Spathiphyllum or, as it is also called "female happiness" or "flower of happiness", is a popular perennial plant that can often be found in residential buildings. This flower was brought from South America and East Asia.
This plant has its own characteristics. The fact is that the flower does not have a stem. Instead, its basal leaves form a tight tuft that comes from the soil. The rhizome of the plant is rather short. Leaves are oval. Veins are clearly visible on them.
This amazing flower is able to absorb carbon monoxide, benzene and even formaldehyde from the air. At the same time, it saturates the atmosphere with ions and phytoncides, which inhibit the development of mold fungi. To figure out how to care for a female spathiphyllum flower, you should learn a little more about the varieties of this unusual plant.
Popular species
There are more than 50 varieties in the genus Spathiphyllum with several common characteristics. On all plants, you can see large leaves, characterized by high petioles-stems, short roots and flowers resembling a white sail.
Iftalk about the differences, they are very minor. In some species, the leaf plates are slightly larger, in others they are sharper. There are varieties of spathiphyllum flower ("women's happiness"), which are distinguished by cream-colored inflorescences or bright green streaks.
There are some differences in the cob inflorescences. In some plants, it is longer and thicker, while others have a paler shade.
It should be borne in mind that not every spathiphyllum flower is suitable for home cultivation. "Women's Happiness" must be adapted to home breeding. Among the most popular representatives of this genus, Wallis spathiphyllum can be distinguished. This flower got its name in honor of a German researcher who discovered this variety. Based on this species, several varieties have been created that differ in their height. Spathiphyllum happens:
- Big. Plant height reaches 1.5 meters. At the same time, the plant is distinguished by long oval-shaped leaf plates, the size of which is about 70-90 cm.
- Average. This is a fairly compact spathiphyllum. "Women's happiness" of this species grows up to 50 cm.
- Miniature. In this case, the height of the flower rarely exceeds 30 cm.
Based on this, you can choose the best option for a particular type of housing. Also speaking about home care, the features of the spathiphyllum flower should be taken into account. This applies even to the earliest stages of its cultivation, immediately after the acquisition of an unusual plant.
What to do after purchase?
Ifplants are located in a technical pot, then you should not leave it in it. It is recommended to transplant a flower in 2-3 weeks. To do this, choose a slightly larger pot.
It should also be noted that the spathiphyllum flower loves moisture much more (compared to other indoor plants). Therefore, after the purchase, you need to make sure that the earth in the pot is sufficiently moistened. If the soil is too dry, water the flower immediately.
In all other respects, the plant is unpretentious. However, even the least capricious flower needs proper care. It can be susceptible to disease and parasite attacks. It is necessary that the plant receives everything necessary for full growth and flowering.
Lighting
In this matter, the plant is completely picky. The flower can easily survive even in shade conditions. However, this does not mean that it can be kept in poorly lit rooms for a long time. In this case, there is a risk that the leaves of the spathiphyllum flower will become smaller over time. Therefore, it is better not to overdo it with the shadow and give the unusual plant a normal level of lighting.
Bright sunlight is also not able to harm the flower. It is best to install the plant on (or near) a window located on the north side of the house. In this case, the spathiphyllum flower will receive the optimal amount of sunlight, but it will not get burned. If you install the pot on the south side, then the morning rays will fall on it, which is not very good.for his full life.
It is also important to ensure that the plant is not exposed to cooling, so you should not install it in a draft.
Spathiphyllum flower: home care, temperature
In this matter, the plant is not much different from any other indoor flowers. To make the plant feel good, it is enough to maintain 22-23 degrees in the room. However, spathiphyllum can also bloom at 16-18 degrees Celsius.
But do not bring to lower temperatures. In this case, the heat-loving plant may cease to please with beautiful flowers. Also, the cold has a negative effect on the foliage.
Humidity
In the care of the spathiphyllum flower, this parameter is the most demanding. Humidity in the room should be quite high for the plant to feel comfortable. In typical apartments, these figures are far from ideal. However, you can help the plant yourself.
