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grows in tropical areas of Asia, south-east, Aglaonema - is an evergreen plant, at the same time and very unpretentious, and attractive. The species discovered and described at the end of the last century were exported to Europe, where aglaonema plants were successfully grown in greenhouse conditions.
By this time, Europeans were domesticated by a variety of different exotic plants, striking the imagination with bright flowering or an unusual appearance. The richness of the tropical flora invariably aroused the interest of botanists and gardeners, but what attracted them to aglaonema?
Aglaonema plant: description of room culture
If you read the dry description of the culture in the directory, it may seem that the plant is nothing remarkable. Aglaonema has erect or lodging stems. When the aglaonema plant is young, the stem is almost imperceptible, then it lengthens, and the leaves on small petioles remain only on its top. Depending on the type and variety, the sheet plates can be variegated, edged or evenly colored. The oval, heart-shaped or pointed leaves are rather dense, with a glossy upper side and a depressed central vein.
If the striking inflorescence of anthurium caused this plant to appear in the collections of indoor crop lovers, it is sometimes difficult to notice the flowering of aglaonema. On the apex or in the sinuses, flower stalks also develop, topped with medium-sized inflorescences with a white or cream cob and a light or greenish veil.
After the flowering of the aglaonema, small, juicy orange or scarlet berries containing cream or brownish, oval seeds are formed at the place of the cob.
In nature, aglaonema multiplication occurs through root processes or seeds, and at home, vegetative methods of obtaining new specimens are more often used.
Even at home, aglaonema often and willingly blooms, which distinguishes this culture from its close related species, Dieffenbachia. It is this plant aglaonema resembles the most. But this impression is deceptive and develops only with a superficial acquaintance with the culture.
The main advantage of culture is bright, combining all shades from dense green to carmine foliage. It makes the aglaonema plant a bright decoration of any window sill all year round, and maintaining its visual appeal does not require special knowledge and effort.
Conditions for the plant aglaonema
Aglaonema, as a resident of the tropics, prefers to stay in a warm room. If in summer the air temperature can vary from 21 to 26 ° C, then in winter, when growth slows down a bit, the plant is maintained at 18–20 ° C.
It is important that the air does not cool below 12–15 ° C at any time of the year, since such temperatures can adversely affect the condition of the plant.
Especially dangerous:
- drafts and cold flow from windows or balconies;
- hot dry air from heating devices.
Aglaonema's love for heat excites and breeders. Therefore, in obtaining modern varieties and hybrids, special attention is paid to the ability of the plant to tolerate lower temperatures. An example of such a variety is the Silver Queen - Aglaonema plants with silver-green foliage, which deserved an award from the Royal Horticultural Society for decoration and endurance.
Both in winter and in summer, aglaoneme requires a long light day, at least 11–15 hours. By causing the green pet to grow when there is a lack of light, it is possible to cause its excessive stretching, while:
- interstices are lengthened;
- foliage shrinks and loses decorative;
- aglaonema plants absorb moisture and mineral supplements more slowly.
Although aglaonems are shade-tolerant, diffuse light is extremely important for variegated plants, maintaining the brightness and color quality of their leaves. In the summer, during the midday hours, pots with aglaonemes are shaded, protected from direct rays, and in the winter, if necessary, provide artificial lighting.
Watering plants varies depending on the season, air temperature and the state of the plant. In warm weather, it is necessary to moisten the soil more abundantly than in winter or in late autumn. If the room is cool, the amount of water is also reduced. It should not be guided by the common, but erroneous opinion about the unconditional love of moisture for all people from the tropics. Aglaonema will more easily tolerate dry soil than its permanent waterlogging.
For irrigation, it is necessary to take only separated warm water. A substrate in a pot with aglaonema between irrigations must be allowed to dry to a depth of 2–4 cm. Aglaonema is good at irrigating with water and washing the foliage with warm water. This procedure helps:
- to restore the attractiveness of the foliage, removing dust from it;
- protect the plant from insect pests;
- ensure aglaonema respiration;
- increase air humidity.
Do not forget that during the growing season, aglaonema requires regular fertilizing. They are carried out from early spring to October, using formulations for decorative leafy crops.
