Chlorophytum (Chlorophytum Ker Gawl.) - a genus of plants of the lily family, which has about 1000 species. Its homeland is the humid subtropical forests of South Africa and the tropical forests of South America, from where it was introduced to Europe. Today, chlorophytum is widely used for interior decoration, both as a single plant and in a group.
Its popularity is explained by its unpretentiousness, rapid growth, endurance, as well as beautiful curved leaves and flowers, white during flowering and having the appearance of small leaf sockets after it. Adult chlorophytum is distinguished by decorativeness, which makes it a welcome guest in any interior. It has the appearance of a lush bush consisting of several bundles of leaves that are tightly adjacent to each other and have numerous branched flowering shoots hanging down at the ends of which daughter rosettes form.
At home, species of chlorophytum are grown, having narrow or wide linear leaves, plain green or striped. The most popular in room culture is the crested chlorophytum (Chlorophytum comosus), which has been cultivated at home for over 200 years. One of the common home-grown cultivars is the orange chlorophytum, which is not as demanding as the crested chlorophytum, but differs from it in its reproduction methods and orange flowers.
Another popular form of chlorophytum is variegated (Chlorophytum comosum var. Variegatum), which can be recognized by white stripes along the leaves. The compact form of chlorophytum (Chlorophytum comosum var. Mandaianum) looks great in compositions, it is distinguished by yellow stripes.
Chlorophytum - growing and care
Chlorophytum is one of the most unpretentious plants, so it is indulgent to those misses that allow flower growers to care for it. And yet, for its successful cultivation, it is better to comply with some conditions.
The optimum temperature for growing chlorophytum is moderate. In winter, it should not fall below 18 ° C. The plant withstands temperature differences steadily, however, this is reflected in its appearance, therefore it is better not to allow such situations and protect it from cold drafts, keeping it near windows with cracks, etc.
Chlorophytum is a light-loving plant, but it does not tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, the eastern or western window is an ideal place to keep the flower. You can place it on the northern window, however, the lack of sufficient light will certainly affect the decorative qualities of the plant. At the same time, placing it on the south window, you should take care of moderate shading.
From spring to autumn, chlorophytum needs abundant watering, in which the substrate will always be wet. With the onset of winter dormancy, watering should be reduced to moderate.
The plant is very gratefully greeted with spraying, which is carried out in the summer. In winter, it should be sprayed only if there is a heating system in the immediate vicinity of its location.
In March-August, after a week, the flower should be fed with a complex fertilizer for decorative -
deciduous plants.
Chlorophytum - transplantation and reproduction
Young copies of chlorophytum should be replanted every year, adult plants - every 2-3 years. The ideal time for this procedure is February or March. For transplantation, a soil mixture is prepared from 1 part of leaf soil, sand, humus and 2 parts of turf land taken. If chlorophytum is not transplanted in time, then the bottom of the pot will be literally torn apart by its massive, rapidly growing roots. Therefore, for planting, you should choose spacious pots. You should also take care of good drainage.
Propagate the plant by rooting "children" and dividing during transplantation. Daughter sockets - "kids" - are separated from the peduncle and planted in pots.
Chlorophytum - diseases and pests
Chlorophytum is appreciated not only for its unpretentiousness and high decorative qualities, but also because it is surprisingly resistant to diseases and pests. And yet, some problems with its cultivation may occur.
Improper watering, sudden changes in temperature and a lack or excess of nutrients can cause the tips of the leaves to turn brown.
A lack of lighting or a cramped pot can cause variegated leaves to lose their color.
If the temperature is too high and the lighting is insufficient, the leaves become pale and soft, and may fall.
If in winter at a low air temperature the plant is excessively watered, then brown spots will appear on its leaves.
Also, chlorophytum can be affected by pests. First of all, these are scabies, which feed on cellular juice from the leaves and stems of the plant, as a result of which the leaves fade, dry and fall off. In order to get rid of the scab, you should wipe the leaves of the plant with a soapy sponge and then spray it with a systemic insecticide.
In addition, chlorophytum can be affected by a spider mite, the cause of which is excessively dry air. This pest also leads to leaf fall. In order to combat the spider mite, the plant, having wiped with a soapy sponge, is washed under a warm shower, with a strong infection they are sprayed with an insecticide. Subsequently, for prevention, it is necessary to take care of regular spraying of chlorophytum with water to ensure the necessary humidity.
As you can see, caring for chlorophytum is extremely simple and incomparable with the beauty and comfort that it can give to any room.
