Spathiphyllum home (Spathiphyllum) was the first of the aroid perennials cultivated by man. Of all the representatives of this family (about 40 species), this culture has the most extensive range. The homeland of the plant is swampy forests and the shores of warm lakes and rivers of South America. The plant naturally came to North America, and, perhaps, thanks to man, they were induced to Oceania.
Another name for the plant that flower growers gave him is female happiness. Outwardly, he is very similar to his relative - anthurium, called "male happiness." According to many superstitions, spathiphyllum and anthurium help to find a betrothed (or betrothed) and start a family.
When growing spathiphyllum indoors, it is necessary to create conditions corresponding to its natural range. This is not a problem, since the main requirement for the microclimate for a flower is only a sufficient amount of moisture in the air. Even requirements such as temperature and light play a lesser role than humidity.
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General information about the plant
Spathiphyllum in its natural habitat
- Bloom. The beginning of flowering spathiphyllum is the first decade of March. The total duration of flowering can be up to 6 months. In rare cases, the plant blooms until the end of autumn.
- Illumination. Ambient lighting is required. There is enough daylight for the plant, it does not need additional illumination with lamps.
- Temperature regime. Under normal conditions, the temperature should be maintained between 23°C and 32°C. During the dormant period and to stimulate flowering, the plant needs lower temperatures - the optimum is from 17 ° C to 20 ° C.
- Watering. Regular watering once every 2 days. During the rest period - once a week.
- Air humidity. Indoors with a plant should be at least 80%. Important! This is a critical indicator for culture.
- Fertilizers. Use mineral fertilizer for aroid crops at a concentration of 1 g per 1 liter of water. It is recommended to alternate it with a solution of mullein (30-40 g per 1 liter of water). Nutrients are added once a week.
- Rest period. October to January. The temperature is not lower than 16 degrees Celsius.
- Transfer. Produced every 3-5 years in a larger pot. A sign of need - the roots begin to bulge out of the ground, the sockets do not sit tightly in the ground.
- Required soil. A mixture of soddy soil, leafy soil, peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 1:1:2:1.
- Reproduction. Can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush.
- Pests. Aphids, spider mites, thrips, scale insects.
- Diseases. Root rot, leaf spot, chlorosis, gommosis.
beautiful inflorescence
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The plant is very unpretentious in its care and does not require any specific methods and means to keep itself in good shape. Timely watering, fertilizing and transplanting plants guarantee an excellent flower life at home.
Requirements for climate and containers when growing
Under natural conditions, spathiphyllum lives on the lowest tier of plants in the tropics and subtropical forests; bright sunlight is contraindicated for him.
Therefore, the best place for spathiphyllum in the house is on the windows of the east side. In the summer, the plant needs to be shaded or provided with diffused lighting. This can be done with blinds, film or plain paper. The wrong approach is to completely shade the flower; this is only valid for a few varieties of spathiphyllum.
On a shaded windowsill
But complete shading is undesirable, since the flowering period of the spathiphyllum is almost halved. On the contrary, an increase in the length of daylight hours prolongs the flowering time and is one of the conditions for the onset of its repeated cycle.
It is undesirable to achieve two flowerings per season, since the next year the plant may not bloom at all. Even with a relatively small amount of light, spathiphyllum blooms for almost two months.
The plant does not like drafts and cooling of its root system. It is advisable for the winter to put a pot standing on the windowsill on a "litter" of foam, at least 15 mm thick.
Spathiphyllum in conditions of high humidity
A pot with spathiphyllum should be removed from various heaters (radiators, heaters, fan heaters, etc.), and its leaves should receive regular moisture. With air humidity of 80-90% in summer and 80-70% in winter, this is not necessary.
You can prepare the soil, and moving away from the previously indicated soil composition. Instead of sand, it is permissible to use perlite, instead of peat - humus, compost or a purchased substrate for orchids. The use of sphagnum is well recommended. There are only two basic requirements for the soil: sufficient fertility and loose consistency.
In order for the water not to stagnate, you need to make 3-4 additional holes in the bottom and use drainage from medium-sized pebbles: expanded clay, pieces of crushed stone, brick chips or pebbles. The height of the drainage is a quarter of the height of the container.
It looks like drainage for a flower, laid on the bottom of the container
Watering the plant
For irrigation, it is necessary to use water at room temperature, settled for 2-3 days. Watering spathiphyllum is difficult to regulate, indicating some kind of time frame. Everything should be done out of necessity.
