Zamioculcas - home care for a chic dollar tree
An amazing flower zamioculcas, home care for which is not so difficult, many dream to have. And it is not at all the beauty of flowering that flower growers like it so much. It will not please with beautiful buds or brightly colored inflorescences. Moreover, rarely anyone is lucky enough to see how this plant blooms. Its flower is inconspicuous and almost invisible against the background of chic branches. But it is they, the tall strong shoots with dark green leathery foliage, that are the pride of zamiokulkas.
And considering that this plant is considered a symbol of wealth, its popularity is quite understandable. People call it a dollar tree and say that with each new leaf, the owner's income increases. Believe it or not - everyone's personal business. But getting an evergreen bush with gorgeous branches is definitely worth it. Everyone can grow it, one has only to take into account some requirements and the specifics of the development of culture.
It is interesting that zamioculcas is a genus that has only one type of culture called zamielistny. Its plant received for its similarity with another, no less interesting culture - zamia, gymnosperm flower.
Characteristic features of the plant
Zamiokulkas does not have a stem as such. The lush bush consists of tall and strong leaves, which are called complex leaves. On thick petioles, gradually thinning towards the top, oval leaves bloom on both sides. They are dark green in color and have a dense leathery texture. Such leaves grow one at a time, and the plant has no more trunk or lateral branches. It is noteworthy that the petioles grow directly from the underground tuber. From it, only in the lower part, thick long roots grow.
Zamioculcas has very slow growth. Usually it gives no more than 3 - 4 young branches per year. At the same time, the annual growth rate is no more than 15 cm. It can be called a long-liver, because an ornamental bush lives up to 10 years of age, and sometimes even more.
Does home zamioculcas bloom
Indeed, growing up to 1.5 m in height, this handsome man is also capable of blooming. True, such a phenomenon can be seen very rarely, and not only at home, but also in nature. Only adults are capable of blooming, one might even say old specimens. This happens in spring, but sometimes in early autumn.
The flower itself is not of particular aesthetic value, although it is incredibly fragrant. In structure, it is a bit like a calla flower: a long ear wrapped in a blanket.At the same time, the coverlet is very small and nondescript, pale green. It is not wrapped around the cob, but bends down immediately below. The ear is also not surprising with its bright color - it is creamy. So the main advantage of the plant is still the leafy part, not flowering.
It is interesting that after the end of flowering, the zamiokulkas growing in nature is tied with fruits - berries. There is one seed inside each. At home, seeds are not formed, including after artificial pollination.
Zamioculcas - home care and maintenance requirements
Many growers do not dare to start a zamiokulkas, fearing that he has a finicky character. However, this is not at all the case and the ornamental bush is very unpretentious. The main thing is to provide him with comfortable conditions and choose the optimal temperature and light conditions, without getting too carried away. So, what conditions will be comfortable for the plant?
Lighting
The optimal length of daylight hours for zamiokulkas is 8 hours. That is how long it must be illuminated by the sun in order to actively grow. However, the light must be diffused, otherwise the leaves will lose their deep and rich color.
In winter, the flower may need additional lighting, especially if it is in the northern room. If it stopped growing, and the leaves began to "spin" - there is a lack of lighting.
According to the teachings of Feng Shui, the zamiokulkas should stand in the southeast side of the house. Then his energetic ability to attract money and increase their amount will work at full capacity.
Temperature and humidity
Zamioculcas loves warmth, but at the same time tolerates a slight cold snap well. In this regard, the temperature regime may vary depending on the season:
- In summer, the flower will be comfortable at 25 ° C, although 28 ° for the bush is not yet hot. The main thing is that there are no sudden changes, so the place under the air conditioner is clearly not for this flower.
- In winter, a cool climate is more suitable for an evergreen handsome man. The main thing is that the temperature in the room does not fall below 16 ° C heat. However, for some time zamiokulkas can hold out at plus 12 ° C. But it is still not worth keeping it in such Spartan conditions for a long time.
The dollar tree also has a negative attitude to drafts. Both in summer and especially in winter, it should be protected from cold air currents. If the pot is on a window, then it should not open for ventilation.
