Aglaonema - home care, how aglaonema blooms

Aglaonema is a perennial herbaceous culture that grows in nature on the lower tiers of forests near rivers, swamps, lakes in India, Southeast Asia, and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. As a houseplant, aglaonema has been cared for at home for half a century, effectively purifying the air, neutralizing benzene and streptococcal infection. The culture quickly fell in love with Russian flower growers. However, in an apartment, the flower will grow slowly.

History of appearance

In Southeast Asia, aglaonema is associated with the "flower of luck." The story is trivial: a resident of Malaysia entered the numbers into the lottery ticket, which he found after the rain on the leaves of the plant, and won the main prize. The inhabitants of the region began to actively cultivate a huge variety of aglaonems on the site and the windowsill, calling for luck to the owners. Having added to the collection of the British Botanic Gardens, specimens of Aglaonema laid the foundation for breeding work aimed at obtaining hundreds of indoor varieties and hybrids.

What does aglaonema look like

Aglaonema is a shade-loving deciduous plant, belongs to the Aroid family (Araceae), a relative of Dieffenbachia. Externally, the culture is represented by a small ornamental plant (70 cm tall) with short fleshy stems. The trunk branches out from the base, it is noticeable only in adults.

How does a flower look in the interior

Leaves are lanceolate, 10-15 cm in length, they are green or with multi-colored stains, the middle veins are clearly visible. Aglaonems with green foliage take root well in places with insufficient lighting; owners of variegated leaves need brighter light. Florists recommend abandoning the treatment of plant leaves with sprays to improve shine.

Common varieties

Indoor plants aglaonema have 20-50 subspecies of the Aroid family. The main varieties of culture are classified according to the height of the bush into three groups.

Low-growing aglaonema grows with drooping or creeping stems with a maximum height of 25 cm. Among the plant varieties, there are three popular varieties:

1. Aglaonema short-covering is easily recognizable by its elongated oval green foliage. White veins run in the middle of the sheets. The culture develops slowly and produces few leaves. To obtain a beautiful bushy plant, 2-3 seedlings are planted in one pot.
2. Aglaonema ribbed is a small bush with a branching stem of an underground or creeping type. Heart-shaped foliage attracts with a mix of white or green colors, many spots and stripes. The individual loves to delight the owners on New Year's Eve with an inflorescence reaching a height of 10 cm. A few days later, the flower falls off, the plant begins a dormant period.
3. Aglaonema is rounded - the owner of heart-shaped leaves of brown and red tones. Bright pink stripes are traced along the length of the leaf.

Popular varieties of aglaonema

Medium-sized flowers include aglaonema with straight trunks, accommodating oblong leaves up to 30 cm in length. The most demanded varieties are:

1. Aglaonema Maria is a shrub with dense foliage of dark green color. The culture is shade-tolerant and takes root well in houses with artificial lighting. There is a variety of Maria Cristina with silver-gray leaves.
2. Treiba. The plant is characterized by small leaves 15 cm long, green color and silvery pattern.
3. Aglaonema is humble. 50 cm high, covered with rounded leaves with convex veins and sharp tips. The length of the leaves is a maximum of 20 cm.
4. Silver Queen - stretches up to 40 cm and needs good lighting, the surface of the leaves is silver-blue.
5. Crete is a species of aglaonema with variegated pink-green leaves. More demanding for lighting in relation to other varieties.

High varieties are obtained on the basis of shade-tolerant subspecies of aglaonema, look good as single options and fit well into large-sized compositions. The most famous are:

1. Pattaya Beauty is an elegant bush with a slender slender trunk, overgrown with large foliage with clearly visible green edges and a light gray core. In adults, the leaves darken. Pattaya Beauty is ideal for rooms with low light, temperature extremes and dry air. The plant is like a palm tree by the measure of the dropping of the lower leaves.
2. Aglaonema Fridman grows up to 1.5 m. Wide and large foliage has wavy edges. Silvery spots are formed in the center of the leaves, dark green dots are formed along the edges.
3. Silver Bay is a culture of impressive parameters that grows on a trunk 1 m high. An individual branches from the root system, the stem is bare slowly, the bush retains its lush forms for a long time. Sharp, raised leaves gain a length of 30 cm. The area of ​​light green leaves is completely covered with gray spots.

