Maranta (Maranta) - perennial herbaceous plant about 20 cm high. The name is given in honor of Bartalomeo Maranta, a Venetian physician. The root system is tuberous. Shoots can be straight or creeping. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, oval-rounded, oblong-elliptical. The color is spectacular: on the general background (from white to dark green) there are bright spots, veins.
Why is the arrowroot called a prayer plant?
With sufficient lighting, the leaf plates are located almost horizontally, and under adverse factors they rise up and close like palms. Hence the second name - praying grass. Another popular name is the ten commandments, since one species of this plant has 10 spots on the leaves.
Favorable conditions of detention contribute to flowering, but it does not have a special decorative effect. Small flowers of white, light pink or light yellow color bloom on a thin peduncle. most often, the peduncle is cut off even before the flowers bloom, because after flowering the arrowroot sheds its leaves and goes into dormant mode.
The plant belongs to the Marantaceae family, the genus includes about three dozen species. Homeland are the swamps of South America.
Caring for an arrowroot plant at home
Site selection and lighting
Lighting needs diffused. They do well in light shade. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. If the lighting is very bright, the size of the leaf plates will decrease, and the color will fade. Maranta grows well in artificial light: use fluorescent lamps, provide daylight hours lasting 16 hours.
Temperature regime
The plant loves heat, it is painful for drafts and sudden changes in temperature. In the warm season, the optimal temperature range will be 22-24°C. During the dormant period (October-February), it is necessary to lower the temperature to 18°C, the maximum temperature drop is possible up to +10°C.
How to water
In the warm season, plentiful is needed, support upper layer the soil is moist, but do not allow waterlogging. With the onset of autumn, reduce watering. During a cool winter, it is enough to occasionally moisten the earthen ball to prevent hypothermia of the roots.
Air humidity
The plant needs high humidity. Spray the arrowroot regularly, if the air is dry, do it twice a day. Periodically place the plant pot on a tray with wet expanded clay, moss, pebbles, avoiding the bottom of the pot from touching the water. To provide additional hydration and to simply clean the plant of dust, occasionally bathe under warm shower, at the same time, do not forget to protect the earthen ball from water ingress (cover with a bag).
All water procedures spend softened, warm (room temperature) water.
Why do the leaves dry
Despite the application of all measures to maintain moisture, the tips of the leaves in room conditions may dry out. Best of all, arrowroots feel in florariums, terrariums, mini-greenhouses.
top dressing
In spring and summer, it is necessary to feed every 2 weeks, alternating complex mineral fertilizers with organic ones.
Transfer
How to transplant arrowroot photo
Plants spend every 2 years in the spring. Choose a shallow, plastic pot (it holds moisture better), increasing the diameter by 1-2 cm each time. Withered and dried leaves must be cut off. Be sure to lay a drainage layer at the bottom, consisting of expanded clay, ceramic fragments, coarse sand.
Priming
A slightly acidic soil is required. The following compositions are suitable: leafy, peat soil, humus in equal proportions or garden soil, sand, peat in a ratio of 3: 1: 1.5. You can add a little coniferous earth, charcoal, dry mullein to any soil.
If you grow a flower on hydroponics or an ion-exchange substrate, top dressing and transplanting will not be required for 2-3 years.
pruning
How to divide the arrowroot bush
Arrowroots are carried out in a vegetative way: by dividing the bush and apical cuttings.
Divide the bush during transplantation. Plant delenki in small pots with soil, as for adult plants. For successful rooting, cover the plantings with a film and place in a warm place (air temperature not lower than 20 ° C). When the plant begins to grow, the shelter must be removed.
Propagation of arrowroot cuttings
Reproduction is carried out from the end of spring and summer. Each cutting should have 2-3 leaves. Root in water - roots will appear in 5-6 days. Plant young plants in accordance with the transplant rules.
Diseases, pests arrowroot
The arrowroot leaves curl and turn yellow, the tips of the leaves dry out.
Yellowed leaves with dry tips, their twisting, falling off, slowdown in arrowroot growth indicate dry air - do not forget about spraying, put the plant pot on a pallet with humidifiers (moss, pebbles, expanded clay). A completely exhausted arrowroot can be bathed under a warm shower, and then covered with a plastic bag to maintain high humidity. Such a "bath" is able to reanimate an overdried flower. But do not forget to look, water, spray the plant. When you see that the arrowroot has come to life, remove the bag, but do not allow the same problem in the future: put a humidifier nearby or keep the beauty on a pallet with wet pebbles.
