Absolutely all, without exception, representatives of the fern family are distinguished by unusual, sophisticated beauty. But the most elegant and delicate of them is the adiantum (hair venere).
It is no coincidence that this very fragile plant is compared with the beautiful hair of the goddess of love. Its green, tender and very lush foliage, which rests on elastic and thin petioles, beautifully sways with even a slight movement of air.
After reading the article, it will be possible to find out more detailed information about the plant of hair veneres: home care, especially growing.
General information
Caring for an adiantum plant requires the same patience and diligence as hair care. In the process of growing in the home, it is nourished, moisturized, sheared and washed.
It should be noted that this type of fern, in comparison with other indoor plants, has an important advantage - when grown in a house, it does not need a lot of light. The flower feels great both in partial shade and in the shade. Proper care of this plant will allow for many years to enjoy the patterned and succulent greens that adorn even the dark corners of the house. There are many beautiful indoor plants. Venus of hair is the most delicate and elegant among them.
Its name comes from the Greek a diant, which means "do not wet." This is due to the fact that the surface of the leaves of the plant seems to be covered with a film - water does not linger on them, it immediately drains.
A bit of history
More than 200 years ago, a flower of venereal hair (photo presented in the article) settled in a personβs home. The florists immediately appreciated the grace of openwork leaves (their name is vayi). In those days, this gentle and sensitive to air quality plant could not adapt in simple huts with stove heating. Adiantum and other species of ferns were grown only in conservatories and greenhouses of wealthy families.
Central heating improved the quality of the atmosphere in the apartments, so these flowers began to decorate the premises of various houses. However, there were some problems: the dry air of apartments with central heating negatively affected fern health. Today, there are many ways to create the humidity necessary for a plant, so a wonderful adiantum is bred at home without much hassle.
Places of growth
The flower of the venus of hair is the brightest representative of a large and beautiful family of ferns. Its habitats in the wild are the lower tiers of mountain forests (tropical and subtropical). However, today the adiantum has adapted to a mild, temperate climate. It also transfers light frosts, but in severe colds its aboveground part dies.
The plant grows in Crimea, in the North Caucasus, in Central Asia, in the Mediterranean, in Europe, in the mountains of Africa and in America. Adiantum prefers mountainous areas, wet and shady places. It can grow on rocky soil. It settles at waterfalls, on river banks and in crevices of rocks.
A favorite place is limestone soil near a source of moisture.
Varieties
In total, there are approximately 2,000 ferns in nature. Adiantum is recognized as the most refined. Some varieties were loved by flower growers for the original foliage. But the most popular among them is the adiantum Venus hair (detailed description below).
- Adiantum is a large-leaved native of America. It has pointed leaves (length - 30-50 cm) with an unusual color. Young plants are colored reddish pink, but turn green over time.
- Adiantum foot-shaped (pedatum) is the most cold-resistant fern. On flexible petioles of dark color (length - about 60 cm), small leaves are located with an umbrella, dissected on one side.
- Shallow adiantum (hispidulum) grows in the highlands of India, Africa and Australia. Small diamond-shaped leaves, pubescent at the edges, are located on brown petioles (length - 35 cm).
- Adiantum tender (tenerum) - a very ornamental plant. It is found in the tropics of America and the Antilles. On petioles of black color (length - 30 cm) there are delicate cirrus leaves.
- Adiantum kidney-shaped (reniforme) is the most unusual variety in the family. On long flexible petioles it is semicircular, similar in shape to a horseshoe leaf. The variety is widespread in the wild in the Canaries.
Description of the Adiantum
Venus of hair (see photo in the article) is a perennial herbaceous fern with a thin and curved rhizome, externally covered with scales of brownish-black color. The leaves have a regular and opposite arrangement. Petioles (length - 25 cm) are shiny, dark, covered with scales at the base.
The leaves are small, green, can be shaded gray. The plates are quite wide, smooth, dissected. There are trapezoidal, wedge-shaped and obovate forms located on the petiole in the form of a fan.
Among the adiantums there are species cultivated in the open ground. For example, the aforementioned stop-shaped. Mostly venereal hair is grown in rooms. However, in fairness, it should be said that varieties such as the adiantum Ruddy, transparent and delicate, are also good for growing in the house.
Growing conditions
A representative of this species grows well in partial shade, therefore, the most successful place for it is the north or east side of the room (a place in the back of the room or window sill).
- The plant does not tolerate completely enclosed spaces, as it always needs fresh air.
- He does not like drafts. With them, the flower may die.
