Today, in almost every apartment or house you can see indoor flowers. To make them happy with their beauty, proper care is always necessary for them.
Alocasia is an amazing flower. Almost every modern housewife dreams of such a house plant. It belongs to the category of tropical crops and belongs to rather rare specimens. What is alocasia? Home care can be difficult. Consider them in more detail in this review.
Basic flower information
Alocasia belongs to the Aroid family. This plant has more than 50 varieties, so you can easily choose the most suitable option for your home. They differ among themselves in shape, color of leaves and size. The flower has dense thyroid leaves with pointed tips and pronounced veins. This culture is also characterized by long dense petioles.
As for the growing conditions, it is worth noting that in nature alocasia is found in the tropics. In addition, this culture is somewhat poisonous. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude the ingress of plant juice on the skin and mucous membranes. The flower pot must be kept out of the reach of children and animals.
Why does alocasia "cry"?
Many gardeners are interested in why small droplets appear on the plant. It's all about excessive soil moisture. For this reason, moisture may come out on the leaves. Thanks to this, the plant is considered a good predictor of weather. Drops appear on the leaves of alocasia before rain.
The flower is a tuberous exotic plant. In indoor conditions, it is quite possible to grow several types of alocasia.
Growing conditions
Many gardeners today are interested in how alocasia should grow. Home care, photos of healthy “pets” in a pot, recommendations from experienced gardeners are just some of the popular questions. This culture is a rare deciduous ornamental plant, characterized by a rather original flowering. He likes warmth, so if you decide to grow alocasia at home, then be sure to consider this factor. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the level of humidity.
Varieties
Alocasia is a unique plant. In nature, there are several varieties of it. Each of them has its own distinctive features and features.
Consider the most popular types of alocasia:
- Polly. A hybrid variety with a short rhizome. The flower reaches a height of 70 cm. The leaf has a pronounced metallic coating. In length, they can reach 20 cm. Compared with other types of alocasia, this variety blooms quite often.
- Sander. This is a pretty pretty hybrid. The culture can reach a height of 80 centimeters. The leaves of the plant are quite picturesque, the stems are massive and thick. Alocasia gives bright red fruits.
- Copper red. This variety is characterized by interesting coloring. The flower below is purple, and copper-green above. This variety at home should be looked after with extreme caution, since it is quite toxic.
There are still a large number of varieties of alocasia, which are able to diversify any interior.
How to care?
Many gardeners today are interested in indoor alocasia. Home care is simple enough. You just need to create favorable conditions for growing. One of the most important parameters is the temperature regime. In winter, the flower should be kept at 18-20 degrees, and in the summer at 22-26. It is necessary to ensure that the flower does not stand in the draft. As for humidity, here alocasia is quite demanding. In winter, it can not be sprayed. In the summer, the culture requires frequent watering. Also, it is recommended to wipe the flower regularly with a damp cloth. Florists are advised to install the container with the plant on wet pebbles so that it does not touch the water.
Lighting requirements
Many gardeners are interested in how large-root alocasia should grow. Home care provides for good lighting. This is a general rule for all tropical flowers: the brighter the leaves, the more light should be. In this case, the culture must be well protected from the sun. If the foliage of alocasia has a uniform color, then the flower is quite capable of surviving in low light. This culture can be attributed to unpretentious. This greatly simplifies the process of caring for the plant at home.
How to transplant alocasia?
What else is needed for proper alocasia flower growing? Home care involves a transplant process. Nutrient soil should be used for this purpose. To ensure the optimum level of humidity and high-quality air circulation, it is necessary to examine the soil with a slightly acid reaction. Alocasia is usually transplanted annually in the spring. After the acquisition, the flower must be placed in fertile soil. You can cook it yourself or purchase it at a flower shop.
Alocasia primer
What should be included in the soil for plant transplantation? Peat, coniferous and leafy land, as well as sand, are best suited. You can also use greenhouse or garden soil and sand. If the plant is large in size, then the transplant is carried out by transshipment. An important factor is also the size of the pot. It should be several centimeters larger than the previous one. Alocasia is more suitable for tall pots. At the bottom, lay out drainage in the form of granite pebbles or broken bricks. Alocasia transplant is a mandatory procedure. Only in case of its implementation you can provide high-quality care for growing at home.
Today, many want Poloc's alocasia to grow in their home. Home care, a photo of this wonderful flower is what interests inveterate gardeners. Everyone can grow it in their apartment, because it does not require any special conditions. It is enough to adhere to certain rules of cultivation.