Second possible problem- pressed, dried earthen ball. If the plant has not been transplanted for a long time, from perennial irrigation the earth can be very compacted, so that even when watering it will not be moistened: the water will run down the walls of the pot, bypassing the roots of the plant. Check how permeable the soil is. If there is a problem, urgently transplant the plant with soil replacement.
If the leaves wither, the stems rot- watering is too zealous, or the air temperature is low. urgently need to be transplanted: rinse the roots under water, carefully inspect, cut off all suspicious, rotten parts of both the root and the aerial part. Hold the roots in a phytosporin solution, treat the green part and plant in a disinfected pot with fresh soil, cover plastic bag until accepted.
If the light is too bright, the arrowroot leaves fade, when exposed to direct sunlight, brown spots (burns) appear. In this case, you need to choose a place for the flower with scattered sunlight.
Pests
The arrowroot plant can be attacked by a spider mite. It settles on the underside of the leaf plate, envelops the plant with cobwebs white color, the leaves are covered with dark drying spots. It is necessary to treat with insecticides with a repetition of the procedure in a week. It is better to prevent a problem than to solve it: to avoid pest infestation, keep the plant clean, spray regularly, and do not place near heating systems.
Types of arrowroot with photo and name
Maranta bicolor Maranta bicolor
It has oval or egg-shaped leaves. The color of the leaf plate: the main background is light green, stripes of a darker shade depart from the central vein. The species requires very careful care, it is best suited for growing in a greenhouse.
Maranta tricolor or tricolor Maranta Tricolour
The most unpretentious and popular species in home floriculture. The leaves are dark green with a lighter border, the veins are dark red and become darker towards the edges.
Maranta white-veined or white-veined Maranta Leuconeura
Dark green leaves with pink veins and a white-silvery stripe running down the center. The shape of the leaf plate is oval, the length reaches 15 cm. It is unpretentious in care.
Maranta reed Maranta arundinacea photo
The bush reaches a height of about 1 m. The leaves are monochromatic green, oblong-oval in shape, reach a length of about 25 cm. indoor cultivation does not occur frequently. The roots of the plant are used to produce starch, which is an alternative to corn starch.
Differs in original flowering, which is purple flowers, collected in paniculate inflorescences. When they fade, a cellular bed is exposed, forming a semblance of a cone. The leaves are oval or egg-shaped, light green in color with darker stripes. View care is standard.
Maranta Kerkhoven maranta leuconeura kerchoveana
A variety of white-headed arrowroot. Able to reach a height of 25 m. Oval-shaped leaf plates are attached to short petioles. The top is brightly colored. green color and covered with brush strokes of a brownish tint, creating a feather pattern. The plant loves warmth, shade, regular water treatments.
Maranta massage aka black arrowroot maranta leuconeura Massangeana = Black Maranta photo
A wide strip of white-yellow hue runs through the center of the oval leaf plate, dark brown spots extend from it, the edges of the leaves are dark green, the veins have a silver tint.
plant benefits
Maranta is used for culinary (starch production) and medicinal (treatment of intestinal anemia, anorexia, insomnia) purposes. The plant is rich in calcium, folic acid, vitamins PP, B9.
Signs and superstitions about arrowroot
It is believed that the plant is able to absorb aggression, protecting the house from quarrels and disagreements. According to the practice of Feng Shui, the energy of the arrowroot tricolor prevents the appearance of colds and is able to purify the blood.
The arrowroot flower is grown at home for its beautifully colored leaves. The combination of dark and light green spots on large arrowroot leaves (length - up to 15 and width - up to 10 centimeters) create a bizarre geometric pattern that superimposes very effectively on the veins of leaf blades. From below, the arrowroot leaves are colored purple.
In England, the arrowroot flower is called "praying grass". The plant got this name due to the fact that in daylight its oval-rounded leaves are lowered down, and closer to the night they rise to the top and take the so-called “sleep position”.
Arrowroot flower, varieties
The most popular type of arrowroot flower is white-veined, in which the central vein of the leaves is colored in bright hues. The variety of arrowroot Kerkhoven (Kerchoveana) is very interesting, in which exactly 10 dark spots are located on each leaf of pale green color, due to which in Europe this arrowroot flower is called the “ten commandments”.
