How to properly care for arrowroot at home

General information

Arrowroot is not a large plant in height, only some species exceed a height of 20 centimeters

The arrowroot plant attracts attention with its spectacular appearance and color of the leaves. In bright light, horizontal streaks and spots are clearly visible on the arrowroot. The color of the foliage of the plant, occurs from light to dark green

The shape of the leaves is oblong and resembles a large oval. Arrowroot inflorescences represent panicles

The foliage color of the plant is from light to dark green. The shape of the leaves is oblong and resembles a large oval. Arrowroot inflorescences represent panicles.

Arrowroot leaves have one interesting feature to change the direction of the leaves when the light rays change. At sunset, the leaves rise and close, and at sunrise, the leaves are directed to the side. In connection with such capabilities of the plant, it is called "praying grass". Another nickname for the plant because of its 10 spots on some species, the British nicknamed it "10 Commandments".

Growing

Reproduction of arrowroot

This type of plant (arrowroot) reproduces by dividing the bush, and for some reason the division by apical cuttings did not take root in our countries.

In order to propagate the plant, carefully separate the roots, each mini-bush should have a tuber. In this case, haste will not lead to anything good, act carefully. Find the right pot for arrowroot, preferably a plastic one. The diameter of the pot should be equal to its height. Why is that? It's simple: the leaves will grow evenly, and the root system and tubers are quite convenient in such a container.

Why is cuttings rarely used to propagate arrowroot?

Propagation by cuttings does not always go well, perhaps the cut stems simply will not take root in the new soil.

If you want your cuttings to be successful, it is better to choose the time from May to September, when it is warm outside the window. Dividing, grafting, transplanting, which the same dracaena does not like, is a huge stress for the plant, and in the cold season the process is even more difficult.

For grafting, shoots from 8 to 12 cm with 2-3 nodules and several leaves are chosen, which must be carefully cut off and placed in clean water. It will take at least 4 weeks from pruning to planting in the ground. After all, cut cuttings are placed in water, it is changed every 2-3 days, and they will need 30-40 days to grow the first roots.

After the first roots, you should wait a few more days, and then transplant the flower into a peat substrate. Arrowroot takes root well in warm greenhouses with high humidity.

Reproduction and transplantation of arrowroot flower

You can propagate arrowroot in two ways: by cuttings and by dividing the bush. You need to propagate the plant in both ways in the spring:

1. When propagating by cuttings, you need to make sure that each shoot has 1-2 leaves, and the length of the cuttings is at least 10 cm. The cuttings must be placed in water, after 10-14 days they will take root. While the cuttings are in the water, they should also be regularly sprayed and kept in a warm room. It is not necessary to cover them with foil.

   The cuttings need to be rooted in the nutrient soil and watered. While they will develop in the new soil, you cannot expose them to the sun: they need a shaded place. Once the cuttings have grown, they can be planted in separate pots and continued to be tended as if they were mature plants.

2. Dividing a bush is a more gentle way. Before dividing, make sure that both parts to be divided have a root system and a growing point.After that, you need to get the plant out of the ground, and with sharp scissors divide the bush into 2 equal parts. Cutting points at the roots should be treated with crushed coal to prevent rotting.

   Divided parts should be planted in separate pots with nutrient soil for arrowroot and poured with warm water. Cover the pot with a plastic bag and do not remove it until the young leaves grow. The subsequent care of the plant is standard.

Remember! Transplanting is especially relevant for young flowers bought in a store. It is enough to replant older arrowroots once every 2 years, in the spring (March-May).

Before transplanting, you need to cut off diseased and old leaves and stems to stimulate the growth of new shoots. The new flower pot should be larger and wider than the previous one by a couple of centimeters and have drainage holes. The soil for a houseplant can be purchased at the store or made yourself by mixing the following components in a 2: 1: 2: 1 ratio:

• sod land;
• humus;
• peat;
• wood ash.

You can also add sphagnum moss to the soil, which is a kind of antiseptic for the earth and helps to retain moisture in it. The soil should not contain lime - it can destroy the flower. The soil should be light, loose and breathable. All ingredients must be mixed until smooth in a separate container.

Transfer

The plant must be removed from the old pot along with the soil, and then completely cleaned from the root system. Pour drainage (2-3 cm) and some crushed foam at the bottom of the new pot. After that, you need to pour the soil into the pot, lightly tamping it with your hand. When about 4-5 cm of free space remains to the top of the pot, place a flower in the soil and sprinkle the roots with the remaining soil. Water the plant with water at room temperature with vitamins dissolved in it.

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How to care?

Even an unpretentious plant that grows at home requires some care. The need for arrowroot in a humid environment makes it necessary to constantly spray the leaves and the air around it. The correct plant maintenance will lead to an extraordinary outcome. The plant will grow in size and give, with its special appearance, the majestic beauty of the room setting.

High-quality care makes the arrowroot stretch in height, which is why growers recommend pruning the plant about once or twice a year. After the pruning procedure, the plant becomes even more attractive and resembles strong young shoots.