To do this, it is enough to spray it twice a day (or more, depending on the temperature) during the hot season. In winter, procedures can be shortened.
Some people just don't physically have the opportunity to devote so much time to houseplants. In this case, you can use one trick. A pot with a spathiphyllum home flower can be installed in a container into which wet expanded clay was previously poured. This will keep optimum humidity significantly longer, so you can reduce the number of spraying sessions.
Irrigation
Many plants shed their leaves and go dormant during the frost. However, it should be borne in mind that the spathiphyllum flower is not one of those. It needs year-round watering. In spring and summer, large volumes of water must be applied, and in winter, watering should be moderate. However, it's worth checking the soil constantly to make sure it's not too dry.
However, you need to remember that stagnant water is harmful to any plant. If there is a lot of moisture in the soil, then this can lead to rotting of the rhizome, as well as provoke the appearance of parasites, mold and other ailments. Therefore, it is better to drain stagnant water or organize good drainage in a pot.
If we talk about the temperature of the water, then when caring for this amazing plant, it is worth heating it up to 18-23 degrees.
Soil
If we talk about the optimal composition, it is best to mix turf, foliage, peat, humus and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1:1. Additionally, you can enrich the soil with sphagnum, however, you can do without it if you yourself make sure that the earth does not dry out.
You can also purchase a ready-made composition. However, it should be borne in mind that only natural components are not always included in such soils.
Feeding
It is very difficult for a spathiphyllum flower to survive without timely fertilization. If he does not receive the required amount of trace elements and nutrients, then this will lead to the fact that the plant will simply stop blooming. If small flowers appear on it, then infrequently the lowestquality.
It should be taken into account that from spring to autumn the plant is in the phase of active development. This means that it needs help in the form of fertilizers. Therefore, you need to make top dressing 1 time in 14 days. For the rest of the year, it is enough to make nutritional supplements no more than once a month.
When it comes to home care, the spathiphyllum flower prefers organic top dressing. For this, diluted bird droppings are most suitable. However, in urban areas, getting this component is not so easy. Therefore, you can use universal store-bought fertilizers for flowering houseplants.
Transfer
Indoor spathiphyllum flower does not need frequent change of capacity to a larger pot. The procedure is enough to carry out once a year for a young plant. Older bushes are enough to transplant 1 time in 3-5 years. Each time the pot is selected a few centimeters larger than the previous one. If the container is too large, it may delay the flowering of the plant, so it is better not to overdo it.
The procedure itself is performed by transshipment. The roots of the plant are very sensitive, so it is important not to damage them. To do this, drainage and a small layer of earth are first poured into the prepared container. A flower is planted in the center. After that, the rest of the soil is sent to the tank and distributed over it.
Between transplants, it is recommended to periodically renew the topsoil. This will help the plant get new nutrients. Duringprocedures, it is imperative to fill the drainage layer into the new pot.
It is best to repot the plant in the spring, when it can quickly adapt to the new soil.
Flower conditions
In order for the "flower of happiness" spathiphyllum to delight with beautiful flowers, you need to pay attention to some nuances.
Firstly, the young plant is not yet ready for this process, so you should not expect the appearance of inflorescences in the first year of the life of a handsome indoor. The same goes for the "oldies". A plant that is too mature does not have the strength for such processes, so you should not force it to bloom.
Secondly, in order for a flower to fully develop, it should not be in a too spacious pot. If the grower decided to carry out the transplantation procedure with a margin, then this may lead to the fact that he will not enjoy flowering soon. This is because the root system will have to develop to fill all the space. This will take all the strength of the plant.
If the leaves of the female spathiphyllum flower become small and begin to turn yellow, then in such conditions it will be difficult to get beautiful flowers. This indicates a lack of nutrients. Therefore, it is worth thinking about feeding the flower. It also happens vice versa. If the plant has acquired an abundant deciduous mass, do not rejoice. This indicates that there is a lot of nitrogen in the soil, which is responsible for the leaves. To get beautiful flowers, it is worth enriching the earth with phosphorus and potassium, since it is these components that are responsible forflowering.
