimaloid, home care for which is simple, loves a lot of light. Its appearance, or rather, the color of the leaves, also depends on this. The plant is best placed in the zone of a sunny window. It loves a lot of diffused light. In winter, when the daylight hours are small, you can use additional lighting. However, the light of the lamp should not be directed directly at the flower. This is a light-loving plant, but it does not like direct rays.
Humidity
Pedilantus titimaloid, home care for which includes mandatory watering, does not like complete drying of the soil. In summer, watering should be more frequent. The soil should always be moist, but waterlogging should not be allowed. Reduce watering in winter. The plant doesn't need that much moisture. However, the earthen ball in the tub should not dry out. The plant may begin shedding leaves to retain moisture in the stems.
By the way, almost all types of this shrub have the ability to accumulate it in reserve. Therefore, pedilanthus is not so demanding on air humidity. As evidenced by the experience of observingplant, it itself can tell about its needs. If the leaves of the shrub began to fall, then it should be watered. In summer, you can spray the plant with warm settled water. This is not required in winter.
Soil
As you know, the main condition for good growth and development of any plant is soil. Each representative of the flora has its own habitat requirements. Pedilanthus titimaloid is also no exception, although it is not a capricious plant. For planting it is better to choose loose and moisture-intensive soil. The composition may be different, but excessive humus is not welcome. It can be soil from one part of turf and two parts of sand.
You can also use garden soil with the addition of a third of the sand. Perfect for planting purchased soil for succulent plants, in which you also need to add sand. The soil should be light, airy. The main condition for good growth is a sufficient layer of expanded clay, as pedilanthus does not like acidification and waterlogging of the soil.
Feeding
Even with sufficient care, there comes a time when the plant begins to need additional nutrition. No need to wait for obvious changes in appearance. Top dressing should begin before the flower begins to lose its beauty. It is enough to carry out this procedure once a month, from spring to autumn. In winter, it is not necessary to feed the plant. As a fertilizer, you can take preparations for succulents. They contain a sufficient amount of nitrogen. Pedilanthus needs this component, but ittoo much can cause root rot.
Care
What else needs to be done to grow a beautiful tithymaloid pedilanthus. Pruning is a prerequisite for the formation of a shrub. Very often, as the plant grows, the stems are exposed from below. Leaves remain only in their upper part. In this case, you can cut the shoots, leaving stumps about 5-6 centimeters high. After a while, new branches will grow, young and beautiful. Such rejuvenation will only benefit the plant.
Reproduction
Pedilantus tithymaloid, reproduction at home which is not difficult, with good care all year round pleases with its beauty. The cuttings that remain after the rejuvenation process should not be thrown away. They can be used to propagate plants. They need to be cut into a length of about 10-15 centimeters. Then we place the cuttings in warm water. For greater effect, you can add honey to it (a teaspoon per liter of water).
After a day, the cuttings must be taken out and dried. If the stems are very thick, then this process should be given more time. Cuttings take root well in almost dry sand or perlite. Cover them with a film, like most plants, should not be to avoid rotting. After 2-4 weeks, when the rooting process has passed, you can transplant the pedilanthus into the ground. Usually the plant is cut from spring or early summer. The planting pot should not be too large. The root system of pedilanthus develops slowly. Better ifit will be a container that is the same height and width.
Pests and diseases
Tithymaloid Pedilanthus, which is rarely seen blooming at home, looks spectacular due to its foliage and unusual shape of the stems. For this, flower growers love him. However, we must ensure that this beauty is not spoiled by diseases and pests. Although this is an unpretentious flower, nevertheless, it is also subject to the harmful influence of these factors. This plant is affected by spider mites, whiteflies or mealybugs.
The presence of a pest can be determined by external signs. If the leaves withered and turned yellow, and a cobweb appeared on their lower part, then this is a spider mite. The formation of sticky fluff at the base of the leaf indicates a defeat by a mealybug. The affected areas must be removed, and the plant treated with any insecticide. Fungal infections are eliminated by treating the flower with a fungicide. Do not wet the soil of the plant too much and often, as this can lead to powdery mildew.
Transfer
As the plant grows, it will have to be repotted. They do this very rarely, in case of urgent need. But still, if the root system of a flower is cramped in a pot, then it should be transplanted. It is better to carry out this procedure in the spring. The new pot should be slightly larger than the old one. A layer of expanded clay must be laid at the bottom. Next, gently shake off the old earth, trying not to damage the root system. Then we place the flower in a new pot with new soil. A young plant during transplantation can beprune to provide more lush development of the shoots. After that, you need to place the flower in the shade for two weeks, until it is fully rooted. Pedilanthus titimaloid, the benefits and harms of which were described above, will be the best interior decoration and fill the house with light and warmth.
