How to care for afelandra: the difficulties of growing a capricious "simple man"

Despite the beauty and exotic look, many flower growers are afraid to get involved with Afelandra. This is a very moody plant, requiring careful care and constant attention. For beginners, it often dies.

Appearance and interesting features

In the natural environment, the afelander grows in the form of shrubs and shrubs. The plant is quite large - reaches two meters in height. The leaves are large, smooth, with a pronounced gloss. In some varieties, gloss on the leaves is absent. The shape of the sheet is rounded, the end is slightly pointed. Color - dark, saturated, often complemented by light stripes.

Inflorescences are beautiful, bright, about 15 cm. The colors are different - scarlet, orange, yellow or purple. It blooms from two months or longer. The fruit is a seed box divided into two parts. In the literal translation from Greek, the name sounds like "a simple man." He was given for the structural peculiarity of a flower, consisting of simple one-nested anthers.

Indoor Varieties

The genus is very numerous, but only three species of afelander were able to adapt to the conditions of the apartment.

1. Afelandra is golden. Belongs to undersized shrubs. The stalk is strong, with a slight reddish tint. The leaves are dark green, with a silver pattern. The inflorescence is spike-shaped, up to 16 cm, sometimes branched. The flowers are saturated orange hue, complemented by greenish bracts. Inflorescence lasts no more than ten days.
2. Afelander Roetzl. Variation of golden afelander. The leaves are large, pale, with a silvery sheen. Inflorescences are red-orange. It blooms for about a week. Flowering follows rest - at least six months.
3. Afelandra protruding. Low bush with bared fleshy branches. Shoots are very elastic, difficult to break. The color of the leaves is emerald, complemented by light stripes. It features high inflorescences resembling a bump. Bracts are red-orange, flowers are lemon-yellow. It blooms for a long time - almost all summer and early autumn.

Proper Afelandra Care at Home

In the reviews, even experienced gardeners agree that growing afelander at home is not an easy task. The flower is very moody, reacts to any violation of the conditions of detention by a decrease in decorativeness. For stable growth and systematic flowering, you must adhere to certain rules for creating a microclimate and care.

• Lighting. They are kept on windows facing west or east, shading from the direct sun. In winter, provide additional lighting - Afelandra need a long daylight hours.The total duration of natural and artificial lighting in winter is at least nine hours.
• Temperature. All year round you need heat of 20-26 ° С. Lowering or raising the temperature equally negatively affects the condition and appearance of the afelander. In summer, the afelander can be taken out into the open air. Maintenance in the apartment requires regular ventilation. The flower is placed in a place inaccessible to drafts.
• Watering. Watering the afelander should be plentiful, but without fanaticism. Excess liquid is poured out of the pan immediately. The frequency of irrigation depends on the temperature of the content. Usually watered at intervals of three to four days.
• Humidity. High humidity is one of the main factors of good growth and decorativeness of afelander. Need regular spraying, periodic bathing in the shower. Humidity lowering below 60% is unacceptable. The desired parameters are achieved by installing special humidifiers.
• The soil. Use light, breathable and permeable soil. For three lobes of leafy land, one lump of sod, sand of medium fraction and peat are taken. Drainage at the bottom of the pot is required.
• Top dressing. Afelander is fed in the period of active growth. Introduce mineral and organic fertilizers, adhere to their alternation. The intervals between dressings - two weeks. You can use any means for flowering indoor crops. Fertilize the day after watering, only on moist soil. You can feed with "home" organic fertilizers - infusion of nettle, bird droppings or mullein.
• Transfer. Young plants are transplanted annually. It is more difficult to transplant an afelander older than three years, so the procedure is carried out every three years. From time to time, cuttings need to be rooted to replace the plant - with age, the afelander loses its decorative effect.
• Pruning. So that the plant does not lose its decorative effect longer, it is important to trim the afelander correctly. Adult plants trim the procedure at the end of winter. All shoots are cut to a height of 25 cm. For quick recovery immediately after trimming, a plastic bag is put on the afelander. Daily it is removed for ventilation and spraying of the plant. The young afelandra pinch growth points to form a harmonious rounded shape.

Breeding methods

Propaganda can be propagated in two ways - seeds and cuttings. Cuttings are considered simpler and more effective.

Seeds

Seeds very quickly lose their germination. It is better to sow them directly after collecting. The probability of germination of store seeds is much lower. To obtain strong seedlings, they follow an algorithm of actions from four stages.

1. A mixture of peat and coarse sand is used as a substrate. Previously, it is calcined in a pan or in the oven, disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Seeds are laid out on a moist substrate at intervals of 2 cm. Sprinkle with a layer of fine sand on top, sprayed with water.
3. Landing capacity is covered with polyethylene. A favorable microclimate for seed germination is high humidity, a temperature of 20-22 ° C, good lighting.
4. Daily film is removed for five minutes. The surface of the soil is moistened by spraying as it dries.

The first sprouts appear in two to three weeks. After the formation of two true leaves, afelander seedlings can be planted in separate containers, having prepared nutrient soil. After the initial stage of growth, young plants begin to develop rapidly, with good care they bloom in eight to ten months.

Cuttings

Rooting apical cuttings is a simpler and more reliable way.Cuttings are cut from an adult, healthy plant. The best time for grafting is spring. The length of the handle is up to 15 cm. It is mandatory that there is a growth point and at least one pair of leaves. In the first months, plants from cuttings develop slowly. They need constant attention, maintaining a stable temperature and humidity. Rooting is carried out in six stages.

1. Cuttings are soaked for six hours in a solution of a growth stimulator or root formation. You can use "Heteroauxin", "Epin", "Kornevin."
2. Slices dipped in coal powder. Cuttings are installed vertically in wet sand or sand-peat mixture.
3. Top cover with a glass jar or plastic cup to maintain moisture.
4. They create favorable conditions for rooting. The temperature is maintained at 23-25 ​​° C, high humidity is maintained, and the can is removed daily for 15 minutes for ventilation. The first roots should appear within a month.
5. They are waiting for the development of a full-fledged root system, transplanting cuttings into nutrient soil.
6. At the stage of the fourth pair of leaves, the growth point is pinched for the first time to stimulate branching.

Content errors and their consequences

Afelandra is very demanding on care and conditions. Even one missed watering can lead to a decrease in decorativeness. The table summarizes the problems that gardeners have to deal with most often. In it you will find the causes and solutions.

Table - Common Afelandra Care Mistakes

Diseases and treatments

The main diseases of the afelander are rot and fungus. They are provoked by excessive watering, the use of low-quality, non-sterile soil, and the lack of drainage. Below is a table that describes the most common diseases, their symptoms and methods of treatment.

Table - Afelander Diseases

The main pests, methods of combating them

Almost all pests of indoor plants are dangerous for afelandra. As a prophylaxis, the flower is periodically sprayed with a low concentration of the insecticide solution, the leaves are regularly examined for signs of insect damage. For ease of determining pests, all the main signs of damage are collected in a table.

Table - Afelander Pests

Since it is quite difficult to care for the afelandra, it often fades, dies from beginners. Before you purchase a flower, it is recommended that you carefully read the conditions of detention, make sure that you can create them.