The Massangeana arrowroot flower variety is distinguished by dark green, almost black leaves, which are decorated with silver veins. Leaves with red veins have enough unpretentious appearance Fascinator arrowroot flower. Such arrowroot varieties as Green Player, Red Player, Kim and others are also popular.
How to care for arrowroot flower
The arrowroot flower comes from South America and requires high temperature and high humidity. In summer, the temperature of arrowroot content should not go beyond 20-25̊ Celsius. In this case, the flower can sometimes be taken out into the "fresh air" in a windy place. The wintering of the flower must be provided warm, at air and soil temperatures not lower than + 18̊ Celsius.
Arrowroot lighting requires bright and indoors, it is better to place a flower pot in an appropriate place, but not reachable for direct sunlight. However, even in partial shade, the arrowroot flower feels good.
Water the arrowroot in the summer plentifully, maintaining constant soil moisture, but avoiding stagnation of water in the pot. Be sure to water with warm and soft water. In autumn and winter, the intensity of watering is reduced. Humidity for a tropical flower must be provided as high as possible. To do this, it is often sprayed, especially in rooms with central heating.
The soil for growing arrowroot needs to be slightly acidic, and such a soil mixture can be prepared by mixing three parts of garden soil, one and a half parts of peat and one part of sand. It is also useful to add dry mullein, crushed charcoal and a little coniferous earth to it.
Fertilizing the arrowroot flower is necessary during the growing season, in spring and summer. The plant is fed with a highly diluted 1:10 solution. mineral fertilizers and infusion of mullein. They do this once every two weeks.
Young arrowroot flowers are transplanted annually in the second half of spring, and large plants - every three to five years. During transplantation, the arrowroot is divided into two or three new flowers.
Arrowroot is propagated by dividing bushes or green cuttings and do it in the spring. The bush is divided during a flower transplant, while trying not to damage the roots of the plant. Green cuttings are rooted in greenhouses in conditions of high humidity and temperature.
The arrowroot blooms inconspicuously, with small white or pale lilac flowers.
Arrowroot flower, care for growth problems
If the arrowroot leaves fade and dry out, then the lighting is too bright for the flower and it must be protected from direct sunlight or the pot should be placed in the shade.
If the arrowroot flower becomes lethargic and the stems rot, then the soil in the pot is waterlogged or the temperature of the plant is very low for it. The temperature must be increased, as well as check the drainage layer in the pot and water the flower less often.
The drying of the tips of arrowroot leaves or their falling off indicates the dryness of the air in the room. The frequency of spraying the plant should be increased, and the flower pot should be surrounded by moist peat.
If the leaves of the arrowroot curl and become covered with dark spots, then the soil mixture in the pot is not moist enough. The soil should not be allowed to dry out.
The main insect pest of arrowroot is spider mite and in order to get rid of it, you should increase the humidity in the room and spray the flower more often.
Members of the Marantaceae family (Marantaceae) are often referred to as "prayer plants" or "prayer plants" due to the unique ability of their leaves to rise vertically and fold like the hands of a praying person.
At the base of the leaf plate of these plants is an area containing pigments that control the change in leaf position depending on the intensity of solar radiation. In the morning and evening, when the sunlight is not very bright, the plants turn their leaves towards the sun, receiving the light necessary for photosynthesis. During the hot midday hours, their leaves turn to the sun with an edge to reduce moisture loss and the risk of sunburn, and at night the arrowroot leaves take on a position characteristic of the hands of a pilgrim.
Such an unusual behavior of leaves is far from the only advantage of plants of the arrowroot family. Home-grown arrowroots, namely calathea, stromanth, ctenant and arrowroot, are distinguished by surprisingly beautiful and bright leaves, and some species, for example, saffron calathea, bloom spectacularly.
Genus arrowroot, by whose name the whole family is named, includes more than two dozen species, the most common species is maranta leconeura, varieties massangeana and tricolor.
Both varieties of arrowroot have a very original leaf color. The lateral veins of the arrowroot massangeana are painted in a silvery shade, the arrowroot tricolor has red lateral veins. Unlike other plants of the arrowroot family, the long stems of an adult arrowroot descend and creep, so the plant must be fixed on a support.
The most colorful representative of the arrowroot is, of course, stromanta- a fairly large shrub-herbaceous plant with elongated oval leaves. In room culture, the blood-red stromanthe (stromanthe sanguinea) variety Triostar, also called Tricolor, is most often grown. The upper part of the leaf plate of the Tricolor stromanthus is colored dark green and painted with light green and creamy pink stripes. The lower part of the leaf has a rich burgundy hue. IN optimal conditions content on Stromanthe sanguinea, reddish-pink flowers appear in spring, collected in inflorescences in the form of spikelets.