But the flower is not particularly picky about humidity, and even dry air in an apartment during the heating season will not harm it. Although sometimes lush twigs are recommended to be sent under a warm shower or gently wipe the leaves. This will help get rid of the accumulated dust and restore its shine.
Zamioculcas: home care
As you can see, the dollar tree is not very whimsical. It tolerates partial shade, dry air, and coolness well. Of course, this affects the overall development of the plant, slowing down its already unhurried growth. And so that the zamiokulkas more often pleases with new branches and the bush grows faster, a little attention will not hurt it.
Flower care is not difficult. Perhaps all activities can be generalized and brought to one principle: everything should be in moderation. Moderately nutritious soil, moderately abundant and not frequent watering, moderately carried out top dressing, only to maintain development. And, of course, transplanting an adult bush is also carried out as needed. It is worthwhile to dwell on each of the procedures separately and find out in more detail what this means.
Watering mode
Under natural conditions, zamioculcas often have to put up with a lack of moisture. To survive in drought, he accumulates it in his tubers and succulent petioles. Therefore, it is quite understandable that it is often unnecessary to water it. Moreover, if the soil is wet all the time, thick fleshy roots on the nodules, and they themselves, will begin to rot.And if the tuber disappears, then the shoots growing from it will die.
Therefore, even in summer, watering should be moderate and not frequent. It is enough to moisten the soil well once a week. In winter, when the temperature of the content decreases, it is completely possible to do with watering once every 2 weeks. This is enough for zamiokulkas.
It is important to ensure that the substrate has time to dry out between waterings, and water does not stagnate in the pot. To do this, at the bottom of the flowerpot in which the flower grows, there must be drainage holes. If, after watering, there is a lot of water in the glass stand, it should be poured.
At the same time, zamioculcas reacts negatively to the complete drying out of the earth. If the moisture supply in the pot is depleted and does not replenish, the bush will begin to "eat" itself. His shoots become thinner, and the leaves turn pale and bent.
In addition, forced to make do with a limited supply of moisture, the zamioculcas goes into deep rest. He sheds foliage, and the tubers freeze and stop developing. For some time they will be in this dormant state, but alive. In the absence of watering, the tubers gradually begin to dry out without moisture. In order to prevent this, especially in hot summer, the soil in the pot can be covered with sphagnum on top. This solution will be especially relevant if the plant is taken out on an open terrace for the summer.
How often and with what can you fertilize a flower
Like all slow-growing crops, zamioculcas does not need frequent feeding. It will be enough for him to receive nutrients every 10 days. In this case, fertilizers should be applied only during the period of active growth: from spring to early or mid-autumn. As soon as the duration of daylight hours is significantly reduced, the zamiokulkas ceases to grow branches. At this time, he does not need feeding until next spring.
Best of all, the dollar tree absorbs liquid fertilizers.
For feeding zamiokulkas, mineral complexes are suitable, with which cacti are fertilized. You can also fertilize the dollar tree with mineral complexes for decorative - deciduous plants. In this case, the dose of the working solution must be reduced by 2 times.
There are also special preparations intended directly for the dollar tree. They are produced by such brands as in the photo below:
- Biopon;
- Bio technology.
Does zamiokulkas need pruning
Since the plant does not have a crown as such, it does not need shaping pruning either. In relation to the dollar tree, a sanitary haircut is more applicable. It involves the removal of old branches that are bare after leaf fall. Or if a few lower leaves on a good branch turn yellow. They can also be cut off so as not to spoil the appearance of the bush. It goes without saying that diseased branches are also subject to complete removal.
Zamioculcas - home care, transplant, soil, pot
Although the dollar tree grows slowly, transplanting is essential. Young plants need to be replanted annually, each time changing not only the soil, but also the pot. Since the earth dries out for a long time in a large bowl, this is fraught with rotting of the nodules. Therefore, you should start with small flowerpots. It is convenient if they are plastic. Then, if necessary, you can simply cut the container so as not to break the roots.
