Philodendrons are home plants that are undemanding to lighting. Among them there are varieties that grow beautifully even in a dark room. Such is the blushing philodendron liana, the color of which does not fade even in the absence of the sun.
Name and its origin
Philadendron erubescens (lat.) Got its name due to the red color of leaves, stems and petioles. With the development and growth of the plant, the foliage acquires green hues, and the petioles still remain red.
According to the classification, philodendron belongs to the perennial evergreens of the Aroid family, which naturally grow in the tropical forests of Brazil, Colombia and Costa Rica, as well as Australia. This family has about 900 species (data from researchers at the Missouri Botanical Garden).
This species was first described in 1854. The literal translation of the name means “loving trees”, which characterizes the habit of this plant clinging with its flexible wriggling stalk to the trunks of trees in order to make its way up to the sunlight.
Botanical Description
As can be seen in the photo, the reddening philodendron grows with an elongated high shoot that can bend, occasionally lateral processes can appear on it. Leaf plates of linear shape up to 30 cm long (with a width of up to 25 cm), at the base are like a heart, and the tip is sharp and elongated. The surface is shiny and bright green, with a reddish tint on the back of the sheet.
The height of the shoots can reach 1.8 m, its base is usually lignified, turning into a strong trunk, standing upright.
One of the interesting features of philodehedrons is the formation of aerial roots, which are necessary for the plant to survive in the middle of the rainforest, near the trunk in the nodes of the stems. With the help of such roots, a liana wraps itself around branches and gradually rises to the light.
Philodendron Blushing: Home Care
The plant belongs to the unpretentious species that lovers of home flowers can grow without much effort. To create comfortable conditions for the philodendron, it is necessary to follow the basic rules for caring for tropical species:
- indoor air temperature + 23 ... + 28 ° (in spring and summer), in the winter months - at least +15 ° ;
- increased air humidity, which provides for regular spraying of leaves from the spray gun and wiping them with a moistened cloth, as well as the installation of a special tray with wet pebbles;
- it is not recommended to place a pot with a plant near heaters or heating systems, and the philodendron does not like drafts very much;
- watering is moderate, that is, the soil should always be slightly moist and dry to 1/3 of the height of the pot; in the winter months, the frequency of irrigation is reduced;
- philodendron does not like stagnation of water after heavy watering, because of which the access of oxygen to the roots is blocked, the leaves begin to turn yellow, the roots become rot, therefore, overflow or drying out of the soil should be avoided;
- the lighting should be good, but the plant needs to be protected from direct sunlight (a wide windowsill with windows facing the east or west side is ideal).
Selection of soil for planting
When choosing the soil for the reddening philodendron flower, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules:
- the soil should be porous, heavy clay mixed clay will interfere with the respiration of the root system;
- the soil can be prepared independently: to the mixture for orchids (it includes: peat, wood bark and coal, sphagnum moss) add peat, sand and leaf humus - these components keep moisture well and allow the roots to breathe;
- there is a ready-made primer for philodendrons on sale, which contains all the necessary components.
When planting in a pot, its optimal size is selected, which corresponds to the age of the plant: for young ones, it is smaller, then its volume should be increased as it grows.
Fertilizer application
In order for the reddening philodendron to develop well at home, it must be fed in a timely manner. Most of all, young plants need this, in which a period of active growth begins. As a fertilizer in nature, there is rotted tree foliage, rotting roots and other organic components.
In an apartment, for feeding, it is recommended to use organic, mineral and complex types of fertilizers. It is especially important to fertilize the philodendron reddish or reddening from March to September: in such months, feeding is best done every 2 weeks. In the cold winter months, the flower is fertilized once every 4 weeks, and in a cool room you can do without it.
Top dressing should be carried out after moistening the earth, otherwise the plant will suffer from a sharp increase in the concentration of salts in the soil.
In the absence of top dressing, the philodendron lacks the necessary nutrients, which is reflected in its appearance: the leaf plates become smaller and turn yellow, their tips begin to turn brown. Gradually, the leaves begin to look lethargic and lifeless.
Transplantation of young and adult plants
The reddening filodendron is transplanted in the following cases:
- with normal development and good growth, a flower transplant is done once every 1-2 years in a pot exceeding the previous one in size;
- adult plants should be replanted once every 4 years, however, updating the upper layer of the earth is recommended to be done often;
- when an emergency transplant is required (for illness, etc.).
