Features of caring for spathiphyllum at home

The name "spathiphyllum" has Greek roots, which means "white veil" - a petal framing an inflorescence-ear on one side. This plant comes from the tropics, but caring for spathiphyllum at home is quite simple: the structure of the soil and the irrigation regime play the main role. Due to its decorative qualities and unpretentiousness, it is readily bred both in apartments and in non-residential premises. As a bonus to the external attractiveness, spathiphyllums effectively purify the air from fungal spores, toxic compounds and harmful microorganisms.

Popular varieties of spathiphyllum

The genus Spathiphyllum includes about 50 species that share characteristic external features:

• large lanceolate leaves on high petioles-stems growing from basal rosettes;
• meek dense rhizome;
• flowers in the form of a white sail covering the ear-shaped inflorescence.

Most species are very similar to each other, only the shape and size of the leaf plate, as well as the "sails": pointed or oval, wide or narrowed, differ slightly. In some spathiphyllums, the petal-veil has a creamy shade or green veins. The ear inflorescence also varies insignificantly in length, thickness and shade.

Not all species are adapted for home breeding. The most popular representative is Wallis' spathiphyllum, named after the German researcher who discovered it. The shape of the leaf plate is lanceolate, the surface is embossed, glossy, slightly wavy at the edges. On its basis, several varieties of spathiphyllum have been bred, differing mainly in the height of the bush.

• Large (up to 1.5 m), for example Sensation. The length of the leaf plate is from 70 to 90 cm, the cover of the flower is wide, has an oval shape.
• Medium (up to 50 cm): Claudius, Chopin, Sweet Silvio.
• Miniature (20-30 cm): Mozart, Macho, Numero Uno, Cupido.

Due to the variegated (green and white) color of the leaf plate, only two varieties of spathiphyllum stand out radically from the entire group: Domino and Picasso.

The descriptions for the species indicate that the flowering period of Wallis's spathiphyllum is from March to September. However, in practice, the periods of ejection of peduncles are often spontaneous: the plant can bloom in autumn and winter, and with different intensities.

Abundant and long flowering (almost all year round) is characteristic of the second popular variety of spathiphyllum with the telling name "profusely flowering". One of the common varieties is Mauna Loa. It throws out a lot of flower stalks, one batch is replaced by another when wilting.

Spathiphyllum heliconielist is a large variety, a spreading bush reaches about a meter in height and the same width. It blooms several times a year, but there are usually few peduncles (3-5).

The oval shape of the leaf plate is distinguished by cannoli spathiphyllum (a flower with a pronounced aroma, an ear is thin and long) and spoon-shaped (a petal-blanket in the form of a pinched circle). Both species are tall (up to 1 m).

Advice

At the first signs of greening of the "sail" or when the ear darkens, the spathiphyllum peduncles are recommended to be cut (closer to the base). Such a measure will preserve the strength of the plant, and also prevent pollen from settling on the leaves and surrounding objects.

Growing conditions for spathiphyllum

All types of spathiphyllum, due to their tropical origin, are extremely hygrophilous, so at home it is important to create a semblance of a natural environment.The lack of water immediately affects the appearance: the leaves droop, lose their turgor, the petioles one by one lie on the ground. After watering, the bush comes to life literally before our eyes. In case of prolonged drought, the above-ground part will be irretrievably lost. Many growers advise putting wet moss in the pot tray to keep the spathiphyllum from drying out.

An important element of care is the removal of dust from the sheet plate. The procedure will provide the plant with effective photosynthesis and glossy shine.

Advice

Since the spathiphyllum bush usually grows 40 or more leaves, it is easiest to periodically take it to the shower instead of wiping it.

If the air in the room is too dry, then irrigation of the bush with water from a sprayer will help to keep the decorative effect. This will prevent the leaf tips from darkening and drying out.

