Succulent is a great way to decorate an interior. These plants are suitable even for rooms with poor lighting. Dry air is also not terrible for them. Their endurance allows the flower to develop at low temperatures, but the optimal climate for succulents is room temperature and high humidity. That is why plants are often placed near the aquarium or in bathrooms with natural light.
What are succulents?
Succulents are plants that can store moisture in leaves and stems. They grow on rocks, in sands, in tropical and subtropical forests. Plants are hardy and able to tolerate large temperature fluctuations, both seasonal and daily. Succulents have a lot in common with cacti. Their care, cultivation and reproduction are identical. A distinctive feature of the cactus family is the presence of buds from which thorns appear.
Some indoor succulents accumulate moisture throughout the body, others only in the stem or in the leaves. Such plants can be presented in the form of trees, bushes, vines, and so on. That is why it becomes difficult to determine which group a plant belongs to.
How to care?
The best place for succulents, as well as for cacti, is a south-facing window. Plants should be in the sun for at least 4 hours a day. Each plant from the succulent group prefers its own degree of dryness. Jungle flowers love regular watering, while agave, like cacti, can go weeks without water and thrive.
Succulent is a plant that goes well with a cactus in the same pot. Florists recommend laying multi-colored pebbles or drainage on top of the soil. Such a decoration in combination with a clay pot will adequately decorate the windowsill.
Succulents grow quite slowly, so they need less nitrogen than other indoor plants. If it is not possible to purchase a special fertilizer for cacti, it can be replaced with a solution of phosphorus fertilizer with a low nitrogen content. Plants should only be fertilized when they are actively growing.
Irrigation
The main mistake of flower growers is abundant winter watering. A succulent is a plant that needs spraying in winter. If it seems to you that the plant does not have enough moisture, pay attention to its leaves. With a lack of water, the leaves begin to wrinkle, but do not rush to sound the alarm, the plant recovers quickly when watered.
In spring and summer, succulents and cacti begin their active growth phase. At this time, the plant needs the most water. Water it often, but only a little. Otherwise, the root system will rot.
Important Tips
Sooner or later, any grower faces a problem whose solution does not come to mind. To do this, a list of the most common problems with plants and their solutions has been compiled. For example:
- The flower turns black at the root. The cause of the disease is root rot, which now spreads to the stem. This is most likely due to excessive watering, but there are times when poor soil aeration becomes the culprit. To save the plant, scrape off the blackening with a serrated knife, wait for the callus to appear, and start watering the plant again. In more advanced cases, the plant is better to transplant.
- Stems and leaves are shriveled and lethargic. The problem is insufficient watering. A succulent is a plant that can survive for a long time without water, but you should not abuse it. To bring the flower back to normal, water it and spray the adrenal part. Water again the next day. Then wait three days and water again a little. After such a procedure, the plant will return to its former form.
- Brown or gray spots appear. The plant got burned. Move the succulent to a more shady location and reduce its exposure to the sun.
- Dark cork spots. The reason is fungus. To restore the plant, reduce watering, provide the root system with air.
Insects on the stem. Most likely, your flower was attacked by aphids. Remove damaged stems and treat the plant with an insecticidal solution.
Getting to know each other better
Below will bepopular house plants are listed - cacti, succulents. Photos and names will also be given later in the article.
Echinopsis. Popularly known as the sea urchin. Blooms 2-3 times during the summer
Easter cactus. Another name is Christmas. This plant perfectly tolerates the lack of light, needs more abundant watering. Blooms in winter
Agave. Has many varieties. In winter, it needs good lighting, in summer it is better to expose the flower to fresh air. Blooms only in the wild or outdoors
Fat woman. Better known as the money tree. Has a tree-like shape. Unpretentious, grows well at home. Plants over 10 years old can flower. Good lighting and abundant watering improve the color of the leaves
These are one of the most common types of succulents that can be found in almost every home.