You should know that in stores such flowers are sold in pots, completely unsuitable for their further cultivation. Therefore, a store philodendron must immediately be planted in a large container with good soil. The pot should be wide and of the required height, drainage holes must be drilled below. Before planting, pebbles or expanded clay are placed at the bottom of the container.
If all the rules of maintenance and care are met, the reddening philodendron can live at home for 20-30 years.
Breeding
In a house or apartment, the propagation of the blushing philodendron is carried out in a vegetative way, for which stem or apical cuttings are used. Material cutting is done in March-April, trying to capture 2-3 internodes. For rooting, it is recommended to use moist moss, where they cut the cuttings at an angle of 30-45 °, covering it with polyethylene on top. This will stabilize a high level of humidity, the temperature must be maintained at +25 ° C. Rooting usually lasts 7-30 days.
Another method involves rooting cuttings in a greenhouse, and then transplanting them into small pots with steady growth.
Another method of obtaining a new plant is to use a segment of the stem with aerial roots, where it needs to be wrapped with a film in which to put moist moss. Periodically, it is necessary to moisten the moss, waiting until a good root system is formed.
After root formation, the stem is trimmed to the bottom, and the plant is transplanted into a pot with prepared soil mix with moss.
Varieties and varieties
In specialized stores you can buy philodendron blushing several popular varieties:
- Burgundy - a flower (lat. P. erubescens Burgundy) is characterized by a slow development, prefers bright but scattered light, leaves, petioles and young shoots have a wine-red color, due to which the amount of chlorophyll in them is reduced;
- Red Emerald - a plant (lat. P. erubescens Red Emerald) has larger leaves compared to other species painted in red;
- Mandarin is an interspecific hybrid (lat. P. x mandaianum), similar in appearance to the above varieties, young leaves are colored red, but turn green with age;
- Jellyfish - a flower (P. erubescens Medusa) is demanding on lighting, grows quickly, has a characteristic yellowish color of leaves, and the stems and petioles are painted in shades of red.
Diseases and Pests
If proper home care is provided to the philodendron blushing at home, then the plant will be quite resistant to disease and will be able to safely tolerate the attack of pests such as thrips, spider mites or scale insects. Harmful insects usually settle on different sides of the leaves and begin to suck out the juice from them. Losing vitality, the flower will hurt and wither, and the leaves will gradually deform and fall off.
For treatment, the diseased plant must be quarantined - a separate room. Then remove the pests with a sponge dipped in soapy water, after which the leaves should be washed with clean warm water.
In case of severe damage, it is better to treat the flower with chemicals using "Karbofos" or "Actellik" (at the rate of 15-30 cap. Per liter of water). If the first procedure helps only partially, then the treatment should be repeated after 8-10 days.
To destroy and prevent sucking pests, dry mustard powder is used, from which infusion is prepared: 60 g of powder per 1 liter of water, put for 3 days in a closed container. Strain the finished infusion, dilute in 20 liters of water and spray the plant.
The appearance of rot on the roots or other parts of the plant is possible when bacteria multiply. Rotting of flower stems indicates a disease of stem rot, which can occur in the cold season from excess moisture and lower temperatures. Such conditions become ideal for the propagation of fungi. In this case, it is recommended to transplant the plant into a clean, disinfected pot with new soil, increase the temperature and reduce watering.
Possible problems with the flower and their solution
Although philodendron is blushing and refers to unpretentious plants, however, when grown at home, problems are possible that signal improper care. In such a situation, it is necessary to adjust the rules of its content, focusing on the appearance:
- the appearance of brown spots on the tips of the leaves and their falling off due to too dry air in the room, which can be corrected by increasing humidity;
- the formation of drops of water on the leaves is a signal of excessive humidity and the need to reduce it;
- with excessive lighting, the leaves begin to turn pale and lose color;
- with a lack of light - they become shallow and lethargic;
- the appearance of rot on the roots indicates a lower soil temperature, which can be corrected by increasing the temperature in the room;
- the appearance of dry brown-black spots indicates a burn from sunlight, then the flower must be moved to another place;
- yellowing of leaves indicates waterlogging and lack of nutrients;
- the lower leaves may fall as the plant grows, but you need to look at the condition of the upper leaves: a change in their color to brown shades indicates an elevated air temperature in the room, which often happens in winter, when heating radiators are located nearby.
Conclusion
Many amateur gardeners are wondering: “Is it possible to keep a red philodendron at home?” After all, the plant in nature grows in tropical forests, which means it lives in a warm and humid climate, which is very different from the temperate latitudes of Russia. However, subject to the rules of care and maintenance, such a flower feels great in apartments, delighting its owners with a bright color of leaves.