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video Today, many room flower growers pay attention to exotic plants. For decorating an apartment, the best options would be the types of stromants that are most suitable for indoor cultivation. Skillful selection of plants, compliance with the rules for their care will help to revitalize the interior with bright colors and greenery.
General Information
Stromant is a perennial ornamental plant of the genus Marant. The newcomer from the South American continent is distinguished by a spectacular and non-standard appearance. Beautiful, elegantly painted leaves look like stylish decorations or bright birds. There are about 15 different types of stromathans that grow predominantly in the wild. For decorative cultivation use only some of them.
The height of plants growing in the room does not exceed 100 cm. Due to the low location of the branched shoots, it seems that the bush consists only of leaves. They are the most important decorative part of the plant. The leaf has an oval-lantcent form and reaches a length of up to 35 cm. The green color of the plate can be of different saturation. Asymmetrical patches of pink, white, cream-colored, depending on the variety, are scattered across the leaf surface. Unusual and leaf texture, reminiscent of satin or velvet.
For all species, stromanthans are characterized by the ability to change the position of their leaves in the plane. Due to the peculiarities of the stem, they can unfold towards the sun. In this case, the bush is transformed, becoming instead of a motley-green emerald-maroon and takes on an unusually elegant look. Although the movements of the plant themselves are not noticeable, the amplitude of the leaves during the day is very clearly visible, which makes the flower resemble a living organism.
Explains the unusual behavior of the flower simply. The base of the sheet contains a pigment capable of controlling the position of the leaf plate depending on the degree of intensity of the sun's rays.
In the evening and morning hours, in order to get enough light for the photosynthesis process, the stromant turns the leaves on the surface toward the sun. In the noontime, when the sun is brighter, turns them with an edge to avoid burns and reduce moisture loss.
For such an interesting feature, representatives of the Marant people are also called "prayer plants."Leaves, rising vertically, resemble the hands of a person folding during a prayer.
In room conditions, flowering of stromanthas can be seen in rare cases. The long peduncle covers many small white flowers with bright red bracts. The room fills an unusual pleasant aroma.
This beauty has one drawback - at the end of flowering the leaves lose their attractiveness. The plant takes a long time to restore its former beauty.
Species and varieties of stromanths
Of the existing natural plant species in indoor breeding, only the pleasant stromanth and bloody stromanth, including several different varieties, have become common.
Stromancer pleasant
Decorative evergreen plant, from 15 to 30 cm tall. The leaves are oval in shape on long petioles. Their size is about 20 cm. The outer surface of the sheet has a peculiar coloring. The light green background is lined with emerald stripes alternating with lighter ones. They stretch from the middle vein in the form of a Christmas-tree pattern, which makes the leaves amazingly beautiful. Thanks to this ornament, the plant is easily recognizable among other types of stromals. The back side of the leaf blade is no less beautiful - a grayish-green color with a pink tint.
Those who want to grow in their apartment just a stromanthe pleasant( stromanthe amabilis) should be more careful when buying. Often, under this name, the plant of the ctenant is pleasant( ctenanthe amabilis), which is unrelated to stromanthans. Its height usually does not exceed 25 cm, the leaves are wide, oval in shape, with a bright outer surface and a silvery inner side.
Stromantus bloody
A plant called Stromanthe sanguinea is often found. The place of origin is Brazilian rainforests. The plant is much larger than other types of stromathans grown indoors. Leaves are in the shape of an ellipse with a slight taper at the top. With proper care, they grow up to 40 cm in length. The ornament on the surface of the sheet resembles the letter V. Its dark emerald color is so beautiful that it looks on a light green general background. From the back side the color of the leaf is no less beautiful - from light cherry to rich burgundy. This species includes several varieties that are very similar in leaf shape and differ only in colors and patterns:
- Stromantus Triostar. Another name is tricolor. Dark emerald colored leaves are decorated with pink, white, light green divorces. The reverse side is tinted color bordeaux.
- Stromanta Multicolor. The pattern on the top of the sheet represents numerous light spots, stripes on a dark green background.
- Stromanta Maroun. On bright greens the middle vein is clearly distinguished, having a lighter color. The plant can not boast of high ornamental, therefore, as a pot crop is grown less often than other varieties.
- Stromanta Horticolor. The leaves of this type of stromanths are colored with different stripes and spots - olive, yellow, various shades of green.
- Stromanta Stripe Star. The general background of the leaf blade is bright green. A light strip is clearly visible along the midrib. The bottom surface of the sheet has a rich burgundy color.
These are the most suitable types and varieties for indoor cultivation, which, despite the capricious nature of the plant, take root quite well in urban apartments. With proper care, the right location, the plant stromanth can be a decoration for any home.
