Episode

General view of the plant and its varieties

Episation belongs to the same family as Gloxinia and Saintpaulia - Gesneriaceae. The named representatives of the tropical fauna have long won the hearts of indoor florists. Episode is still not widely used at home, but interest in it is steadily growing.

The description of the plant looks like this:

1. The stem is herbaceous, rather flexible. The surface is pubescent.
2. The leaves are arranged oppositely or alternately along the shoots.
3. The shape of the plates is broadly oval. Most varieties have several colors.
4. The flowers are endowed with 5 petals. They leave the sinuses singly or in bundles. The color depends on the species.
5. The underground part is a thick tuberous shoot with short, thin roots.

The episode, like a strawberry, produces a "mustache" with a rosette at the end. This fact makes it possible to grow it in hanging pots as an ampelous culture.

In its natural environment, the genus Episcus unites about 40 species. However, only a few of them are found at home:

• Copper epistle. A common look in the rooms of amateurs. The stems are kept straight. Olive green leaves are surrounded by a brown border. The veins are bright, silver, with a different shade depending on the variety. The petals of the buds are red or orange.
• The epic is purple. Leaves with dense denticles along the edge, painted in red-violet. The veins are clearly visible. Each variety has its own color. The buds are larger than those of the previous species. Petals with denticles along the edging, painted in blue or pale lilac.
• Episation is carnation-flowered. Ampel variety. The leaves are round, small, densely covered with villi. The color of the plates is gray-green. The buds are large, white, with a needle-like fringe along the edge.
• The creeping episode. The leaf of the plant changes color depending on the conditions of detention. The shaded plate is silvery green. It turns brown in the sun. All varieties and hybrids of the creeping variety are distinguished by this feature. The petals are scarlet, with a fringe along the edge.

General description of the plant

Episii are unpretentious thermophilic vines with a superficial root system, a thick creeping underground stem and numerous aerial whiskers with daughter leafy rosettes.

The leaf plates - large, oval, pubescent - have a wide range of green and brown tones with light, iridescent, openwork veins and spots. Mature leaves, without losing their decorative effect, remain on the stem for several years.

From late spring to late autumn, the Episodes are decorated with bright flowers resembling tubular bells: snow-white, bluish, deep pink, fiery red, sunny orange. In some varieties of these plants, the edges of the petals are fringed.

This video provides general information about the plant:

Home care

It is believed that not every grower will be able to grow such a demanding and specific plant as dyschidia. In fact, it is quite simple to choose the right location and constantly maintain high humidity. In addition, dyschidia does not need frequent watering and fertilization, which greatly simplifies its care.

At home, dyschidia can be grown in 2 versions:

• as an ampelous plant in hanging pots;
• like a vine on trellises or decorative bases.

Placement and lighting

Dyschidia should be placed in a bright place, as it is very light-requiring. But at the same time, one should not forget about the high sensitivity of the plant to direct sunlight, which should be avoided. It is better if the lighting for the dyschidia is diffused.

The most suitable place for its placement is near the windows of the west or east side, where there is sufficient lighting.

Dyschidia also grows well under artificial light, so it can be successfully grown in damp florariums, paludariums or flower display cases.

Landing

Since dyschidia is an epiphytic plant, it will feel comfortable on the bark of trees to which it can be tied with wire, or in special blocks, on the bottom of which a mixture of pine bark and charcoal is laid out. The roots of the plant can also be overlaid with sphagnum moss.

Transfer

A young plant needs a transplant once a year, an adult - once every 2-3 years or as needed, when the roots of the plant fill the entire pot. At the bottom of the container where the plant is transplanted, you need to lay out a drainage layer consisting of expanded clay, broken brick and pebbles.

Watering

Watering dyschidia too often is not worth it. In spring and summer, watering should be carried out approximately once every 2 weeks, as the top 2-3 cm layer of soil dries out. In autumn and winter, watering is reduced to 1 time per month.

Water for irrigation should be soft (filtered or boiled), room temperature and free of unnecessary impurities.

Temperature regime

The optimum temperature for growing dyschidia should be between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. After the end of flowering, during the dormant period of the plant, the temperature must be lowered to 18-22 degrees.

