How to care for araucaria: ways to please a room tree

Araucaria can be safely attributed to the category of capricious plants. It is very demanding on temperature and lighting. Watering and humidity are important to her. Only subject to all requirements, it will delight with its development. However, one should not hope for rapid growth. Araucaria grows extremely slowly, providing an increase in only one tier of branches per year.

Distinctive features

The beautiful Araucaria is a graceful tree, with needles instead of leaves. It is believed that the plant was imported from Australia or New Zealand. In the wild, the tree reaches almost 50 m. In the conditions of indoor floriculture, araucaria most often does not exceed 1.5 m. The branches of the plant depart from the trunk almost at right angles. It is this feature that provides the tree with the perfectly regular pyramidal shape.

Overview of room varieties

In nature, there are several varieties of araucaria. But for indoor floriculture, only three types are used, presented in the table.

Table - Indoor species of araucaria

Araucaria care: what to consider

Slow-growing conifers need special care and care. The plant does not like change at all. The conifer can react to the slightest changes in lighting, temperature or humidity. Therefore, initially remember how to care for araucaria after purchase.

• A place. Immediately select a suitable place for it so that during the adaptation period the plants do not rearrange the pot.
• Conditions. Provide her peace, do not feed, spraying with needles, you can add "Epin".
• Change of pot. If the beautiful spruce was bought in the spring, then you can carefully transfer it into a new pot, and if in the autumn, postpone the procedure until the heat begins.

How to care for araucaria in the future, and what conditions must be provided to the Australian beauty?

Lighting

Araucaria is a lover of bright daylight, although it can develop even in partial shade. But, like most plants, it does not tolerate midday sunlight. Therefore, in extreme heat, be sure to shade the flower to protect its delicate paws from burns. Lighting recommendations are simple.

• Optimal place. Position the pot with araucaria closer to the light. But hot southern windows are best avoided or must provide the plant with protection from scorching rays.
• Uniformity of lighting. Turn the pot periodically to ensure uniform illumination of the plant. Otherwise, instead of an ideal pyramidal shape, you will get a slightly skewed flower.
• Winter mode. Araucaria needs sufficient lighting not only in summer but also in winter. Therefore, in the cold season, provide the Australian guest with illumination using fluorescent or LED lamps.

Temperature

Coniferous tree does not tolerate heat very well. Therefore, care for araucaria in the summer requires the creation of special conditions. However, too low temperatures can destroy the Australian. Provide such conditions.

• Summer conditions. The conifer develops well with indicators of + 15-22 ° C. With a slight increase in temperature, araucaria can be saved by frequent spraying of the crown. But if the heat came, then the only salvation for the Australian is air conditioning.
• Winter conditions. The most optimal temperature for araucaria in winter is + 10-16 ° С. She will feel good in the conservatory or on the glazed balcony.

Humidity and watering

Araucaria is very demanding on environmental humidity and sufficient watering. Dry air is able to permanently deprive the Australian beauty of decorativeness, as well as a lack of light. To ensure a comfortable room Christmas tree, follow these recommendations.

• Water. Water the araucaria with soft water. It is best to collect rainwater or apply the sediment for two to three days.
• Watering. During the growing season, the plant needs abundant watering. The soil should always be moist. Drying is completely unacceptable. But pour araucaria is not worth it. Water must not stagnate in the sump. In late autumn, when the Australian is preparing for a dormant period, watering can be reduced. But the soil should not dry out even in winter.
• Spraying. The indoor tree is very fond of moisture, so it will be grateful for the spraying. It is especially useful to irrigate the conifers in the heat or in the winter, when the included heating excessively overdries the air. This procedure can be repeated twice a day.

Top dressing

Around April, they began to feed araucaria. Fertilizing is done every two to three weeks. To properly feed araucaria, follow these tips.

• Fertilizer selection. Complex fertilizing is suitable for the plant. But at the same time, make sure that they contain a minimum of calcium. This mineral is not suitable for an Australian beauty. It is best to choose fertilizers for conifers. Suitable: “Gilea”, “Green Guy”, “Magnificent needles”, “Agronomist Profi”, “Vila”, “Blank sheet”.
• Right concentration. To fertilize araucaria, flower growers recommend using weak solutions, reducing the dosage by half, relative to the one indicated on the package.

Transfer

Indoor spruce does not tolerate transplants. After such a procedure, it is restored for a long time, and it can respond to any errors with a disease. That is why the araucaria is transplanted only as needed, when the root system has sprouted drainage. And this is observed every three to four years. Even young plants should not be transplanted more often. Florists recommend replanting araucaria in another pot, observing the following rules.

• Pot selection. The new flowerpot should be 2-3 cm larger than the previous one, no more. And it's better to choose ceramics. It is this material that "picks up" harmful salts from the soil, which can harm the sensitive Australian. The pot should be as stable as possible.
• Soil selection. For araucaria, you can choose universal soil by adding a little peat to it. Best plant develops in acidic, porous soil. You can create such a substrate yourself by mixing two parts of peat and leaf soil and adding one part of sand and soddy soil.
• Transplant Preparation. Be sure to sanitize the pot, soil. This will protect the sissy from diseases. To ensure a normal outflow of water, a drainage layer must be laid.
• Transplant process. Araucaria is removed from the old pot very carefully. And just as carefully transfer it to a new flowerpot. On the sides add new soil and gently tamp. The plant is watered, and the crown is sprayed so that the Australian woman adapts faster. During the week it is recommended to keep the plant in partial shade. And after seven days, when it adapts, it can be transferred to its usual place.

