Features and characteristics of large-root alokazahuge sizes. Not an exception and large-root alokaziya living in humid areas of Australia and Oceania, as well as in other regions of southern and southeast Asia. Features and characteristics of large-root alokaziya
In favorable conditions of wild plants reach a height of three meters or more, and for a huge size of foliage, even in the Guinness Book of Records, this variety of alokazii earned the nickname "elephant's ears."When grown indoors, a tropical plant cannot reach such dimensions, because its development is limited by the size of the pot and the enclosed space.
Therefore, a florist caring for large-root alokaziya at home may not be aware of all its features. However, some of the nuances should be alerted and cause reasonable questions. For example, the leaves used by local people as green umbrellas can themselves become a source of precipitation.
If the plant gets too much moisture, excess water pumped to the roots and stems is drained from the leaf plates through the stomata.
In the wild, this phenomenon often goes unnoticed. Another thing, if the culture is planted in the apartment. According to popular opinion, alokaziya in such a way can “predict” the weather. But botanists do not observe such an ability in a plant. But seeing a drop of water on a large-root alokaziya, the florist must conclude that watering is excessive and make adjustments to the care of the plant.
Another surprise presented by large root alokaziy is the appearance of large inflorescences. Like other representatives of aoid, from tiny, inconspicuous flowers, alokaziya forms an inflorescence-ear with a white or greenish bract. In appearance, the flower of alokaziya depicted in the photo resembles the inflorescences of spatiphillums and callas, but much larger than them.
After pollination, the perianth dies off, and rounded red fruits form in place of the flowers. They are not edible, but the thickened rhizomes, in fact, are underground stems, and succulent leaf petioles of the local peoples of Oceania and Melanesia are used in their daily ration after a long heat treatment.
If you try a raw stalk, a burning, astringent, due to the presence of calcium oxalate, the person clearly does not like it. But for domestic animals juicy green alokazii - this is a welcome food.
So, how do you take care of large-root alokaziya at home? What conditions are required for the inhabitants of the tropics? And is it true that the plant has a healing effect?
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Home care for Aloxia at home
If a large root Alokaziya appears in an apartment, its owner will not have to pay too much attention to the new tenant, but forget that the plant is from tropical areas. First of all, a comfortable atmosphere is important for alokazii, so the air in the room:
- should be heated to 22–28 ° C in summer;
- cannot be colder in winter than 18–20 ° C.
All alokazii, including the large-rooted variety, do not like drafts, so the plants are placed away from the balcony doors and transom. A resident of the rainforest, alokaziya feels best in partial shade. At the same time, young plants are sharper than adults and react to direct sunlight, and the lack of coverage in the winter months.
The variegated varieties that have become popular today need more light than plants with even green leaves.
If, however, the care of large-root alokaziya at home does not meet the needs of the culture, you will not be able to get beautiful contrast foliage. In the shade even the white areas gradually turn green.
Not less than air temperature, its humidity is also important. In nature, the plant is constantly in a warm, humid climate. Therefore, getting into the home environment of large-root alokaziya can seriously suffer from excessively dry air. In the summertime, especially on hot days, alokiya must be irrigated with warm, settled water. In winter, when spraying, one should be very careful, since carrying out such a procedure in cool air conditions is fraught with the development of fungal and putrid diseases.
It is much safer to wipe the leaf plates with a damp cloth, which will improve the appearance of the plant, as well as facilitate the process of its breathing. When taking care of home-grown alocasia at home, they do not use chemical agents that prevent dust from settling.
Alokaziya is moisture-loving and very demanding to watering. Extremely sharply plants react to a lack of moisture, irregular or meager irrigation. A large amount of green mass requires a lot of water and nutrients. And if alokaziya feels discomfort, the leaves wither and may even fall off. But even with excessive watering, especially in winter, it’s not worth waiting for the plant's well-being.
Drops of water on large-root alokaziya is a signal of a small overflow.
If the plant is poured systemically, the earth lump constantly retains a large amount of moisture, alokaziya reacts with yellow spots on the leaf plates, and then brown spots, loss of foliage and root decay.