Watering is carried out as the clod of earth in the pot dries. This can be determined by the dryness of the topsoil, or by the condition of the plant. If the leaves of the plant “blow” a little, it’s time to water it.
Withered leaves indicate the need for watering
In autumn and summer, watering is plentiful. Starting from October, its volume should be gradually reduced. On average, in winter, the amount of water that a flower is watered with is half as much as in summer.. Half an hour after watering, the pan is freed from excess liquid.
Recommended watering times may be as follows:
- summer: no more than once every three days;
- spring and autumn: once every 4-5 days;
- winter: once a week.
The plant can quickly die without moisture, on the other hand, waterlogging should also not be allowed. It is forbidden to quickly change the irrigation scheme. The transition from summer to winter irrigation is not allowed immediately!
Spathiphyllum fertilizer
The secret to success in growing spathiphyllum is the correct use of fertilizers. They are introduced during the period of active vegetation of the plant, which lasts from late March to early September. The frequency of top dressing is 1.5-2 times a month. This will be enough for the flower to bloom. Supplementary nutrition is applied mainly by the basal method. It is best to fertilize spathiphyllum in the morning.
During the dormant period (November - February), fertilizing is not recommended.If the plant continues to grow actively, the feeding schedule is adjusted - the flower can be fed once a month.
It is recommended to use ready-made universal complex mixtures purchased in flower shops as fertilizers. Their main component is azofoska containing phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. Also in the composition of such funds are magnesium and boron.
The concentration of purchased fertilizers should be approximately 1-2 g per liter of water. It is recommended for a greater variety of microelements to alternate fertilizing with mineral complexes and liquid organic fertilizers. The concentration of organics should be significantly higher (an infusion of 30 or more grams of mullein or 15 g of chicken manure per 1 liter of water).
Yeast is an alternative fertilizer, in addition, such bait is used to prevent fungal diseases of the root system.
For this you will need:
- 1 teaspoon dry yeast;
- 1 tablespoon of sugar.
The components are mixed, poured into 1 liter of water and infused for several hours, then the concentrate is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 5. The resulting mixture can be fed to the flower, using it for irrigation.
For young plants (up to 3 years old), succinic acid is used, which is a growth stimulator. To prepare top dressing, use 1 tablet of acid diluted in a liter of water. A similar effect is given by whey, diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 10.
Sometimes folk recipes and remedies are used for fertilizer, for example, tea leaves. In dry form, it is scattered on the surface of the pot. Dried coffee grounds give the same effect. Another alternative fertilizer is banana peel. It is dried in the oven, crushed and the resulting powder is added to the top layer of soil.
Plant transplant
Spathiphyllum transplantation should be done annually for plants aged 1 to 5 years. Plants older than five years are transplanted only as needed, when the root system begins to appear from the ground.
The pot for the plant should not be too large so that the roots have enough time to grow before the substrate loses its fertile qualities.
The diameter of the pot is chosen two times smaller than the diameter of the girth of the leaves of the plant. In the first five years of a flower's life, the following rule must be observed: each subsequent pot should be 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. To grow a spathiphyllum, both plastic and clay containers are suitable. Transplantation is carried out very carefully, best of all - by transshipment. The soil before this is slightly moistened.
As soon as the diameter of the pot exceeds 20-22 cm, transplants are either stopped, dividing the root system and actually turning one mother plant into several daughter plants, or simply changing the top layer of the soil mixture.
Transplantation is carried out in the spring, not later than May. Before removing the plant from the pot, it must be watered abundantly to make it easier to work with. It is not necessary to completely clean the substrate from the roots - moreover, it is advisable to leave a medium-sized earthen clod on the roots.
Spathiphyllum in need of a transplant
During transplantation, it is recommended to remove the lateral processes of the plant so that they do not interfere with the main leaves. An additional stimulation of growth and flowering will be pruning of old leaves. On the drainage layer in the new pot, you need to pour 1.2-2 cm of fresh soil mixture and place an earthen clod of the plant on it.
After that, the remaining soil is filled up and lightly compacted. There is no need to pour excess earth: it should not reach at least 2 cm to the top edge of the hill. This is followed by a small watering and the plant must be left alone for several hours.
A week after transplantation, the plant is not watered at all, however, it requires twice (every 2-3 days) spraying with water with the addition of a few drops of a growth stimulator - Epin. This will allow him to quickly adapt his root system to the new soil. A few days after the second spraying, watering is resumed.
