Well-groomed and he althy plants can decorate any interior. They not only create comfort in the apartment, but also perform the function of natural air purifiers, enriching it with oxygen. Among the variety of indoor plants, chlorophytum is deservedly popular. Everyone can care for this unpretentious flower, and its bright green stems will delight the eye all year round.
Chlorophytum. Homeland of the plant
The birthplace of the first species of chlorophytum is South Africa. The earliest mention of this plant, which has come down to our days, is dated 1794. Chlorophytum became widespread in the second half of the 19th century, after being exported to Europe. Currently, in natural nature, a flower can be seen on the territory of the tropical regions of our planet. Chlorophytum is found in Africa, South Australia, the island of Madagascar, South America. This distribution isan obstacle to an accurate count of plant species belonging to its genus. According to approximate data, there are about 250 of them.
Appearance of the plant
What genus does Chlorophytum belong to? The genus of herbaceous plants has long been decided by scientists. However, there is no such unanimity in the definition of a family in scientific circles. It is generally accepted that it belongs to the lily family, but there is also an opinion that it belongs to the asparagus family. Chlorophytum (chlorophytum) got its name as a result of the merger of the words "chloros", meaning "green", and "phyton" - "plant". The flower fully justifies it, as it is a perennial grass with juicy green leaves. The roots of the plant are thickened, sometimes tubers. The stem is very short, quickly turns into a rosette, from which oval-shaped green leaves with a white border rush. Their length is about 50-60 cm. In the corresponding period, small white flowers appear on the plant, which then turn into a box with three faces - the fruit. Sometimes during the flowering period, buds appear on the chlorophytum, from which new leaves grow. These leafy child rosettes can be separated from the flower and rooted.
Plant species
In nature, there are more than 200 species of Chlorophytum flower. The homeland of the plant is South Africa - the place where you can see most of them. But in all the variety of types of chlorophytum, there are several main ones that can be found among indoor plants in the homes of our country:
- Chlorophytum crested. Histhe leaves are narrow and small, lanceolate in shape. Their color is not too saturated, most often they are light green. In the middle of the bunch of leaves, long shoots appear with small white flowers in the form of stars. The flowering of crested chlorophytum ends with the appearance of many small plants, which are a cluster of leaves and several large roots. There are decorative forms of this species. A white stripe in the middle of the leaves adorns the vittatum variety. Chlorophytum maculatum is distinguished by the presence of longitudinal yellow stripes. The leaves of the variegatum plant show white stripes along the edges.
- Cape chlorophytum looks like crested chlorophytum. Houseplants and flowers of this species are practically identical. The long, light green leaves taper at the base and apex. Their length is about 60 cm, width - about 3 cm. The flowers are white, small. The main difference between the species is the absence of daughter rosettes with leaves in the Cape chlorophytum that appear during the growing season.
- Chlorophytum winged is characterized by wider and shorter dark green leaves. They are located on long petioles of a reddish color. There are very beautiful varieties of winged chlorophytum. The leaves of such plants are equipped with long orange petioles.
Easy maintenance
Chlorophytum is the most unpretentious home plant. It does not require special locations and temperature conditions. The flower will grow well in a fairly bright place, while it also tolerates shade well. However, darkening leads to a loss of color brightness in variegated leaves. The direct rays of the sun can endure for several hours. Maintaining the necessary air temperature for the life of a flower will also not create difficulties. In summer, the plant will also feel great outdoors, it only needs to be protected from strong winds and precipitation. In winter, chlorophytum can easily tolerate a decrease in room temperature to 10 degrees. Diseases are rarely terrible for this flower. Only under other adverse environmental factors is it damaged by aphids, mealy mites.
Water is the source of life
Chlorophytum needs a lot of moisture, especially during the flowering period. In winter, the number of waterings and their volume can be reduced, while the earth should not dry out. If the plant does not have enough moisture, many tuberous thickenings form on it. In winter, the plant can be sprayed, as the air during the heating season is very dry. Irrigation with water will make the flower fresh and blooming, however, even without this procedure, chlorophytum will not die. The homeland of the plant - South Africa - belongs to the regions of the planet with both desert and humid subtropical climates, therefore the adaptability of chlorophytum to the external environment is very high. Fertilization is advisable during the flowering period. Feeding twice a month with mineral and organic fertilizers will be sufficient.
Plant transplant
Youngrepresentatives of chlorophytum need an annual transplant, adult plants are transplanted once every two to three years. Do this in early spring or even in February. Chlorophytum has a branched root system, so the pot into which the plant moves must be wide. The roots grow more and more over time, and by their appearance it can be determined whether the chlorophytum receives enough moisture. If there are many tuberous thickenings on the roots, you need to water more abundantly. The soil should be loose, the top layer is soddy ground, then leafy, followed by a layer of humus, followed by sand.
Methods of reproduction
The method of reproduction is chosen depending on the species to which a particular chlorophytum belongs. The homeland of the plant is rich in many varieties of the flower, and nature provides for several ways of their reproduction. The same methods can be applied in the conditions of breeding chlorophytum in an apartment. The most common is the rooting of daughter rosettes that form on the leaves of the plant. Chlorophytum also propagates by seeds, however, this method is not found very often and applies primarily to winged chlorophytum. Large specimens of the plant can be divided. Aerial-rooted rosettes are either transplanted directly into the soil, or first placed in a container of water for root growth.
Propagation of chlorophytum by seeds
The seeds of the plant are planted in the spring, the soil should be loose,enriched with oxygen and moisture. Seeds before planting are soaked for a period of 8 to 24 hours in water, which must be changed periodically. Then they, slightly pressed, are distributed over the surface of the soil moistened and heated to a temperature of 21 degrees. The dishes are covered with a glass jar or bag so that they do not touch the ground. Seeds will germinate in 3 to 6 weeks. During this period, it is necessary to ensure regular spraying and airing of the planted seeds, as well as to maintain the optimum temperature. With the appearance of the first leaves, the shoots are left in the open air for several minutes. When the number of leaves reaches two or three, the seedlings can be transplanted to a suitable location.
Growing chlorophytum at home, it is difficult to learn everything about indoor plants, because the flower is very unpretentious and does not require extensive knowledge in crop production. It will simply delight owners with its beautiful green leaves and cute white flowers.