Reproduction methods

Dyschidia are propagated by seeds or cuttings.

When propagating by seeds, you need:

• collect seeds from small pods after the plant has finished flowering;
• plant them in sand with peat or in another light soil;
• sprinkle with earth on top, cover with foil or glass and maintain the temperature at about 20-25 ° C.

When propagated by cuttings:

• the apical stalk is cut off with a length of about 10 cm;
• lubricate the cut sites with a root formation stimulator (Kornevin);
• the cut shoots are placed in a wet sand and peat mixture;
• cover with glass or a bag and germinate at a temperature of at least + 20 ° C;
• cuttings are regularly ventilated, and also constantly moisten the soil.

If the conditions of detention are violated, the plant can be affected by aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, which are attracted by the juicy foliage of the dyschidia.

It is necessary to immediately wipe the plant with soapy water and treat it with insecticidal preparations (Fitoverm, Sunmayt, Akarin, Aktara).

You should also pay attention to the following signs that may appear when growing dyschidia:

• red color of the leaves (reason: excessive illumination);
• decay of stems and roots (reason: waterlogging);
• lack of fleshy leaves resembling jugs (reason: lack of moisture).

Observing all the recommendations for keeping dyschidia, you can easily grow this beautiful exotic plant at home. The most important thing when growing dyschidia is stable care and careful observation of the plant, because dyschidia itself signals uncomfortable conditions and thereby greatly simplifies self-care.

We recommend reading about other types of indoor plants, for example, Epipremnum, Fatskheder, Basel.

Reproduction

Start the reproduction procedure in the spring, at this time the active movement of substances in the shoots begins and the planting material will take root well.

Cuttings

1. Choose a whole rosette for propagation by cuttings, without damaged leaves. Cut it off gently with a clean, disinfectant-treated blade.
2. The cutting will take root most quickly separately from the mother plant, in a mixture of moss and leafy soil.
3. Another rooting option: without separating the outlet, dig it into the soil of a pot placed side by side. Thus, you can create a beautiful floral "carpet" for decorating a greenhouse or loggia.

Leaves

1. For propagation by a leaf, cut off a large, well-developed specimen, dry it in the air for several minutes, sprinkle the cut with crushed coal and plant it in the soil at a depth of 1.5-2 cm.Cover the pot with a jar to create a kind of greenhouse.
2. Maintain a temperature of 23-25 ​​degrees, while the soil must be constantly moist. Remove the can for airing once a day.

Seeds

Seed germination can be called experimental: it is believed that over time this method leads to a loss of varietal qualities of the episode, and the results cannot be predicted in advance.

1. The seeds can be bought at a flower shop, or you can try to get it yourself. The last option is quite complex, but interesting: it is possible to carry out artificial pollination at home only by growing several episodes with pollen bags (anthers) on their own. A soft brush is used for pollination. If you do everything right, in a couple of months, seed pods will appear on the flower.
2. Planting material cannot be stored for a long time - it loses its properties. Prepare containers with a light soil mixture (from earth and vermiculite), generously sprinkle it with a phytosporin solution and spread the seeds on the surface of the soil at some distance from each other. Cover the container with cling film or glass.
3. The temperature inside should be at least 20 degrees Celsius, the soil should be moist and loose. Use a spray bottle or add water to the pan. Lift the glass for ventilation every day. If natural light is not enough, arrange artificial lighting.
4. Seeds hatch slowly, about a month. You need to dive seedlings in the first 8 weeks every 14 days. The first fertilization is applied seven days after transplanting. When the seedlings are 12 weeks old, pinch off the cotyledons and transplant the seedlings into separate pots.