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Plant propagation
Spathiphyllum reproduces in various ways. Vegetative propagation is more efficient because it provides more planting material.
cuttings
The spathiphyllum does not have a stem as such, and the leaves grow directly from the rhizome and form a kind of bush. Their height ranges from 12 cm to 1.1 meters. Therefore, the cuttings of a flower are formed from leaf rosettes separated from an adult plant. Usually, they already have roots, so they can be planted in a new place immediately after cooking.
If there are no roots on the outlet, they should be placed in a solution of activated carbon (2 tablets per 1 liter of water) for 1-2 weeks. During this time, roots several centimeters long will grow from the outlet, and the cutting can be planted in the substrate. No additional funds are required to root them.
There is no need to create a mini-greenhouse or greenhouse (in the form of a jar or a plastic bottle), since the cuttings can be grown in the same conditions as adult plants, they take root well.
The division of the bush
A method ideal for old overgrown bushes that require rejuvenation. After dividing the root system of the mother plant into several parts, each daughter plant is planted in a separate container with ordinary soil, the composition of which is similar. It is best to plant delenki in the spring. Manipulations with the soil mixture are repeated previously discussed for transplantation.
The further care procedure is standard: after the plants are planted, watering is carried out, spraying with Epin's solution twice a week, watering is resumed, etc.
Root division during propagation
seed propagation
This method is rarely used, since spathiphyllum seeds cannot obtain germination acceptable for propagation. There are also serious difficulties with the pollination of the plant. In addition, spathiphyllum seeds have a very short lifespan and need to be sown into the ground almost immediately after they have fallen from the inflorescence.
The idea to propagate spathiphyllum by seeds justifies itself exclusively in selective cultivation.
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Consider the most common problems that may arise with the plant and describe the methods of dealing with them.
Diseases
The list of diseases was given earlier. For convenience, their symptoms and methods of treatment are presented in the form of a table.
| Disease | Symptoms | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| root rot | Darkening and wetting of the root neck. Leaves turn yellow followed by wilting. The tips of the leaves sometimes dry. tissue necrosis. | The reason is the phytophthora fungus. There are no specific drugs. The plant is removed from the container and the roots are washed until the soil is completely washed out. The rotten parts are carefully cut off, the slices are sprinkled with crushed activated or charcoal. The soil is completely changed, while the transplant is carried out without watering. The first watering - after 2 days. Kornevin is added to the water. |
| leaf spot | Extensive uniform leaf lesions. The border is missing. Dark spots with a yellow border appear on the foliage. | The plant is removed from the pot and the roots are washed. Completely change the soil in the container, having previously disinfected it. The flower is transferred to a warm place. Watering is carried out with warm water. Spraying the flower with Epin is used. |
| Chlorosis | Yellowing of the leaves to the very tips. The veins remain green. In rare cases, leaf fall. | The main reason is the lack of iron, therefore, spraying with iron-containing preparations (Antichlorosis, Ferrovit, etc.) from a spray bottle is required, watering them for 3-4 days. Prevention: changing the soil to a less dense one. Watering with acidified water (citric acid solution 0.1-0.3 g per 1 liter of water). Plant shading for a few days. |
| Gommoz | The leaves dry and turn black at the edges. Twisting of leaves and deformation of stems. In the future, they begin to fade. | Sick leaves are cut and destroyed. Healthy ones should be washed with soapy water. Treatment of the plant with antibacterial drugs (Alirin, Gliocladin, etc.) will help. In some cases, spraying with Epin helps. Prevention: timely watering, maintaining the acidity of the soil within the natural limits for the flower (pH 5.0-5.5), fertilizing with iron-containing preparations. The plant should not be placed next to callas or dieffenbachia. |
Greening of the petals of the flowering part is not a disease. This is a natural color change at the end of the flowering period.
Blackening of leaves with gommosis
After that, it is necessary to remove all rotten roots, prepare a new substrate and transplant the plant into a pot with an updated drainage system. This is followed by the standard procedure for reducing watering and treating the plant with epin, described earlier.
Pests
Spathiphyllum has few of them. The main problem for the plant is spider mites and aphids. If a large colony of these creatures starts to drink the juices of the plant, and continues to do so for 2-3 days, the plant may become sick.
To prevent negative consequences for the flower, it must be carefully examined every day. Inspection must be carried out on the inside of the leaves.
An effective remedy against these arthropods is a soap solution to which a few drops of nicotine sulfate are added.
Spider mite - the main pest of spathiphyllum
Before processing leaves affected by pests, it is recommended to cover the soil with plastic wrap. The drug is applied to the leaves, and after a day it is washed off with water. The film is then removed.