How to propagate

David Hession, an English botanist and best-selling author of floriculture, argued that propagating this plant is extremely difficult. Therefore, I recommended to buy already rooted Christmas trees. But if you are determined to grow araucaria on your own, then be patient and use one of the proposed methods: planting seeds or cuttings.

Sowing seeds

Features At home, araucaria never forms cones. Therefore, planting material can be obtained in only one way - by buying it in a store. When buying, pay attention to the release date. Araucaria seeds lose their ability to germinate after three months.

Breeding process

1. Acquired seeds are soaked for two days in a solution of Zircon or Epina.
2. Then stratification is carried out. Seeds are buried in wet sand and refrigerated for ten days. This is a mandatory procedure, without which the seeds will not sprout.
3. Seeds will need scarification. This is a procedure involving scratching the seed coat with a sharp object. It is extremely difficult for the tender sprout of araucaria to overcome a solid barrier, therefore it is necessary to facilitate this task as much as possible.
4. Prepare the disinfected soil, the same as for an adult plant. Araucaria should be planted immediately in separate pots.
5. The seed is laid on the soil, not buried, but covered with moist sphagnum. For the development of sprouts, they provide a temperature of 25 ° C, ventilation, daily moisturizing. In two to four weeks, seedlings will appear.
6. When the first needles are formed, it is necessary to plant the green pets in separate pots, if they were planted in one container.

Cuttings

Features Having decided to resort to this method of reproduction, be sure to weigh all the pros and cons. Whether the young plant grows from the cuttings is unknown. But cutting the branch, forever destroy the mother araucaria. Indeed, for breeding take the tip. After this procedure, indoor spruce can completely stop growing. In addition, the ideal form will be irretrievably lost.If you use the side branches as cuttings, then the new plant will not have a beautiful, regular shape.

Breeding process

1. It is recommended to start the breeding procedure in August, when araucaria begins to slow its growth.
2. To get the cuttings, cut off the top just below the whorls (3-4 cm) or a side shoot with a “heel”.
3. Cuttings should be aged for a day in the air.
4. The cut points are cleaned of resin and treated with Kornevin.
5. Planted cuttings in the substrate obtained after mixing equal portions of peat and sand.
6. The shoots are covered with a film or a cap. It is advisable to provide soil heating from below. Daily ventilate, moisturize. The temperature should not fall or rise above 25 ° C.
7. Rooting takes a very long time for five to six months. Araucaria will let you know about the successful completion of the process by the appearance of new needles. But the cap or film can be completely removed only by the next summer, after the transshipment.

Problems and diseases

Florists, analyzing the causes of the death of the plant, argue that most often the Australian does not withstand errors in care. Her illnesses are usually dictated by excessive watering, lack of light or the introduction of a large amount of fertilizer. No less harmful effect on the delicate crown dry air. It provides a favorable environment for the development of pests. In order to timely identify the problem and provide the beauty with the necessary help, carefully monitor her condition. The main errors of care and their manifestation can be estimated from the table.

Table - The main problems and methods for their elimination

So that growing araucaria at home does not turn out to be a complete fiasco, be sure to remember the advice of experienced gardeners. Do not wait for the plant to fall ill. As soon as the color begins to change or the branches fall, immediately begin resuscitation. Such treatment involves irrigating the culture with Silk (five drops per liter) or Zircon (four drops per liter). So you strengthen the immunity of Araucaria and do not give a single chance to disease.

Florist reviews

I had such a beauty. But she died. She was very hot with me - in the winter she needed coolness, and in my apartment sometimes the temperature rose up to 28.

Sandmartin, http://frauflora.ru/viewtopic.php?t=858

My araucaria is now standing on the windowsill next to the balcony door. Because the apartment’s heat is unreasonable, the balcony door is always ajar (or is in micro-ventilation), therefore, despite the terribly hot battery, the araucaria are not hot. In any case, she seems to be feeling fine.

HelenaS, http://frauflora.ru/viewtopic.php?t=858

I’ve been cultivating Araucaria for six months now, standing on a chest of drawers a meter from the window, but not in direct sunlight, rarely watering when the top layer is dry, plus another 2 days. Mostly watering through the pan. Nothing dries, but the truth grows very slowly, I tried it on the window - there, yes, it dries. I spray it every other day.

Lelik 35, https://forum.bestflowers.ru/t/araukarija-araucaria.9457/

I had araucaria 2-3 years ago, but then I had to part with it. In my opinion a very beautiful and majestic plant. In general, light enough to grow at home. It grows very slowly, but in a few years it has grown to a meter. Loves the cool of winter. Maybe a long time is at 10 gr. Therefore, in winter it is necessary to water very little. The bright sun does not like, prefers partial shade. And it is necessary to transplant very rarely. It is better to change the surface soil. I fertilized about once a month. That’s basically it.

ITALIA, https://iplants.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=7005