Spathiphyllum or "woman's happiness" - A popular houseplant from the Aroid family.
In vivo, it grows in equatorial South America and the Philippines.
This flower got its name for the unusual shape of the bract of leaf - the bedspread that envelops the inflorescence-cob.
In addition to its decorative purpose, spathiphyllum has useful properties:
• Absorbs harmful substances from indoor air such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, trichlorethylene, xylene;
• Humidifies the air, saturates it with ions and volatile, inhibiting the growth of molds.
Currently, about 50 species of spathiphyllum are known, of which the following are suitable for indoor cultivation:
• Abundantly flowering (Sp. Floribundum) - grows up to 40 cm in size. The ear has a cream color, the bedspread is white at the beginning of flowering and turns green at the end. It blooms for a long time and abundant with proper care.
• Cannellifolia (Sp.Cannifolium) acquired its name for the similarity of its leaves with the leaves of the canna. The flowers exude a delicate aroma.
• Wallis (Sp.Wallisii) - A small plant up to 30 centimeters high native to Colombian rainforests. Leaves of dark green color, oblong form. The blanket is white three times longer than the cob. Blooms profusely for a long time. Sufficiently shade-tolerant and unpretentious in content. Based on this species, as a result of selective work, many varieties were bred (for example, Picasso, Domino).
• Helikonielistny - medium-sized species (grows up to 1 m in height). Dark green leaves have wavy edges and glossy shine. The oval bedspread is twice as long as the cob.
• Adorable (Sp. Blandum Schott) - the plant has leaves elongated with elongated tips. The greenish-white blanket is shaped like a flag. From here the flower received the second name "flagolite". It blooms with a lot of flowers.
Based on the listed species, various varieties were bred. Among them there are both giants (Sensation, Figaro, Pablo), and dwarfs (Mini). Hybrids are more hardy, longer and more blooming.
The following varieties of spathiphyllum are most popular in indoor floriculture:
• Mauna loa - a widely cultivated hybrid with long (over 70 cm) wide leaves of dark green color;
• Domino - different colored leaves: white stripes and strokes on a green background. The size of the plant is up to half a meter tall. The ear is white or beige. The white veil near the end of flowering turns green. The variety was bred by selecting Wallis spathiphyllum, easy to grow at home;
• Chopin - a beautiful variety that has received worldwide recognition. Relatively low plant (up to 35 cm tall). Pouring a deep green color with depressed veins. Undemanding in care. When flowering, gives off a pleasant aroma;
• Cait - Dutch variety, derived from the species Wallis. Has variegated yellow-green leaves. Height is approximately 50-70 cm;
• Picasso - variety with bright color: on a dark green background there are white stripes, some leaves are completely white. It reproduces quickly and easily, is unpretentious in leaving;
• Sensation - variety - "giant" of Dutch selection (grows up to one and a half meters high). The leaves are dark green ribbed with a length of 70-90 cm and a width of 30-40 cm. Shade-tolerant, fits well into the interior of office space.
Spathiphyllum: home care - reproduction, transplantation
Spathiphyllum propagated dividing the bush. It is convenient to do this with a spring plant transplant. On each separated part 2-3 sheets should remain. Such delenki planted in a special substrate for aroid, purchased or prepared independently. As components take humus, peat, turf or leafy soil, sand or perlite in approximately equal parts. If universal soil is used, then charcoal and coconut fiber are added to it.
If, when dividing the rhizomes of the spathiphyllum, divisions without roots are obtained, then they are rooted in sand or perlite. It is advisable to put pots with such cuttings in a greenhouse or cover with a bag to create high humidity. Periodically ventilate and moisturize them. After rooting, they are transplanted into separate pots with a prepared substrate.
Transfer
Spatiphyllum is transplanted as it grows: young plants annually, and adults every 3-5 years. Between transplants in large specimens, the topsoil is updated annually. Transshipment is carried out in the spring, trying not to damage the roots. A new pot is selected so that it is only a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one. Too much capacity will slow down the flowering time. A drainage layer is required at the bottom of the pots - spathiphyllum does not like stagnation of moisture.
The roots of spathiphyllum have braided the entire earthen lump - transshipment is necessary in a new pot
In the case of resuscitation of diseased plants (due to improper care), a transplant is performed with a complete replacement of the soil. To do this, the roots are freed from the old earth (lump is soaked in a basin of water) and inspected for rot.
Spathiphyllum home care - soil, lighting, flowering conditions
Lighting
Spathiphyllum as a native of the tropics loves diffused light. In full shadow, its leaves acquire a dark green color, the plant ceases to bloom. Direct insolation causes burns on the leaves. If it is not possible to rearrange the plant from the southern windowsill, then it is necessary to provide shading from the midday sun.
Temperature and humidity
Female happiness is a heat-loving plant, but does not tolerate extreme heat. The optimum temperature for it in spring and summer will be + 22-24 ° C, and in winter - at least + 16 ° C. Humidity is not an unimportant indicator for the health of spathiphyllum. As a native of the tropics, he needs high humidity. In room conditions, it is often necessary to spray it, put it on a pallet with wet pebbles or expanded clay, arrange a warm shower. If the female sachte blooms, then with water procedures it is important not to get drops of water on the flowers.