As a prophylaxis against insects, you can wipe the leaves of the plant once a month with one soapy solution, without any additives. The primer does not close, but the soap solution is removed immediately after its application with a damp cloth or sponge.
Scale insects affect the plant less often, but the fight against them is more difficult. In the early stages of the lesion, it is recommended to use the previously described solution of soap and nicotine sulfate. If adult scale insects have settled on the plant, in order not to damage the flower, they will have to be removed mechanically using a cotton pad soaked in kerosene or alcohol.
Adult scale insects on the leaf surface
Another effective remedy is an oil-garlic solution. To prepare it you will need:
- water - 1 l;
- olive oil - 100 ml;
- garlic juice from 3 cloves.
The resulting preparation is applied to the leaves daily for 10 days. At the same time, the room is ventilated twice a day. The duration of ventilation is no more than 30 minutes.
If the solution does not help, spraying with Konfidor or Aktara is used.
To combat other parasites, for example, thrips, Actellik or Fitoverm have proven themselves well. Mealybugs will also require the use of powerful insecticides or acaricides. In order not to harm the plant, it is imperative to follow the dosage indicated by the manufacturer.
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Varieties of spathiphyllum
There are several dozen varieties of plants. Below are the most popular varieties with a brief description and photo.
Spathiphyllum Wallis
Another name for the variety is White Sail. This is the most common subspecies in indoor cultivation. It differs from others in smaller sizes: height 20-30 cm, leaves 25 by 6 cm. The edges of the leaf are wavy.
Due to the lateral veins pressed into the surface of the sheet, they have a folded appearance. The cover is white. It has several varietal varieties: Cladius, Chopin, Macho, etc.
Spathiphyllum Sensation (Sensation)
Also a popular variety in floriculture.It belongs to large varieties, reaching a height of more than 90 cm. Leaf plates can be very large: length 50-80 cm, width 30-40 cm. Ribbedness is clearly visible on glossy leaves.
The variety is shade-loving, in the sun the white color of the petal is quickly replaced by green, but flowering still continues. In total, it can last up to 10 weeks.
Spathiphyllum Picasso
This hybrid was bred from Spathiphyllum Wallis in the Netherlands. The size of the plant is somewhat larger than that of its progenitor: height 40-50 cm, leaves 18-23 cm. Outside, the peel of the leaves is covered with gloss, the shape of the plates is pointed. In some ways, its leaves resemble dracaena leaves.
A feature of the hybrid is its color - a combination of bright green and whitish areas. The root system, unlike other varieties, is compact, which allows the use of smaller containers. Popular varieties are Domino and Variegated.
Spathiphyllum profusely flowering
A culture of medium height (30-60 cm), the length of the leaves is not more than 25 cm, the width is about 12 cm. The surface of the leaves is slightly rough, with clearly visible veins. Flowering is relatively mild - it begins in April and lasts about two months, but the number of flowers is large.
This is partly due to the peculiarity of the root system, which is a long stem with a large number of internodes, forming many leaves and buds.
Spathiphyllum spoon-shaped
The Latin name is Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum. High grade, reaching up to 1 m in height. Peduncles can reach 1.2 m. The leaves are large, elongated. Their size is from 30 to 40 cm, the height of the petiole is about 70 cm.
A feature is the inflorescence in the form of a thick cob, changing its color from bright yellow to black. In this case, the cover does not change its color.
Spathiphyllum cannifolia
The Latin name is Spathiphyllum cannifolium. Due to the interesting shape of the leaves, this subspecies is highly decorative even without flowering. The length of the leaves of this variety reaches 50 cm. They are located on long petioles, expanding towards the bottom.
Flowering lasts from April to June. It is possible to re-bloom at the beginning of winter when using additional illumination with phytolamps. The inflorescence is thin and long, the spathe is relatively small. Its color is white on one side, with an arc - white-green.
Spathiphyllum adorable
A hybrid of medium height, with leaves 25-35 cm long and petiole up to 40 cm. A structural feature of the flower is a greenish coverlet, almost the same as the leaves. Thermophilic. It does not tolerate drafts and temperature changes very well.
Does not like watering with cold water. Grows on slightly acidic soils. If the soil becomes alkaline, ugly white spots appear on the leaves.
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Of all the aroids in our area, spathiphyllum is the most popular. This is due to its unpretentiousness, but the fact that it is a shade-loving plant should be especially noted. The latter makes its cultivation successful in regions where the number of sunny days is small.
