The decorative plant of the stromanthus has large leaves with an unusual color and has the ability to pull them up at night, which is why it was called the "praying flower." Caring for a stromant is not easy, but grown in attention and care, the plant will decorate any home and garden. In addition, there is a belief that a stromantha brings happiness and luck to the house.
What does a stromant look like to which family
Stromantha is a flower that belongs to the family of arrowroots. The closest relatives of the ornamental plant, which are also grown at home, are calathea and ktenata. Due to the similarity, the stromant and calathea are often confused.
Stromantha will bring good luck to the house
The plant in the natural environment can reach a height of up to 1 meter, in indoor conditions, the size depends on the variety and care. Oval wide leaves have a length of half a meter and are pointed to the tips. Depending on the type, their colors can have various shades: green, lilac, white, yellow.
The color of the flower may vary depending on the variety
Common varieties
At home, different varieties of flower are grown. Especially popular are the stroma triostar, the pleasant stroma, the stroma bloody, the calathea and the stroma magic old.
Stromantha Tricolor
It has another name - triostar. It is the most patronized and popular variety among gardeners. On the upper green side of the leaf is colored in the form of stains of pink, light green and white. The reverse side of the leaf plate is purple-burgundy. Home care for the stromant Tricolor is uncomplicated against the background of the remaining varieties.
Stromantha Pleasant
It grows no more than 30 centimeters in height. Wide light green leaves have dark green herringbone patterns. The reverse side of the sheet plate is painted in silver-green color, a pink tint appears a little.
Stromantha Bloody
The surface of the light green sheet is glossy, with a dark green pattern in the form of the letter V. The other side is dark red.
Stromantha Magic Star
Large leaf plates are pointed to the ends. Leaves of dark green color with randomly located patterns of white and dull yellow on them.
Stromantha Horticolor
Leaf stroma Hortikolor painted in a yellow and light green hue. The other side, like most varieties, has a maroon color.
Stromanta Maroon
It has a light strip on the green leaf along the main vein. The reverse side of the sheet is a dark lilac color.
Briefly about the history of the appearance
Stromantha is an exotic plant native to the Amazonian tropics of South America. In its natural environment, the flower grows near the rivers and ponds of the Amazon, and is also found in tropical forests.
Stromantha: home care
The plant is not genetically used to growing in mid-latitudes, therefore it requires special and proper care.
Temperature
Room temperature should not be lower than 18 degrees. The optimal indicator of the temperature of growing a room flower of a storma in the summer is from 23 to 27 degrees, in the winter - from 20 to 23 degrees.
Important! Even in the summer period, flower hypothermia may occur due to strong cold drafts. It is necessary to avoid them and rearrange the pot in another more favorable place.
Lighting
Lighting should be moderate. Too bright lighting will leave burns on the leaves, and its lack will stop the growth of the plant. A flower pot is recommended to be placed on the eastern and western windowsills of the house. In winter, with a lack of natural light, it is necessary to create it artificially, using lamps.
Watering
The passionate stromant is very demanding on the amount of watering. The soil in the pot should be constantly moist and loose, especially in the hot and dry summer months. By winter, the regularity and abundance of watering is reduced. You can not get carried away excessively with watering, otherwise moisture will stagnate in the soil, which will lead to numerous diseases and the appearance of fungus.
Spraying
Care for the stromant must necessarily include a spraying procedure with water. Since the ornamental plant is valued for its beautiful leaves, it is necessary to regularly remove accumulated dirt and dust by spraying. In addition, the procedure increases the humidity of the room.
Humidity
The flower requires increased humidity in the room. In winter, due to heating, the air often becomes dry, so a wet rag is constantly placed on the pipes, and a container of water is placed on the windowsill.
Priming
Soil for stromanthus should include peat land, sand, humus and compost from rotted leaves. Peat land is sometimes replaced with compost land. During cultivation, the land should be periodically fed with fertilizers and loosen.
Top dressing
Top dressing is carried out from May to August. In winter, the flower should rest, so do not disturb it. Feeding is carried out with complex organic and mineral preparations intended for ornamental deciduous plants.
Features of winter care, rest period Stromanti
In winter, care for the stromant should be done carefully so as not to disturb the flower. During the rest period, the room stromant does not require special care. Watering is rare, only when the soil dries. When dried leaves appear, they must be removed. It is also recommended to spray the plant to wash away dirt and dust. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil.
When and how it blooms
A stromanthus houseplant rarely blooms. In addition, her flowers are small and nondescript, therefore, do not represent special value. The plant is grown for leaves.
Inflorescences stromants
Types of flowers
The flowers are small with white petals, in almost all varieties they are identical. There are varieties that do not bloom at all. Bracts of flowers and sepals are red.
Flower shapes
Inflorescences are connected in small panicles and grow on long peduncles, reaching a length of 8 centimeters. Panicles of inflorescences in diameter can be about 6 centimeters.
Flowering period
A decorative deciduous stromanthus plant usually blooms in the summer. From late May to early August.
Additional Information. The flowering period depends on the variety and care, and lasts only about a month. Therefore, if a flower begins to bloom in early June, then by early July, flowering ends.
Changes in flowering care
During flowering, it is recommended not to fertilize the plant, especially with nitrogen-containing preparations. Also, in order not to damage the inflorescences, the flower is not sprayed and pruned.
Pruning
The flower does not need to form a crown, however, dried and yellowed leaves must be cut periodically.
How Stromantha propagates
Two methods of flower propagation are widespread: seed germination and rooting of cuttings.
Seed germination
Planting seeds is carried out at the end of winter. Seeds must be chosen healthy, before planting, you can treat with a special drug. The substrate for seed germination, it is better to choose in specialized stores. After planting the seeds, it is necessary to water the soil well. If natural light is not enough, it is necessary to put the lamp next to the box.
After rooting the handle, it is transplanted into separate pots
Rooting cuttings
Reproduction in this way is carried out in late spring or early summer. It all depends on the shoots, they must develop to a certain state. Then cuttings are cut from them with a size of not more than 10 centimeters. Each stalk should have at least 3 leaflets.
Cuttings are placed in a glass of water and covered with a film. When the roots begin to form, cuttings are planted in the ground.
Transfer
Stromantha is transplanted in early spring. In the early years of the life cycle, the procedure is carried out annually. The plant grows rapidly, the root system grows, so you need to change the capacity for growing to a more suitable size.
The transplant is carried out by the method of transshipment. The soil for planting should be loose, humic and slightly acidic. The substrate should include: humus, sand and compost soil. A layer of drainage material is placed at the bottom of the pot, then a flower is planted.
Possible problems in growing stromants
Florists often encounter the problem of drying leaves, then the question immediately arises, what to do if the leaves of the stromantha dry. Sometimes only the edges dry, and sometimes the whole bush. There can be many reasons, and each refers to improper care of the flower.
Leaves dry due to improper care
Stromantha: dried leaves, what to do
The leaves begin to turn yellow, curl, dry out and crumble for the following reasons:
- Excessive lighting in direct sunlight. It is better to put the plant in place with moderate lighting.
- Lack of watering. It is necessary to normalize watering.
- Dry air. It is necessary to spray the plant with water.
- A spider mite appeared. From pests, treat with insecticides.
note! If only the lower leaves begin to dry, then the plant is aging and soon its life will end.
Stromantha is primarily prized for its beautiful leaves with unusual colors. If you want to grow a flower at home, you need to carefully monitor its condition.
