Features of home aglaonema flower

Before purchasing a houseplant called Aglaonema, it should be noted that its juice is poisonous. It is especially important to pay attention to this if there are children in the house. The berries of the flower contain substances that irritate the mucous membrane and epidermis of a person.

aglaonema
The Aglaonema plant is a member of the aroid family. This genus unites about 20-50 species.

However, these are very beautiful plants, distinguished by a variety of bright colors that fit perfectly into the interior of any room.

Detailed description of the plant

Aglaonema is an evergreen perennial herbaceous flower native to Southeast Asia. A representative of the aroid family, depending on the variety, may differ in color options: from ordinary green to various kinds of variegated combinations.

aglaonema at home
Aglaonema is an evergreen herb.

The plant is bushy, with a straight fleshy stem, with dense, elongated, lanceolate leaves, as well as small pale yellow flowers, collected in inflorescences (ear with a veil). The ears develop in 1-3 pieces, placed in the axils of the upper foliage. They can also be cylindrical or club-shaped.

aglaonema how to grow
The stem is short and straight, rather fleshy. There are species in which the trunk begins to branch at the base.

In nature, aglaonema grows in the lower part of tropical forests along the rivers and lakes of India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries. There are from 20 to 50 varieties and about 500 hybrids. The first description appeared in 1829, the name of the flower owes to the botanist from Austria, Heinrich Wilhelm Schott.

Varieties

A relative of Dieffenbachia is not yet very common in homes. Some sources claim that the plant is able to reduce the content of benzene and other harmful harmful substances.

Aglaonema humble is capable of destroying streptococcal bacillus.

aglaonema flower
The stem is present only in adult plants, while its formation occurs due to the flying around of the lower leaf plates.

Florists love this amazing plant for its relative unpretentiousness. Subject to the necessary conditions for growing, this species takes root well in apartment conditions, even blooms and forms fruits more often than in nature.

For indoor cultivation, about ten varieties are suitable. In recent years, European breeders have developed new varieties with a very bright color of leaves, there are plants with bright red leaves. The most unpretentious is Treiba, and the most capricious is Aglaonema rounded.

aglaonema with red leaves
The color of the foliage directly depends on the type and variety of the plant.

Like all plants in the tropics, they do not like the scorching sun, drafts and are in great need of warmth and humidity.

  1. Aglaonema rounded - a low-growing plant with a creeping stem, a very unusual color: dark red leaves with bright pink veins. Extremely demanding on growing conditions.
  2. Aglaonema Crete grows up to 50 cm, has gray-green leaves with red veins and spots.
  3. Changeable: straight stem up to 1.5 m high, narrow leaf blade, up to 30 cm long, has a silvery border at the edges.
  4. Variable, variety "Maria": height up to 70 cm, dark green or silvery-gray leaves, the plant perfectly tolerates shade.
  5. Changeable, variety "Silver Queen": height up to 40 centimeters, leaves can be gray-blue with green spots, in bright light they can have a completely silver color.
  6. Modest or moderate: branching trunk up to 50 cm, emerald color. Monochromatic, therefore does not require an abundance of light.
  7. Treiba: straight half-meter stem, dark green leaves with spots of light green or silvery.
  8. Ribbed: undersized with a stem up to 20-25 cm, heart-shaped leaves with small notches along the edge, have a dark green color with a pale green pattern.
  9. Shiny: up to 1 m tall, oval-shaped leaves, bright green with shine.
  10. Curly: Large, leafy shrub, should branch strongly, up to 30 cm in length, elliptical in shape with a rounded base. The surface of the leaflets is silvery-gray, the cob is up to 3 cm long.
aglaonema varieties
The edge of the leaves is solid, while the plate is patterned.

Growing features

Aglaonema will bring joy to the owners with its attractive appearance with proper care, timely watering and feeding.

Room humidity requirements

Since in nature the plant is located in humid tropical forests, it requires additional air humidification and the absence of drafts. Especially in summer, it is necessary to spray up to 2 times a day.

aglaonema curly
In the wild, aglaonema prefers to grow in shaded areas. In this regard, when grown at home, the plant needs partial shade.

In winter, the minimum room temperature should be at least 18, the air humidity should be average. Spraying is carried out 3 times a week, the main thing is to avoid blocking.

In the spring, a comfortable mode is 20-22 degrees, with an average humidity and spraying 3 times a week.

In summer, the room temperature should not exceed +25, with high humidity and daily spraying.

aglaonema changeable
If direct sunlight falls on the foliage, burns may form on it.

You should also be sure to place the pot with the plant in moist peat, especially when the temperature rises. When dry, the plant will begin to ache and may die.

In the autumn, the temperature should be 20-22 degrees, it is advisable to maintain an average humidity and spray it 2-3 times a week.

aglaonema round
If a variegated form is grown, then it will need bright diffused sunlight, otherwise its decorative effect will be lost.