Watering
What moisture value does alocasia require? Home care provides for timely plentiful watering. Especially the crop needs moisture in the summer. At this time, in no case should the soil be allowed to dry out. It is best to water the plant with soft, settled water. The liquid in the pan should not stagnate; it should be drained after each watering. In summer, it is important to ensure that in the pot with alocasia there is constantly moist soil.
In the cold season, the plant should be watered sparingly. This procedure must be carried out with extreme caution. When there is an excess of moisture in the root system, decay may occur.
Top dressing
How does alocasia flower grow? Home care, photos of plants, breeding conditions - all this information is basic for experienced gardeners. In order for alocasia to grow well, in the warm season it is necessary to feed it. The procedure is performed every 2-3 weeks. For top dressing, you can use complex mineral fertilizers. They are sold at specialized points of sale.
Flowering alocasia
And so, what you need to know about this process? How does the alocasia indoor flower bloom? Home care ensures the appearance of the bud only after seven years. If falling leaves are present on it, then the peduncle will appear completely along with the leaf. Petiole, as a rule, does not exceed the peduncle in length. Beautiful buds appear only if the plant was properly looked after. Alocasia spends a lot of energy on flowering, so after that it can lose its decorative qualities. In addition, leaf fall may occur during this period. The plant is restored for a rather long time.
How to return a flower to decorative qualities? For this, the plant needs special care. As the crop blooms, the pot can be set in a cool place. To ensure the subsequent emergence of buds, experts recommend creating a special showcase with imitation of a tropical climate. To stimulate flowering in the winter, the plant should be dried for a while.
Plant pests and diseases
Why do leaves of alocasia turn yellow? Home care should be appropriate to avoid this. Therefore, before you buy this plant, you need to study all the nuances of its content. Due to improper care, the flower can die under the influence of various unpleasant diseases or pests. Alocasia should be treated with maximum attention. At the first appearance of the symptoms of the disease, you must immediately provide the flower with the correct treatment, otherwise the outcome can be disastrous.
The main ailments and pests of the culture in question:
- Stem and root rot. This disease is the most common. It occurs when infected with viruses or bacteria. In this case, the flower is first treated with antifungal drugs.
- Fusarium and late blight. The disease in question is easily identified by white spots on the leaves. After a certain time, spots may spread. In case of untimely treatment of the disease, softening and tissue death can occur. The flower must be treated with fungicides.
- Anthracnose. It is characterized by the appearance of brown spots on the foliage surrounded by yellowing. In case of untimely treatment of the disease, the spots expand. Fungicides should also be used to combat the disease.
- Powdery Mildew As a result of the appearance of this ailment, black and yellow spots appear on the leaves. In order to overcome the disease, it is necessary to provide the culture with quality care with treatment with appropriate drugs.
As for pests, aphids and spider mites most often appear on alocasia. The plant can also be affected by a mealybug and scale insects. To get rid of these pests, you will need a soap solution. With its help, it is necessary to process the leaves of the culture. If the flower is severely affected, it is necessary to use actellik.
It is worth noting that there is only one reason why pests and diseases affect indoor flower alocasia. Home care was not carried out properly. When the first signs appear, treatment should be carried out.
How does alocasia flower propagate?
There are two main ways in which you can breed an exotic specimen: this is the division and use of seeds. The second method involves planting in moist soil. Experts consider it not reliable enough, since not all seeds are capable of giving good shoots. For planting, light soil consisting of peat and leaf soil should be used. To provide the necessary level of humidity, the pot is covered with a film. Seeds will sprout well if the room is warm - from +22 to +24 degrees. The plant also needs regular spraying. When the first shoots appear, it is necessary to dive the plants and transplant them into a large container.
Many gardeners today are interested in how alocasia grows, home care and reproduction by division. To do this, use stem cuttings, tubers or offspring. Experienced flower growers for the propagation of alocasia use the method of dividing the bush. Before planting, the cut sites are treated with charcoal. The soil must be nutritious. Experts also recommend covering the cuttings with a film.
Instead of a conclusion
Alocasia is a fairly rare plant. It has an attractive appearance. In order for alocasia to grow well and delight you with its flowering, it needs to provide proper care. The main beauty of this plant is associated with unusual leaves that are covered with patterns. There are several types of culture, each of which is distinguished by its unique appearance. For example, Polly's alocasia, which is easy to care for at home, has an interesting geometric pattern on the leaves.
The natural habitat of alocasia is subtropics and tropics. It grows in wetlands and among rocks. To ensure good growth of the flower of alocasia, home care should be close to the conditions of natural growth. The main thing is to remember that the plant does not tolerate frost. It is better to minimize temperature fluctuations to a minimum.
Alocasia does not withstand drafts. Incorrect watering will also negatively affect the condition of the flower. Care depends on the time of year, which must be taken into account.