Genus calathea has several species, each of which is unusual, extremely decorative and deserves the attention of flower growers.
IN flower shop or garden center most often offer one of the most original and popular types of calathea - calathea roseopictu(calathea roseo-picta). Its large, oval-shaped dark green leaves are decorated with a bright pattern that gives the impression that several more leaves are drawn on the leaf plate. The lower part of the leaves is purple in color.
Light green large leaves Calathea Makoya(calathea makoyana) are similar in shape to the foliage of the previous species of calathea. They are distinguished by elongated oval dark spots, extending from the central vein, and a dark edging of the leaf. Due to the variegated coloring, Makoya's calathea is called a peacock flower abroad.
Leaves painted calatheas(calathea picturata) are also decorated with dark edging, but the leaf plate is plain, light green.
Calathea decorated(calathea ornata) is one of the most elegant species. She has large oval dark green leaves, colorfully painted with thin pink lines running along the lateral veins.
Calathea zebra-shaped(calathea zebrina) can be recognized by the striped color of the leaves. Large, up to 40 cm in length, the leaves of the zebra-shaped calathea have a light central vein and are covered with dark transverse stripes.
Calathea Varshevich(calathea warscewiczii) has velvety leaves. Its leaf plate is colored dark green, along the light central vein there is a light green pattern, the underside of the leaf is purple. Calathea warscewiczii blooms with rather large white or creamy pink inflorescences.
Calathea is wonderful(calathea insignis or calathea lancifolia) is distinguished by an elongated and narrow leaf plate of a light green hue. On the upper side of the leaf there are oval spots. Underside of leaves purple.
Calathea saffron(calathea crocata) grown for beautiful orange flowers. The leaves of Calathea saffron are monophonic, dark green in color, the underside of the leaves is purple.
Amateur flower growers grow several types ctenant- this is the guardian of Berl-Marx, the guardian of Lubbers and the guardian of Oppenheim. 
(ctenanthe burle-marxii) - the most common species, it is a medium-sized herbaceous plant about 40 cm high with small oval light green leaves about 10 cm long. Dark green stripes extend to the sides of the central vein of the leaf.
(ctenanthe lubbersiana) grows up to 60-70 cm in room conditions. Its leaves are in the form of an elongated oval with a pointed end and are colored green with unevenly spaced yellow stripes.
(ctenanthe oppenheimiana) - a plant of quite impressive size, growing up to a meter in height. The leaves of this species are large, also elongated. The color of the leaves resembles that of the Triostar stromanthus: green and cream stripes on the upper side of the leaf and burgundy color of the lower part of the leaf plate.
Conditions of detention
All representatives of the arrowroot family are very demanding on the conditions of detention and, above all, on air humidity, which should reach 90%. With insufficient moisture, the leaves of plants begin to dry out and may fall off. To grow a luxurious specimen at home, you need to get a humidifier or keep the plant in a terrarium, florarium or near an indoor waterfall. In the absence of a humidifier, the plant must be placed on a tray with wet expanded clay or pebbles and sprayed several times a day. Calathea Varshevich should not be sprayed, as this negatively affects her velvet leaves.
Place arrowroot in a well-lit room away from windows, as the plants do not tolerate bright direct Sun rays, from which the color of the leaves turns pale. With an excess of sun, arrowroot can even die. With a lack of lighting on the leaves of arrowroot, a bright pattern disappears, and the leaves become monochromatic green. If the plants are still grown on the window, then in the hot midday hours they need to be shaded.
Maranth plants are thermophilic, optimum temperature for their maintenance - 22-25 degrees, in winter - about 18-20 degrees. Drafts and temperature changes have a detrimental effect on plants.
Watered arrowroot with plenty of warm, well-settled water as the topsoil dries up. In the autumn-winter period, watering is slightly reduced. It is necessary to ensure that the plants do not dry out the earthen ball. They react to overdried soil by yellowing, folding and even falling leaves. Waterlogging of the earthy coma and cooling of the root system leads to its decay.
IN spring-summer period arrowroot feed complex fertilizer for ornamental foliage plants every two weeks. Due to the fact that plants do not react well to an excess of minerals in the soil, it is recommended to dilute the fertilizer in half the concentration. Calathea saffron, which is flowering plant, fed with fertilizer for decorative flowering.
