Adding the amazing cytomium fern to our collection
Among the many ferns, cytomium occupies a special place. This is a unique plant that will become a real decoration of any city apartment. The sickle fern is distinguished not only by its attractive appearance, but also by its easy care.
Description of cytomium fern
Leaves are pinnate, slightly curved. Each plate has serrated edges. In its lower part, there is a large number of brownish spores, which are covered with a transparent film.
Cyrthomium is very slow in growth. In one year, only a few new wai can appear on a bush.
The root system is well developed. All roots are abundantly covered with brown scales.
The main types of fern cytomium:
- Caryotic. It features a straight and short rhizome. The bush grows up to 70 cm tall. Leaves are leathery. All of them are single-pinned, elongated. Their upper part is greenish-gray. The feathers are large, slightly pointed at the base. At the edges they are slightly prickly, abundantly covered with small teeth.
- Large-leaved. The fronds are monomorphic. An adult shrub will grow about 70 cm. All leaves are located on petioles, which have a brownish-yellowish tint. The feathers are roundish. The terminal leaves are long. Spores can be green or white with a grayish tint.
- Fortune. This variety is most often grown indoors. The plant differs in the shade of the root system. All roots are orange in color and are located, for the most part, underground. Vayi are large. Their upper part is shiny, grayish. The plates are slightly curved. They appear from the very soil. The leaves are located on very long petioles, which makes them more colorful and attractive. The fern will grow up to 60 cm tall.
Cyrtomium: home care
If you want the fern to be bright green and juicy. You should follow simple rules.
Choosing a place in the room
Fern should be grown in a room with diffused light. An excellent option is windows facing north or west. If this is not possible and the flowerpot with the plant is in the southern part, then during the hot period of the day it will need to be shaded so that direct sunlight does not fall on the bush.
Indoor air temperature and humidity
Fern should be grown in a room where the air temperature will be within +200 C. If the indicators are higher than the indicated figure, then it is recommended to move the pot with the plant to a cooler place. This will help keep the fern from drying out.
In winter, when the room is heated, it is recommended to periodically place the fern in a container filled with water.
Fern soil
Cytomium should be planted in soil that allows water and air to pass through well. You can buy such a mixture at any specialty store. Also prepare the substrate yourself. To do this, combine deciduous soil, sand in equal proportions, and then add two parts peat... If possible, it is recommended to put a small amount of wood ash and pine bark in the prepared soil.
Before planting a fern, don't forget about drainage. Its layer should be within 2-3 cm. For this, pebbles, crushed red brick or broken slate are used.
Fern irrigation
The bush should be watered regularly, especially during the growing season. In winter, if the temperature is high in the room, you need to irrigate the fern every day. For this, only settled water is used. You can also use boiled liquid that has cooled to room temperature.
Top dressing
Cyrthomium is not demanding in fertilization. The mixture is introduced only during the growing season. In this case, you can use both mineral and organic blends... Adult specimens are fertilized once every 3-4 months.
Reproduction of cytomium at home
There are two ways to grow a new plant yourself. Both methods are effective, the main thing is to follow the sequence of actions.
Division of the root system
For this, only an adult, healthy plant is used, which is three years old. The bush is dug up and divided into several parts. At the same time, it is important to ensure that each part has at least two full-fledged growth points.
Fern is propagated in this way only in spring. The separated parts are planted in the soil of sand, peat and deciduous soil.
Reproduction of cytomium by spores
This method is a little more complicated than the previous one. Initially, the spores are collected and folded into a paper towel, dried at room temperature. After a day, the planting material is transferred into a container with peat, which is well watered with warm water. When planting, it is important to remember that spores are not buried in the soil. They are evenly laid out on the surface and covered with polyethylene or glass. For seedlings to appear, it is necessary to constantly adhere to the temperature within +220 C. Keep container in partial shade only. Spores will not sprout in the sun.
Seedlings are transplanted only after they grow more than 5 cm.
Potential pests of the fern cytomium
The plant is very rarely sick, but insects can still affect it. Most often, a mealybug or shield... If nothing is done, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and dry. Therefore, at the first signs of the appearance of insects, the fern should be treated with preparations called "Actellik" or "Fitoverm". You can also spray the plant with milk or soapy water.
Cyrthomium is a beautiful green plant that will become a real decoration of the room. To grow such a fern, it is enough to follow the above rules.