Types of episode

In home floriculture, an episode of several varieties is grown:

• Episode Northern Light (Northern Lights). Leaves are small, undisturbed, they have a mother-of-pearl tint. Flowers are dark red, solitary;
• Emerald Velvet. The leaf is dark olive with green veins, it is large, ovoid, pubescent. The flowers are light lilac with a white core;
• Episode of Silver Skies. A miniature variety of culture. Leaves are green with a raspberry tint, carmine flowers;

• Tiger Stripe Episode. Patterned leaves of a marsh shade. They have a tiger pattern on them. The flowers are scarlet;
• Episode of Strawberry Mist. Embossed leaves of a dark pink color appear red from a distance. Pearlescent tint and green veins make the plant incredibly beautiful. The flowers are orange, red with a yellow center;
• An epic of Spring Symphony. A silvery stripe runs along the center of large leaves. Large textured sheet. The color is olive with a brown tint. The flowers are orange-red serrated at the edges. The neck of the flower is yellow;
• Episode Yellow Mist. The leaves are large, oval. The surface is smooth with a silvery sheen. Flowers are deep yellow, solitary;
• clove Episcia Dianthiflora. The leaf shape is eleptic. The edge is noticeable. Colors are all shades of green. The flowers are white, carnation-like;
• Forest beauty (Silvans Beauty). Glossy leaf plates with light green veins. The buds are red;

Episation Forest Beauty

• Blue Nile. Large flowers with a lavender hue. At the core they are yellow;
• Harlequin. Blooms profusely, flowers are red. Leaves up to 10 cm silvery green with checkered;
• Country Clown. Red leaves with dark edging;
• Sea Foam. Small watercolor pink leaf. A powerful bush with many shoots. The flowers are red;
• Pink Metallic. Olive foliage with ruby ​​dusting;
• Raspberry Blush. Large red-brown leaf. The flower is red;
• Silver shine (Silver Sheen). Large pubescent leaves with an olive border. The flowers are red and orange;
• Pink Panther. The leaves are lime green with a bronze tint. Flowers with a corrugated edge, pink;
• Country Kitten. Small chocolate-colored leaf plates. The flowers are red-orange;
• Brown Beauty. The leaves are textured, the tint is silver. The flowers are red;
• Brown Beauty. Velvet olive green leaves. Pink spotted flower;
• Episcia Jim Moody Rock. Quilted leaves with black diamonds;
• Lemon Lime. The leaf plate is green with a brown tint, in the middle there is an emerald strip. The flower is pink;
• Strawberry Patch. Pink foliage with a metallic sheen. Red-orange flower;
• Canadian Sunset. Velvety leaves are olive green. Spotted pink flowers;
• Episation Chocolate Velor. The foliage is heavily pubescent, dark brown, the flowers are lilac-blue;
• Episcia Temptation. Shiny leaves with jagged edges, red-orange flower;
• Episcia Lilacina Viridis. Large ovoid dark green leaves. Lavender flowers;
• Episode of TM-Lear. Shades from silvery to pink-red at the edges of the sheets.

Episation is a plant of exceptional beauty. Valued for the variety of leaf shapes and colors. Care has its own characteristics, but within the power of a novice florist. Propagated by cuttings to maintain genetic properties. Watering, transplanting, pruning - within the requirements of agricultural technology.

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Landing

The ability of this exotic plant to develop and grow rapidly, as well as its tropical origin, determine a number of specific requirements for planting and transplanting episodes. In order for this flowering perennial to fully develop, feel good, bloom in a timely manner and for a long time, the following conditions must be observed in the procedure for planting it:

• selection of a suitable pot in terms of volume;
• high-quality soil mixture;
• competent execution technique.

When choosing a suitable pot, it is better to give preference to not very deep, but wide containers. Considering that the roots of this plant are superficial, the episodes are suitable for a moderately low and spacious pot.

The optimal pot width is considered to be within 20 centimeters. A capacity of this diameter will not take up extra space on the windowsill, but at the same time it will allow the roots of the flower to fully develop

It is important to ensure that there are holes at the bottom of the pot to drain excess water.

If an episode requires a container of a much larger diameter, it makes sense to think about dividing its bush. This procedure will rejuvenate the plant and, at the same time, replenish the green collection with new specimens.

When planting or transplanting an episode, attention should be paid to the quality and properties of the soil mixture. This exotic prefers light, moisture and air permeable mixtures with an acidity of 5.5 pH.

The episode will feel comfortable enough in a soil mixture consisting of such components as:

• sheet land - 2-4 parts;
• peat - 1 part;
• sand - 1 part.