Adult arrowroot transplanted in the spring once every two years, young plants require an annual transplant. Shallow wide pots are suitable for arrowroot, and you should take a pot a little larger than the previous one. To prevent rotting of the roots in the pot, it is necessary to put a layer of drainage. Use a special land for arrowroot or azaleas, which can be bought at a flower shop.
When transplanting, large plants can be carefully divided into several parts, planted in separate pots, well watered, covered with a plastic bag and put in a warm place. After a while, the planted plants will take root and release new leaves.
In spring and summer, arrowroots, stromanths and ctenants multiply rooting cuttings, which are placed in a glass of water and covered with a bag. You can try to grow calathea from seeds.
Plants should be regularly checked for pests- spider mites, whiteflies, scale insects and mealybug.
With proper care and maintenance, a wonderful specimen can grow from a small arrowroot cutting that can create an exotic atmosphere in the house.
Capricious arrowroot care at home requires special care. Tropicana is valued for the beauty of the leaves. Place a flower in the bedroom. It absorbs negative energy, closes it in a rolled-up sheet, providing a good night's sleep. It has been noticed where the arrowroot lives, there are no loud scandals and major quarrels. Flower-amulet. The plant does not carry poison in itself, it is harmless to others.
Maranta home care, types and photos
A low bush of arrowroot is valued for the beauty of iridescent leaves. If there is not enough lighting, the bush lifts the leaves up and closes like a praying man's palm. Hence the name - prayer plant. The back side of the sheet is red. Twice a day the flower changes the general background. Under normal lighting, the leaves are arranged horizontally, you can look at the elegant patterned surface endlessly.
The Indians used arrowroot juice as an antidote in the treatment of wounds with poisoned arrows. The plant itself is considered harmless.
The flexible stem cannot support several heavy sheets vertically on its own. Therefore, with age, the flower spreads along the stand or is grown as an ampelous culture. You can organize support and help the plant place the leaves so that they are all in a diffused light flux.
It is clear that the whole beauty of the plant is in its healthy leaves. Preserving them is the main concern of the amateur. This is not at all easy, given the exactingness of the arrowroot for care. In addition, this plant is a sissy. The flower is easily infected with diseases and it is inhabited by a mass of insect pests. Types of arrowroot differ in color, shape of flowers, but they all have beautiful leaves.
How to properly care for arrowroot at home
A tropical plant in nature settled under a dense canopy of trees, not far from flowing streams. Therefore, it grows in diffused light, there is always moist air from the forest substrate below, and a flowing stream creates moderate soil moisture. These are the conditions you need to create an arrowroot flower when leaving at home.
- Proper lighting is easy to create. Maranta can be placed in the back of the room, but so that there is enough light. The flower does not tolerate direct sunlight, and the backlight is good for him. If you didn’t like the lighting, the leaves will tell you. In the shade, they lose the sharpness of the lines, fade.
- A heat-loving plant in summer requires a temperature of 20 - 25 degrees, in winter 18. But even a cold stand and a small draft will leave their mark on the leaves.
- Water the plant only with soft water room temperature. The frequency of watering depends on the condition of the earth coma. It should dry out a little on top between waterings. In winter, the plant is moistened 2 times a week, and one watering can be replaced by spraying the leaves. Humidification for arrowroot is a favorite procedure. To create the desired climate near the plant, there should always be a lake with water - a saucer or an aquarium. A pallet with pebbles and sphagnum moss, as always, will help out the grower where the air is dry.
- It is necessary to fertilize the plant, but in moderation. Maranta does not tolerate overfeeding, especially with nitrogen fertilizers. One gram per liter of water of a standard fertilizer for ornamental plants enough in the summer. Fertilize after watering 2 times a week.
- Pruning arrowroot is done in two ways. If the bush is launched and there are a lot of ugly leaves on it, you need to cut the greens at the root and put them in a dark place. Water moderately. A new shoot will come from the root, it is possible to correct mistakes in caring for arrowroot at home. You can cut off the leaves with cuttings and root them in the same pot, for the splendor of the bush.
If you follow the proposed methods of caring for a flower, it will delight with its appearance and even bloom, which rarely happens at home.
It is important to know that arrowroot is transplanted in the spring, a year later. In this case, the bowl is chosen wide, the roots of the flower are superficial.
