Laurel is a plant known to everyone. Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine a dish prepared without bay leaves, which give the food a specific taste and aroma. Even in ancient Rome, homemade laurel was grown. Caring for an unpretentious plant is simple, besides, it takes root well on loggias and balconies.
Key Features
Laurel is a houseplant, care of which is within the power of even novice flower growers. Under natural growing conditions, this tree is able to reach a height of 18 meters. By the way, in the Sochi region you can find specimens that have a height of 15 meters.
Despite the fact that laurel does not require special care, it is still desirable to create the most favorable environment for the plant. Indoor culture prefers to be in a sunny place, however, it will grow well in the shade. Also, a plant such as laurel is not afraid of drafts and drought. Care at home should be carried out so that he does not experience stress due to lack of water, or, conversely, does not suffer from waterlogging of the soil. Laurel is resistant to diseases and pests, it can be trimmed, givingvarious forms. Many gardeners manage to grow large trees with an openwork twisted trunk.
Varieties of indoor laurel
This plant has only two types:
- noble laurel;
- Canary laurel.
Unlike its compatriot, the Canarian species has large, wide leaves, slightly wrinkled along the edges. But his aroma is somewhat weaker than that of a noble brother.
Several varieties of noble laurel trees are known. A houseplant, the care of which is quite simple, is in high demand among flower growers. The main botanical species has three varieties: narrow-leaved, golden and wrinkled. All of them differ from each other only in the shape and color of the foliage.
Healing properties
Besides the fact that it is a fragrant, well-known seasoning, laurel also has a number of healing properties. This applies not only to leaves, but also to fruits. They contain fragrant essential oils and tannins. So, inhalation of vapors of tinctures prepared from plant components helps to fight cancer.
Also, experts say that laurel, properly cared for at home, can prevent the development of a disease such as coronary heart disease.
Features of care
Despite the fact that there is no particular hassle when growing laurel, it still needs to be looked after. Otherwise, even thisunpretentious plant may die. With a lot of useful advantages, it can look very beautiful and decorative, but this requires care. The noble laurel is very fond of pruning the crown, spraying the foliage. It is advisable to constantly wipe the dark green fragrant leaves from the dust gathering on them.
Temperature
For good growth, it is desirable for each plant to create the conditions to which it is accustomed in its native places. This also applies to such a flower as room laurel. Care in the winter is, first of all, the optimal air temperature (not higher than 18 degrees). And in January, experts generally recommend lowering it to 10 degrees. Therefore, during the heating period, especially in apartments with central heating, it is better to keep the plant away from heat sources.
Reproduction
A plant such as laurel, which is properly cared for at home, is fairly easy to propagate from cuttings. It can also be grown from seeds, but shoots and root cuttings take root for a very long time.
If you decide to grow a plant from seeds, be sure to check the expiration date of the seed. Take care of the special soil and keep in mind that slightly different conditions are needed for good seedlings.
For greater efficiency, experienced flower growers recommend soaking the material for sowing in warm water for several hours. The seeds should not be placed deep in the soil, it is advisable to sprinkle them with a layer of earth and cover with a film.
If you breed laurelcuttings, then they should be cut off from the shoots of this year, which have not yet had time to fully lignify. The preparation of future seedlings is carried out in the spring - in March or April. Cropped shoots are planted in moist soil. It is advisable to remove most of the leaves, leaving two or three, which are best shortened. The length of the planting material should be 6-8 cm. For better and faster rooting, it is advisable to use very wet sand. It will take about a month for young seedlings to take root.
Transfer
Repotting should not be done frequently. You should not choose a large capacity for a small tree. The plant does best in a small pot. When it becomes crowded, the new container should be 4 centimeters larger. Transplantation should be done by transshipment of an earthen coma, adding the necessary soil to a new pot. After planting, the laurel must be watered. Transplantation can be done in spring and summer.
Feeding
All plants need periodic feeding, even laurel. Home care does not require feeding the tree often, it is enough to do this twice a month, during the active growth period, that is, from June to September. For top dressing, s altpeter, potassium s alt, liquid superphosphate are used. All fertilizers are diluted in water.
Lighting
In order to preserve the decorativeness and beauty of laurel foliage, it is desirable to put it on a bright, warm, well-lit side. Despite the fact that the flower feels fine in the shade, its color may be slightlychange, the leaves will no longer have such a bright color, and the tree itself may stretch out, and the foliage will thin out.
In room conditions, it is very difficult to achieve the flowering of a plant like laurel. Home care, consistent with natural factors, can help the tree bloom. True, his flowers are not very beautiful. Basically, these are small inflorescences of yellow flowers that have a pleasant aroma.
Helpful tips
Laurel is a plant that even children will enjoy caring for, because, basically, it is the right watering and location. If you do not know how to properly water an ornamental tree, then do it when the topsoil is slightly dry. Do not flood the flower, because even an unpretentious laurel can rot the roots from an abundance of water.
Before planting or transplanting, do not forget to drain. Try to refrain from transplanting a one-year-old laurel. The only thing this tree does not really like is frequent transplants, its roots are very sensitive.
If you plant a flower with cuttings, then when cutting, try not to cut the shoot from a large tree to the end, try to gently tear it. The resulting "heel" will contribute to the more rapid development of the root system of a young seedling.
Don't forget about humidity and spray the plant daily in hot weather. Try to do this in the evening hours, since moisture drops on the sheets, when exposed to sunlight, turn into very strong lenses that canleave severe burns on the foliage, which will lead not only to an ugly appearance, but also to their death.
Do not feed the plant in winter during the dormant period, otherwise, in the natural time for active growth, the laurel will not be able to develop normally, because it will not have time to gain strength. In winter, watering is also desirable to reduce.