- Do not allow dust to accumulate in the room. Regularly clean with a damp cloth and ventilate the area more often.
In addition, the content of any harmful substances in the air is detrimental to this flower. For example, it does not even tolerate tobacco smoke, and also it is adversely affected by the place of growth in the kitchen. The optimum room temperature for the adiantum is not more than +22 degrees Celsius in the summer and not lower than +15 - in the winter.
Soil requirements
The root of the plant has a superficial location, so you can use a wide and shallow pot for growing. The drainage layer should be thick enough. Ready soil for ferns can be purchased at the store, only you need to add a bit of chopped sphagnum moss and charcoal to it. The soil for the home flower of venereal hair is nutritious, slightly acidic and porous. It should dry quickly and absorb water well.
The approximate composition of the substrates:
- They are added to 2 parts of peat land, one part of humus and leaf soil, as well as 1/2 part of sand.
- Mix the sheet land and peat (3 parts each), 2 parts of the turf land, humus and sand (1 part each);
- Leafy soil (3 parts) is mixed with peat soil (2 parts), with humus and coarse sand (one part each);
- Equal proportions of peat, sand of large and soddy earth are mixed;
- Pine bark, coconut fibers, leafy earth and humus mix in equal parts.
Care
Venus hair, like other varieties, requires some care.
- The plant does not tolerate any movement very well, so the pot should always stand in one place.
- To improve the condition of the plant in the summer, it must be actively (daily) sprayed with warm water.
- In winter, the plant does not need water procedures, as they can have a detrimental effect on its development.
- In the spring-summer period, it is advisable to carry out a scheduled top dressing with liquid fertilizers (reduce the concentration specified in the instructions by 2 times). This should be done no more than 1 time in 3 weeks. In winter, top dressing is not needed.
Venus of hair is a flower, the care of which includes pruning of affected and yellowed leaves. This must be done in the spring - to give the plant neatness. Also, this process stimulates the appearance of new, young leaves. After removing the old greenery, the plant should be well watered and sprayed.
Watering
The main rule of watering is moderation and regularity. The plant negatively relates to both waterlogging and overdrying. Therefore, it should be watered a little and often. In the spring-summer period - three times a week, in the fall - less often, and in the winter - once every 7-10 days. It should be ensured that the topsoil dries between irrigations.
It should be remembered that chlorine water does not tolerate venereal hair. It is best to use distant and filtered.
Rest period
The time of rest in the adiantum, as in all varieties of ferns, is not expressed as strongly as in other flowering plants. The period of his rest is from November to March, when growth is only slowing down. No special events are required at this time. You just need to remove the pot from heating appliances, provide high humidity and ambient light, and also protect from drafts.
Watering should also be reduced (higher in the article more detailed information about this).
Interesting Facts
There is mention of this flower in the writings of Pliny the Elder (ancient Roman writer). It says that the healers of those times, noting the similarity of the foliage of the plant with curls, began to recommend it as a remedy for hair.
In the Caucasus, even today, some peoples rinse their hair with infusions of the venereal hair plant. They believe that thanks to him, the hair shines. A decoction of the leaves of this flower in China is used in the treatment of tobacco and alcohol addiction.
The adiantum itself, as noted above, does not tolerate tobacco or any other smoke.
Legends
There are several legends about the origin of the plant. One of them says that at a place where a young beautiful girl fell from a cliff, a waterfall broke through. Her hair turned into a fern.
According to another legend, the goddess of love Venus, cutting off her hair, dropped a small strand from which the adiantum grew. Hence its name.
There are many different beliefs about the flowering of ferns. Our ancestors believed that fern blooms magically: on the eve of the summer solstice (the feast of Ivan Kupala) a fiery flower sprouts, so bright that it is impossible to even look at it. And it blooms only a few seconds. Then the fiery flower breaks with an invisible force. But the person who plucked it earlier can gain power over everything. Ancestors could not understand how this plant reproduces. Therefore, similar legends about a fern with mysterious power were born then.
However, science was able to debunk the secrets of fern. Absolutely all adiantums never bloom. Nature for them provided a mechanism for reproduction by spores. They are formed at this plant from spring to autumn (along the edge of leaflets or at their tips, in soruses). They acquire a brownish color as they mature. Spores are very small, similar to dust.
Finally
By creating the most suitable conditions for the venereal hair plant, indulging all its whims and habits, you can get wonderful emerald green patterned wai.
Such a plant will decorate any corner of the house. It is even surprising that such a delicate flower is content even with partial shade in the interior of the room. The adiantum looks great both on the windowsill, and in the hanging planter, and on the stand.