Aphelandra is a flowering plant tropical plants, in nature it is widespread throughout America. Thanks to its capricious and capricious “character,” the flower can rarely be found on the windowsills of ordinary gardeners. As a rule, growing and caring for aphelandra at home requires special attention and not everyone can do it.

Features of caring for aphelandra at home

The flower has at least 165 species, has the structure of a small shrub with large decorative leaves of rich green color. In many species, the pattern on the leaves is formed by light veins. Flowering begins in late summer or autumn and lasts several weeks. The flowers are large, yellow-orange in color, but to see all the splendor of aphelandra you need to carefully study the features of its contents.

Lighting

Good aphelandra care should start with good choice places. She loves dim sunlight, so The best decision- windows facing east and west. During peak solar activity, the plant must be shaded. Lighting in winter period no less important, therefore, with a reduction in duration daylight hours It is worth providing additional lighting. The total number of hours of natural and artificial lighting must be at least 9.

Air temperature

Aphelandra comes from the hot tropics, so the indoor air should always be warm at any time of the year. Permissible maintenance regime: from +20 °C to +26 °C, going beyond these limits is highly not recommended.

In summer, especially in good, sunny weather, it is advisable to take the plant out onto open terraces, balconies or verandas. If this is not possible, then the room must be regularly ventilated so that there is a constant flow of fresh air, while the aphelandra must be protected from drafts.

Air humidity

Beautiful, stately aphelandra - care at home will not be complete without frequent spraying or showering. It is advisable to maintain the air humidity level at least 60%. In the absence of a special humidifier, in addition to spraying, it is recommended to place the pot on a deep tray covered with wet river pebbles. It is important that all procedures are carried out only using soft, warm water.

Watering aphelandra

The bush should be watered abundantly, but so that the moisture in the soil does not stagnate. If, after watering, excess water collects on the tray, it must be poured out immediately. However, drying out the substrate for aphelandra is also unacceptable, and for the gardener, the main thing is to find a “golden mean”. Depending on the temperature and humidity in the room, the recommended frequency of watering is once every 3–4 days. The flower does not have a pronounced dormant period, but in winter time its growth is slowing down, so the irrigation regime and water consumption will need to be reconsidered.

Important! You should water the aphelandra carefully, avoiding any drops falling on the leaves, otherwise this may affect their decorative properties.

Soil composition for growing aphelandra

Caring for a flower like aphelandra is impossible without a properly selected substrate. The soil will need to be loose and well-permeable to air.

Mixture ingredients:

• deciduous soil - 3 parts,
• fibrous peat substrate - 1 part,
• turf - 1 part,
• medium-grained sand – 1 part.

Drainage from any material of the middle fraction is required.

Fertilizer application

During the active growth phase, it is important to regularly feed aphelandra with complex minerals and organic fertilizers, alternating them. To do this, you can use any compositions for indoor decorative flowering plants. The fertilizing procedure should be carried out at least every two weeks. Concentration ready solution must comply with the instructions, but do not water dry soil with fertilizer.

Trimming and pinching aphelandra

Caring for aphelandra at home is unthinkable without spring pruning, because the bush grows quickly and loses beautiful shape.

An adult plant is heavily pruned at the end of winter, leaving only 25-centimeter “stumps”. Considering that the aphelandra is very delicate, the pruning procedure will also be stressful for it. In order for the plant to recover faster and begin to grow, it is recommended to put a plastic “cap” on the pot, and then frequently spray the bush, but do not forget to ventilate the “greenhouse”.

In young specimens, they only pinch off the tops, giving the shoots a beautiful spherical shape. If you don’t do this, then after 2-3 years the bush will become very long, lower leaves will fall off and the flower will lose all its beauty.

Attention! An old, drying peduncle must be cut off.

Reproduction and transplantation of aphelandra

It is recommended to replant young specimens every spring, adults - no more than once every three years. Considering that with age a flower loses its former attractiveness, it is better to renew the plant by growing a new bush from a cutting. Unlike seed propagation, the cutting method is most suitable for amateur gardeners.