Lighting

When growing this species, you should pay attention that plants with a monotonous color are best grown in partial shade. Direct sunlight leads to leaf burns and burnout, plants lose their brightness and attractiveness, and become pale. Plants with a more variegated color, on the contrary, need good lighting, but not bright sunlight.

aglaonema at home
In the summer, the plant feels great at a temperature of 20-25 degrees, while in winter it should not be lower than 16 degrees.

The soil

Aglaonema requires a very light, moisture and air permeable substrate for successful growth and reproduction. Grows well in hydroponics. The following proportions are used for the preparation of substrates:

  • three parts of leaf land, 1 part of peat, 0.5 part of humus, 1 part of sand and 0.5 part of charcoal (3: 1: 0.5: 1: 0.5);
  • sheet earth - 1 part, peat - 1 part, sand - 1 part, crushed charcoal - 1 part (1: 1: 1: 1).
aglaonema in a pot
In winter, aglaonema does not need feeding.

Landing scheme

When handling this plant, you should remember about precautions - it is better to wear gloves, and also be sure to wash your hands.

It is good to plant or transfer a flower in the spring-summer period of activity in growth and development, since in the autumn-winter period the flowers are at rest and it is better not to disturb them.

aglaonema transplant
The substrate for planting such a flower should consist of humus and leafy earth, sand, charcoal and peat, which are taken in a ratio of 1: 6: 2: 2: 1.

The beginning of the transplant may be the end of February. Separated from the adult plant, shoots with several leaves and roots are planted in a pot.

Watering

Aglaonems do not tolerate dry soil - especially in the process of active growth, regular but moderate watering is required. Excessive soil moisture can provoke rotting of the root system. To avoid this problem, the pot must have a hole and drain.

aglaonema watering
The plant especially needs timely watering in the spring and summer, when it has a growing season.

During the growing season, spring-summer, the plant is watered abundantly enough, draining the water from the pan. During the dormant period, it is enough to water once a week.

It is imperative to take only settled water at room temperature, especially in winter.

Fertilizer

Do not overdo it with micronutrient feeding. Special mineral and organic fertilizers are used for ornamental plants, which are excellent for arum plants: Agricola, Effekton, Fantasy, Lignohumate and others. These fertilizers are diluted with water in accordance with the instructions.

aglaonema fertilizer
The plant should be fed from the first spring to the last summer days 1 time in 2 weeks, while it is necessary to alternately use mineral fertilizers and organic matter.

During the period of active growth from March to September, feeding is carried out once every two weeks. With a decrease in temperature, in the fall they are fed once a month. In winter, the plant is not fed.

Features of care during flowering

Frequent spraying and abundant watering, the absence of sharply changeable temperatures will certainly lead to the formation of a peduncle. Under natural conditions, aglaonema blooms in June-August, and in room conditions - November-February.

aglaonema bloom
At the top of the plant, from the axils of the leaves grow from 1 to 3 ears, which have a greenish-white veil, they are the inflorescences of the aglaonema.

The temperature during flowering should not be lower than +20 and open sunlight should be avoided. Fertilize the plant once every 2 weeks. After it stops blooming, it is better to remove the peduncle, since the ripening of the seeds leads to the depletion of the plant and a decrease in the size of the leaves.

Diseases and pests

With excessively dry air, pests settle on the foliage, and with an excess of humidity, poor ventilation and low temperatures, various diseases can appear.

aglaonema turns yellow
If the room humidity is extremely low, various harmful insects can settle on the flower.

Damaged by thrips, mealybug, whitefly, aphids, spider mites. Let's consider in detail how to care for a sick plant.

How to treat

Mealybug: droplets of sticky liquid on the leaf blade cause curling and drying of the leaves. It is treated with soapy water and washed off. Special products: Actellik, Karbofos, Fitoferm, etc.

Aphids: small insects, easy to spot on the underside of the leaf. Soap solution and shower, sprinkling with infusions of garlic, wormwood, pine needles and celandine or chemicals.

aglaonema photo
Do not forget to regularly moisten the bush from a spray bottle, and also pour water into the pan, having previously poured peat or expanded clay into it.

Thrips: Dry spots on leaves, causing them to wilt and fall off. It is necessary to wash the aglaonema with soapy water and replace the topsoil.

Spider mite: the lower part of the leaf is enveloped in thin threads. Warm shower and regular spraying: Aktara, Zolon.

Gray rot: A plaque on the leaf surface that occurs as a result of low temperatures, excess moisture and poor ventilation. A warm shower will help and transplant into a new pot. Drainage is mandatory, light and breathable soil and the room temperature is not lower than 18 degrees. Fungicidal preparations will help get rid of mold rot.

aglaonema what it looks like
Water aglaonema only with water that has settled well for at least 24 hours.

Prophylaxis

To protect other indoor plants from infection, infected specimens are sent for 2 weeks to quarantine with maximum humidity and a constant temperature of at least 22 degrees. After recovery, they are left for some time in the quarantine zone under special supervision and compliance with all necessary procedures.

aglaonema large
If you take care of this plant correctly, then it is quite possible that it will bloom in the summer.

