Syngonium: how to care, shape and breed

Syngonium is found in nature in South and Central America. This beautiful grassy plant likes to settle next to powerful neighbors to cling to them and curl. "Domesticated" syngoniums can be grown in different ways: in the form of a vine, ampelous plant or a neat bush. Indoor flower grows quickly, which pleases gardeners. Syngonium won the glory of an unpredictable flower. And all because the shape of the leaves and their color change with age. Watching his growing up is very interesting: at first it is a thin sprout with bright leaves, and a year later - a chic vine with a colorful leaf cover.

Botanical characteristic

Syngonium is an evergreen perennial. The plant belongs to the genus Aroid. Grassy liana prefers a tropical climate. Syngoniums are different, but they can be recognized by characteristic signs.

• The stalks. Very thin. On them, air-type roots develop, with the help of which the plant clings to the support.
• Leaves. In young specimens - swept, solid, in adult plants, the leaf blade is dissected into several segments (up to seven). Sheets can be of different colors: bright green, light brown, variegated, with silver stains, almost white - the palette is impressive. The color of the leaves changes with age. A change in color may provoke too bright or too dim light.
• Flowers The flower is a green cob with a bract-bedspread of red or pink color. After flowering, a fruit with seeds appears. However, this can only be observed in nature. On the windowsill, the syngonium blooms extremely rarely.

"Domesticated" species

In nature, up to 30 species of syngonium are found. However, only three are grown in indoor floriculture: the rest survive exclusively in the tropics. You can determine the species affiliation of plants by leaves. The rest of the specimens are similar: they have thin stems, refuse to bloom on the windowsill. The table lists the main features of the species.

Table - Varieties of "domesticated" syngoniums and their features

The most popular varieties are Arrow and White Butterfly. Both belong to the pedigree syngoniums. Instances are unpretentious in care, are growing rapidly.

Basic care

The birthplace of the syngonium is the tropics. Therefore, many flower growers are wondering if it is worth getting such a "pet", because tropical guests are famous for their capricious disposition. But this does not apply to syngonium. But the plant is completely unpretentious and at the same time grateful: it is enough to create suitable conditions, and it will show all its beauty.

Lighting

Syngonium loves partial shade. The flower will actively grow in bright light, but only if it is scattered. Direct sun rays are “contraindicated” to a “pet” - from them the leaves of the liana lose their decorative effect. It is important to find a "middle ground", because the lack of light is also not the best way affects the beauty of the tropical guest. The ideal option is a windowsill facing east or west. In winter, when daylight hours are too short, you will have to additionally illuminate the plant with a fluorescent lamp.

Temperature

In summer, the most comfortable temperature for the syngonium is + 20-25 ° C. It is necessary to ensure that during the growing season the indicators do not fall below + 18 ° C, otherwise you can’t wait for the rapid growth that the plant is famous for. In winter, the temperature must be maintained at + 16-18 ° C. The temperature should be reduced from November, and from the end of March, on the contrary, it should be raised. The main rule is no temperature fluctuations: the plant does not like climatic changes.

Watering

It is especially difficult to optimize watering a tropical plant. Liana will not withstand a prolonged drought, but overflows can lead to her death. It is necessary to ensure that the water does not stagnate in the pot - the roots will begin to rot.

In the spring-summer period, the syngonium needs abundant watering. Follow this rule: topsoil is dry - water immediately. With the onset of autumn, the plant is watered less often. In winter, you need to wait until the soil dries from above, wait two days after that, and only then water it.

Air humidity

Syngonium is a resident of the rainforests, therefore it loves moisture. Create a comfortable environment for vines will help spraying. During the summer heat, the plant should be sprayed twice a day. However, it is important that drops of water do not remain on the leaves: the leaf cover will lose its decorative effect. After spraying water with a spray bottle, gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. To prevent damage to the leaves, take a soft cloth.

Humidity can be increased with the help of water containers placed near the flowerpot with syngonium. You can pour expanded clay into the pan and moisten it. Hydrating expanded clay should be easy: if you fill the pan with water and then put a flowerpot there, then the root system of the plant can be damaged due to stagnation of the liquid.