A suitable cutting is cut in March–April; it should be annual, 12–14 cm long and with 2–3 leaves. It is advisable to powder the cut of the shoot with a growth stimulant, for example, root. Next, the cuttings need to be planted in a small container with a substrate; for its preparation, peat and sand are used in equal parts. Subsequent care for aphelandra should be no worse than in professional greenhouses. The container should be covered with transparent plastic bag or glass jar, the soil should always be kept moist, and the air temperature should not fall below +23°C, so it would be appropriate to use bottom heating. The “greenhouse” needs to be ventilated periodically, kept in partial shade, and the cuttings need to be sprayed. Afelanda grows extremely slowly and reluctantly; new shoots should appear after 20–30 days.

Diseases and pests of aphelandra

When purchasing aphelandra, a gardener may encounter a number of difficulties, ranging from the most harmless to serious diseases and pests that can destroy the plant.

• The leaves dry out and fall off- this is the most common problem and is associated with poor care for aphelandra at home. This is how a flower can react to cold, drafts, drying out of the earthen clod, or too bright light from the sun.
• The tips of the leaves dry out and turn brown- dry air in the room, the plant needs to be sprayed more often or a wide container of water should be placed next to it.
• Aphelandra does not bloom. Unfortunately, this is a very common reason when buying in a store flowering plant, at home it turns into decorative and no longer pleases with the splendor of yellow-orange colors. You can stimulate flowering by providing the shrub with a period of rest in winter in a relatively cool but bright place, or better yet, by rooting a new cutting. Young plants delight with the beauty of their inflorescences much more often.

Among the diseases, aphelandra is susceptible to gray rot; this plaque in the form of mold appears from dampness, cold and poor maintenance. Treatment is carried out using fungicides, but the result is rarely positive. After a dead plant, the pot must be thoroughly disinfected.

With hot, dry summers, aphelandra can become a victim of aphids, thrips or spider mites. If aphids or thrips can be seen throughout the bush with the naked eye, then spider mite reveals itself to be silver and yellow spots With reverse side leaves. Pests can be destroyed with soapy water or modern chemicals.

Good living conditions are the key to beautiful and healthy plant. Even if the capricious aphelandra fails to bloom, the attractiveness of its leaves may well compensate for this.

Fast growing evergreen. The genus is represented by shrubs, subshrubs and herbs up to 2 m high. The leaves are corrugated, with a smooth or spiny surface, variegated in color. The leaf plate is lined with silver-white lines, forming an ornament.

The flowers form tetrahedral inflorescences in the form of a spike or pineal shape, up to 15 cm. The flowers bloom in yellow, red, orange, with a two-lipped corolla, pistil and four stamens. Corolla yellow to lilac color. Blooms for 2-3 months. The fruits are in the form of capsules with two seeds. They form by February if faded flowers are not removed.

Representatives of home floriculture are: Aphelandra orange and Aphelandra protruding:

• Aphelandra golden or orange (Aphelandra aurantiaca). Grows in Mexico and Central America. Low growing shrub. Thick stem with a red tint. The leaves are ovoid, silvery green, smooth, up to 25 cm long. The inflorescence is a tetrahedral spike, up to 10-15 cm high, bright orange, with green inflorescences. Blooms for no more than 7 days.
• Aphelandra squarrosa. Introduced from Central America. The bush is low with bare fleshy shoots of a reddish color. It has variegated, highly decorative leaves. They are located opposite, ovoid-epileptic in shape. The surface of the leaf plate is streaked with silver-white stripes. The inflorescence is spike-shaped, tetrahedral, 30 cm long. Orange bracts decorate the bright yellow flowers. Blooms from May to November.

Aphelandra is capricious and care for her is painstaking. Flower pots are placed in optimal growth conditions for it:

• Lighting. Placed mainly on western or eastern windows. On the south window, the flower is darkened from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to avoid leaf burns. In summer they are taken outside, but protected from precipitation and drafts. It may be possible to get by by regularly airing the room. In the fall, they are additionally illuminated with fluorescent lamps for at least 8 hours. They are placed at a height of 70 cm from the plant. If you ignore the lighting, the plant will stretch out and not bloom.
• Temperature regime. The plant is thermophilic. Requires optimal room temperature throughout the year up to 25 °C. It will tolerate a short drop in temperature to 16°C without consequences; it cannot tolerate prolonged cold. For the winter, transfer it to a cool room (+18°C).
• Air humidity. Aphelandra is sprayed daily with warm, settled water from a fine sprayer. During flowering, spraying is carried out once every ten days.

