Anthurium is a bright and showy plant. Whatever it is called. This is a flamingo flower, and a damn tongue, and a pig tail, and even an arrow of love. In our country, the name "male happiness" has stuck to it. Maybe it is because of this name that Anthurium is surrounded by signs and superstitions? We will return to this issue, but for now we will consider the flower in more detail.
Flower homeland
Anthurium's native habitat is Central and South America. It grows there in vast areas of jungle and equatorial forests that stretch from Mexico to Paraguay and southern Brazil. Unlike its decorative counterpart, the male anthurium flower, the wild one is extremely unpretentious and can grow almost everywhere, on rooftops, on telegraph poles, and on tree trunks. There is nothing surprising here, because this plant almost does not need soil, since it receives moisture and nutrition through its leaves. In the wild, there are almost 900 species of this plant. Among them there are creepers and even shrubs.
Decorative Anthurium
By the way, the anthurium flower is not easy. Signs and superstitions in relation tothey say to him that a lonely girl, putting this flower in her bedroom, will surely attract her betrothed. 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 get back 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 Andre Anthurium. It is most often found in stores. This anthurium does not have a very long stem, however, over time it grows to three or even four dozen centimeters. Anthurium Andre's flower bedspread has a bright glossy sheen and pronounced veins.
Much less common at home is the type of Schrezer's Anthurium. Unlike Andre, this flower's cobs are not straight, but twisted in a spiral, which is why the name "piggy tail" came from. The leaves of this flower are also different. They have a lanceolate shape and a matte finish. The height of this flower is smaller than the previous one, and rarely exceeds 30 centimeters.
Well, the rarest representative of this genus in our country is crystal anthurium. It is grown not for its flowers, but for its large and beautiful heart-shaped leaves with silvery veins that form a spectacular pattern. The height of this plant reaches forty centimeters. As for the care of various decorative speciesanthuriums, it practically does not differ.
Choosing the location of the plant
Place the pot with anthurium better closer to the light. For example, it can be a light window sill. Just remember that this flower is afraid of direct sunlight, due to prolonged exposure to which sunburn 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 an anthurium in the house would be an east or west window. On the south side, it is better to use blinds on the windows. In principle, you can grow anthurium on windows facing the north side. But here, most likely, additional illumination will be needed, since due to a 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 anthurium flower is the tropics, the appropriate temperature is also required. In the summer season, the best temperature will be in the range of 25-30 ° C. He does not like the flower of coolness in winter. Here the temperature regime will be optimal in the range of 16-18 ° С. 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.
Optimal humidity
A resident of the tropics simply cannot exist in a dry climate, so the flower needs high humidity, not lower than 70-80%. You can 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's better to spray moisture around it.
There are several other ways to create a humid climate around flowers. You can put the pots on a pallet filled with moistened expanded clay or sand. Or put moistened sphagnum moss on the earthen extract in pots and periodically spray it with a spray bottle. In the end, you can just put an aquarium or a container of water nearby.
Anthurium watering and feeding
In addition to moisturizing, plants should be watered, and sometimes fed. Despite the love of moisture, anthurium does not tolerate damp, non-drying soil at all. It needs to be watered often, but not flooding, but as the top layer of soil dries out. You need to know that anthurium can endure a slight drought without any significant consequences, but it will definitely die from excessively wet soil. As a rule, in the summer the anthurium is watered once a week, and in the winter once every two or even three weeks. You need to water with warm and settled water. Anthurium is fed during flowering. This is usually the warmest time of the year.
If the anthurium suddenly bloomed in the cold season, signs have nothing to do with it. Thank you also need timely top dressing. For fertilizer, potassium-phosphorus mixtures are used every two or three weeks. It is also a good idea to feed the plant with organic fertilizers. For example, once a month with an infusion of cow or chicken manure. For crystal anthuriuma leafy plant fertilizer should be used.
Soil selection
Since in nature, anthurium does not receive most of its nutrients and moisture from the soil, it requires a special soil, rather loose and well breathable. Special soils for growing these flowers are also sold. But the right mixture is not so difficult to prepare yourself. You can just take ordinary peat-containing soil and mix it halfway with crushed bark.
You can make an even more suitable mixture. Take a universal flower soil, add coarse sand, charcoal, a little sphagnum moss and a little expanded clay to it. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that aerial roots appear on the bottom of the anthurium stem, which, like ordinary ones, need moisture. Therefore, it is better to provide a layer of sphagnum moss on top of the soil, which will be periodically moistened.
Transfer
Transplantation is one of the most important elements of anthurium flower care. As a rule, the first time the plant is transplanted immediately after its acquisition. Further, the flower is transplanted once a year, and an adult plant should be transplanted no more than once every two and a half to three years.
Transplantation is best done in the spring season. At the bottom of the pot where the flower is transplanted, a layer of expanded clay is poured, 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 prepared soil mixture. At the same time, it must be remembered that it is impossible to pressplant roots to the bottom of the pot. Also, do not cover the aerial roots with soil.
Anthurium reproduction 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.
- Side shoots - a side shoot with roots is separated during transplantation and transplanted separately.
- Cuttings - a stem 10-15 cm long with two leaves is cut off. By five cm, the stalk is deepened 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, you 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 for a waning one.
Diseases and pests
If the plant's leaves turn yellow, it means that the room temperature is low. The plant does not bloom well or does not bloom at all, which means either a large pot, or insufficient lighting, or not enough nutrients. Spots appear on the leaves or the leaves turn black entirely, improper watering is to blame. As for pests, anthurium is prone 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, nevertheless, the plant is sick, you need to wash the leaves with soapy water or treata special tool that can be purchased at specialized stores.
Well, in conclusion, it is worth returning to the issue mentioned earlier. Is it possible to keep anthurium at home? There are different opinions about this. 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 signs and superstitions associated with anthurium sound positive and prophesy good events. After all, it was not for nothing that he was given such a nickname - male happiness.