Female spathiphyllum flower: how to care, reproduction
If we talk about this procedure, then it can be performed by sowing seeds, rooting the cuttings in the ground or dividing the rhizome. The latter option is the most popular among amateur growers.
Breeding activities are best done during the spring transplant. At the same time, you need to ensure that the temperature in the room is constantly maintained at around 20-22 degrees Celsius.
To get more beautiful plants from the mother bush, it is necessary to separate the side shoot (dividing), on which there are at least 3 leaves. Each shoot is planted in a separate container, which must first be filled with a mixture for growing adult plants. After that, the female spathiphyllum flower will need the care that was described earlier.
However, do not assume that the plant is not subject to attack by parasites or diseases. Therefore, it is important to consider this topic in a little more detail.
Diseases and pests
First of all, it is worth considering that troubles with an unusual flower can occur due to the usual inattention of an amateur grower. For example, if the spathiphyllum does not bloom, then this may be due to a lack of lighting, nutrition, or an overly spacious pot.
When blackening sheets, it is worth checking the composition of the soil. If the earth lacks the necessary trace elements, then this provokes an unbalanced nutrition of the plant. It may need to be replanted in better soil.
If the tips of the foliage begandry out, acquiring a characteristic straw color, this indicates a too dry microclimate in the room. It must always be remembered that this plant needs fairly humid air.
These problems can be called the most harmless. It is much more dangerous if the plant suffers from a fungal infection, such as root rot. This disease often affects domestic flowers. It's all about over-watering. If moisture constantly stagnates in the soil, then this leads to darkening of the foliage and slow growth.
To solve this problem, you need to pull the plant out of the pot and carefully look at its rhizome. If the roots are very soft and have a characteristic putrid odor, then this is the first and main sign of a fungal disease that the spathiphyllum flower has acquired. How to take care of him in this situation? First of all, it is necessary to cut off all the rotting roots. The cuts are processed with charcoal. After that, the plant must undergo a course of treatment using fungicides. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that the plant will not be able to survive. Such a lesion can spread over very large areas. If you cut off the lion's share of the roots, then there is a high probability that the flower will never be able to recover. Therefore, experienced flower growers prefer to immediately destroy the flower than to suffer with a long and often unsuccessful recovery process.
Spathiphyllum can be attacked by spider mites and aphids. These parasites usually appear during the hot season. To prevent their attacks,it is necessary to spray the plant in a timely manner. If the parasites still wound up, you need to treat the flower with soapy water or use more effective chemicals.
It is worth noting that weekly bathing in warm water at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius is an excellent way to protect the flower from potential dangers in the form of parasites and ailments.
Feedback on growing difficulties
Speaking about why far from all flower growers grow a spathiphyllum flower, it is worth noting some problems that an inexperienced gardener may encounter.
Most often people complain that the plant does not bloom. As previously stated, this could be due to several factors that are fairly easy to fix.
Also, many complain that the plants dry out. This is due to infrequent watering, or when the grower, on the contrary, overdid it and began to literally flood the indoor flower. Such problems are quickly resolved and cannot be a reason not to grow this plant.
If we talk about the transplantation and reproduction of spathiphyllum, then in this case, almost no one has problems.
In all other respects, reviews about the plant are only positive. It is really unpretentious and has a lot of advantages.
In conclusion
Spathiphyllum is a unique plant that has a lot of positive aspects. Due to its appearance, the flower is suitable for any interior. At the same time, it fills the air with usefultrace elements and helps to get rid of harmful fumes. The plant is a kind of biological filter that will be a great addition to any home. It creates an optimal microclimate for a person in the premises, therefore, a spathiphyllum female flower can also be placed in children's rooms. You already know how to take care of him. This does not require special events, the plant will begin to bloom quite quickly and will delight the household with its attractive appearance throughout the year.
