Many flower growers are attracted by this small plant with unusually colored delicate leaves. However, not everyone decides to have Fittonia in their home, fearing that an exotic guest will require too complicated care. Is it really? In part, this opinion is true, because under natural conditions, the culture grows in humid forests, where dry, fine days are very rare. That is why the main difficulty in growing Fittonia at home is to create the required level of humidity.
In the dry air of a city apartment, the plant feels uncomfortable and often dies. You will learn more about the features of this exotic flower, about growing it, about how Fittonia is cared for and propagated by reading this article.
Distribution
Fittonia is a genus of plants native to South America. It belongs to the acanthus family. Under natural conditions, the plant is found in the humid marshy forests of Peru, where it was first discovered, less often it can bemeet in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia.
The genus is not numerous - according to various sources, it has from 3 to 10 species of these herbaceous perennial plants. The plant was named after the Fitton sisters, Sarah Mary and Elizabeth. The ladies who lived in Victorian England co-authored the book Discourses on Botany. In those days, Fittonia was used to create living green carpets in winter gardens and greenhouses.
Description of the plant
The plant is undersized, almost all species are creeping. This feature of Fittonia allows it to be grown as a ground cover or ampelous crop. Flower growers appreciate Fittonia for the beautiful, decorative appearance of the leaves. They are located on graceful, thin and rather short shoots, so it seems that the growth creates a solid green carpet.
Leaves are paired, located opposite each other along the entire shoot. They are oval in shape, with a pointed tip, painted in light green or rich dark emerald color (depending on the type). A characteristic feature of this plant is the presence of a pattern on the leaf plates, consisting of stripes and spots of a contrasting color, located randomly between the veins.
Fittonia flowering at home is quite rare, and breeding hybrids do not bloom at all. But I would like to reassure those who have not seen the flowering of this plant: they lost a little. Small flowers are painted in a dull brown-yellow or grayish color. Inflorescences in the form of a spikelet or panicle are practically hidden by foliage. Experiencedflower growers recommend cutting the buds, preventing them from opening. Flowering takes too much energy from the plant.
Fittonia is not used as a medicinal plant. But the flowers are not poisonous. They can be safely placed in children's rooms. Adherents of the Feng Shui teaching consider this flower a symbol of the elements of metal. They believe that Fittonia defuses the tense atmosphere in the family, absorbing the negative energy that remains in the house after conflicts and scandals.
Home care
This beautiful flower is successfully grown in indoor floriculture. As we said, this plant comes from the tropics, so it needs quite a bit of care.
Culture needs diffused bright light, since direct sunlight can cause burns on the leaves, and the lack of light negatively affects the color of the foliage. In winter, the plant needs to lengthen daylight hours using special lamps.
Temperature conditions
Throughout the year, the indoor air temperature should be maintained in the region of +20 to +25 °C. Sudden temperature changes and drafts should not be allowed. Fittonia is not a plant that thrives outdoors in the summer - this crop can only be grown indoors.
Irrigation Rules
It is very important that the soil in the pot does not dry out, but moisture stagnation should not be allowed, as the soil will turn sour and the roots will rot. In summer, watering is carried out after the top layer has dried, and in winter, the flower is watered two to three days after the top of the soil has dried. For irrigation, only settled soft water is used, slightly above room temperature.
Humidity
Fittonia needs high humidity. This indicator should not be less than 75%. To fulfill this condition, you should spray the air around the plant twice a day every day. In addition, a container with a flower can be placed in a tray filled with raw pebbles. Foliage should not be sprayed, and there is no need to wipe the leaves, as is often done with other plants.
Fertilizer for Fittonia
Fittonia fertilizers are needed all year round. Complex mineral top dressing is applied to the soil, in summer - twice a month, in winter - once. But the rate indicated in the instructions for the drugs should be halved.
Do I need to repot a plant after buying it from a store?
Yes, such a procedure is necessary. Having become the owner of a small ornamental plant, the owner must be prepared for the fact that he will have more worries: transplanting, reproduction of Fittonia, creating suitable conditions for the development of the plant.