Regular inspection of plants will allow you to identify pests in time and destroy them in the usual way.

Reproduction

Reproduction is mainly done in spring and summer. It can be done in three ways: by seeds, offspring and cuttings.

Seed propagation

After flowering, the peduncle is not removed, but the appearance of fruits and seeds is awaited. Ripe berries have a deep red color and fall off at the slightest touch.

Single-seeded ripe berries guarantee high seed similarity. To do this, the seeds must be dried, and then, with the onset of spring, the end of February and March, they must be planted in a small pot and placed in a warm, well-lit and humid place.

aglaonema seeds
You should not store the seeds, because they quickly lose their germination.

It is advisable to cover the pot with glass and do obligatory airing 2 times a day.

Sprouted seedlings are planted two at a time in pots with a diameter of 7 cm. Shade from direct sunlight and watered sparingly.

For plants with a vertical stem, it is recommended to cut off almost the entire part of the stem to the soil level. The cut part is planted in a tall pot with the most loose substrate.

aglaonema sprout
As soon as the first true leaf plates are formed, the plant should be cut into small separate pots.

Watering should be careful: you should not allow it to lock up and not overdry. Roots will develop from the dormant buds on the stem within 2-3 weeks. In this case, the remaining uterine part, from which the stem was cut off, will also give new young shoots.

Another way to propagate a plant is by dividing the bush: the rhizomes of an adult bush are divided with a knife, and the sections are treated with activated carbon.

Transfer

Aglaonema grows very slowly, so it is recommended to replant adult plants every 3-4 years, young plants once a year.

The best period for transplants is the end of February and the beginning of spring at temperatures not lower than 20 degrees. The transplant, rather the transshipment, is carried out carefully, without destroying the earthen lump around the roots.

aglaonema how to transplant
Young plants are transplanted once a year in spring. Adult bushes should be transplanted in the same way in the spring, but much less often (1 time in 4 or 5 years).

For this, they choose a pot a couple of centimeters wider than the previous one and slightly higher. Otherwise, the plant will begin to actively develop the root system, and the growth of the stem and leaves will slow down.

Planting soil can be bought ready-made, or you can prepare it yourself according to the recipes specified in the paragraph "cuttings".

aglaonema is beautiful
To prevent stagnation of water in the ground, when planting at the bottom of the pot, you need to make a good drainage layer. This flower can be grown hydroponically.

The transplanted plant is placed in a warm place up to 23 degrees for 10 days. Before use, the soil should be spilled with boiling water or placed in the oven for 10 minutes to sterilize. The soil must be soft and loose.

Cuttings

It is carried out in order to rejuvenate the plant, when the stem is exposed in the lower part.

The grafting process consists of the following steps:

  1. The exposed stem is cut off 2-3 cm above ground level in a pot.
  2. The cut stem is divided into several parts with pruning shears (10-15 cm each) and the lower leaves are removed.
  3. Next, you need to prepare a container: drainage is laid on the bottom, and a substrate for rooting is placed on top (a mixture of sand and peat or river sand).The mixture is watered abundantly.
  4. Cuttings are immersed in a plentifully watered mixture about half of their length, placed in a warm place.
  5. In winter, rooting of cuttings will occur from 4 to 6 weeks, and in summer - 2-3.
  6. Safely rooted cuttings are planted in pots. Better several in one pot in case of wilting of one of the plants, and a composition of a pair of stems looks more attractive.
aglaonema stalk
Aglaonema can be propagated by cuttings only after the branching of its trunk begins, or when the trunk is clearly visible after the end of the rosette stage.

What difficulties may arise when growing

In an apartment it is sometimes very difficult to create the necessary conditions for indoor plants, especially tropical ones. When growing Aglaonema, the following difficulties may arise:

  1. If the indoor air is too dry, the tips of the leaves of the plant turn brown, and the leaves themselves look wrinkled.
  2. Very cold air, drafts can lead to curling of leaves and the formation of brown edges.
  3. A burn from the rays of the sun leads to the appearance of white-yellow spots on the leaves. In such situations, the plant is removed to the shade, and after cooling, it is sprayed with water at room temperature.
  4. Excessively hard, cold water slows down growth, the leaves at the edges acquire a brown color. Ordinary citric acid can be used to lower the hardness of the water. Calcium salts will help to remove oxalic acid: add 0.2 grams to 10 liters of water and let it settle. Water the plants using only the upper transparent layer of water.
aglaonema with berries
Wait until the fruits ripen directly on the bush, after which they can be used for sowing.

Compliance with simple rules of care and an attempt to turn the windowsill into a tropical forest will help to become an ordinary kitchen or loggia a habitat for a beautiful flower - aglaonema.

VIDEO: Aglaonema - plant care and maintenance.

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