In the absence of leafy earth, this component can be replaced with a mixture for Uzambara violets. To improve the drainage of the soil mixture, it is allowed to add a small amount of charcoal and sphagnum moss to it. Before filling the pot, all ingredients of the soil mixture should be thoroughly mixed.

Before planting the plant, a layer of drainage is placed on the bottom of the new pot. It is recommended to use crushed expanded clay, clean pebbles or gravel as drainage

A soil mixture is poured over the drainage layer, after which a flower is carefully placed in a pot together with an earthen lump on the roots

Having placed the plant in a pot, the soil is poured from the sides and compacted a little. The root collar is not buried during planting. After the procedure, the plant needs to be provided with gentle conditions of detention, which will accelerate the process of its recovery.

Home Episode Care and Plant Varieties

The houseplant Episcus has gained wide popularity among flower growers due to its spectacular appearance and a wide variety of varieties. Not only the bright flowers of the tropical plant are of decorative value, but also the silvery veins covering the leaves. It is thanks to them that the episode is also called "chameleon".

There are no less than 40 varieties of home-grown episodes:

• Copper;
• Lilac;
• Clove-flowered;
• Creeping;
• Silver shine;
• Chocolate velor;
• Blue Nile;
• Silvery sky;
• My precious;
• Chocolate Soldier;
• Pink brocade;
• Forest beauty.

The care and reproduction of the episode flower is not particularly difficult, because, unlike its tropical "counterparts", this plant is unpretentious. But the ornamental plant is very demanding on heat and humidity levels.

Location and lighting

Before growing an episode, you need to find a suitable place for it. Like all tropical plants, the episode is very fond of light, but direct sunlight is destructive for it. She needs soft, diffused lighting.

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The scorching sun discolors bright and variegated leaves, causing them to dry out and slowing down the growth of the plant as a whole. The lack of sunlight is no less dangerous. It leads to stretching of shoots and too sparse arrangement of leaves.

The best option for growing an episode will be window sills on the east or west side. Also, a pot with a plant can be placed on the northern balcony or windowsill - but only if they are not shaded by buildings or trees.

Air temperature and humidity

The description is undemanding to the air temperature. It easily adapts to summer heat up to + 36 ° С, but does not tolerate temperatures below + 16 ° С. Also, an ornamental plant must be protected from drafts.

This bright "representative" of the tropics is very fond of high humidity, which it needs for active growth and flowering. It is especially important for young plants up to 1-2 years old.

Ways to increase humidity:

• pour wet expanded clay into the pallet;
• water the plant and cover the bush with plastic wrap for 25-35 minutes;
• cultivate an episode in florariums.

Soil and pot selection

The Episode is best grown in a shallow but wide enough flowerpot. In its bottom, holes must be made to remove excess fluid.

Light, breathable soil with neutral or slightly acidic soil is used to grow a tropical plant. For this, a ready-made substrate is used, intended for growing Saintpaulias and violets, or prepared independently from river sand, peat and leafy soil, taken in a ratio of 1: 1: 2.

Watering and spraying

Like most people from the rainforest, Episia is very fond of moisture. At the same time, it is impossible to spray the leaves of the plant directly, since the foliage begins to rot quickly from this.

When caring for an episode at home in winter, the amount of watering is reduced to 1 time in 7-8 days. It is best to water the flower only after the soil dries out by 1-2 cm. Water must be poured along the edge of the flowerpot or under the very root and be careful not to fall on the leaves of the episode.

Top dressing of the episode

Correct feeding of the episode ensures the full growth and development of the plant, increases its immunity to diseases and pests. The most preferred are complex mineral and organic fertilizers, which alternate and are applied once every 12-15 days, best of all after preliminary watering of the soil.

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Transfer

Episation has a high growth rate, so the ornamental plant should be replanted at least once a year, preferably in April or May.

Flower transplant:

• take a pot 2-3 cm wider than the previous one;
• pour drainage and a layer of soil into the pot;
• water the description and remove it from the old container;
• place the plant in a new pot along with a soil ball, carefully sprinkle all the voids with soil and water.

Once every 3 years, it is necessary to carry out a full transplant, with a soil replacement. During the procedure, carefully examine the rhizome of the plant, carefully remove all dried, rotten and damaged fragments.