Spathiphyllum perfectly takes root in rooms with small windows or with dim lighting. The only requirement critical for a plant is the required level of air humidity.
Thematic video:
Spathiphyllum
Care and reproduction
Oh yes, the spathiphyllum requires special care, and the fact that the sun's rays are detrimental to it is for sure ... I somehow went to the dacha for a couple of days, and I forgot to cover it from the sun, then in three days the flower suffered very much, which I ate it saved ... But what needs to be watered with warm, or rather room temperature, water, a discovery for me ... I will definitely do this.
And my mother, as a teenager, when she began to introduce me into the so-called “potted” world, taught me that this flower should not be substituted under the direct sun and, by the way, I don’t know where, but my mother knew that it, as it is written in the article, you need to water it with water at room temperature. But I would not say that it requires any special care, except for these two conditions. The article says that he needs moist air, then in my apartment it is not very humid ... The only thing is that I regularly spray it, which may be why he feels good with us. I water it every three days. Well, the flower is certainly very beautiful, one of my favorites)
Spathiphyllum has been growing for me for the fifth year. Took quite a crumb, transplanted independently more than once. He endured all the transplants perfectly, I bought the soil, being afraid to ruin the plant. However, the fears about lighting, which at first confused me, since we do not have a completely sunny side of the rooms, did not materialize. It took root remarkably, it turned out that he had a lot and did not really need the sun. In the mornings, it basks in the early rays, not having time to get burned; in the afternoon, the sun goes down. The main thing is humidity. They were specially placed next to the aquarium, now “female happiness”, as the flower is called (although I absolutely do not believe in the signs associated with the name), stands on the floor. Too big a flowerpot where a flower has grown. Be sure to take it out to the loggia in the summer to “breathe”, there I spray it every day. There is no particular trouble with him, as long as the drafts do not walk. It blooms chic, bright shiny leaves are especially pleasing, which means the plant is healthy. And how many of his children are familiar, I can’t remember. I have Wallis spathiphyllum, as it seems to be called correctly - the most unpretentious of many relatives.
Spathiphyllum is a very beautiful and delicate flower, I really like it. This flower has been living with me for a very long time, about 10 years, and there were no problems during the time that I had it growing with it. I transplanted it several times and separated the rhizomes, which I gave to my friends. Spathiphyllum is a flower of female happiness, and I really believe in it. The flower on the window looks beautiful, its bush is lush, the leaves are large, and when it releases white flowers, I can’t take my eyes off it. This flower is not whimsical at all, the only thing I have begun to bloom a little lately, I think this is due to the age of the flower. Also, in the winter, the leaves began to wither due to the fact that it was standing near the radiator, so I had a chance to rearrange it in a cooler place and provide more thorough watering. One has only to forget to water the spathiphyllum, as its leaves begin to fall, so I realized that he loves moisture.A very useful article in which I found good information regarding the care of this beautiful flower.
I never succeeded with a transplant, no matter how much I tried ((I really tried only three times, but all three times it was very unsuccessful ((And it seems that I did everything right, but still there were failures ... I probably have karma some kind of such ((True, I didn’t cut the lateral processes, but next time I’ll definitely try to cut them out. And of course the flower is very beautiful, one of my favorites)) It really brings some very bright energy into the house)) I even noticed that my husband and I began to conflict less with the advent of spathiphyllum. By the way, apart from problems with transplantation, I had no more problems with this flower. Regarding the care of the flower, I agree that caring for it is quite simple, the main thing is to water and he needs to create a microclimate))
Our spathiphyllum almost died after moving to a new home. I learned in practice that direct sunlight is undesirable for him. The last place at the window where he grew up was without a battery, the side is north, not sunny. With the move, I wanted the best, put almost all the greenery already on the terrace, for sunbathing, which turned into a rapid withering of the leaves of the spathiphyllum. In a few days they began to turn yellow and wither. Of course, she resuscitated the poor fellow, but with the help of an expert on greenery, a friend. She reminded me that before top dressing, during the day, the soil is spilled, then fertilizers are applied, avoiding falling on the leaves!
I would not say that it is easy to care for, too whimsical to certain conditions in the apartment / house. I think that it is more designed for professional florists than for amateurs. You need constant care for him, and control of humidity, lighting, etc. Although the plant itself is very beautiful, and blooms nicely. Grows fast, and pots will need to be changed often in strict proportions. In a trailer, almost all plants do not like large pots.