Silver is the coldest aglaonema variety

Caring for the agla mute at home

Temperature

Aglaonema prefers a warm and humid climate with a minimum temperature of 18 ° C. The optimal mode is from 22-23 ° to 27 ° C. Drafts are not allowed.

Lighting

Recommendations on the topic of how to properly care for aglaonema depend on the color of the plant:

1. For a culture with a variegated color in yellow and red tones, diffused lighting or partial shade is recommended during the day, in the evening or in the cold season - maximum light.
2. For green leaves, diffused light / shadow is desirable.

Watering

Aglaonema prefers moderate watering with a slightly dried earthy coma. Water to moisten the soil is used at room temperature. The approximate watering regime is every 3-4 days.

Spraying

It is allowed to spray the leaves with distilled or rainwater in summer and autumn, if the plant is properly cared for. Otherwise, spraying is prohibited.

Humidity

To maintain its decorative properties, aglaonema is kept in high humidity conditions. Average humidity is acceptable, but the plant will begin to lose its appearance.

The soil

Soil for aglaonema should be good for air and moisture. The proper conditions will be provided by leafy soil mixed with coal, peat, humus or sand. If it is not possible to make the substrate yourself, you can use a ready-made mixture intended for heather, azalea, violets.

Aglaonema care and maintenance

Top dressing

Aglaonema does not tolerate lime dressings, the plant is fertilized with a complex of minerals based on potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, trace elements.

The following feeding options are most acceptable:

1. One tablespoon of Agricola and Effekton is diluted in a three-liter container.
2. One teaspoon of Agricola and a tablespoon of Fantasia per bottle of water.
3. A tablespoon of "Lignohumate" and 1 teaspoon of "Leaf" for 3 liters of water.

The plant is fertilized from March to September after watering, in the cool part of the day - the measure allows you to prevent burns of the plant. Frequency - 2 times a month.

In winter

During the dormant period (September-February), it is important for aglaonema to maintain a temperature regime of 16 ... 18 ° C, stable watering. The plant is not fed in winter.

Pruning

Aglaonema does not need pruning. As the flower grows, the stems become bare. If you cut off the top and process the cut with crushed charcoal or activated carbon, the plant will begin to actively branch. You do not need to throw out the stalk, it is better to root the sprout.

When and how it blooms

How aglaonema blooms, you can rarely see, but with proper care in summer, the plant produces an inflorescence - an ear with discreet small flowers.

Types of flowers

Depending on the cultivar, aglaonema can bloom in thin, cylindrical (5 mm in diameter, 4 cm in length) or thick, clavate (1 cm in diameter, 3 cm in length) flowers.

Flower shapes

Aglaonema inflorescences are pale green, collected in an ear 3 cm long. Inflorescences appear in 1-3 axils of the upper leaves.

Flowering period

Aglaonema blooms from June to August. After 8 months, bright red berries ripen, less often white, oblong, containing one seed each.

Changes in care during flowering

Proper home care will help to make the aglaonema flower bloom: it is enough to prepare a wide and shallow container, observe regular spraying and watering, and maintain a stable temperature.

Aglaonema during flowering

How does it multiply

 To obtain a new plant aglaonema, the propagation of a tropical culture is carried out in various ways:

• stem and apical cuttings;
• air layering;
• germination of seeds;
• by dividing the root.

Germinating seeds

The fruits ripening on the bush are successfully used by flower growers for sowing seeds. However, the chosen breeding method does not always allow preserving the varietal characteristics of aglaonema.