Types of episodes and their photos: creeping, purple, clove, copper-red

E. creeping (E. reptans Mart.). Found in shady places in tropical rain forests in Brazil, Colombia, Guiana, Suriname. Perennial herbaceous plants.Shoots are creeping, long, branched. Leaves are elliptical, 4–8 cm long and 2–5 cm wide, cordate at the base, densely pubescent, olive green and brown above, reddish below, slightly wrinkled above, serrate-ciliate at the edges; along the middle vein and up to half the length at the lateral veins with a narrow silvery-green stripe.

Pay attention to the photo - in the creeping episode, the flowers are single, located in the axils of the leaves, on red pedicels; corolla tube 2.5–3.5 cm long; corolla pharynx 2 cm in diameter, pink inside, red outside:

Blooms in July - September. It is widely used as an ampelous plant.

Episcia lilacina. The leaves of this plant are about 10 cm long, bronze-green. The flowers are lilac-white, with a yellow center and purple edging.

E. clove (Episcia dianthiflora) or alsobia clove (Alsobia dianthiflora) - allocated to a separate genus Alsobia. The homeland of the plant is Mexico. Perennial tropical plant with two types of shoots: shortened with closely spaced leaves and long, thin, darkening with age, rooting in nodes (whiskers), bearing daughter rosettes. Leaves are small, 3 cm long, 2 cm wide, elliptical to ovate, crenate along the edge, dark green with a purple midrib, short velvety pubescent.

Look at the photo - for an indoor flower, the description of this type of flowers is single, white with purple dots in the pharynx and the lobes of the limb fringed along the edge:

There are a number of highly decorative varieties.

E. copper-red (E. cupreata). Grows in shady places, at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, in tropical rainforests in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil. Perennial herb, is much larger than the previous species. Creeping shoots, easily rooting in the substrate. Leaves are elliptical, rounded-elliptical, almost cordate at the base, 6–13 cm long and 4–8 cm wide, densely pubescent; from above brownish-green to copper, with a wide white stripe along the midvein and in spots, reddish below, with a green stripe in the middle.

As you can see in the photo, the copper-red episode has single flowers, fiery red or scarlet red; corolla tube 2–2.5 cm long, yellow inside and with red spots, red outside:

Blooms in summer, July - September.

It is actively used when crossing and has many cultural forms and varieties:

• with very large (11-14 cm) leaves, brownish-olive above, shiny, greenish-silvery along veins, pinkish below;
• with silvery-gray-green leaves, shiny, with a brownish-olive edge and spots between the veins, pinkish below along the edge;
• with large leaves, brownish-olive, soft pubescent, with a wide bright copper stripe along the midrib;
• with leaves rigidly pubescent, silvery-greenish with a brownish-green edge and spots between lateral veins;
• with smooth, light green leaves, with silvery stripes along the middle and lateral veins.

Reproduction of episodes by cuttings in the ground

For growing a flower, it is better to take sufficiently wide pots of low height. The soil for the episode should have a slightly acidic or neutral reaction (pH 5.5–6.5). The soil mixture consists of 2 parts of leafy soil, 1 part of peat (or greenhouse land) and 1 part of river sand, sphagnum moss and pieces of charcoal. Also, the substrate can consist of leafy soil, peat and sand (3: 1: 1), with the addition of sphagnum and charcoal. You can use commercially available Violet mixtures, etc. Provide good drainage and large drain holes at the bottom of the pot.

Reproduction of the episode by cuttings or seeds is carried out in the spring. The easiest way to propagate is by rooting side shoots. Developed shoots with 3-4 nodes without their own lateral processes are placed in water, but they are not immersed deeply (no more than 3-4 cm).You can also, without separating the daughter outlet from the mother plant, substitute the pot and dig in the shoot in the area of ​​the fold a few centimeters into moist soil. Usually, there are no problems with rooting stem cuttings - they will take root within a week. It must be remembered that the soil temperature during rooting should be at least 18 ° C, and preferably around 25 ° C. Young plants several times as they grow (with a frequency of once a month) are transferred into dishes 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. The maximum pot size for adult plants is about 20 cm in diameter.

