Sinadenium Grant (tree of love): description, planting and care

Sinadenium is a lush evergreen shrub that grows in tropical African forests. He has a sprawling green crown with amazing inflorescences. A small number of genus includes 20 species, of which only the siñadenium of the grant is an indoor flower. In the people it is also called milk or a tree of love. This plant does not require complex care, it has a flexible crown and an attractive appearance. It can be grown as a miniature bush on a windowsill or as a tall tree to the ceiling.

General description of the flower

Euphorbia sinadenium Grant, care for which fairly simple, grows high (up to 3 m), spreading thickets. During the year, it grows by about 20-25 cm. It is distinguished by branched, outward-rooted roots and succulent stems, on the branches there are rare lateral processes. They are upright and strongly thickened. The stems have a smooth dark green skin. Thanks to this structure, the plant reserves moisture and is able to survive even in severe drought.

The leaves are attached to the branches by means of very short petioles. They are located one by one or opposite. The leaf plate is obovate or oval in shape. The leaves themselves are rather hard, leathery, dark green and with a shiny surface. Some varieties have reddish stains or spots. The leaves reach a length of 25 cm, and a width of 12 cm.

More popular among the florists, in comparison with the Grant sidenium, is the synanium Rubra. Young leaves of this flower are completely pink, then their color changes to dark green, and reddish spots of irregular shape appear.

In winter, on the tree of love appear small flowers with long elastic peduncles, which are collected in the scutellium inflorescence. Small flowers have the appearance of tiny bowls or bells, which have short and bent edges. In the center of each flower there are long stamens. After the flower there is a small fruit in the form of a three-rowed achene with small black seeds.

If you break the stem or leaf, then the milky juice will separate. He's very poisonous. On the skin causes irritation, and if it is swallowed, then you can seriously poison, until the lethal outcome. When growing this flower's house, it is necessary to observe precautions, not to allow children and animals to approach it. When pruning Grant's sinenium, you must always wear protective gloves.

Temperature and lighting for flower care

Care for the Grant's sinenium is almost the same as for the other succulents of the Euphorbia family.

The plant feels well with diffused light both in winter and in summer. In low light, the flower begins to stretch and loses its appearance. Therefore, in winter it is necessary to provide him with additional lighting. If this is impossible for some reason, it is desirable to lower the temperature to temporarily stop the growth of the plant.

In summer, a glazed ventilated balcony will suit the flower - there it will be as comfortable as possible. The optimal temperature for the Grant sidenium is 23-26 degrees. The plant well tolerates hot summer weather and adapts to coolness (up to +10 degrees). Below, the temperature should not drop, as this can affect the plant (high risk of root death).

Watering and Moisture

The tree of love does not tolerate an excess of moisture; when overflowing, roots can rot. In the summer, water should be watered when the top layer of the substrate in the pot dry, and in the winter, the ground is dried even more, about half. If there is no need for watering, then it is better to wait. The plant tolerates drought well, but not for long. If the soil is very dry, then after a while the leaves will begin to fall off the flower.

Humidity of air is not of great importance for the synadium, it is not absolutely necessary to spray it. The flower perfectly adapts to the dry air of the apartment in winter. Of course, the periodic shower sinadenium likes - he washes the dust off the leaves. Wipe the leaves unnecessary - they are covered with small hairs that can be damaged.

Fertilizers and fertilizing

The flower of the Sinadenium Grant responds well to feeding, after which the pet looks much more effective. Fertilize the plant in the spring-summer period, with the onset of winter feeding is best to stop, as the flower comes to rest.

You can feed with universal mineral, nitrogen fertilizers, organic. Often do not need to fertilize, just once every two weeks, with the appropriate dosage.

Plant transplantation

Adult specimens are transplanted as needed. This flower grows quickly, therefore it is necessary to transplant approximately once a year. The size and shape of the pot is not particularly important. It is better to transplant in the spring (March-April). The flower has a fairly strong root system, so the transplant tolerates well.

The tree of love loves a loose, but nutritious primer. The basis may be compost, dark peat, garden soil. The disintegrant can be charcoal, expanded clay or sand. The substrate can be purchased ready in the store - it is best to take the earth mixture.

Pruning of the synadium

To maintain a beautiful appearance of the plant, you must always make corrective procedures on time. Not an exception and a synadium. How to trim it correctly is described below.

Forming pruning is carried out every year. The procedure allows you to update the plant and give the bush a beautiful shape. Carry it in the spring, before the transplant. Then the vegetation period begins at the plant. It is necessary to cut or completely remove the stretched and bare branches. Do this with a sharp knife or a pruner.

All sections must be processed to stop the selection of milky juice. For this, crushed wood or activated carbon is suitable. If the appearance of the flower suits, and there is nothing to cut, you can simply pinch the tips of the shoots - so the bush will be stronger branching.

Reproduction of the synadium

The tree of love multiplies in two ways: with seeds and apical cuttings.

The first method is considered quite complicated. At home, the sinadium blooms rarely, and the seeds from it can simply not wait. In addition, this method is laborious, but in the end it turns out at once a lot of plants. Seeds are sown in spring in sandy-peat soil to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. The pot should be covered with a film and put in a warm, bright place.

After 10-12 days, the seeds will germinate, and when the shoots reach a height of only 1 cm, they need to be dived into individual pots. The second picking is carried out at a height of 3 cm seedlings in the soil for adult plants.

Cuttings are much easier to propagate. When pruning, the tops of the stems remain, for planting, you need to select long cuttings (up to 12 cm) with 4-5 healthy leaves. They need to be treated with charcoal and leave to dry for 1-2 days. After this time, the cut will be covered with a whitish film, then the stalk can be planted in the soil to a depth of 2-3 cm. It takes 2-3 weeks to take root.

Problems in growing

This flower does not cause much trouble. The plant is persistent, the main thing is to choose a place for it and properly water it.

Sometimes the following problems occur:

1. Fall leaves. Usually this happens when the conditions of content sharply change: the temperature decreases, cold water is used during irrigation, overflow or transplant occurs. In this case, the flower itself is quickly restored. But if the leaves continue to fall, you need to examine the roots - from the cold or overmoistening they can bend. The flower is rehabilitated as follows: bad roots need to be cut, transplanted into new soil.

2. The leaves are lowered. The flower requires watering. After watering the plant is quickly restored.

3. Strongly stretched branches. This happens because of a lack of light. To restore the shape will help pruning and constant diffuse sunlight.