Aucuba belongs to the Harriev family. In other classifications - Kizilov, Aukubov. There are three varieties of this plant. All species are very hardy, in the natural environment grow in the shady places of the subtropical forests of Korea, the Himalayas, Japan, China. Often there is nothing else besides them. Only two of them are suitable for growing at home - Japanese aucuba (aucuba japonica) and Himalayan (aucuba himalaica).
Types of Aucuba for home growing
Japanese Aukuba is a bush native to the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is also called variegated, “golden tree”, because in some varieties the foliage shines in the sun like a precious metal. The plant has long attracted tourists, but the Japanese guarded it from strangers, banned the export from the country, believing in the magical and healing qualities of the bush. In Europe, it appeared only in the eighteenth century.
This is an evergreen plant with large, dense, oval leaves, a powerful tree trunk. In some varieties, the ends of the leaf plates have teeth. Coloring is dark green or with gold splashes of different shapes and sizes. A shrub grows up to two to five meters. Flowering begins in early spring. The flowers are dark red, inflorescences in the form of panicles. A bush rarely gives fruit when it is kept in an apartment. If it bears fruit, the berries are fiery red or red (sometimes snow-white or emerald). The plant is poisonous, but nevertheless it is used in alternative medicine.
Aucuba Himalayan in the wild grows up to three to four meters. The foliage is dark green, plates are lanceolate-oblong in shape with an elongated or short sharpening at the end. The flowers are small, unremarkable, same-sex.
Aucuba care at home
Aucuba tolerates home conditions well, grows rapidly, rarely gets sick. The plant does not require special care and has the following positive qualities:
- quietly tolerates low temperatures (not lower than + 8 ° C);
- resistant to weak or, conversely, too intense light, but not for long;
- maintains a decorative appearance even in an environment unfavorable for growth;
- does not die under extreme temperature changes.
If the bush is well looked after, it blooms and can even bear fruit. However, this requires two copies of the plant (male and female), because it is dioecious.
Summer care
Aucuba does not tolerate too high a temperature; optimal temperature is + 20 ° С. When the mark on the thermometer exceeds this figure, it is recommended to rearrange the flower in a shady and cool place. Otherwise, the foliage will begin to fall off the plant, this will negatively affect the further development of the bush. In summer, the aucuba feels good in the air (for example, on a loggia or balcony). In this case, a flower pot must be covered if it is raining or a strong wind is outside.
In summer, you do not need to spray the bush, provided that the room is regularly ventilated. Watering is necessary regularly, strong drying should not be allowed. It must be borne in mind that the plant does not like excessive moisture. Stagnant water will lead to the appearance of dark spots on the greenery. Top dressing is carried out in spring with universal complex fertilizers for decorative and deciduous plants (preferably by spraying).
In winter
In winter, the optimum temperature is + 14 ° C. It is permissible to lower it to + 8 ° C. With intensive operation of aucube heating appliances, spraying with warm, settled water is necessary. Watering is done as needed when the soil dries.
How aucuba blooms and is it possible to keep it at home
Flowering is observed in the first half of spring. Reddish-brown flowers are collected in panicles. Male and female inflorescences are located on different plants (it is impossible to identify sex before flowering). In late April-May, fruits appear on the bush.
Despite the fact that aucuba is poisonous, it is often grown at home. Danger is represented by leaves, flowers and fruits. Therefore, you need to be careful with the bush.
It is better to remove the Aucubu higher so that children or pets can not reach it. After planting or pruning a shrub, hands should be washed thoroughly with soap. If juice enters the stomach or intestines in the organs, the inflammatory process begins, the victim will suffer from bloody diarrhea.
How to achieve a beautiful crown with aucuba
If in spring a lot of shoots appear on the trunk, the plant needs pruning. After it, it will grow better. In order for the bush to have a beautiful, spreading crown, it is recommended to do pinching.
Transplanting adult specimens to preserve decorativeness is not often done - once every two to three years. Young bushes - annually.
Aucuba has a fragile and brittle root system. Therefore, when transplanting, you need to be careful and carry it out by transshipment method.
In order for the flower to grow intensively and maintain a beautiful appearance, the soil for planting is taken loose. It is recommended to use a mixture of two equal parts of peat, leaf, six - sod land and one sand.
When working with shrubs, it is important to remember safety precautions: perform all actions with gloves, do not forget to wash your hands, avoid getting juice on the mucous membranes.
Breeding
Aucubu propagated:
- by seeds;
- cuttings.
For breeding at home, the second method is usually used. Landing is best done in March or late August-September. It is done as follows:
- Cuttings are cleaned of greens, leaving only two or three leaves.
- For good rooting, shoots are planted in a moist substrate from equal parts of peat and sand.
- Containers with seedlings are covered with polyethylene.
- The bushes are periodically opened and aired, condensate is removed from the shelter.
- Young plants are kept at a temperature of + 20 ... + 22 ° C.
- Rooted shoots are transplanted into individual pots with a diameter of 7-8 cm.
When growing heterogeneous plants, they must be pollinated independently. Only in this case seeds will appear for further reproduction. Planting material loses its germination very quickly, so it is necessary to sow it immediately. It should also be borne in mind that varietal characters with this method of breeding may not be transmitted.
Planting seeds is made in moist soil from peat or sand. Seedlings are covered with polyethylene and regularly ventilated and sprayed with warm, settled water. Recommended room temperature - + 21 ° С.
The emergence of seedlings takes a large amount of time (several weeks). When they hatch, two or three leaves will appear at the shoots, they can be transplanted into a separate pot or in an open ground of medium acidity.
Mr. Summer Resident: Aucuba Assistant
The flower not only looks beautiful, but also has healing properties. Shrub foliage contains useful elements that contribute to the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms in the air.
The plant is used in alternative medicine to treat injuries, burns, frostbite. Aucuba compresses are applied to the affected area, regularly changed. They reduce pain, disinfect wounds, and promote early healing. In addition, drugs containing an aububa extract treat various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, it is very important to observe the dosages indicated in the prescription, consult with your doctor first so as not to harm your health.
The Japanese believe that the plant is beneficial for family relationships. It brings together and unites relatives. Thanks to the bush, peace, understanding and harmony will reign in the house.
Buying a flower brings well-being not only to family members, but also to guests of the apartment. In addition, aucuba helps get rid of the negative energy brought into the home by ill-wishers.
According to an ancient Japanese legend, the plant attracts luck and wealth to the family. Caring for a house flower contributes to a surge of vitality, helps to unlock potential, gives self-confidence. Aucuba will be a wonderful gift for an indecisive and introverted person.