A simple way to propagate episodes by stem cuttings is to root them directly in the soil substrate. They are separated and planted in light soil in a small pot (diameter 7-9 cm) and placed in a greenhouse or covered with a jar.

What kind of care does any variety of this flower require?

As a former resident of the tropics, Episia likes dark and humid places, as well as the complete absence of drafts.

The choice of a window sill. Western or eastern - the most it! If you have only one window, and it faces south, this is also not a big deal. Keep the plant on the windowsill from evening to morning, and for the day (or at least from 10 to 14 hours) hide it in a dark corner. Or even buy a hanging planter and hang the plant a little away from the window. As for the north window, it doesn't fit at all - there is little light here.

• Temperature. Ideal: 22-25 degrees. "Critical points" for a flower are 16 degrees (if it gets even colder, it will die) and 36 degrees (he also does not like extra heat). Although it is better for a flower to live in heat than in cold, the main thing is that they do not forget to water it constantly.
• Priming. Choose a lightweight one that will not interfere with the breathing of the roots. If you do not like the store soil, mix in equal doses river sand, leaf and garden soil, dilute all this a little with charcoal (wood) and sphagnum. But this is not enough: add drainage to the pot (at the bottom, about 3 cm) - small pebbles or expanded clay.
• Top dressing. You can remember about it in spring and summer, bringing in nutrients at least every week. Any mineral fertilizer for flowers will suit you, but take half of the usual (indicated on the package) rate.

• Pests. They rarely visit such a plant. Episation can only become infected with a nematode or apple aphid.
• Diseases. The main problem of a flower is excess water in the pot, from which the roots can rot. The leaves have gone dark spots: stop pouring cold water on the flowerpot. Yellow spots: This is sunburn, overfeeding, or too dry air.

Watering and water procedures

This is one of the most water-loving flowerpots - you can water it every 3 days. Do not pour in too much - stagnant water will provoke the appearance of root rot, which will destroy the plant. But as soon as the soil is completely dry, add some water right there. Moreover, pour immediately on the ground - the leaves (especially with the edge) do not like to wash.

In the cold season, "hibernation" concerns even this restless creature, so watering can be reduced to 1 time in 7 days. Is the soil dry? Do not rush, wait a day or two with water.

Defend the water, letting it warm up to a comfortable room temperature - in no case should it be icy.

The episode does not respect spraying, but loves moist air. How to be? It's simple: put expanded clay into a pan, fill it with water, put a pot with a flower on top, but so that the plant does not reach the roots - and let it breathe moisture.

Transplant, bush formation

Most plants change their place of "registration" once a year - the episode can be transplanted twice.

Choose a wide “house” (5 cm wider than the old one) with narrow sides that will not prevent the plant from hanging down the sides of the pot. And of course there must be holes in the bottom!

The whole procedure goes like this:

1. Water your pet well to soften the soil.
2. After half an hour, take out the plant, very carefully transferring the roots - you cannot pull the branches, it is better to knock on the walls so that the roots come out easily.
3. Conduct a "medical examination" of the roots: if you see rotten or dried out, cut off with a margin, and cover the "wound" with sulfur.
4. Place drainage in a new pot as well as fresh soil.
5. Drop an episode, water it. After about 30 minutes, check if you need to drain the excess liquid from the pan.
6. Do not expose the pot to the sun for at least 7 days.

Trimming a crown is a usual thing for an episode, because it always wants to take over the world ... Well, or at least your entire room. It is better to cut off excess leaves with sterile scissors (boil them for about 10 minutes).

How can an episode be multiplied

• Sockets. The easiest way. In the spring, the plant produces tendrils, at the ends of which "mini-bushes" grow. Mix peat with sand, plant this bush there (without cutting off the mustache), keep it warm. When he releases the roots and firmly "grabs" them to the soil, you can cut off the "umbilical cord".
• Shank. Cut the stalk, stick it into a glass / pot with soil, cover with a jar on top to create a greenhouse effect. When the roots grow, the jar can be taken away.
• Seeds. They are sown in a well-drained box, which is wrapped on top with foil. By the way: this method is bad for hybrid varieties - after germination, they may not look like themselves, but like “mother”, that is, the parent variety.