At this time, neatly damaged leaves are removed, the root system is revised, if necessary, the bush is divided for reproduction. You need to carefully divide the root, take care of the arrowroot like a baby. Each separated nodule should have 2-3 dormant buds. After the transplant is completed, the leaves must be cut off and wait for the flower to revive.
Drainage in a pot consists of broken pots, expanded clay, brick chips, pieces of charcoal. The bulk layer should be at least 5 cm. The substrate can be bought at the store, or prepared independently:
- - 2 parts;
- humus 1 part;
- leaf ground - 4 parts;
- sand - 1 part.
The addition of chopped sphagnum moss, bark and earth from coniferous trees, crumbs of charcoal with the remains of ash on them. The more components, the lighter the soil.
Signs of improper home care for arrowroot
The plant quickly reacts to incorrect content by changing the type of sheets. If you study the signals, you can quickly correct mistakes and the bush will delight with beauty for a long time. The main SOS are modified leaves, they are:
- turn yellow;
- dry;
- curl up.
Yellowing leaves indicate that the flower does not receive its portion of water through watering or leaves. But if the leaves have yellow spots, then the rays of the sun are to blame, which fell on the leaf and burned it. Maybe you unacceptably lowered the temperature and froze the plant or blew it with a draft.
The arrowroot plant is under the auspices of Aquarius. It promotes the resorption of blood clots, soothes, acts as a barometer. Before the rain, she raises the leaves up.
If the arrowroot leaves began to dry out from the edges, remember how long ago you fed the plant, what kind of water you water. Hardness salts, which form scale on the kettle, also clog the ducts of the plant. Rare watering, excessive drying of the soil will give the same reaction.
The leaves curled up - the plant is cold and shriveled. Marante does not have enough water, and she hides the remnants from evaporation, so she twisted the leaf into a tube.
Only with insufficient care for a moisture-loving plant, a spider mite can start on it. If the colony has not yet gained strength, the plant can be saved. Yellowed leaves must be burned along with living creatures.
The arrowroot combined the energy of Mars, the Sun and Mercury. During the day, she absorbs the energy of aggression. At night, the moon rules, and the raised leaves protect the rest of the sleeper. Maranta makes a person more open and sociable. With a wish of happiness, give the arrowroot to your friends!
Video about caring for arrowroot
Maranta tricolor or prayer flower is a plant widespread among amateur flower growers. What is his popularity?
General information about arrowroot tricolor
Maranta tricolor (Maranta trikolor) - perennial evergreen family of arrowroot, originating from the humid South American rainforests. It grows up to 40 cm in height and slightly less in width.
Particularly interesting are its small oval velvety leaves growing on short petioles. They are dark green in the center and lighter at the edges. They are characterized by well-marked, red-crimson streaks.
For this plant received another name - arrowroot fascinator or red-veined.
Along the central vein is a pattern characteristic of this plant, consisting of a jagged, light strip framed by dark stains.
WITH reverse side leaves are monophonic - lilac-violet.
Another name for arrowroot tricolor is associated with the special mobility of its leaves. IN comfortable conditions they are located horizontally, almost creeping above the ground.
With a lack or (under natural conditions) an excess of light, they become vertical, resembling palms during prayer. For this, the tropican is often called a prayer plant.
In the summer, arrowroot mature, blooms with small white or purple flowers. Their spiky inflorescences are lost against the background of the luxurious, picturesque, colorful beauty of the rosettes of its velvet leaves.
Maranta tricolor: home care
Flower growers love arrowroot tricolor because of their unpretentiousness and enough easy care for her. Nevertheless, this decorative tropical flower needs specific (close to natural) growing conditions.
Lighting
Maranta tricolor prayer plant belongs to the shade-tolerant, because. under natural conditions grows in dense forests under a dense canopy of trees.
At home, it should be placed in the rooms of the east and north directions.
At the same time, in summer it is better to put a flower pot in the back of the room, and in winter - next to the windowsill.
IN sunlight the decorative effect of the fascinator decreases: the leaves become smaller, their color turns pale. And the direct sun is generally detrimental to the flower. Poor lighting for him is preferable to bright. The best choice for growing Tropicana - fluorescent lighting.
Carefully! Growing a prayer flower in partial shade does not mean that this room should be cold. A tropical plant loves warmth and is very afraid of drafts.