A seed is obtained from red aglaonema berries, washed well with clean water and sown in a mixture of sand and peat (1: 1). It is not recommended to store seeds, they quickly lose their original properties.

Crops are harvested in a warm place, ensuring regular watering. The formation of seedlings takes place within 1-2 weeks. When the first leaf plates appear, the plants are split into separate containers. The grown bushes are transplanted into larger tanks. After 3-4 years, developed flowers will grow on the windowsill.

Rooting cuttings

Propagation by cuttings of aglaonema is carried out all year round, but sprouts take root faster in early spring. New plants are obtained from the tops of the shoots and stems.

Planting the tops allows for faster rooting. Young shoots 10 cm high are immersed in a container with settled water or planted in a small pot with nutritious soil. In the latter case, the leaves are tied into a bunch, slowing down the evaporation of moisture. They also create greenhouse conditions for the plant, covering it with a cut bottle or placing the pot in a bag. As young shoots form, the shelter is removed and after 3-4 months the culture is transferred into a permanent pot.

With stem cuttings, experienced flower growers are in a hurry to root the bare shoots left after pruning the crop - an excellent option for propagating aglaonema, containing many dormant buds. Awakening is stimulated by cutting the stem into cuttings 5-10 cm long. The shoots are placed vertically in a glass of water or placed in a flowerpot, sprinkled with soil a little. The rooting time of the sprout depends on which planting method is chosen:

• in water, young shoots will sprout on the stem after 3 weeks;
• in the soil, the shoots on the stem will appear at the base of the earth after 4 weeks.

Flower cuttings

Air layering

Aglaonema is rarely propagated by air vents. A couple of cuts are made on the selected stem, wrapped in moistened moss and wrapped in opaque cellophane. The cut and processed areas are tightened with threads on both sides. After the appearance of the roots, the stem is cut off, the polyethylene is removed, the layers with moss are transplanted into the substrate.

Rhizome division

The method is applicable for an adult highly overgrown plant. The process is convenient to carry out during transplantation:

1. Aglaonema is removed from the pot.
2. Shake off excess soil and dip the roots in water.
3. Young shoots with roots are separated with a sharp knife or scissors. Separated plants contain at least 3 leaves.
4. Places of cuts are sprinkled with activated carbon.
5. The separated shoot is immediately planted in a container and watered abundantly.
6. The pot is left in a warm place for a week. Sprayed periodically.

The appearance of young leaves on the aglaonema indicates normal rooting. The flowerpot is placed in a permanent place.

Transfer

Transplantation of young shoots of aglaonema is carried out annually in the spring, adult bushes also change their pots in March-April, but less often (every 4-5 years). The soil for planting must contain a good drainage layer. The flower is also suitable for hydroponic cultivation.

Possible growing problems

Why do the leaves turn yellow

If the leaves have begun to turn yellow, you should look for the reason in the lack of heat or direct sunlight on the flower. Yellowing of the lower leaves of the plant indicates natural aging, no treatment is required.

Shriveled leaves

Leaves wrinkle, fade at low air humidity, a dry climate is also an excellent environment for harmful insects. In a warm period, it is recommended to regularly spray the leaves and add water to the pan, having previously filled it with peat or expanded clay.

White-yellow spots formed

Sunburn is the cause of white pigmentation on the leaves of a tropical bush. The bush must be urgently removed in partial shade, the leaves must be moistened with water at room temperature.

Aglaonema is sick

Leaves curl

The disease is observed with a sharp cold snap or drafts.

Stem growth retardation, brown leaves

The plant was watered with cold or hard water - this is the main reason why the leaves turn red. To soften the water, 0.2 g of oxalic or citric acid is poured into 1 bucket.

Aglaonema is rightly called an adornment of any interior; a variety of varieties and colors allows you to create a luxurious collection. The main advantage of tropical culture is its simplicity, it is valuable for lovers of home floriculture.