Pedilanthus titimaloid: home care, reproduction and feedback

When you see this plant for the first time, you can completely take it for a beautiful artificial copy. Juicy beautiful leaves, having an effective coloring - that's what the pedalanthus titimaloid flower growers like. Its curved stems, mottled leaves, some varieties with wavy edges, make this plant a magnificent decoration of the home interior. How to grow this miracle at home? This is discussed in the article.

Birthplace of the pedalanthus

This plant is referred to the representatives of the genus Molochia. It is grown as decorative ornamentation of gardens, if climatic and weather conditions permit it. Among the florists, the titamaloid pedilanthus has gained great popularity as a houseplant. In general, the birthplace of this miracle is the tropical and subtropical territories of Central and North America. There, bush can be found in well-lit areas with dry soils, with sufficient sand content, as well as iron, copper, boron, molybdenum, zinc and manganese.

Kinds

There are about 15 species of this plant. They differ in the form and color of leaves, stems, and size. The most popular varieties of pedalanthus can be found among houseplants. In the natural environment, it can reach two meters in height. At home, the titimaloid pedilanthus is not of such a giant size. In addition, its shoots can be formed. For an unusual fracture of the stems, the Dutch called it the spine of the devil. In fact, the name of this plant came from two words of Greek origin: a shoe and a flower.

Appearance

Pediatric titimaloid is difficult to confuse with another plant. It is very colorful and effectively stands out against the background of other colors. Its stem can reach a diameter of one centimeter. The leaves of the pedalanthus seem to be made of wax. With sufficient light, they have a motley color and are bordered on the edges by a white or slightly pink uneven strip. In some varieties, they can bend at the edges, acquiring a fancy shape of the boat. If you place the flower in a darker place, its leaves will become even green color. The flower titamaloid pedalanthus practically does not change during the whole year and very rarely blooms in captivity. All its beauty and uniqueness lies in the leaves.

Precautionary measures

It should be noted that, despite all its beauty, the pedalanthus is a toxic plant. Its juice is very dangerous. This is known to experienced gardeners and take care when working with shrubs. The juice of the plant in contact with the exposed areas of the skin causes inflammation. And if you try beautiful leaves on a tooth, you can get poisoning. That's why we need to protect children and pets from contact with this plant. When transplanting or pruning the pedalanthus, it is better to use gloves, protective clothing and goggles. If toxic liquid gets on your skin, wash it with warm water and soap several times.

Lighting

Pedilanthus titimaloid, care at home for which is simple, loves a lot of light. On this depends and its appearance, or rather, the color of the leaves. The plant is better located in the area of the solar window. It likes a lot of diffused light. In winter, when the light day is small, you can use additional illumination. However, the light of the lamp should not be directly directed at the flower. This light-loving plant, but he does not like direct rays.

Humidity

Pedilanthus titamaloid, care at home for which includes mandatory watering, does not like the complete drying of the soil. In summer, watering should be more frequent. The soil must always be moist, but do not bog. In winter, watering is reduced. The plant does not need so much moisture. However, the earth should not dry up in a tub. The plant can begin to dump the leaves to retain moisture in the stems. By the way, almost all species of this shrub have the ability to accumulate it in reserve. Therefore, the pedalantus is not so demanding to the humidity of the air. As evidenced by the experience of monitoring the plant, it itself can tell about their needs. If the leaves of the shrub begin to fall, then it should be watered. In summer, you can spray the plant with warm, standing water. In the winter it is not required.

The soil

As you know, the main condition for good growth and development of any plant is the soil. Each representative of the flora has its own requirements for the habitat. The pedalanthus titimaloid is also no exception, although it is not a whimsical plant. To plant it, it is better to choose a loose and moisture-absorbing soil. The composition may be different, but excessive humus is not welcome. This may be a primer from one part of the turf and two parts of sand. You can also use garden land with the addition of a third of sand. Excellent suited for planting a purchased soil for succulent plants, which also need to add sand. The soil must be light, airy. The main condition for good growth is a sufficient layer of expanded clay, as the pedilanthus does not like acidification and bogging of the soil.

Top dressing

Even with sufficient care, there comes a time when the plant begins to need additional nutrition. Do not wait for obvious changes in appearance. Top dressing should be started before the flower begins to lose its beauty. It is enough to conduct this procedure once a month, from spring to autumn. In winter, do not feed the plant. As a fertilizer, you can take drugs for succulents. They contain a sufficient amount of nitrogen. The pedalanthus needs this component, but its excess can lead to rotting of the roots.

Care

What else should I do to grow a beautiful pedalanthus titamaloid. Pruning is a prerequisite for the formation of shrubs. Very often, as the plant grows, stems are bared from below. The leaves remain only in their upper part. In this case, you can cut off the shoots, leaving the hemp height of about 5-6 centimeters. After a while new branches will grow, young and beautiful. This rejuvenation will only benefit the plant.

Reproduction

Pedilanthus titimaloid, reproduction at home is not much work, with good care all year round pleases with its beauty. Cuttings left after the rejuvenation process should not be discarded. They can be used for plant propagation. They should be cut in length about 10-15 centimeters. Then we place the cuttings in warm water. For more effect, you can add honey (a teaspoon per liter of water) to it. In a day, the cuttings must be taken out and dried. If the stems are very thick, then this process should be given more time. Cuttings are well rooted in almost dry sand or perlite. Cover them with a film, like most plants, do not follow to avoid decay. After 2-4 weeks, when the rooting process takes place, you can transplant the pedalanthus into the ground. Usually the plant is cut in the spring or early summer. The pot for planting should not be too large. The root system of the pedalanthus develops slowly. It is better if it is a container of the same height and width.

Pests and diseases

Pedalanthus titamaloid, whose bloom can rarely be seen at home, effectively looks due to its foliage and unusual form of stems. For it, and love the flower growers. However, we must ensure that this beauty is not spoiled by diseases and pests. Although it is an unpretentious flower, nevertheless it is subject to the harmful influence of these factors. This plant is affected by a spider mite, whitefly or mealybug. The presence of a pest can be determined by external signs. If the leaves wilted and turned yellow, and a spider web appeared on their lower part, then it is a spider mite. The formation of a sticky fluff at the base of the leaf indicates the defeat of the mealybug. Affected areas must be removed and the plant treated with any insecticide. Fungal lesions are eliminated by treating the flower with a fungicide. Do not strongly and often moisten the soil of the plant, as this can lead to infection with powdery mildew.

Transfer

As the plant grows, it will have to be transplanted. They do this extremely rarely, in case of acute necessity. But still, if the root system of the flower is tight in the pot, then it should be transplanted. It is better to conduct this procedure in the spring. The new pot should be slightly larger than the old one. On the bottom it is necessary to lay a layer of expanded clay. Next, gently shake off the old earth, trying not to damage the root system. Then we place the flower in a new pot with a new primer. A young plant can be pruned during transplantation in order to ensure a more magnificent development of shoots. After this, you must place the flower in the shade for two weeks, until it is completely rooted. The pedalanthus titamaloid, the benefits and harms of which have been described above, will be the best decoration of the interior and will fill the house with light and warmth.