Watering
The arrowroot flower prefers high humidity, so you need to water the plant regularly and plentifully. For this, settled water at room temperature is used. In summer, watering is carried out every other day, allowing the earth to dry out a little. In winter conditions, watering is reduced by 2-3 times.
However, in a well-heated room, it is necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out, and adjust the frequency of watering depending on the specific conditions: stagnant water in the soil coma is also harmful to the flower, as is its drying out.
It is also important that the room maintains constant humidity.
To do this, in the summer heat and during heating season you need to regularly spray with filtered water near the houseplant. You can also put a container with a tricolor in a pallet with expanded clay or other filler similar to it.
The prayer plant loves a leaf shower. At the same time, the water should not be cold, and the pot itself should be covered with a film during the procedure.
The maintenance of air humidity and better breathing of the leaves is also facilitated by washing them. soft cloth. This improves the color of the leaves. Ideal environment for growing tropical plants are florariums or greenhouses.
Attention! In a cold room, the development of the Tropicanka slows down. Excess moisture in conditions of its minimal evaporation and consumption by the plant leads to rotting of the roots and death of the flower.
Priming
A shallow but wide pot is suitable for growing arrowroot (it can be plastic). This is important because the roots of the fascinator do not tend to deep into the soil, but they love space.
They form on them a large number of underground tubers occupying a large area. Drainage should not be neglected; for this, a five-centimeter layer of expanded clay, crushed stone or small pebbles is poured onto the bottom of the pot.
The soil substrate should be slightly acidic and well breathable. These conditions correspond to the following composition:
- 2 parts of leafy humus;
- 1 part peat (as a soil acidifier);
- 1 part coniferous bark (as a soil baking powder). It can be mixed with sphagnum or crushed charcoal.
If this is not possible, then river sand is added instead of the last component. A universal land mixture sold in stores is also used.
In the summer, to improve the fertility of the earth and preserve the decorativeness of the plant mineral and organic supplements are needed. They are held twice a month.
At the same time, nitrogen fertilizers that change the color of the leaves should be avoided.
Transfer
Transplantation of the red-veined tropikanka is carried out in the spring. Before that, she is freed from old, dry and damaged leaves and roots that interfere with her growth. For this flower, a plastic pot is preferred, where moisture is better retained. So that it does not stagnate, a large layer of drainage is laid in it.
The soil mixture is no different from the one in which the plant was planted. It should be loose and well fertilized. The environment is preferably acidic, because. otherwise, the growth of the flower slows down, the leaves lose their characteristic color.
This video shows in detail how to transplant a tricolor arrowroot:
To reduce the stress of plants during transplantation, it is better to do it by transshipment. At the same time, the earthen lump is preserved as much as possible. For the first time, it is better to arrange a greenhouse for the transplanted plant.
For home use: a tropican under the age of three years is transplanted annually, and older - half as often.
pruning
As necessary, but at least once every two years, it is necessary to cut long branches. This brings tangible benefits to the plant, because. removal of overgrown side shoots stimulates the emergence of new branches in the center of the plant. Yes and appearance the flower benefits from this, it becomes more lush and brightly colored.
Justifies itself and the annual spring pruning Tropican with almost complete removal of all shoots. With this method, after a month and a half, the plant is completely restored, but at the same time it is rejuvenated.
reproduction
Maranta tricolor is propagated by vegetative methods:
Possible problems of growing arrowroot tricolor
Inexperienced flower growers who plant a prayer flower at home, who do not know how to properly care for it, often encounter difficulties and problems. Here are some of them and tips for fixing them:
Maranta tricolor and amaranth tricolor: common and differences
Tricolor arrowroot and tricolor amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) should not be confused. They belong to the same family, but they are different plants. In Russia, 18 varieties of amaranth are grown, one of the most popular is tricolor amaranth Brazilian carnival. And here is what amaranth illumination looks like:
Amaranth tricolor differs from a prayer flower in the following characteristics:
- Its leaves are yellow-red above and green below.
- This is an annual alien from the tropical forests of Asia.
- The plant is very fond of bright sunlight. Tolerates drought well.
- Grown in open ground, propagated by seeds.
The amaranth family also belongs to the widespread annual plant amaranth. It, as a rule, is also planted in flowerbeds in open ground.
There are other differences, but these are enough to understand how different these plants are.
Maranta tricolor - one of the most picturesque decorative indoor plants. At proper care it pleases flower growers for many years, bringing positive energy into the house.