Also placed flower pot an air humidifier is placed in a container with damp (peat, expanded clay, pebbles), or placed nearby.

Important! Not a drop of water should fall on the leaves. This is fraught with the development of a putrefactive process. Water only with soft water. It is boiled and cooled, or previously frozen, thawed. Heat the water to room temperature and water: in winter - once a week, the rest of the time - three times a week. In the warm season, water abundantly; in the cold season, moisten the soil, preventing it from drying out.

Fertilizing consists of applying fertilizer twice a month.

In winter, fertilizing is excluded. The abundance of flowering reduces the excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Their deficiency slows down the formation of inflorescences and gives yellow-orange color to the foliage. Without phosphorus, aphelandra does not bloom, the flowers become smaller, and their color fades. Potassium ensures the intensity of leaf color and the stability of shoots. With its deficiency, the number of leaves is reduced. The use of fertilizers is necessary.

The following are suitable for aphelandra:

• Agricola consists of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and trace elements that are used by the plant for full growth and formation. The drug contains dietary supplements (energy) that enhance the flower’s immunity, increasing resistance to diseases and pests, and stimulates growth function. Liquid concentrate and dry substrate made from granules and sticks are sold.
• Bona Forte. Universal liquid fertilizer. Provides complete, balanced nutrition, increases decorativeness, gives rich color to leaves, and prolongs the flowering period.
• Bona Forte “Adaptation” helps the plant in the period after purchase and before the start of active growth, as well as during transplantation, to maintain its decorative appearance and not die. Change temperature regime, lighting, watering, drafts - this is stress for the plant. Bona Forte “Adaptation” increases stress resistance. Feed for 2 months.

Transplantation: we comply with deadlines and rules

First, determine the size of the pot. Its maximum diameter does not exceed 13 cm. In a larger pot, the plant will stretch out and lose its decorative effect. Planted in a specially prepared soil mixture:

• mix sand, peat, clay-turf soil (1:1:2)
• take a leaf-peat mixture and sand (3:1)
• the soil mixture includes deciduous soil - turf soil, peat, sand, humus (4: 1: 1: 1)

It is recommended to add charcoal to the soil. It prevents rotting and fungal diseases. Transplantation is done in the spring. Young plants need it every year. In the process, damage to the root system is avoided. Adult aphelandras are replanted every 4 years.

When buying a plant in a store, check the composition of the soil mixture in the pot. In the future, this composition is observed. In familiar soil, it is easier for a flower to adapt to new living conditions.

When decorative qualities decrease, they are returned by rooting cuttings. The tops of the plant or young shoots up to 15 cm long are suitable for them. They are treated with growth stimulants, rooted in damp peat (sand), and covered with polyethylene or glass. Root system It will take 1-2 months to form.

Diseases and pests: methods of combating them

Aphelandra diseases:

• The leaves are flying around. Reasons: lack of moisture leads to drying of the root system; decrease in room temperature, drafts; intense sunlight.
• The edges of the leaves have become Brown. Causes: low humidity air, leaf mold, sunburn, lack of fresh air.
• The flower fades. Reasons: constant and prolonged exposure to drafts.

Pests include:

False scale insect - differs from scale insect by its flat shield. They resemble spots on the leaves. It sucks out the juice and injects a toxic liquid into the resulting voids, which slows down photosynthesis. This is how red-brown spots are formed. If the plant is not treated, the leaves will become deformed and dry out.

Spider mites are small arachnids. White, brown, red. Reproduces at lightning speed. Lives on the lower surface of the leaf, gnaws the surface and sucks out cell sap. White spots form on the leaf, lose color, wither and fall off. The mite entangles the plant with a woven web.

Control measures: Destroy with acaricidal agents. The treatment is carried out outdoors (due to the toxicity of the drug) by spraying or immersing in a container with a solution, three times with an interval of 5 days.

– small pests measuring 2-7 mm. Most often green. It pierces the surface of shoots and leaves with its proboscis, sucking out the juices from them. The flower fades.