Fittonia care begins as soon as a small flower is in your home. The plant needs to find the most suitable place, but first of all it needs to be transplanted. After removing the flower from the store pot, gently shake off the roots, but do not completely expose them. When a plant has an open rootsystem, it is more difficult to take root.
Prepare a low and wide bowl (for example, a bonsai bowl), as the Fittonia roots are close to the surface. Such dishes, according to flower growers, are more suitable for this exotic plant than others. For hanging planting, as a rule, use pots. A soil mixture is poured onto a layer of expanded clay. It should be not just wet, but also warm - otherwise your exotic beauty may die.
Annual adult plant transplant
In the middle of spring every year, the flower should be replanted. At the same time, anti-aging pruning can be carried out, which stimulates the appearance of new shoots. The container for Fittonia should be shallow and wide. A drainage layer is laid out at the bottom. It can be expanded clay or small pebbles. This is followed by a layer of soil, which can be made independently in two ways.
Method 1
To prepare the soil mix you will need:
- Sand - 1 part.
- Coniferous land - 2 parts.
- Peat - 1 part.
- Sod land - 2 parts.
Method 2
In this case, one part of garden soil, pine bark, coconut soil, and also part of sand is taken. The reaction of the soil should be slightly acidic, neutral has a bad effect on the well-being of the flower, alkaline is unacceptable.
Fittonia: care and reproduction at home
Fittonia grows very quickly, and a year after planting, a luxurious bush flaunts in a pot. And alsoafter a year it starts to fall apart. The lower leaves on the branches dry and fall off, which does not decorate the plant. Undoubtedly, you can use shaping pruning. But young fittonia look much more spectacular than the old, even rejuvenated, bush. That is why reproduction of Fittonia at home is necessary. Not only the appearance of the flower, but also its he alth depends on this.
Propagation by cuttings
During pruning, collect cuttings, which should have at least three leaves, their length should not exceed seven centimeters. Planting material is rooted in the sand, covered with a glass jar on top, which will create the effect of a greenhouse. The temperature in it must be at least +25 °C. From time to time, the jar should be removed to spray and ventilate the cutting.
After a month it can be removed, and when the seedlings get stronger, they can be transplanted into the substrate for adult plants. Most flower growers believe that propagating Fittonia cuttings at home is the most reliable and easiest way.
Dividing the bush
A large bush can be divided during the annual plant transplant. This method of propagating Fittonia flowers is extremely simple. You can access it in the spring. The bush is separated by hands, as if breaking it into pieces. It is better to refuse to use a knife so as not to accidentally damage the plant. Despite the fact that the roots of Fittonia are thin and thick, they are quite easily separated. The separated parts are immediately planted in separate containers.
Because they already have a developed root system, they take root quickly and without loss. This isa simple and convenient method of propagation that even beginners in floriculture can handle.
Propagation by layering
If your bush has released long shoots, take advantage of this situation and make layering. Reproduction of Fittonia in this way is quite effective. To do this, remove the leaves from the central part of the branch and dig it in the same container. If there is not enough space in the pot, place an additional pot of light and nutritious soil nearby.
In the place of instillation, fix the stem with a regular paper clip. The top of the branch with leaves should remain above the soil surface. This will be the new bush. When the layering strengthens the roots, it is separated from the mother bush with a sharp knife.
Original ways of growing Fittonia. Aquarium
Planting a plant in a special aquarium, a glass jar and even in a bottle are spectacular and uncomplicated ways to grow this plant. In addition, they save the owner from constant concern for the necessary humidity. Choose a container with a tight lid. At the bottom, pour a suitable, abundantly watered substrate. Carefully plant the Fittonia and close the jar. The composition can be supplemented with colored pebbles, decorative figurines, moss. After the appearance of condensate, the lid is removed for one and a half to two hours. This will stop in a week as the microclimate returns to normal.
Paludarium
If you want to reproduce at home as close to naturalFittonia habitat, you will have to purchase a paludarium. This is a special aquarium that imitates a swamp. It comes with equipment that allows you to maintain the humidity and light necessary for the plant.
