Aglaonema - home care, as aglaonema blooms

Aglaonema is a perennial herbaceous culture that grows in nature on the lower tiers of forests near rivers, swamps, lakes in India, Southeast Asia, and the islands of the Malay archipelago. As a houseplant, aglaonema has been receiving home care for half a century, effectively purifying the air, neutralizing benzene and streptococcal infection. Culture quickly fell in love with flower growers of Russia. However, in the apartment the flower will grow slowly.

Appearance story

In Southeast Asia, aglaonema is associated with the "flower of good luck." The story is banal: a resident of Malaysia entered the numbers on the lottery ticket, which he discovered after rain on the leaves of the plant, and won the main prize. Residents of the region began to actively grow on the site and window sill a huge number of aglaonem, encouraging luck to the owners. Having replenished the collection of the British Botanical Garden, specimens of aglaonemes laid the foundation for breeding work aimed at obtaining hundreds of indoor varieties and hybrids.

What does the aglaonema look like

Aglaonema is a shade-loving deciduous plant, belongs to the Aroidae family (Araceae), a relative of Dieffenbachia. Externally, the culture is represented by a small ornamental plant (70 cm tall) with short fleshy stems. The trunk branches from the base, it is noticeable only in adults.

How does a flower look in the interior

Leaves are lanceolate, 10-15 cm in length, are green or with multi-colored stains, medium veins are clearly distinguished. Aglonemes with green foliage take root well in places with insufficient lighting, owners of variegated leaves need a brighter light. Florists recommend abandoning the treatment of plant leaves with sprays to improve gloss.

Common varieties

Indoor plants aglaonema have 20-50 subspecies of the Aroid family. The main varieties of culture are classified according to the height of the bush into three groups.

Low-growing aglaonemes grow by drooping or creeping stems with a maximum height of 25 cm. Among the varieties of plants, three popular varieties are distinguished:

1. Short-haired aglaonema is easily recognized by its elongated oval green foliage. In the middle of the sheets are white veins. The culture develops slowly and produces few leaves. To obtain a beautiful bushy plant, 2-3 seedlings are planted in one flowerpot.
2. Ribbed aglaonema - a small bush with a branching stem of an underground or creeping type. The heart-shaped foliage attracts with a mix of white or green colors, many spots and stripes. An individual loves to please the hosts on New Year's Eve with an inflorescence reaching a height of 10 cm. After a few days, the flower falls off, the plant begins a dormant period.
3. The round aglaonema is the owner of heart-shaped leaves of brown and red tones. Bright pink stripes are drawn along the length of the sheet.

Popular varieties of aglaonema

Medium-sized flowers include aglaonema with straight trunks that accommodate oblong leaves up to 30 cm in length. The most popular varieties are:

1. Aglaonema Maria is a shrub with dense foliage of dark green color. The culture is shade-tolerant and takes root well in houses with artificial lighting. There is a variety of variety Maria Cristina with silver-gray leaves.
2. Tribe. The plant is characterized by small leaves 15 cm long, a green color and a silver pattern.
3. The aglaonema is modest. 50 cm high, strewn with round-shaped leaves with convex veins and sharp tips. The length of the leaves is a maximum of 20 cm.
4. Silver Queen - extends up to 40 cm and needs good lighting, the surface of the leaves is silver-blue.
5. Crete is a species of aglaoneema with variegated pink-green leaves. More demanding on lighting relative to other varieties.

High varieties are obtained on the basis of shade-tolerant subspecies of aglaonem, look good as single variants and fit well into large-sized compositions. The most famous are:

1. Pattaya beauty is an elegant bush with a thin, slender trunk, overgrown with large foliage with clearly visible green edges and a light gray core. In adults, the leaves darken. Pattaya beauty is ideal for rooms with poor lighting, temperature extremes and dry air. A measure of falling of the lower leaves of a plant is like a palm tree.
2. Aglaonema Friedman grows to 1.5 m. Wide and large foliage has wavy edges. Silver spots are formed in the center of the leaves, dark green dots on the edges.
3. Silver Bay is a culture of impressive parameters that grows on a trunk 1 m high. The individual branches from the root system, the stalk is exposed barely, the bush retains magnificent forms for a long time. The sharp uplifted leaves gain a length of 30 cm. The area of ​​light green leaves is completely covered with gray spots.