Measures to combat aphids:

• aphids are washed off the plant by placing the above-ground part under the shower
• the purchased flower is transplanted into fresh soil
• spray with water tincture of tobacco (40 g per 1 liter of water)
• treated with celandine tincture (300 g per 1 l)
• use crushed tomato tops. Fill it with water (400 g per 1 l), boil for 30 minutes, add 4 g of soap

More information can be found in the video:

Aphelandra owes its attractiveness to its bracts. It is used as an element of indoor decor, flower exhibitions and winter gardens. It is an indispensable component of compositions with exotic plants.

But as beautiful as she is, she is also useful. In Japan, the leaves of this beauty are known folk medicine. They treat thermal skin lesions. And contemplation of rich green, attractive foliage makes the prognosis for the treatment of neuralgia favorable and increases the body’s resistance to stress.

Beautifully flowering, herbaceous and shrubby plants The genus Aphelandra is native to the tropical regions of the South American continent. According to various estimates, there are from 40 to 190 varieties and species, but only a small part of the natural diversity is grown as ornamental crops.

Despite the attractiveness of large bright inflorescences, decorative foliage and fast growth, aphelands are quite rare in amateur collections indoor floriculture. Is it possible to keep Aphelandra at home? What's holding back flower growers?

There are several reasons for a cautious attitude towards an attractive plant:

1. Since in nature aphelandra can have a height of up to 1.5–2 meters, then room conditions within a few years, when purchased, a compact specimen turns into a voluminous bush with bare shoots. That is, the former decorative effect is lost, and the plant needs much more space than before.
2. A native of the tropics is capricious and needs to be created special conditions growth and constant attention. Therefore, experienced and very meticulous flower growers can take care of aphelandra at home.
3. Many lovers indoor plants there are concerns that colorful tropical crops may be toxic to people and animals. In relation to aphelandra, this fear is unfounded.

Doctors and botanists have no data on the content of any dangerous substances either in foliage or flowers cultural species this plant.

What species are most often found in domestic environments?

Indoor aphelandra: types and features

Orange aphelandra (Aphelandra aurantiaca) is found naturally in Mexico and other areas of Central America.

Aphelandra squarrosa is also native to South America. The shape of the crown, leaves and inflorescences is very similar to the previous variety, but it is easy to distinguish it by the contrasting pattern along the veins on sheet plates and light yellow color of flowers.

Comb aphelandra (Aphelandra tetragona) stands out with its rich green tint foliage and large scarlet flowers located on the inflorescence in the form of peculiar ridges.

Aphelandra sinclairiana grows in Honduras, Nicaragua, wooded areas in Panama and Costa Rica. In nature, the shrub reaches a height of three meters, and differs from the species described above in the shape of the bracts and various shades of flowers, which can be pink, red, orange or lilac.

All types of aphelandra in the wild bloom in summer months. At home, where there is no obvious change of seasons, the flowering and development of the plant depends on the care and created conditions.

How to care for aphelandra in order to achieve the most lush and frequent flowering and preserve the decorative appearance of the bush longer?

Conditions for growing aphelandra at home

If an aphelandra appears on the windowsill, the gardener must be ready to give maximum attention to the new pet. A resident of the tropics, where daily temperature fluctuations are insignificant, is accustomed to warmth, light and high air humidity.

Aphelandra thrives at home in a temperature range from 18 °C at night to 27 °C during the day. Cooling down to 13 °C will make itself felt in a few days with the appearance of brown spots on the foliage, and then by rotting of the roots.

Shadow is not for aphelandra. This plant requires fairly bright, but not direct, but diffused light. It is the creation of suitable light conditions that determines how soon the owner will wait for the South American guest to bloom:

• Staying in bright sun leads to deformation of the leaf plates.
• Lack of light reduces the attractiveness of the bush, the leaves turn pale and smaller, and the shoots quickly stretch out.

It is important to maintain the lighting regime not only in the summer, when this is easy to do, but also in the winter, which is more burdensome in conditions of cloudy weather and short daylight hours.

But this is not the only difficulty. During the cold season, caring for aphelandra at home causes difficulties for several reasons:

• maintaining an acceptable temperature;
• finding a place where the plant will not be disturbed by drafts;
• creating increased air humidity in the room where the pot with the plant is located.

