Nowadays, creepers are quite common indoor plants. This climbing green has many species and belongs to various botanical genera. But all of them are united by one thing - a way of being.
General information
Many are used to the fact that the liana is an indoor flower, but it also has species that grow in the wild. They just need to take root and find support, so that their flexible shoots begin to develop rapidly. They can ascend to a height of 25 m or weave a real horizontal carpet from their lush greenery.
I must say that creepers get along well with other plants, such as conifers. In order to climb up or braid any surface, they use special devices such as antennae, suction cups, additional roots or trailers. Some creepers lack such attachment organs, so they form stems in such a way that they can wrap around a support. In addition, they are able to rely on it with lateral leaves or branches, as well as spikes, needles or thorns.
Types of Vines
These plants are so diverse that some can strike with their exotic flowers, while others are devoid of them, but they can please the eye with the widest gamut of leaf color. Now on the planet, there are more than 2 thousand species of vines that belong to different families.
Indoor creepers (photos are presented) are divided into three types: deciduous and evergreen, perennial and annual, ligneous and grassy. They are also classified by the method of attachment to surfaces. For example, some plants do this with suction cups, antennae, spikes, etc.
The most common "climbers" are chlorophytum, ivy, philodendron, bougainvillea. Indoor flowering vines, such as stefanotis, clerodendrum, passionflower, rhombic roicissus, bell-leaf, leafy ivy and others, with proper care, will delight you with their beauty for a long time.
Distribution area
In nature, such plants can be found in many corners of our planet. Among them there are even palm trees (rattan palm), ferns (Japanese ligodium) and cacti (large-flowered selenicereus). Such seasonings known to everyone as vanilla and pepper are a special way prepared fruits of the same vines.
33% of all rainforests are made up of these amazing plants. There are about 2 thousand species of the most exotic and original loaches. I must say that it was from tropical species that those plants that we know as indoor vines originated from (photo). The names of loaches, such as beans or grapes, are associated with tasty and healthy products. European forests, however, consist of only 2% of vines. In a temperate climate, approximately 200 species of this life form are found.
Many vines grow in the subtropical forests of the Caucasus, in the Mediterranean climate of the Crimean peninsula, and even in the Ussuri taiga of the Far East. Now lianas adorn apartments and household plots, numerous parks and squares. And how elegant they look in the gardens! Decorative creepers are used to decorate verandas and arbors, arches and pergolas, retaining and trellis walls, as well as fences and other unexpressive structures.
General recommendations
Before you start potted liana flowers at home, you must correctly determine their location. It is very important that the plants are not crowded, and all their leaves are free to breathe. In addition, you need to think about the supports and the space where the shoots will grow. Such “walks” are corrected by creepers using numerous devices that can be purchased at any flower shop. These are various lattices, coasters, wire structures, baskets, hanging planters, ropes, etc.
The native climate of vines is very warm and humid. Therefore, for their good growth, the temperature in the room should be approximately 20-25 ° C. It should also be well lit, as the variegated indoor liana in the shade loses its bright color. But at the same time, direct sunlight can harm the plant. Drafts and dry air act negatively on it. Periodic loosening of the earth in a pot will contribute to the rapid growth of the vine. This should be done to a depth of not more than 1.5 cm and closer to the walls of the flowerpot so as not to damage the root system.
Plant transplant
Most often, flowers are sold in temporary pots in stores. Therefore, if an indoor liana is bought in such a capacity, then it must be transplanted within one to two weeks. At the same time, the plant is transshipped directly with a lump of earth, so as not to injure its roots. This must be done with extreme caution, as long shoots can be broken.
The soil for vines should be light but fertile, with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. For this purpose, a mixture of sheet, turf and humus soil is perfect. You can also use a ready-made mixture, such as Cactus Plus, Begonia or Saintpaulia.
Features
These indoor flowers are considered unpretentious plants, but still each species has its own preferences. For example, climbing philodendron loves bright lighting, but does not tolerate the sunlight falling on it. If the room is dark, its leaves are very elongated. This plant cannot be exposed to the open balcony even in summer, as it is afraid of drafts.
Indoor chlorophytum crested liana requires transplants. The fact is that its roots are rapidly growing and begin to abut against the walls of the pot. Sometimes at the chlorophytum, the tips of the leaves dry out, which indicates a lack of mineral fertilizers in the soil. In addition, this may mean a lack of space for its rapidly growing roots.
