Zamioculcas. Care, Cultivation, Reproduction, Transplantation. Diseases And Pests Turning Yellow. Photo

This houseplant appeared in our country relatively recently, although it was described by botanists back in the 30s. XIX century. Zamioculcas zamiifolia (Zamiokulcas zamiifolia) is a representative of the aroid family. In nature, it lives in the rocky mountainous regions of East Africa, surrounded by succulent milkweed, that is, it withstands a long drought on the mountain plateaus scorched by the sun. Inhabits the coastal hills of hot Zanzibar.

Content:

• Zamiokulkas care
• Top dressing and transplanting zamiokulkas
• Reproduction of zamiokulkas
• Proper care is a guarantee of success

Zamiokulkas care

Zamioculcas is surprisingly undemanding and “forgives” many cultivation mistakes. It is best to put the flower pot with the plant on a windowsill or in another bright place, preferably with diffused lighting, since ugly burns can appear on the leaves from the direct burning rays of the sun. This plant thrives in winter in a room with central heating and suffers little from dry air. In warm summer, you can take it out to the balcony or garden.

Often, zamiokulkas is looked after as a typical aroid plant, not taking into account its features - the ability to store moisture for future use is no worse than most succulents. Nature has endowed this amazing plant with such liquid accumulators as nodules, a thickened lower part of the petiole and a fleshy leaf axis. But their "volumes" are limited, so the plant can suffer greatly and even die from too frequent watering and spraying - leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, the tuber rots.

It is very important to observe moderation when watering and patiently wait for light drying (but not drying out!) Of the soil in the pot. A slight temporary waterlogging usually passes without a trace, but you should not leave excess water in the pan. It is helpful to wipe the leaves with a damp sponge from time to time to remove dust from them. In autumn and winter, watering is reduced, especially when kept cool in a room with an air temperature of about 16 ° C.

Top dressing and transplanting zamiokulkas

Zamiokulkas has a pronounced growth period, usually it lasts from April to August. Some plants release "arrows" only in spring and late summer, others develop more evenly. Zamiokulkas will have beautiful shiny glossy leaves if fed during the growing season using complex fertilizers for indoor plants (diluted to a low concentration) or fertilizers for cacti and other succulents.

Zamioculcas tolerates transplantation well. As long as the size of the plant allows, it is carried out annually. Large specimens are transplanted less often, you can only partially replace the soil in the pot. Select wide planting containers, which are filled with a loose air-permeable soil mixture from sod, leafy soil, peat and sand. As a baking powder, you can use expanded clay or brick chips.

The plant is surprisingly undemanding to the composition of the soil, but you do not need to plant it in "undiluted" heavy clay, clean peat or oily humus. Drainage must be placed at the bottom of the pot. Do not worry about the fact that after transplantation, the zamioculcas sometimes freezes and only after a while begins to grow intensively.

Reproduction of zamiokulkas

This plant has an amazing ability: even a separate leaf blade, cut from a "large" leaf, takes root in it. First, a tuberous swelling forms at the base, from which, over time, a real tuber with roots and a growth bud is obtained. Sometimes this process takes months. Diffused lighting, a light soil mixture of peat and sand, the greenhouse effect under a plastic bag or glass jar, and the use of phytohormones: heteroauxin, root or other means intended for rooting cuttings will help speed up the rooting of a single leaf.

Reproduction of zamiokulkas can also be timed to transplant. Large specimens are divided in such a way that each part has at least one growth point. This breeding method is the fastest and most effective.

My plant surprised all of us when it first bloomed at a very young age, refuting the prevailing opinion that only old specimens bloom and that the appearance of a flower when kept indoors is a rare occurrence. A discreet inflorescence, typical in shape for aroids (ear and veil), sits on a short and strong peduncle in Zamioculcas.

Proper care is a guarantee of success

Scabbards can move from neighboring plants to zamioculcas, which can be easily removed with a wet sponge or destroyed with a solution of the Aktara preparation. The simplest "bath" procedures, washing the leaves with soapy water and spraying with actellic solution, help from the spider mite. Less commonly, aphids appear on the underside of the leaves and on the tops of the shoots. You can fight it with many means, for example, soapy water mixed with wood ash, or special preparations. The most dangerous disease for zamiokulkas is root rot. When it appears, you need to immediately reduce watering, and, if necessary, use foundationol or oxykh.

Do not worry about the partial baldness of old plants, because this is a natural process. But the sudden fall of the leaves speaks of the dysfunctional state of the zamiokulkas. In winter, with a lack of light, the leaves may fade, with waterlogging they turn yellow and fall off. Serious problems arise with the constant keeping of the plant in a cool room with an air temperature below 14 ° C.

In general, the plant is very stable, rarely gets sick. To grow a healthy, spectacular specimen, you just need to know the features of zamiokulkas.