You can increase the humidity by any means available means, for example, using a household humidifier, regularly spraying the foliage with warm, settled water, or a container of water located next to the aphelandra.

Watering and feeding aphelandra

Aphelandra does not tolerate either dry soil or being in an overly moist environment. Like most indoor plants, for this crop in the summer, especially when active growth and flowering, it is necessary that the earthen ball constantly maintains moisture. With the onset of autumn, they are reduced so that during the time between them the top layer of soil dries out slightly.

But a fast-growing crop requires more than just moisture. A florist cannot do without monthly replenishment nutrients, which the flower took from the soil.

To maintain the growth and flowering of aphelandra at home, fertilize with complex formulations containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 3:1:2.

Transplanting a plant

In order for the plant to be healthy and strong, it is not enough to know how to care for aphelandra; it must be replanted every year. Since even an adult specimen does not require a large container of soil, replanting can be used to regulate the growth of an indoor specimen, as well as push the plant to form inflorescences.

When choosing ready-made soil or making your own soil mixture, it is important to remember that the crop feels best in a substrate with an acidity of 5.5 to 6.5. When caring for aphelandra, as in the photo, is carried out correctly, the plant grows quickly and constantly produces new healthy foliage.

• If the pH level< 5.5, листья желтеют, нарушается образование соцветий и бутонов.
• In soil with an alkaline reaction and pH > 7.0, aphelandra slows down its development and gradually dies.

For getting suitable soil You can mix in equal parts:

• leaf soil;
• washed sand.

It is easy to structure the resulting mixture if you add a little crushed charcoal, which also has an absorbent effect.

If the substrate turns out to be too dense, vermiculite is mixed into it. Sphagnum moss would be a good addition to the soil mixture.

How to care for aphelandra after flowering

When purchasing aphelandra, not all flower growers know the characteristics of this plant and its requirements for care in indoor conditions. Therefore, it comes as a surprise to many when literally a month later, that is, after the inflorescences wither, the compact plant begins to change.

Nature takes its toll, and growth previously restrained by flowering begins, the lower leaves quickly fall off, the shoots become bare and lengthen. If you do not take action, even with proper care of the aphelandra at home, it will bloom, but will turn into a real bush, as nature intended.

Only regular pruning of the plant will help maintain compactness and dimensions acceptable for an apartment. It is carried out at the end of winter or in early spring, cutting off most of the main stem and leaving a few dormant buds in the lower part for further growth. This technique allows you to keep the aphelandra in shape and even increase the number of inflorescences formed. And during the growing season, pinching young shoots is useful for the crop.

Video about growing aphelandra at home

Healthy and beautiful indoor flowers always ennoble and enliven the interior of any home. Unusual tropical plants look especially interesting.

In this article we will share with readers the secrets of growing decorative flower With interesting name aphelandra. Caring for it at home is quite difficult. This plant requires careful treatment and needs constant attention. Most often, in a home environment, it quickly sheds its leaves and dies. However, if favorable climatic conditions are created, timely watering and proper agrotechnical procedures, the flower will grow actively and quickly, pleasing the eye with its well-groomed appearance. appearance for a long time.

What do aphelandra flowers look like?

About 150 varieties of these evergreen subshrubs and shrubs are known. They belong to the Acanthus family; vast areas of tropical rainforests of the South and South are considered their homeland. North America. You can recognize aphelandra flowers by the following characteristic features. These plants are usually short growing. They have succulent, woody stems reaching a height of 25-30 cm. Their leaves always attract attention. They are large, glossy, deep green, with bright silver veins and white stripes. At the end of August, golden spike-shaped inflorescences appear in aphelandra, resembling cones in shape. Usually lasts all autumn. When it ends, all inflorescences are immediately removed. Otherwise, the plant forms fruits with seeds that ripen over the winter. They look like boxes with two nests containing two seeds.

Decorative flower for your home collection - aphelandra. Home care

In indoor plant growing, two types of Acanthus are most widespread - Aphelandra orange and Aphelandra protruding. It takes a lot of effort to grow something like this at home. It is believed that the aphelandra indoor plant is whimsical and capricious. Caring for it consists of selecting the right fertile soil, providing sufficient lighting, constant moisture and timely feeding, as well as pruning young shoots and faded inflorescences. Aphelandra prefers good, fairly bright lighting, but at the same time does not like exposure to scorching sunlight. Therefore, it is advisable to shade it when necessary.