How to choose a flowerpot that matches the size of the flower? Everything is very simple: its diameter should be no more than 3 cm of the diameter of the tuberous coma itself. A more spacious pot is not yet needed for a young bush, it is better to increase it every year. And from 3 years of age, it will be enough to replant the plant every three years.
Larger plants are best planted in heavy clay pots. Firstly, a large bush has sufficiently long branches and can turn the container under their weight. Secondly, tubers grow strongly over time and can literally break a plastic pot.
As for the soil, the main requirements for it are not at all in nutritional value. Like succulents, zamioculcas is not particularly picky about this, because in nature it survives on stony soils. It is much more important for the substrate to be loose, to “breathe” well and to let water through, which means that it dries out quickly. The best option is to buy a ready-made substrate for succulents. The only thing that does not hurt to mix it with a little charcoal. This will protect the flower from putrefactive diseases. It's also a good idea to add sand - it will increase the moisture and air permeability of the substrate.
If desired, the soil for zamiokulkas is not difficult to prepare yourself, mixing in equal parts:
- sand;
- garden land;
- peat.
It is recommended to add a little lime dust and fine brick chips to the “home” substrate.
How to transplant zamioculcas at home step by step
It is better to replant both young and adult plants in late spring. Summer transplantation is also allowed, but in the autumn - winter period it is definitely not desirable to carry it out. At this time, the development of the bush slows down, and it tolerates the intervention worse, adapts for a long time. The exception is situations when the flower is sick or severely affected by pests. In such cases, a transplant with a complete soil replacement is carried out immediately to prevent death.
All work with the dollar tree should be carried out only with gloves - its sap is poisonous.
Transplanting a zamiokulkas at home consists of the following stages:
- The plant is very carefully removed from the flowerpot so as not to damage the roots.
- If the flower is young and healthy, the old soil can be left on the roots. A flower with decayed roots must be completely freed from the old substrate.
- A drainage layer of expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the new pot. Sprinkle it on top with a layer of earth.
- The plant is placed in the center of the flowerpot and covered with fresh soil. In this case, the tubers are not fully deepened. Their top should protrude slightly above the soil level.
- The transplanted flower is watered only after 10 days. If the soil is too dry, then on the third day after transplanting.
When transplanting a sick zamiokulkas, it must be processed fungicide.
Zamioculcas: home care and flower reproduction
The roots of the plant are succulent tubers with roots. The peculiarities of this culture are that it has the property of forming tubers even from leaves. In this case, the growth and development of the aerial part will begin only after the tuber itself is formed. And the false branches appear directly from the buds that wake up on it.
Zamioculcas can be propagated exclusively vegetatively in one of the following ways:
- By dividing the bush. It is best to divide the bush during the next transplant. Over time, many tubers appear in the pot. When transplanting, they are simply separated and seated in separate flowerpots.
- A whole branch. The young branch is cut and dried. Then they are planted in a mixture of sand and peat for rooting, deepening to the base of the leaf.
- A leaf. Cut a healthy leaf and leave it to dry out. Sand and peat are mixed in equal proportions, moistened and filled into a small pot. The leaf is buried a little more than half of its height into the substrate. Create a greenhouse by covering the container with a cut bottle or jar. Ventilate it periodically.
A branch or leaf can be rooted not only in the soil mixture, but also by placing them first for germination in the water. However, then it is necessary to often change it and there is a risk that the cuttings will rot. Rooting in the substrate is a more reliable method. And to accelerate root formation, cuttings can be processed Kornevin.
When propagating by a leaf and a branch, you will have to wait about 5 months until the zamioculcas begins to build up the aerial part. Dividing the same bush allows you to quickly get a new and already mature plant.
As you can see, zamioculcas is unpretentious and home care for it is not at all difficult.This plant does not require a lot of sun, frequent watering and feeding. He feels good in a cozy place where the scattered rays of the sun will gently caress the lush fans of the branches. By periodically watering and fertilizing it, you can grow a lush bush in a couple of years. It will decorate both the office and the living room in a residential building. The main thing is to protect the flower with poisonous juice away from animals and children.