Arrowroot tricolor - a flower not for the lazy

At first glance, flower growers are captivated by the bright arrowroot tricolor, but due to the opinion that caring for it at home is beyond the power of beginners, many are afraid to start it in the indoor garden. This position is only partially justified. Like all guests from the tropics, this flower needs the attention of the owner and a special approach. But difficulties in providing him with comfortable conditions of detention will not arise if you carefully study the requirements of the plant.

Flower features

The arrowroot genus has about 25 representatives. All of them are perennial grasses and grow in the warm forests of Brazil, preferring swampy soil. Wild arrowroot species have creeping or erect stems reaching a length of 30 cm. The variety of shapes and colors of their large (10-15 cm) leaves is impressive: they can be variegated and monochromatic, oval, lanceolate, rounded, oblong. The roots of the plant are thick, fleshy, in some types of flowers they are tuberous. Their structure helps the arrowroot prepare for drought by storing water. The plant blooms inconspicuously. Its buds are small, the petals are painted in white or blue.

There are several varieties of flowers found in home gardens. The most popular among their owners is the tricolor arrowroot, that is, the tricolor. Its scientific name sounds the same - Maranta tricolor. The edges of its dark green leaves are slightly lighter than their middle, and the central vein is shaded with olive green or yellowish streaks. The leaf plate is covered with a spectacular pattern, which is created by dark pink, sometimes pale crimson veins.

Bred 2 hybrid forms of arrowroot tricolor:

• Erythroneura;
• Kerchoviana.

They are highly decorative and adapted for growing at home.

The arrowroot people are better known as a prayer flower, or praying grass. The plant got this nickname because of its reaction to a lack of light. During the day, its leaves are parallel to the soil surface, and in the evening they rise up, like a closing bud. In this form, they resemble palms folded in prayer. The ability to turn leaves is necessary for a plant to survive in the sultry south and in drought conditions. It allows the flower to reduce evaporation and protect it from sunburn. Another name for arrowroot is "10 commandments". It is popular in England, and it was given to the plant due to the presence of a constant number of spots on the leaves of some of its varieties.

Lighting and temperature

At home, the tricolor arrowroot feels best in partial shade on windowsills oriented to the west and east. Bright light is harmful to the plant. Under the direct rays of the sun, burns and spots appear on its leaves and stems, they become smaller, and the variegated patterns on them fade. In the sun, the arrowroot looks stunted and painful. To avoid this, the plant is shaded in spring and summer.

On the northern side of the arrowroot, the tricolor will suffer from a lack of light, its leaves will quickly lose their brightness. You can keep a flower pot here only in winter. The plant tolerates artificial light well, which is given by fluorescent lamps. It is permissible for him to be located away from the window, but in the darkest corner of the room there is still no place for a flower. Artificial light must fall on it for at least 16 hours a day. The tricolor variety of arrowroot blooms in apartments rarely, but when kept in such conditions, the chances that the plant will release buds increase.

The tropical guest cannot stand the heat, the usual room temperature suits her. In summer, the air in the room with it should be warmed up to 23-25 ​​° C. During the dormant period, which in arrowroot begins in mid-autumn and lasts until the end of winter, it needs relative coolness. The temperature is reduced to 18-20 ° C. The potted substrate should not overheat, otherwise the plant will die. It is critical for arrowroot if the soil thermometer shows a mark above 18 ° C. Such troubles are just as dangerous for a flower:

• hypothermia (if the temperature drops below 10 ° C);
• drafts;
• sharp fluctuations in temperature.

Advice

In warm weather, the arrowroot tricolor can be used for a "vacation" in the fresh air. The pot with it is placed in a draft-free place under a canopy that will protect the flower from precipitation and the scorching sun.

Moisture, watering, feeding

The frequency of watering arrowroot depends on the season. An actively growing flower needs more moisture. In the spring and summer, it is watered abundantly, so that the substrate in the pot does not dry out between procedures. The soil should remain slightly moist, but the tricolor arrowroot does not tolerate its swampiness. In moist soil, the roots of the plant rot quickly. In the autumn-winter period, watering is reduced. You can start the next moistening if the soil in the top of the pot is dry.

Use soft water for irrigation. It is filtered or allowed to stand for several days. The roots of the plant are afraid of hypothermia, so the water for irrigation is slightly warmed up. Its temperature should exceed room temperature by a couple of degrees.

Proper plant care involves regular spraying. They are held all year round, with the beginning of the heating season or summer heat, teaching procedures at least 2 times a day. Water is taken for them the same as for irrigation. A lot of dust settles on the large leaves of the flower, so they are often wiped with a damp sponge or soft cloth.

Arrowroot tricolor will be grateful if the pot with it is put on a pallet with one of the following fillers:

• wet pebbles;
• expanded clay;
• sand;
• moss.

In this case, it is important to ensure that the water does not reach the bottom of the container. In summer, at home, they also practice bathing a flower under a warm shower. To prevent waterlogging of the soil, before the procedure, it is covered with a film or cellophane bag. Dry air negatively affects the leaves of arrowroot tricolor: they begin to wilt and become easy prey for spider mites.