In winter, the plant needs additional lighting. If you do not provide the aphelandra with the necessary additional lighting with lamps daylight, she will lose hers decorative look, and its flowering may also deteriorate. In the warm season, you can take the pot with the plant to the balcony or loggia. The main thing is to position the aphelandra so that it is not exposed to precipitation and is not burned by direct rays of the sun. The plant will thrive outdoors. And in the cold season, it is advisable to place a flower pot in warm room and do not expose the plant to drafts.

Optimal temperature conditions

How to properly grow indoor aphelandra flower? Caring for it consists not only in selecting optimal lighting, but also in maintaining favorable temperature and air humidity in the room. In the warm season, the plant prefers to establish a comfortable temperature of 22°C - 25°C. In winter, a slight decrease in this parameter to 20°C is allowed. At temperatures below 18°C, the plant may not survive the winter. The only species, called Aphelandra protuberans, can withstand colder climates (down to 10°C).

Indoor air humidity

Like many other natives of the tropics, this shrub prefers high temperatures. You can maintain the required 60-80% using a household humidifier. Aphelandra should also be regularly sprayed with a spray bottle. This procedure should be performed both in the morning and in the evening. During the winter season experienced flower growers It is advised to place the pot with the plant on a layer of wet expanded clay. This will create high humidity around the flower.

Watering and fertilizing

The hydration regime for this interesting Acanthus is as follows. IN summer period The soil in the pot is watered twice a week, and in winter - once every 10 days. It is very important that the substrate always remains moderately moist and never dries out. On the other hand, water stagnation should not be allowed, otherwise the roots of the aphelandra may rot and die. For watering, it is recommended to use only soft boiled water. warm water. Moreover, when moistening the earthen coma, do not allow liquid to get on the leaves. Aphelandra responds well to feeding. Caring for it involves regular addition of nutrients. Fertilizing is carried out from May to October, while fertilizer is applied once every 14-15 days. For aphelandra, a liquid complex is perfect. During the dormant period (November-February), feeding is stopped.

Transplanting a plant into a new substrate

Except proper watering, spraying and fertilizing, timely replanting of the aphelandra plant is also required. Home care for young specimens is as follows: they are transferred annually to pots with a new substrate. This operation is carried out in the spring. Adult specimens are replanted every two or three years. For aphelandra, fertile soil is selected or a soil mixture is made independently. It is recommended to make the substrate from ingredients such as sand, peat and in proportions 1:1:2, respectively. If you buy a soil mixture in a store, choose one that is loose, moisture-permeable, and breathable. Rooting of aphelandra is carried out by cuttings.

Annual bush pruning

As a rule, the mother plant is pruned at the end of February. This procedure is carried out so that the bush has a beautiful, lush shape. When pruning, all shoots are removed from the plant, leaving only stumps 30 cm high. After this, the flower is regularly sprayed. Sometimes, for better adaptation, after removing the shoots, it is recommended to cover the aphelandra with a plastic bag. If old plants become too elongated and cuttings do not help give them their former beautiful shape, cuttings are performed.

Reproduction

After cutting, the resulting side shoots are placed in a mixture of peat and sand and covered with a cap. At a room temperature of 23°C-24°C, rooting occurs easily, especially if you constantly ventilate and spray the cuttings. Sometimes shoots are treated with growth stimulants and bottom heating is used. After 15-30 days roots form apical cuttings, and after 50-60 days - stem ones. After this, they are planted in a soil mixture of humus, leaf, peat soil and sand. In addition to cuttings, propagation is sometimes carried out by whole leaves and seeds of the aphelandra plant. Care at home during reproduction is as follows. Seeds are sown in March or late February - after harvesting. For seeds, select a good substrate consisting of sand and leaf soil. The greenhouse must be maintained at a favorable temperature (22°C) and air humidity. When propagating by leaf cuttings, a well-developed leaf is used. It is rooted in a mixture of sand and peat under a glass cover.

Aphelandra, or aphelandra (lat. Aphelandra)- a genus of flowering plants of the Acanthus family, common in tropical areas of America. The name of the genus is formed from two roots of the Greek language, means “simple man” and explains the presence of simple single-locular anthers in plants of this genus. There are about two hundred species in the genus, some of them are widespread in indoor culture.