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In summer, alokaziya is watered often and abundantly, making sure that the top layer of soil noticeably dries out between the irrigations.30–40 minutes after the soil is moistened, all excess water must be drained. On hot days, it is reasonable to put a pot with alokaziya in a pan filled with water, in which the clay or crushed stone is pre-poured. So, the roots of the plant will not be in contact with a wet environment, but the soil does not dry out. In winter, alokaziya is slightly limited in moisture, watering 2-3 times a week.
It is very important in winter to monitor the state of the foliage - an indicator of the health of this culture. Watering the plants is reduced as soon as water droplets become visible on large-root alokaziya. If the leaves are covered with spots, we can already talk about the disease of the plant or the presence of rot in its underground part.
To maintain a large plant, alokazia is necessarily fed. Fertilizer is best in the period from early spring to mid-autumn. The composition of fertilizers for tropical crops includes organic and mineral supplements. If desired, these components can be alternated.
The wrong composition of the soil mixture can be the reason for the slow development of alokaziya, wilting of foliage and decay of underground stems and roots.
For the native inhabitants of the tropics, a loose nutrient-rich soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction is necessary. In a pot intended for large-root alokaziya, a good drainage layer is required to equip the pot. And as the soil used a mixture of:
- 2 parts of humus;
- 1 part sand;
- 1 part peat;
- 2 pieces of garden land.
To preserve moisture, the soil surface can be mulched with small pebbles, sand, or wood chips.
Transplantation of plants is carried out in the spring, loading alokaziya together with a soil clod in a more spacious pot.
It is important to remember that planting a culture in a very spacious container, you can provoke the growth of alokaziya. And here it is necessary to take into account the possibility of placing in the room the grown plants.
Adult bushes require transplantation no more than in 3-4 years, and young alokazii can be transferred to a new container annually. The procedure is carried out in the spring, when plants are acclimatized faster and easier.
At home, large-root alocasia is propagated by vegetative means by dividing an adult plant, layering or cuttings. And in this case, spring is also the best time. In order for the sapling to take root and quickly acquire a good root system, it needs a temperature not lower than 20–22 ° C.Rooting alokaziya better in a light mixture of equal parts of peat and sand. When the layers give roots, they are transplanted into the ground for adult plants.
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Alokaziya is unpretentious and grows without any problems even with gardeners with little experience. If the care of large-root alokazia at home is insufficient, the plant is affected by both diseases and pests. Lush green attracts many dangerous insects. Most often, on large petioles and leaves one can find spider mites, mushroom mosquitoes, shieldworms, aphids and mealybugs.
When identifying pests can not hesitate. The plant is necessarily treated with insecticides, which are selected depending on the type of insect found. When alokaziya is affected by fungi, fungicides are used in the fight against them.
The owner of large-root alokazii, who cares for the plant at home, should be aware of the toxicity of his juice and not forget about safety measures. In houses where there are children and pets, alokaziya is placed outside the zone of their availability.
Medicinal properties of large-root alokaziya
Many gardeners, planting large-root alokaziya in the apartment, except for the appearance of the plant, are fascinated by the abundance of its medicinal properties. Indeed, at home - in the countries of Oceania, the south of Asia and other regions where today aloesia grows in nature, it is revered by folk medicine.
Burning and sometimes very caustic sap of the plant is used as a distracting, local irritant for diseases of the joints. On its basis, as well as shredded stems, ointments, decoctions and spirit infusions, slurries and oils are made.
The therapeutic properties of large-root alokazii are in demand not only for joint diseases, osteochondrosis and rheumatism, but also:
- for bruises accompanied by bruises;
- for thrombophlebitis and varicose veins;
- in the presence of thyroid disease;
- for hemorrhoids
- for gout and arthritis;
- in a number of tumor diseases;
- with a weakened immune system and frequent infectious diseases
For the preparation of natural medicines take thickened stems and roots of alokaziya. In Borneo, where the nutritional and medicinal properties of large-root alokaziya are most respected, the plants are harvested in large quantities, in the rest of the world - this exotic culture has been little studied.
Wanting to use the properties of large-root alokaziya in the treatment of a disease, you need to remember that the plant is toxic and can bring not only relief, but also serious harm to health.
In European medicine, due to the lack of scientific research, there is no scientific confirmation of the healing nature of the plant. The method of internal and external use of such drugs is also not developed. Therefore, to avoid undesirable consequences, do not do without consulting with a specialist.
Video about the tropical beauty of alokaziya