Since spathiphyllum requires a constantly moist soil, good drainage must be ensured. Stagnant water will lead to decay of the roots and wilting of the aboveground part. Overflow for any home flower threatens with serious diseases, so it is important to properly dose the amount of moisture. Spathiphyllum signals the need for watering by drooping of the leaf plate, and with an excess and stagnation of water, the tips of its leaves turn black.

The optimum temperature for the development of spathiphyllum is 22 ° C. It can easily tolerate 16-18 ° C, but growth will stop at the same time, there will be no flowering either. This temperature is suitable for a dormant period to induce the appearance of new flowers.

Spathiphyllum is shade-tolerant, but with a clear lack of lighting, it loses its appearance: the leaf plate turns pale and deformed, the petioles become thinner, the bush falls apart. In its natural habitat, spathiphyllum grows in openwork penumbra, so direct sunlight is contraindicated for it (the leaves will turn pale, burn spots will appear). The best option is diffused light, which is received by the bushes located on stands next to the windows. Spathiphyllum grows well under artificial lighting.

It is not recommended to put spathiphyllum directly on the windowsill, since in the summer it will have to face the scorching sun, and in the winter - with drafts and cold from glass. These factors will provoke disease and growth inhibition.

Transplant and reproduction

Spathiphyllum does not need frequent transplants. Moreover, if the plant is regularly moved to a larger container, then it stops blooming. All the power is spent on root formation and development of a new soil massif. It is best to schedule the spathiphyllum transplant procedure in the spring, but you can do this in winter as well. The main thing is that the air temperature is above 20 ° C.

The first sign that the pot is growing small is the accumulation of dried leaves in the root zone. Fresh ones grow slowly, the leaf plate becomes smaller, the relief on it is smeared. The need to transplant spathiphyllum arises in cases where the rhizome begins to protrude above the soil, the bush falls apart due to the rocking of the rosettes. This situation is favorable for the propagation of the plant by cuttings: one of the "seeds" can be carefully cut out and put in water, soon roots will appear on it.

It is advisable to purchase land for spathiphyllum in a store. This can be a general purpose neutral soil or a specialized mixture for aroids. The owners of summer cottages will quite cope with the preparation of the soil on their own. This will require:

• 2 parts of sod land;
• 1 piece of leafy land;
• 1 part high moor peat;
• 1 part coarse sand.

It is also useful to add a little crushed charcoal and a couple of tablespoons of ash - you get a nutritious soil with good aeration and normal acidity.

Spathiphyllum transplant technique

Spathiphyllum roots are sensitive to damage. In order for the transplant to take place with the least loss, the plant is stopped watering in a few days.A dried earthy ball comes out of the pot more easily than a wet one.

After being released from the old container, the flower is placed sideways on the prepared film, the rhizome is soaked in small portions of water. This is done so that the roots of the spathiphyllum become softer and more elastic, their plexuses will be easier to untangle when dividing the rosettes. You should start with the roots at the bottom. It is convenient to straighten them with a thin blunt object (for example, a knitting needle), while freeing them from the old ingrown drainage. Then with a sharp knife or hands, the rosette is carefully separated from the rhizome. If the spathiphyllum is old, then about 8-10 new bushes will turn out from it.

The base of each rosette must be cleaned of dried and withered leaves, the peduncles are also cut out. This will prevent the growth of fungi.

If it is not planned to propagate and rejuvenate the spathiphyllum, then the new container should be about 6-8 cm wider than the previous one (3-4 cm of free radius for root growth). At the same time, it is not necessary to moisten the earthen lump, but it is necessary to clean the lower part of it from the drainage and cut off the rotten and dead roots.

Fresh drainage is poured into the bottom of the planting tank with a layer of 1.5-2 cm. The old one should not be used without preliminary treatment, since it often becomes a carrier of fungal diseases. Next, the soil is laid. If a separated rosette of spathiphyllum is planted, then the substrate is poured into a mound, the height of which, after light pressing, reaches 2/3 of the pot. The roots are straightened along the radius of the mound and covered with earth, while the neck of the outlet should be 2 cm below the sides of the pot.