Aglaonema transplantation
A specific feature of the aglaonema plant is that young specimens grow rather quickly, and then growth slows down. Therefore, at first, the florist will have to replant the aglaonema annually. And an adult copy is usually transferred into a larger pot no more than two or three years later.
The procedure is best carried out in early spring, carefully transferring the plant along with the soil to a new pot. In parallel with the transplant of an adult plant, a bush division is often carried out - one of the most popular and simple ways of reproduction of aglaonema.
Of all the aroid aglaonema, probably, is one of the most undemanding cultures. In this case, there are no special requirements for the soil for aglaonema transplantation. The main thing is that the substrate for filling the pot should be light, structured, easily let in air and moisture, but not retain excessive amounts of water.
If the density of the substrate is high, it will adversely affect the development of the root system, weaken it and possibly trigger the development of fungal or bacterial root rot.
For the soil for transplanting aglaonema take the mixture:
- 2 pieces of sod land;
- 1 pieces of humus;
- 1 part peat;
- 1 part perlite.
When you are unable to mix the components yourself, you can use ready-made substrates for orchids and ornamental crops. They are mixed in equal shares, adding a little crushed charcoal.
A pot for aglaonema, a plant with a shallow root system, the right choice is not too bulky. The larger the capacity for the plant, the longer the roots will braid the substrate lump, which will delay the development and flowering of the aglaonema.
When choosing a pot for aglaonema, the need to create a powerful drainage layer is necessarily taken into account, but a deep tank is not needed.
Reproduction of aglaonema
At home, young plants of aglaonema can be obtained by dividing an adult specimen using cuttings obtained from the stem, as well as seeds. Vegetative methods, as a rule, are less labor intensive and allow you to quickly acquire a viable independent plant.
In addition to the fact that as a result of such reproduction of aglaonema, the child copies completely inherit the parental traits, they are already adapted to the conditions created and are easier to tolerate acclimatization.
When growing aglaonema from seeds, there is a risk to see sprouts with foliage completely different from the parent one on its own sill.
Some species of a plant lose their compactness during 3-4 years of growth, become too long and require renewal. In this case, it is convenient to use the stem for grafting.
The cuttings are cut from a healthy plant so that there are a couple of nodes in the segment of the stem. Apical stem is also used for the reproduction of aglaonema. The entire planting material in sections is treated with crushed charcoal, then dried during a day and rooted in water or a substrate consisting of a mixture of equal shares of perlite and peat.
For the rapid formation of the root system and in order to avoid rotting of the planting material, the cuttings should be at a temperature of 22 to 26 ° C and constant humidity.
If all conditions for the reproduction of aglaonema are met, roots sufficient for planting will form in 20–30 days. It is possible to replant aglaonemu in a usual ground for adult plants, without forgetting about drainage and careful attitude to as yet weak roots.
When transplanting aglaonema, if the plant has grown extensively and has lateral processes, it can be divided into several independent deokes. In order not to harm the root system, the procedure is carried out, pre-well watering the soil. After removing the pot, the aglaonemu is cleaned from the remnants of the substrate, the roots are taken apart and the daughter layers are separated with a sharp knife.
It is important that all new plants have their own roots and growing points. Places of cuts are extremely necessary to powder with wood or activated carbon powder.
Arrange aglaonema in the same soil as during transplantation. Before planting, the soil is moistened, and at the time of acclimatization, the plants are provided with a stay in moist warm air. Rooting ends when new bright leaves appear on the bush.
From the seeds of aglaonema, ripening even on domestic plants, seedlings and young specimens can also be obtained. True, this method will require from the grower enviable patience and hard work.
Since all the aroid seeds quickly lose their germination, it is better to use fresh seed material from ripe red berries. Washed seeds are buried in moist sphagnum to a depth of 1–1.5 cm, where they should be at a temperature of 20–26 ° C.The decrease in temperature in this way of reproduction of aglaonema directly affects the quality and speed of germination. We should not forget about maintaining in a homemade greenhouse and high humidity.
If aglaonema seeds are fresh, sprouts can be expected in 20-25 days, otherwise the process stretches to 3 months. After forming a rosette with a diameter of 5–7 cm, the aglaoneme is dived several times, transferring from a smaller pot to a larger one, and using a substrate of peat, universal soil and perlite. Small pieces of steamed bark and charcoal can be introduced into the soil for transplanting aglaonema.
