Plant with multicolor foliage - aglaonema flower

Tropical flora is incredibly beautiful and diverse. And botanists will have to open its secrets for many years. Aglaonema, belonging to the largest in the plant world, the Ariod family, is the indigenous inhabitant of a vast region in southeast Asia.

The homeland of aglaonema and the conditions of existence of the plant

The area of ​​this genus, which includes several dozen species, extends to continental countries and islands of the Indian and Pacific Ocean. The tropical region of China, and India, and New Guinea or Borneo can be considered the homeland of aglaonema.

The diversity of species of aglaonema is due to the different environmental conditions in remote corners of the range, as well as the isolated location of these regions. With the beginning of the development of southeast Asia, the plant world of the region began to be seriously studied. Many well-known indoor plants, including aglaonema, have been discovered and described.

Wild-growing species of aglaonema in their homeland inhabit the lower tier of deciduous forest, being contented with shaded areas under the treetops, along streams and other bodies of water. The development of the Anglaoneme does not require a large amount of nutrient soil.

Like other varieties of the Aroids, the plant easily adapts to living on stony ledges with a small layer of humus, on peat bogs and soil, under the surface of which roots of tropical trees are densely intertwined.

Although the culture is widespread in its homeland, it came to Europe from Malaysia, evoking admiring responses from gardeners and lovers of tropical flora.

The history of the domestication and cultivation of aglaonema began in the 19th century, and for more than a century and a half, the plant has been considered one of the most interesting and unusual inhabitants of the tropics. The specimens of aglaonema flower, which were in the collection of the British Botanical Garden, laid the foundation for selection work, as a result of which many hundreds of indoor varieties and hybrids, popular with gardeners, were obtained.

Aglaonema is an evergreen, herbaceous plant, depending on the species, reaching a height of 60–150 cm. Young specimens, often entering the house grower, have practically no stem, but look like compact leafy sockets above the ground level. But as the room flower develops, aglaonema forms a upright or creeping dense stem, densely planted with leaves.

Most home-grown varieties readily branch, but in adult specimens, the lower parts of the stem are bare, and the foliage is located only at the top. At the same time, smooth, barely covered with scales, internodes can be green, variegated, pink, white or red. The color of both the stems, petioles, and foliage of the plant depends entirely on the cultivated variety of the aglaonema flower. And here the tropical genus can be considered a record holder in the number of unique shades and patterns.

The main value of a plant is its unique decorative foliage. The form of dense with pronounced streaks of sheet plates can vary from oval to wedge-shaped. Juvenile, or the foliage of young plants often has heart-shaped outlines, but as they grow, adult leaves appear on the aglaonemes, completely corresponding to the species and variety. But the variety of shades on the leaves of the aglaonema flower can be envied even by the flourishing cultures.

There are practically no plants with smooth-colored leaves among room aglaonemes, but specimens with fringed, striped and spotted leaves are abundant.

On the leaf plates of the aglaonema flower depicted in the photo, one can see all shades of not only the traditional green color for the plant world, but also the whole range of purple, lilac and red.

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The fact that beginning flower growers are mistaken for aglaonema flower is its inflorescence and the spathe cover covering the leaf, modified during the evolution. Compared with other aroid species, for example, anthuriums or spathiphyllums, bred thanks to large ornamental inflorescences, the flowering of aglaonema is not of great interest.

The form of an aglaonema flower veil depends on the type and variety and can vary considerably. Along with oval and even rounded bracts, you can see rather narrow concave covers of a greenish, white or yellowish hue.

Aglaonema inflorescence in the form of a dense cylindrical cob consists of a shortened female zone and a larger male, located, starting from the lower third and up to the top. Pollinators tiny flowers of aglaonema, combined in the ear, in nature are engaged in insects. To attract them, a blanket that imitates a petal and a sweet, viscous liquid appearing on the stamens serves.

The berries formed after the pollination of aglaonema berries contain oval, rather large seeds. The fruit itself has a spherical or elongated shape. The color of the berry varies from yellow to bright red, and under the dense skin there is a juicy flesh. In nature, aglaonema multiplies both vegetatively and with the help of seeds. Ripe berries of aglaonema attract the attention of small animals and birds, which, eating fruits, can spread solid grains that are not damaged in the digestive tract over long distances.

Although the appearance of a berry on aglaoneme is not uncommon, at home it is better to propagate a flower vegetatively, because most of the indoor plants of this genus are hybrids that do not transmit their properties by seed.

Aglaonema: why is a plant useful or dangerous?

Since 1885, when the aglaonema was brought to the shores of the Old World, the plant invariably draws the attention of all lovers of decorative leafy crops.

However, shortly after planting in the Royal Botanical Gardens, it was discovered that all aglaonema tissues contain some caustic compounds that can have a local irritant or corrosive effect on the mucous membranes and sensitive skin.

Today it is well known that the toxic effects of aglaonema juice are typical for all members of the family of Aroids, containing calcium oxalate.

This salt of oxalic acid in the tissues of aglaonema is dangerous in the presence of special susceptibility. With great care should be taken care of the plant, if the skin of the hands is damaged, cuts or abrasions. In this case, it is better to use gloves. Do not allow the proximity of bright room culture to young children who can try a colorful sheet of "tooth".

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Although aglaonema is not poisonous, for cats and other domestic animals that show interest in plants, a close acquaintance with it can turn into intestinal problems and irritation of the mucous membrane. If you correctly select a place for a plant, the danger of aglaonema is a hundredfold compensated by its great benefit.

What is aglaonema useful for? First of all, because, like other indoor cultures, it has a beneficial effect on the air quality in the room, saturating it with oxygen and negative ions. The plant is capable of absorbing substances harmful to humans that enter the room from the external environment, as well as fumes from artificial finishing materials.

Aglaonema benefits include phytoncidal properties, which reduce the number of pathogenic bacteria and streptococci in the air.

Specialists in bioenergy talk about the beneficial energy of aglaonema plants. If you put a pot with this bright room culture near the desktop or in the office, where intensive work is done daily, the plant will help you concentrate and gather your thoughts. The colorful foliage even by its appearance helps to relieve stress, calm down and aim at fulfilling difficult tasks.

Aglaonema in your home - video