Planting and caring for aphelandra (in brief)

• Bloom: from spring to late autumn or early winter.
• Lighting: in winter - bright sunlight, the rest of the time - bright diffused light.
• Temperature: during the growing season – 20-25 ºC, during the dormant period – within 18-16 ºC.
• Watering: regular, the substrate should be slightly damp all the time.
• Air humidity: high, requires frequent spraying with water from a fine spray or keeping on a tray with wet pebbles.
• Feeding: from the beginning of the growing season until the end of flowering - once every 10 days with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants.
• Rest period: from the end of flowering until spring.
• Transfer: young plants - annually in the spring, adults - once every 3-4 years.
• Reproduction: seeds, leaf and apical cuttings.
• Diseases: leaf mold, verticillium wilt.
• Pests: scale insects and aphids.

Read more about growing aphelandra below.

Aphelandra flower - description

In nature, aphelandras are herbaceous perennials or low-growing shrubs up to two meters high, but in cultivation they grow no higher than 70 cm. The leaves of aphelandras are large, dark, shiny, sometimes smooth, sometimes prickly, with wide median and lateral veins, painted white , cream or silver color. Flowers up to 2 cm in diameter with large and hard bracts, often brightly colored, are collected in terminal cone-shaped or spike-shaped inflorescences and have a two-lipped corolla - lilac, red, yellow or orange; The lower lip of the flowers is three-lobed, the upper is two-toothed.

Appreciated home flower aphelandra not only for its beautiful and long-lasting flowering, but also for its spectacular large leaves.

Caring for aphelandra at home

How to care for aphelandra

The aphelandra plant comes from the tropics, and for its normal growth and development it is important to create conditions close to natural. How to care for aphelandra at home? This flower needs bright lighting: in winter, a window oriented to the south will suit it, and in the warm season, when the rays of the sun are especially hot, aphelandra needs bright but diffused light. A flower can spend its summer holidays in the fresh air, but only with mandatory protection from direct rays, wind and rain.

In the photo: Growing aphelandra at home

The heat-loving aphelandra flower grows well at the usual temperature for a human home - 20-25 ˚C. In winter, the plant is more comfortable in a slightly cooler temperature, but it should not be lower than 16˚C.

The fast-growing aphelandra begins to lose its lower leaves with age and loses its attractiveness. To give the plant the shape of a lush bush, the ends of its shoots are pinched from time to time.

Adult aphelandras are pruned at the end of February, before the start of the new season, leaving only stumps 30 cm high from the shoots. In order for the aphelandra to quickly restore its normal appearance, it must be sprayed frequently after pruning.

Watering aphelandra

Aphelandra is moisture-loving, so the substrate in its pot should be slightly moist all the time, but frequent and severe waterlogging is unacceptable. Watering is carried out with boiled, thawed, filtered or simply settled water. cold water.

In the photo: Blooming yellow aphelandra

The aphelandra houseplant, like other inhabitants of tropical forests, needs air saturated with moisture. To increase the humidity in the room, you can use a humidifier powered by electrical network, but it’s cheaper to simply spray the air in the room with a fine spray or keep a flower pot on a tray with wet pebbles or expanded clay.

Aphelandra fertilizer

Like any other indoor plant, aphelandra needs to be fertilized. Fertilizing begins in the spring and stops when the plant finishes blooming. Used as fertilizers mineral complexes for flowering indoor plants. The frequency of feeding is 2-3 times a month. In winter, aphelandra does without fertilizers.

Aphelandra transplant

Caring for aphelandra at home involves regularly replanting it. Young plants are transferred from an old pot to a new one every spring, and for older specimens it is enough to change the pot once every 3-4 years. Aphelandra is grown in a soil mixture of equal parts of leaf soil, peat and sand, adding a little coconut fiber and charcoal, but first the pot is filled to a third of its volume with drainage material.

On the picture: Beautiful leaves aphelandras

Aphelandra flowering

At home, aphelandra can bloom for a very long time: from spring to early winter. The duration of flowering usually depends not only on the conditions created for the plant, but also on the type and variety of aphelandra. The average flowering time is two months. Wilted inflorescences must be removed from the plant.