Top dressing

Syngonium needs top dressing only in the warm season, it is better not to “feed” the flower with the onset of moves. Florists recommend the use of mineral fertilizer, which contains a minimum amount of calcium. In the warm season, the plant is "fed" no more than twice a month.Two weeks should pass between the “feedings”, no less: an excess of nutrients affects the plant as negatively as the lack of “utilities”.

Transplantation and crown formation

While the syngonium is young, it needs to be transplanted annually. Adult specimens may not change their place of residence for two, or even three years. It is better to transplant in the spring: then the flower will take root faster in a new flowerpot and will grow.

"Pet" is transplanted in the usual way. In the first transplant, you need to carefully inspect the roots so as not to miss the rotted areas. If at the next “crossings” you will see that the roots are not too tangled, their condition can be easily assessed without washing away the earthen lump, then the transplantation can be carried out by the transhipment method.

Even a beginner grower should have no problems with transplanting a syngonium. The main thing is to choose the right soil, buy a suitable pot and use drainage.

• Pot. Syngonium grows best in flat flowerpots. Choose a pot 2-3 cm larger in diameter of the one from which you will transplant the vine. The flowerpot should have drainage holes and a tray: this will prevent decay of the root system.
• Drainage. Be sure to buy drainage at the flower shop. If you do not pour it on the bottom of the pot, there is a high probability of stagnation of water, and this leads to damage to the roots and death of the plant.
• Priming. Syngonium is undemanding to the soil. A neutral or slightly acidic substrate is suitable for the plant. It is not necessary to take purchased soil: you can prepare it yourself. To do this, mix peat, leaf, turf soil and sand, observing a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1. You can grow a vine on hydroponics.

Bush or liana

A transplant is the best time to understand in what form you want to grow a syngonium - a bush or a vine. In order for the plant to twist, it is necessary to take care of the support. It is placed in the center of the pot, sprinkled with expanded clay, and then already fixed with soil mixture.

During the transplant, you can form a crown if you do not want to grow a vine and prefer bushes. To do this, you need to remove the old leaves, cut the young shoots in half. When the flower enters the phase of active growth after transplantation, be sure to pinch the apical shoots - so there will be lateral branches, the plant will become lush. Pinch flower growers advised over the sixth leaf. The procedure is repeated at each transplant. Each time, the bush becomes more magnificent and is no longer trying to curl.

Breeding

Home vines are propagated by apical cuttings and shoots. Future planting material is obtained when the plant is pruned before transplanting. It is recommended to cut off the tops only in adult specimens: young plants are too weak. Shoots are also better to separate during pruning.

Cuttings and shoots immediately root in the soil or in water. The soil mixture is prepared as follows: sand is mixed with sphagnum or peat (in equal quantities). You can use monocomponent soil - just sand or sphagnum.

The ideal temperature for growing sprouts is + 25 ° C. Immediately after rooting in the soil, seedlings must be planted in individual pots with soil suitable for the syngonium - neutral, slightly acidic. If the stalk was in the water, you need not to miss the moment when the roots appear, indicating readiness for planting. You can place a couple of seedlings in one pot: they are still weak, but the plant will look more magnificent.

Growing problems and their causes

When growing tropical vines, problems can arise. Florists often encounter yellowing and fading of leaves, the appearance of spots on them. It is necessary to find the cause and eliminate it, otherwise you can lose the "pet". As can be seen from the table, most diseases result from improper care.

Table - Problems in the cultivation of syngonium and their causes

The treatment for syngonium, which suddenly began to fade, is to optimize care. The plant needs to choose a suitable place, establish the process of “feeding”, create the optimal temperature regime, increase the humidity in the room, properly water it - the liana will come to life and delight the owner with its beauty.

Pests and methods of dealing with them

Syngonium is often attacked by pests. The plant cannot cope with insects itself: it begins to wither and dies over time. The task of the flower grower is to find the “dirty men” who occupied the flower in time and take measures to eliminate them. Insects can not always be seen, but to understand that they settled on the plant easily according to the signals that the "pet" gives. It is possible to solve the problem only with the help of special preparations - insecticides, insectoacaricides. The main tactics are described in the table.

Table - Insects often affecting syngonium

After curing the plant, it is important to prevent re-infection. The main rule cannot be violated - all new “pets” must be quarantined, only then they can be shared with the “old people”. Remember that insects like high humidity, heat, dry air. If systematic mistakes are made, then uninvited guests will reappear.