During the growing season, plant care includes feeding. Organic and mineral compositions are suitable for the flower, which are applied alternately. Such care stimulates the growth of arrowroot tricolor and allows it to maintain the brightness of the color. A flower is watered with a nutrient solution at home every 2 weeks. You can prepare it on the basis of a complex fertilizer for decorative deciduous indoor crops. But its concentration is made 2-3 times weaker than that recommended by the manufacturer. An excess of nutrients in the soil inhibits the development of arrowroot and harms its health.

Replacing the pot

With proper care, the flower grows quickly, so it needs a transplant every 2 years. It is held in early spring. A deep pot of arrowroot is not needed; it is better to replace the old container with a wider one. Preference should be given to plastic dishes. Its bottom is covered with a thick layer of drainage. Suitable as it:

• expanded clay;
• pebbles;
• broken brick;
• coarse sand.

Arrowroot tricolor grows well in loose soil with a slightly acidic reaction. At home, a soil suitable for a flower is prepared by mixing garden soil, peat and sand in a 6: 3: 2 ratio.

Transplanting a plant into a substrate of three components, taken in equal volumes, will be successful:

• leafy land;
• peat land;
• humus earth.

Advice

It is advisable to add crushed charcoal and coniferous soil in small quantities to the soil for arrowroot.

A flower transplant is carried out by the transshipment method. During the procedure, it is important not to damage the earthy ball and not injure the roots of the plant. Before proceeding with it, the arrowroot is carefully examined. If the flower has pests or signs of disease, it is better to postpone the transplant until it recovers. The yellowed, lethargic and dried leaves are cut off. Such care will serve as an impetus for the active development of young shoots. You can act more radically by shortening all the stems to 1 internode. As a result, the arrowroot tricolor will release many new shoots, turning into a half-shrub with a dense variegated crown.

Reproduction

The flower is characterized by vegetative propagation. It is grown in 2 ways:

• from part of the rhizome;
• from the cutting.

Repotting is the best time to split an adult arrowroot shrub. It is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid damage to the roots during the procedure, but you need to try to keep them minimal. The bush is divided into 2-3 parts so that each of them has several leaves and a piece of rhizome with 3-4 shoots. Fresh wounds are treated with crushed coal. When the roots of the delenok dry out a little, they are placed in individual pots filled with peat. You can also use a more nutritious mixture into which an adult arrowroot is transplanted.

Delenki take root in a warm place and in a mini-greenhouse. Watering plants, they are placed under a film or placed on top of a plastic bottle. The substrate in pots must be periodically moistened, between procedures it must dry out. The shelter is removed when young arrowroots release new shoots and leaves. Further care for them is carried out according to the usual scheme.

You can propagate a flower by cuttings from late spring to autumn. It is better to cut them from young shoots. The handle should have 2-3 leaves and several internodes. Its optimal length is 10 cm. They are rooted in water or in the ground, creating greenhouse conditions for the escape.

Such reproduction is not always successful - some of the cuttings die, so it is better to use several at once. In water, the roots of arrowroot shoots appear in 1-1.5 months. When this happens, it is transplanted into a separate pot. While the cutting takes root, it is kept in a mini-greenhouse. When he gets stronger, the film is removed. The plant is looked after at this stage in the same way as for an adult arrowroot.

Possible difficulties

At home, problems with a flower can arise due to gross violations of its requirements. The plant will tell about its trouble by a decrease in decoration and a deterioration in health.

Problems with arrowroot tricolor and their solution

Of the pests on the arrowroot tricolor can settle:

• spider mite;
• shield;
• mealybug.

The main reason for their appearance is dry air, which greatly weakens the flower. Leaves damaged by insects should be trimmed and destroyed. The next step is to treat the plant with preparations with an insecticidal effect (Fitoverm, Aktellik).

The mealybug is most often seen on the petioles of arrowroot leaves. If the insect colony has not yet grown, they are fought with a soapy solution. In advanced cases, special chemicals are used. They are bred according to the instructions. Several treatments may be required. They are carried out at intervals of 5 days.

Experienced growers are advised to update the arrowroot. If its leaves wither, turn yellow, stretch, waiting for late autumn, the flower is cut off at the root. The pot with the plant is kept in a dark place, periodically moistening the soil. A couple of weeks will pass, and it will begin to bush, releasing young shoots and leaves.

Arrowroot tricolor is a magnificent indoor flower, the catchy beauty of which delights and sinks into the soul. It is relatively unpretentious, although it is picky about lighting and humidity. Nature generously endowed arrowroot, complementing its external charm with an abundance of useful qualities. From the roots of the plant, starch is prepared, which is used as a food additive and thickener, and a low-calorie flour. Ancient healers used them to treat poisoning.

A good arrowroot tricolor as a gift. The plant absorbs negative energy, creates a cozy atmosphere in the house, filling it with calmness and harmony, relieves nervous excitement, eliminates insomnia, prevents quarrels and conflicts. It is responsible for the well-being and happiness in the family, adjusts to a friendly mood, and promotes the development of communication skills. High decorativeness, which the arrowroot does not lose all year round, and the beneficial properties of the flower are worth trying your hand at growing it.