Silver - the most cold-resistant grade of aglaonema

Agloneem Home Care

Temperature

Aglaonema prefers a warm and humid climate with a minimum temperature of 18 ° C. The optimum mode is from 22-23 ° to 27 ° C. Drafts are not allowed.

Lighting

Recommendations on the topic of how to properly care for aglaonemes depend on the color of the plant:

1. A culture with variegated colors in yellow and red is recommended during the day with diffuse lighting or partial shade, in the evening or in the cold season - maximum light.
2. For green leaves, diffused light / shadow is desirable.

Watering

Aglaonema prefers moderate watering with a slightly dried earthen coma. Water is used to moisten the soil at a standing room temperature. Approximate watering mode - once every 3-4 days.

Spraying

It is allowed to spray the leaves with distilled or rain water in the summer and autumn periods, if the plant is provided with proper care. Otherwise, spraying is prohibited.

Humidity

To maintain the decorative properties of aglaonema contain in high humidity. Average humidity is acceptable, but the plant will begin to lose its appearance.

The soil

The soil for aglaonema should pass air and moisture well. Proper conditions will be provided by leafy soil mixed with coal, peat, humus or sand. If you can’t make a substrate yourself, you can use a ready-made mixture intended for heather, azalea, violets.

Aglaonema care and maintenance

Top dressing

Aglaonema does not tolerate lime dressing, fertilize the plant with a complex of minerals based on potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, trace elements.

The following feeding options are most acceptable:

1. In a three-liter capacity, one tablespoon of "Agricola" and "Effekton" are bred.
2. One teaspoon of Agricola and a tablespoon of Fantasy per bottle of water.
3. A tablespoon of “Lignohumate” and 1 teaspoon of “Leaf” in 3 liters of water.

Fertilize the plant from March to September after watering, in the cool time of day - a measure helps prevent plant burns. Frequency - 2 times a month.

In winter

During the dormant period (September-February), it is important for the aglaoneema to maintain a temperature of 16 ... 18 ° C, stable irrigation. The plant is not fed in the winter.

Pruning

The aglaonema does not need to be trimmed. As they grow, the stems of the flower are exposed. If you cut the top and process the cut with crushed wood or activated carbon, the plant will begin to branch actively. It is not necessary to throw the stem out; it is better to root the sprout.

When and how it blooms

How aglaonema blooms can be seen infrequently, but with proper care in the summer, the plant produces an inflorescence - an ear with discreet small flowers.

Types of flowers

Depending on the variety, the aglaonema can bloom in thin, cylindrical (5 mm in diameter, 4 cm long) or thick, club-shaped (1 cm in diameter, 3 cm long) flowers.

Flower shapes

Inflorescences of aglaonema are pale green in color, collected on the cob 3 cm long. Inflorescences appear in 1-3 sinuses of the upper leaves.

Flowering period

Aglaonema blooms from June to August. After 8 months, bright red berries ripen, less often white, oblong, containing one seed.

Changes in flowering care

Proper care at home will help make aglaonema flower bloom: it is enough to prepare a wide and shallow container, observe regular spraying and watering, and maintain a stable temperature.

Flowering Aglaonema

How to breed

 To obtain a new aglaonema plant, the reproduction of a tropical culture is carried out in various ways:

• stem and apical cuttings;
• air layering;
• germination of seeds;
• division of the root.

Seed germination

Fruits ripening on a shrub are successfully used by gardeners for sowing seeds. However, the selected method of reproduction does not always allow the varietal traits of aglaonema to be preserved.