There is a sign: if you can please this "pet", then happiness will settle in the house. Having bought a syngonium, try to make friends with it. Other beautiful beliefs are associated with this beautiful plant. It is believed that the liana can relieve nightmares, the plant accelerates the healing of the patient, helps to forget about the complexes and relieves the burdensome burden of the past. Those who do not believe in signs appreciate the decorative and deciduous handsome man for his ability to transform the room, turning it into a green oasis.

Reviews

Today I will tell you about such a wonderful and my favorite indoor plant like syngonium.My love for them began with the most ordinary (let's call it a non-sorted flower) with green leaves. His former landlady didn’t take it away, but left to grow in the same place) Then I bought three more varieties (with variegated leaves - stalk-leaved, with chocolate sheet and pink neon).

I refer them to unpretentious plants, because they do not have special requirements for care. Water moderately, do not fill. Fertilize periodically. Any cardinal points are suitable: in the sun the sheet will have a more pronounced color, in the shade it will be muted.

The earth can be chosen universal or for aroid.

Very nice plant))

sve555, http://irecommend.ru/content/v-kazhdyi-dom-da-po-singoniumu

I grow Singonium varieties legifolia (White Butterfly). Very beautiful and unpretentious plants. Avoid direct sunlight on the plant. In hot weather I spray. Watering, moderate as the soil dries. Before watering, water must be defended for a day.

I transplant into ordinary universal soil, about once every two years. True, I don’t like it to grow tall and curl, for this I do this: as soon as the apical young shoots appear with at least one bud (such as a spine, see photo the cut-off location is underlined), I cut it and plant it immediately in the ground in this the same pot (you can root in water, but I still take root), directing in a circle - it turns out a low, but very lush plant.

Be careful: the juice of the plant is poisonous, so you should avoid getting the juice on your hands, eyes and mouth.

Nika.by, http://irecommend.ru/content/singonium-krasivoe-i-neprikhotlivoe-rasteniya

My syngonium appeared at home as a small piecewise leaf stalk. I placed it in water, then planted it in the sand, it took root, in principle, this ratsen has an 80 - 90% survival rate, out of 20 cuttings later 17 took root.

Among syngoniums there are creeping and curly species. It is this plant that I curl on the support and it feels excellent.

The stems are quite fragile, they must be handled carefully, otherwise they will break and it’s insulting when the appearance of the already grown and formed growth spoils. The plant is quite hygrophilous, requires abundant watering and spraying in the summer, and in winter, as for all plants, the amount of moisture is reduced. If there is not enough moisture, the tips of the leaves will not dry and yellow, and the whole leaf is whole, so this is a plus of this plant - if some leaf turns yellow, it can be easily and simply removed without spoiling the appearance of the whole plant and not cutting the dry tips.

Syngonium doesn’t really like the light, therefore the best option for it is to sit in partial shade. I divided this plant when a large branch broke off, cut the cuttings with 1 leaf and sent it to a jar of water, after a couple of hours the water turned brown, I changed the water and waited until after 3 days the roots began to grow, then all the cuttings were planted in sand. Subsequently, all the surviving instances transplanted into pots. Distributed to all thirsty, there were several more left on the window, now a whole "forest" of leaves of syngonium on the window. Personally, I really like this plant because of its arrow-shaped leaves and because of its vitality.

polina-polina, http://otzovik.com/review_169424.html

I took the sprouts of this plant from my mother, it was one leaf, almost without roots. At home, putting the baby in the ground did not expect much, since flowers rarely took root after moving, but this one agreed to live with me and grew stronger every month before my eyes. Light Singonium loves scattered watering abundant, and he loves moisture, but without excesses. I determined his place in the bathroom, it’s always wet there, and I don’t forget to water it.

They write that the older the Syngonium, the larger the stems and leaves should be, but somehow my flower decided to grow a bush, maybe of course he would like more at an older age, but for now I’m happy with everything! There are several varieties of this flower, but apparently my grade is “White Butterfly”, so in comparison I learned from the Internet. So I recommend this bush to flower lovers, especially since it not only decorates the room, but, as experts write, cleans the air in it!

Astro4Ka, http://otzovik.com/review_1778853.html