If the spathiphyllum is transplanted by the transshipment method, then 3-4 cm of soil is poured onto the drainage, then an earthen ball is installed, around which the remaining substrate is laid. If the rhizome has come out and become coarse, then it sinks and is covered with soil up to the necks of the rosettes. Perhaps, for the first time, fixation will be required: the bush is tied around the contour to avoid falling apart. After rooting, the support can be removed.

Advice

On the rhizome of spathiphyllum at the base of the rosettes, brown tubercles can be seen - these are aerial roots. You do not need to deepen them, they will reach the soil themselves.

At the end of the transplant, the soil is spilled, if necessary, an additional portion is added. The bush should be immediately sprayed with water. It is desirable to maintain moisture for 1-2 weeks until complete rooting.

Diseases and pests

Under normal conditions of detention, spathiphyllum is extremely rare. Mostly from the owners you can hear complaints that it does not grow, does not bloom, sometimes the leaves turn black and rot. The problem often lies in the soil: too sour, flooded, affected by a fungal infection. In such cases, spathiphyllum can be healed only by transplanting with pruning of rotten roots and subsequent disinfection.

Procedure:

1. soak an earthen lump, wash off all the soil from the roots;
2. dip the rhizome of spathiphyllum for a few minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then dry;
3. trim off all dead blackened parts of the roots;
4. powder the volumetric places of the cut with coal (you can use the tableted one).

The new soil is impregnated with preparations "Fitosporin-M", "Alirin-B", capable of suppressing many pathogens. If a large part of the root system is lost, the plant can be watered with Kornevin (root formation stimulant).

If spathiphyllum does not bloom, but at the same time its appearance is completely normal, then the matter may be in the volume of the pot (too large), in lack of nutrition or banal "fatigue" of the plant. Top dressing is made from late winter to autumn with complex fertilizer for home flowers.

Advice

The fertilizer consumption rate declared by the manufacturer for spathiphyllum should be halved, since this plant is very sensitive to overdose: the leaves can become covered with black or brown spots in just a day.

Of the insect pests, spathiphyllum is usually annoyed by three types.

1. Thrips - small (about 2 mm) oblong insects of black or brown color. Leave traces on the leaves in the form of silvery strokes - dead cells devoid of juice. The female lays eggs in the thickness of the leaf plate, and before molting, the larva hides in the ground, therefore, several treatments of the plant are required to completely destroy the parasites. Thrips are easily adaptable to chemicals, you may have to change a few means. The most effective drugs are considered "Aktara" or "Iskra gold", and not only the spathiphyllum itself is sprayed, but also the soil under it.
2. Mealybug. It actively reproduces between the stems of spathiphyllums in conditions of high humidity, hanging the leaves and petioles with white cotton-like lumps. Initially, you can wipe the affected area with a swab soaked in alcohol solution. If the reproduction of the worm on spathiphyllum continues, then chemical treatment is necessary. Such as "Aktellik", "Fitoverm".
3. Spider mite. The first signs of damage are the appearance of yellow or light dots on the leaf plate. The parasite itself is rarely seen. In most cases, it is enough to wipe the spathiphyllum leaves (especially the lower part) with soapy water. If the colony has settled throughout the plant, then treatment with "Fitoverm", "Vermitek" or "Akarin" will help.

Aphids rarely attack spathiphyllums and are usually easily destroyed by washing with soapy water.

In some cases, small dark scabbard shells appear on the stems and leaves of the plant. This insect can be dealt with once by wiping the affected areas with an alcohol solution and subsequent treatment with "Aktara".

A disease or attack of pests will be detected at an early stage, subject to basic hygiene of the spathiphyllum. Good drainage and metered watering guarantee protection from fungus. If you initially select the optimal conditions for this plant, then further care will be minimized.

Regardless of the type of spathiphyllum, they decorate the room and heal the air in it. Thanks to the variety of varieties, you can choose the optimal size of the bush, which, with minimal effort on the part of the owner, will delight with delicate flowers and lush greenery.