Perhaps the most unpretentious of all is ivy. This indoor liana, the care of which is quite simple and boils down to the fact that its too sprightly growing stems have to be constantly trimmed. To give the plant the desired shape, you can use flower grids or special bamboo sticks. When using these devices, care must be taken not to damage its root system.
Lighting
As mentioned earlier, variegated indoor vines (photo), whose names are ceropegia, cissus, scindapsus or syngonium, like light, but many of these plants prefer either partial shade or slight shading. When direct sunlight hits the leaves, burns form on them, from which brown spots appear.
In order for the plant to be proportional and to receive sufficient illumination from all sides, it needs to be turned from time to time, otherwise it will always remain crooked. If flowers need to decorate a dark room, then indoor vines are suitable for this, the names of which are roicissus, monstera or cissus Antarctic.
Temperature, ventilation, humidification and watering
All of the above parameters are somehow interconnected. Ideal conditions for vines are regular ventilation, humid air, moderate watering and a comfortable temperature.
The room where the plant is located should not be too dry. If the heating system in the apartment overheats the air, it will begin to hurt and wither before our eyes. It should be remembered that vines like fresh air, but also do not forget about their fear of drafts. The best option would be to place flowers against the wall - so they will not blow.
As for the temperature regime, the indoor plant liana will feel comfortable in winter at +16 ⁰. If the room is cooler, then you will have to turn on the heater, but putting it next to the flower is not recommended. In the warm season, the air temperature should not be higher than 20-23 ⁰. When the summer heat comes, the plant is sprayed with cool water, and in winter - warm.
Over time, a dust coating forms on the leaves, which is rather difficult to remove. In fact, this problem can be solved very simply - it is enough to arrange a shower of plants once a month. Otherwise, spider mites can settle on it. The water in the shower should be barely warm, and the pressure of the water should not be made too strong so as not to break the shoots and leaves.
Indoor liana flowers are recommended to be watered either in the morning or in the evening and only if the topsoil dries out. Spray plants in the same mode. In extreme heat, this procedure can be done 2 times a day. In this case, you can not use cold water, as the root of the loach will fall ill and begin to rot. Too wet a plant should not be too. Under thick foliage in the ground, the water lingers longer.
Pruning and feeding
Lianas, which have magnificent forms, need to periodically cut off the top above the eye. Most often this is done in the spring, thus getting rid of a third or half of the crown. After this procedure, the places of the slices are sprinkled with charcoal powder.
Top dressing is necessary during the period of active growth of loaches. It is carried out 1 time in 2 weeks in the evening, fertilizing the soil with a composition containing potassium and nitrogen. It is not recommended to feed recently transplanted or weakened plants, they need to be given the opportunity to get a little stronger. When applying fertilizers, it is necessary to ensure that they in no case fall on the leaves, as this is fraught with the appearance of burns.
Formation
Liana is an indoor flower, so it should serve as an interior decoration. The main thing here is not to miss the moment and give the growing loach the desired direction, as well as form its exterior. To do this, you need to purchase or make yourself a wall or pot support. Of course, a plant can also form itself by climbing up a wall or a stand, but it will be better if the owner takes up its formation. Those branches that need to be opened are nipped in the region of the apical shoot. After this, the lateral processes begin to break through the plant.
In order to get a long main lash, it is constantly wrapped around the installed support in the right direction and carefully fixed. A room creeper, such as passionflower, creeps on its own, using an antennae. You can control the direction of her progress by removing the extra mustache.
Reproduction and rejuvenation
Many types of indoor blinds, growing up, begin to drop the lower leaves, and most often this happens after the winter. As a result, there remains one naked whip with a small bunch of greenery at the end. In this case, the vine should be rejuvenated. They do it this way: they cut the apical stem along with the leaves and root it, and the old plant is cut almost half so that it begins to branch stronger. After that, the damaged areas are treated with a weak solution of manganese. The cut apical stalk is put into the water, and it quickly takes root. Indoor vines, such as ivy, have aerial roots, so you can immediately plant them in the ground.
Loaches reproduce not only vegetatively, but also by seeds. For example, passionflower. But this breeding option is not suitable for all plants. Sometimes lianas are planted in a way like dividing a bush.