A seed is obtained from red berries of aglaonema, washed well with clean water and sown in a mixture of sand and peat (1: 1). It is not recommended to store seeds, they quickly lose their original properties.

Crops are cleaned in a warm place, providing regular watering. The formation of seedlings takes place within 1-2 weeks. When the first leaf blades appear, the plants are buried in separate containers. The grown bushes are transplanted into larger tanks. After 3-4 years, developed flowers will grow on the windowsill.

Rooting cuttings

Aglaonema propagation by cuttings is carried out all year round, but sprouts root faster in early spring. New plants are obtained from the tops of shoots and stems.

Planting the tops allows you to accelerate rooting. Young shoots with a height of 10 cm are immersed in a container with settled water or planted in a small pot with nutrient soil. In the latter case, the leaves bind into a bundle, slowing down the evaporation of moisture. Greenhouse conditions are also created for the plant by covering with a cropped bottle or placing the pot in a bag. As young shoots are formed, the shelter is removed and after 3-4 months the culture is transferred to a permanent pot.

With stem cuttings, experienced gardeners are in a hurry to root the bare shoots left after crop pruning, an excellent option for propagating aglaonema, containing many sleeping buds. Awakening is stimulated by cutting the stem into cuttings 5-10 cm long. The shoots are placed vertically in a glass with water or placed in a pot, sprinkled with soil a little. The term of rooting of the sprout depends on which planting method is chosen:

• in water, young shoots will sprout on the stem after 3 weeks;
• in the soil, shoots on the stem will appear at the base of the earth after 4 weeks.

Cuttings of a flower

Air lay

Aglaonema is propagated quite rarely by air vents. A couple of cuts are made on the selected stem, wrapped with moistened moss and wrapped with opaque cellophane. Cut and processed areas on both sides are tightened with threads. After the roots appear, the stem is cut, polyethylene is removed, layering with moss is transplanted into the substrate.

Rhizome division

The method is applicable to an adult overgrown plant. The process is conveniently carried out during the transplant:

1. Aglaonema is extracted from the pot.
2. Shake off excess soil and dip roots in water.
3. With a sharp knife or scissors, young processes with roots are separated. Separated plants contain at least 3 leaves.
4. Place the sections sprinkled with activated carbon.
5. The separated shoot is immediately planted in a container and watered abundantly.
6. The pot is left in a warm place for a week. Sprayed periodically.

The appearance of young leaves on the aglaonem indicates normal rooting. A flowerpot with a flower is placed in a constant place.

Transfer

The transplantation of young shoots of aglaonema is carried out annually in the spring, adult bushes also change pots in March-April, but less often (once every 4-5 years). Planting soil should contain a good drainage layer. The flower is also suitable for hydroponic cultivation.

Possible problems in growing

Why leaves turn yellow

If the leaves began to turn yellow, you should look for the reason for the lack of heat or direct sunlight on the flower. Yellowing of the lower leaf plant indicates natural aging, treatment is not required.

Wrinkled leaves

Wrinkle, fade leaves with low humidity, a dry climate is also an excellent environment for harmful insects. In the warm period, it is recommended to regularly spray the leaves and pour water into the pan, pre-filling it with peat or expanded clay.

White-yellow spots formed

The cause of white pigmentation on the leaves of a tropical bush is a sunburn. The bush urgently needs to be removed in partial shade, moisten the leaves with water at room temperature.

Aglaonema is sick

Leaves are curled

The disease is observed with a sharp cooling or drafts.

Slowing stem growth, brown leaves

The plant was watered with cold or hard water - this is the main reason why the leaves turn red. To soften the water, 0.2 g of oxalic or citric acid is poured into 1 bucket.

Aglaonema is rightly called the decoration of any interior, a variety of varieties and colors allows you to create a luxurious collection. The main advantage of tropical culture - unpretentiousness, it is valuable for lovers of home gardening.