In order for the aphelandra to bloom well next year, it is necessary to provide it with a period of relative rest after flowering: move it to a cooler, but no less bright place, reduce watering and completely stop feeding.

Domestic aphelandra - reproduction

At home, aphelandra can be propagated both by seed and vegetatively - by apical or leaf cuttings.

Aphelandra seeds are sown in February or March in a substrate consisting of leafy soil (4 parts) and sand (1 part). For speedy seed germination and further development of seedlings, maintain a temperature of 20-22 ˚C in the room. The process will go faster if you use mini-greenhouses with bottom heating. Grown seedlings dive into a substrate consisting of equal parts of turf soil, sand and leaf soil. At good care seedlings can bloom in the first year.

For cuttings cut mature annual shoots 10-15 cm long with two leaves. They do this from March to May or in December-January. For more reliable and faster rooting, the lower sections of the cuttings are treated with Kornevin, Heteroauxin, succinic acid or another root former, after which they are planted in a cuttings with bottom heating under a transparent cap. The process of root regrowth should take place at a temperature of 20-25 ˚C with regular ventilation and spraying of the substrate. Stem cuttings root in one and a half to two months, and apical cuttings in 2-4 weeks. Cuttings with formed roots are planted in pots with drainage and a substrate of peat, leaf soil, humus and sand (1: 1: 1: 0.5) and grown in the same conditions as adult aphelandras.

In the photo: Blooming wild aphelandra

In autumn or winter, you can cut a developed, but not yet old, leaf with an axillary bud from the plant, preferably from shoots that have not bloomed, and plant it for rooting in a mixture of sand and peat, covering it with a transparent cap on top. Keep the cuttings at a temperature of 20-25 ˚C, regularly ventilating and spraying the substrate with water.

Since with age the aphelandras stretch out and shed their lower leaves, the best way restore the decorative appearance of old plants - take cuttings.

Pests and diseases of aphelandra

Aphelandra diseases and their treatment

Aphelandra is rarely affected by diseases, but difficulties with its cultivation still occur. For example, a plant often dry leaf tips, and this may indicate low air humidity and too high temperature in room. You need to start spraying the air or place the flower on a tray with wet pebbles.

Sometimes aphelandra delayed flower formation, and the cause may be insufficient lighting or lack of nutrients in the substrate. Feed the plant complex fertilizer and move closer to the light. If necessary, arrange additional artificial lighting for the aphelandra.

Sometimes readers ask a question, why do aphelandra's leaves fall off?. If the plant suddenly begins to lose leaves, this may be the result of irregular watering and frequent drying out of the substrate in the pot. Direct sunlight or watering the plant with cold water can cause leaves to fall off. However, for older aphelandras this is a normal process.

In the photo: Pink aphelandra blooms

From constant waterlogging, aphelandra can be affected by leaf mold. Cut out the diseased areas with a sharp, sterile instrument, grabbing healthy tissue, and treat the plant leaf by leaf with a fungicide solution.

But most dangerous for aphelandra verticillium wilt, the cause of which may be a substrate infected with a fungus. As a result of the development of the disease, the vessels of the plant are affected, and it is impossible to save the aphelandra. To avoid infection, sterilize the soil before planting.

Aphelandra pests and their control

Most often, aphelandra on the windowsill is affected by aphids and scale insects. These are sucking pests that feed on the cell sap of leaves and young shoots. If the number of pests is small, it will be enough to wash the aphelandra in the shower with soap, protecting the soil in the pot from getting into it dirty water. However, scale insects must first be collected from the leaves with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water or alcohol. But if the pests have managed to breed, you will have to treat the plant with a fungicide - Actellik or Fitoverm, and quite possibly more than once.

Types and varieties of aphelandra

Golden Aphelandra (Aphelandra aurantiaca)

or aphelandra orange - a low-growing evergreen shrub with a thick and juicy, slightly reddish stem, which becomes woody over time. The leaves of this species are entire, glabrous, silver-green, up to 25 cm long, oval-oblong, oppositely located, pointed at the apex. Bright orange flowers with green bracts are collected in a tetrahedral spike-shaped inflorescence up to 15 cm tall. Most often, the variety is grown in indoor culture.