The soil
Spathiphyllum grows well on fertile loose soil with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction (pH 5-6). Ready-made mixtures for Aroid are on sale. The substrate can be made independently by mixing in equal parts turf soil with leaf humus and adding peat and sand to them for loosening.
Flowering conditions
In order for spathiphyllum to begin to bloom, it is necessary to observe these conditions together:
• Age: do not wait for flowering from a young plant;
• A properly sized pot - it should be a bit cramped. If the plant is planted in a spacious pot, then the flowering will have to wait until the roots fill the entire earthen lump;
• Low air temperature;
• Insufficient humidity in the room;
• Nutrient deficiency - the plant looks depressed, the leaves are small and yellow. It happens on the contrary, spathiphyllum builds up an abundant deciduous mass - it “lives on”, i.e. there is an excess of nitrogen in the soil. But at the same time, there is not enough phosphorus and potassium that regulate flowering.
Spathiphyllum home care - top dressing and watering
Watering
Spathiphyllum can be safely called a water chowder - he likes to drink some water. He needs the most abundant watering during the period of active vegetation and flowering. The topsoil should dry between waterings. However, it is important not to flood the plant and not to dry the earthen lump. Water for irrigation should be used for a period of at least 12 hours and warm, and preferably filtered.
Top dressing
From March to September, spathiphyllum is fed with a complex mineral fertilizer for decorative flowering plants. It is good to alternate with the introduction of organic fertilizers. All top dressing is done only after plentiful watering. Excess nutrition is manifested by brown spots on the leaves.
Spathiphyllum at home: why does it die?
When growing spathiphyllum in room conditions, it is affected by pests such as spider mite, mealybug, aphid, scutellum. These insects are carriers of various viruses, fungal diseases. On "sugar" secretions of aphids often settles soot fungus - leaves are covered with a black velvety coating. The fight against the "bloodsuckers" of the plant can be started with folk remedies, for example, washing off insects with soapy water, tincture of tobacco leaves, citrus peels or onion peels, and alcohol. In case of massive damage to spathiphyllum against pests, spraying with insecticides (Aktara, Fitoverm, green soap, Bona Forte Bio-insecticide) and acaricides (Actellik, Fufanon, Sunmayt, Flumayt) is used.
With low humidity in the room, the tips of the leaves of spathiphyllum dry. This is especially pronounced in the heating season. To increase humidity, a set of measures is carried out: frequent spraying, put a flower pot in a tray with wet expanded clay or moss, turn on an air humidifier.
Yellow-brown spots on the leaves are sunburns. The plant must be rearranged in partial shade. Window sills of the eastern and western directions are best suited. If the windows face south, then to reduce the intensity of illumination, the plant must be placed in the back of the room or pritenit.
If the edges of the leaves turn black, dry, then this indicates a waterlogging of the soil or a deficiency of mineral substances (nitrogen, phosphorus).
With insufficient watering, spathiphyllum leaves yellow. If only their tips turn yellow, this is a signal that the irrigation water contains a lot of hardness salts. Use filtered or boiled water.
Young leaves not fully unfolding? The reason for this is too dense soil, preventing the full development of the root system. In this case, the plant must be transplanted into a loose substrate for aroid.
If the white veil quickly turns green (much earlier than its physiological maturity), this indicates a high concentration of nitrogen in the soil. The same phenomenon can occur if the plant is hot.
If all leaves sagged sharply, then several reasons are possible: the plant froze (during winter transportation), insufficient watering, and excessive soil moisture. In the first case, the pot with the plant can be immersed in a basin of water until the soil is completely wet and parallel to spray the leaves with warm water.
If the color of the leaves (they turned black) changes, there is an overflow. The plant must be removed from the pot, inspected by the roots, cut out rotten parts, healthy ones treated with fungicide and transplanted into a new loose soil. The pot should be taken to the size of the root system - in a large capacity, the roots will not be able to absorb all the moisture and will rot again. 2-3 days after persadka, the plant should be watered with a root solution.
Brown and yellow spots on the leaves appear when the watered plant stood on a cold draft and froze.
Vast brown or black patches on the leaves are characteristic of excess fertilizer (burn). After that, the leaf quickly turns yellow and dies. To save the plant, its roots must be washed under water and transplanted into new soil.
Massive uneven yellowing of foliage indicates starvation of spathiphyllum. There is a picture of chlorosis (mosaic):
• veins fade, leaf remains green;
• the veins are green, the leaf blade turns yellow - with a lack of iron.
To fill the lack of trace elements, the plant is sprayed with complex fertilizer and iron chelate.
Spathiphyllum Chlorosis
Spathiphyllum does not grow for the following reasons:
• Large pot - until the plant builds up the root system, the development of the terrestrial part will be suspended;
• Inappropriate lighting.