Breeders, in turn, completely cut the flower before the beginning of winter, then remove the plant in a dark room and practically do not water it. The main thing is to create a bright light, although in winter it is impossible to get sufficient natural light, so you will have to use a lamp.

Amateur flower growers accustomed to garden plantings, seeing a significant increase in plant growth, begin to tie it to supports made of wooden sticks so that the leaves do not bend over and break. Breeders, for their part, do not advise doing this, so as not to disrupt the usefulness of the natural growth of the flower. To direct elongated shoots in height is absurd.

Watering

Watering the plant should not be done according to a schedule. Before filling the plant pot with liquid, you need to probe the soil. The soil should be slightly dry. In the summer, the soil dries faster, so the plant will have to be watered much more often. During the cold season, the process of watering and spraying should be alternated. Arrowroot loves these procedures for obtaining moisture, regardless of the season and temperature.

For watering the plant, use only settled water. It is strictly forbidden to take flowing liquid from the central pipeline - there is a large amount of chlorine in it. The water that has settled for several days leaves only useful substances in its composition.

Top dressing

Arrowroot, like any other houseplant, needs timely feeding. The fertilization procedure should be carried out after planting the plant or transplanting it. In this case, the acquired concentrate of vitamins and nutrients must be diluted according to the instructions from the manufacturer.

The optimal time for the feeding procedure is from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn. As a preventive measure, plants can be treated with a mineral supplement several times a week. It is versatile and suitable for all indoor flowers. It is not difficult to dilute the concentrate: 1 gram of top dressing is diluted in 1 liter of settled water.

Pests and diseases

Varieties

Among modern flower growers, several varieties of arrowroot are widespread: a two-color and a three-color look. Although in nature there are many bright and spectacular specimens, for example, white-tipped arrowroot, kerhovena and black arrowroot.

White-tailed arrowroot

The homeland of the white-necked arrowroot is Brazil, and the flower was brought to Europe in the 16th century. The ornamental plant has gained popularity due to its low height of 30 cm and painted leaves, ideally combined with any interior design. By nature, the flower is unpretentious.

The unique beauty of the plant is due to the patterned pattern of the leaf plates and the gradient color scheme. The underside of the leaves is decorated with reddish and bluish lines. The outer part is presented in a dark green shade with a silvery vein in the center, from which whitish symmetrical veins emanate.A basal rosette is formed from oval leaves.

Arrowroot arrowroot has the property of raising and lowering leaf plates, taking into account changes in the daily cycle. Thanks to this feature, the florist will be able to admire the beauty of the inside and outside of the sheets at any time of the day. The flowering of this plant occurs extremely rarely, but if the process has begun, small, white, barely distinguishable flowers bloom at the flower.

Maranta Kerhoven

Refers to a type of herbaceous plants with a small size. Its leaves grow in the form of an ellipse, with a pronounced green color. Gradient dark spots are visible on the upper side of the leaves. In the central part of the leaf plate, there is a neat white stripe with small branching veins. On the underside, the leaves have a reddish, sometimes bluish tint.

Very rarely, a plant blooms small white flowers that can form unusual inflorescences. A distinctive feature of the Kerhoven arrowroot is its endurance.

Black arrowroot

It has a very exotic look. In a botanical environment, the plant has a second name for arrowroot massange. By its nature, the flower is quite capricious, delicate and demanding. He will not tolerate negligence and inappropriate habitat.

The plant is miniature in size, rather compact. The oval leaf plate reaches 15 cm in length. The color of the leaves is dark, close to black. The leaf plate is decorated with a central vein that resembles a steel divider with silvery beams.

Red arrowroot

Another name for this species - tricolor, was brought to European countries from Brazil. In the wild, it grows in tropical rainforests.

The leaves have an elliptical shape with a rich dark green color, acquiring a light pink tint closer to the edges. In the center of each leaf plate there is a bright red vein, from which reddish rays emanate. On the seamy side, the vein is presented in a pink shade. The decorative appearance of the leaf plate is expressed by colorful feather-like patterns.

The maximum length of the leaf plate is 13 cm, the width reaches 6 cm. At the beginning of spring, barely noticeable flowers of a pale pink hue bloom at the plant, and they bloom until the end of summer.

Arrowroot two-color

In appearance, the two-colored arrowroot bears a great resemblance to the Kerhoven arrowroot. The only difference is the color of the leaf plate. The reverse side of the sheet of the two-tone specimen has a magenta tint. There is a pronounced vein in the central part of the upper side of the green leaf plate. Patterned edges of light green shades are smoothly connected to the central vein by means of light green rays.

Plants that bring health

In this case, not only signs work, because it is known that many house plants are medicinal and are quite capable of helping a person to defeat some diseases. However, folk magic also works here and there are plants that bring health by their mere presence.

So, for example, a room chrysanthemum is able to give its owner good health and calm the naughty nerves. If your house chrysanthemum blooms frequently and looks healthy and well-groomed, you are no doubt a kind and pleasant person.

It brings to its owner not only family happiness. The plant is quite capable of relieving stress, charging with positive energy, and therefore strengthening human health. Probably it's not just the omens. and also that geranium is stunningly beautiful and has a magical aroma.