The most unpretentious house plant is chlorophytum. The birthplace of the plant

Well-groomed and healthy plants can decorate any interior. They not only create a cosiness in an apartment, but also fulfill the function of natural air purifiers that enrich it with oxygen. Among the whole variety of indoor plants , chlorophytum is a well-deserved popular. Care for this unpretentious flower will be under everyone's power, and its bright green stems will delight the eye the whole year.

Chlorophytum. The birthplace of the plant

The homeland of the first chlorophytum species is South Africa. The earliest mention of this plant, which has survived to our days, is dated 1794 year. Chlorophytum was widely spread in the second half of the 19th century, after export to Europe. Now in the natural nature of the flower can be seen on the territory of tropical regions of our planet. Chlorophytum is found in Africa, South Australia, the island of Madagascar, South America. This distribution is an obstacle to an accurate count of plant species belonging to its genus. According to rough estimates, there are about 250 of them.

Appearance of the plant

Which genus is chlorophytum? The genus of herbaceous plants has long been decided by scientists. However, in the definition of the family in scientific circles there is no such unanimity. It is generally believed that it belongs to the family of lilies, but there is also an opinion that it belongs to the family of asparagus. Chlorophytum (chlorophytum) derives its name from the merger of the words "chloros", meaning "green", and "phyton" - "plant". The flower fully justifies it, as it is a perennial grass with leaves of a juicy green color. The roots of the plant are thickened, sometimes in the form of tubers. The stem is very short, quickly passes into a rosette, from which ripples of green with white border leaves of the oval form. Their length is about 50-60 cm. In the corresponding period, small white flowers appear on the plant, which then turn into a box with three faces - the fruit. Sometimes in the flowering period on the chlorophytum there are kidneys, from which new leaves grow. These daughter sockets with leaves can be separated from the flower and rooted.

Types of plants

In nature, there are more than 200 species of the flower chlorophytum. Homeland of the plant - South Africa - a place where you can see most of them. But in all the diversity of chlorophytum species, several basic ones can be distinguished, which can be found among indoor plants in the homes of our country:

- Chlorophytum crested. Its leaves are narrow and small, lanceolate in shape. Their color is not very saturated, most often they are light green. In the middle of the bundle of leaves there are long shoots with small white flowers in the form of asterisks. Flowering crested chlorophytum ends with the appearance of many small plants, which are a cluster of leaves and several large roots. There are decorative forms of this species. A white strip in the middle of the leaves is adorned with a variety of vittatum. Chlorophytum maculatum differs by the presence of longitudinal yellow bands. On the leaves of the plant variety variegatum visible white stripes located at the edges.

- Chlorophytum Cape is externally similar to crested chlorophytum. Indoor plants and flowers of this species are practically identical. Long leaves of light green taper at the base and apex. Their length is about 60 cm, width - about 3 cm. The flowers are white, small. The main difference between the species is the absence of Cape Chlorophytum daughter sockets with leaves that appear in the vegetative period.

- Chlorophytum winged differs by broader and short leaves of dark green color. They are located on long petioles of reddish color. There are very beautiful varieties of the chlorophytum of the winged. The leaves of such plants are equipped with long petioles of orange color.

Easy care

Chlorophytum is the most unpretentious domestic plant. It does not require special locations and temperature conditions. The flower will grow well in a fairly bright place, with a good transfer of shadow. However, darkening leads to a loss of color brightness in the variegated leaves. Direct rays of the sun can carry for several hours. Maintaining the necessary air temperature for the life of the flower will also not create difficulties. In summer the plant will feel great in the open air, it should only be protected from strong wind and precipitation. In winter, it is easy to tolerate a decrease in temperature in the room to 10 degrees C and chlorophytum. Diseases are rarely scary to this flower. Only with other unfavorable factors of the external environment is it damaged by aphids, mealy mites.

Water is the source of life

Chlorophytum needs a lot of moisture, especially in the flowering period. In winter, the number of irrigation and their volume can be reduced, while the land should not dry up. If the plant does not have enough moisture, many tuberous thickenings form on it. In winter, the plant can be sprayed, since the air in the heating season is very dry. Irrigation with water will make the flower fresh and flowering, but without this procedure, chlorophytum will not die. The native land of the plant - South Africa - belongs to the regions of the planet with both desert and humid subtropical climate, therefore the adaptability of chlorophytum to the external environment is very high. The introduction of fertilizers is advisable in the flowering period. Adequate fertilizing twice a month with mineral and organic fertilizers will be sufficient.

Plant transplantation

Young representatives of chlorophytum need an annual transplant, adult plants are transplanted once for two to three years. Do this in early spring or even in February. Chlorophytum differs branched root system, so the pot, in which the plant moves, should be wide. Roots with the passage of time grow more and more, while their appearance can determine whether enough chlorophytum receives moisture. If there are a lot of tuber-shaped thickening on the roots, watering should be more abundant. The soil should be loose, the top layer - turf ground, then - leaf, then there is a layer of humus, and after it - sand.

Methods of reproduction

The breeding method is selected depending on the species to which the particular chlorophytum belongs. The native land of the plant is rich in many varieties of a flower, and nature provides several ways to reproduce them. These same methods can be used in the conditions of dilution of chlorophytum in the apartment. The most common is the rooting of daughter outlets that form on the leaves of the plant. Propagated by chlorophytum and seeds, but this method is not very common and refers, above all, to the chlorophytum of the winged. Large specimens of the plant can be divided. Sockets with air roots either immediately transplanted into the soil, or first placed in a container with water to sprout roots.

Reproduction of chlorophytum by seeds

Plant seeds are planted in spring, the soil must be loose, enriched with oxygen and moisture. Seeds before planting are soaked for a period of 8 to 24 hours in water, which must be periodically changed. Then they, slightly pressed, are distributed over the surface of the soil moistened and heated to a temperature of 21 degrees. The dishes are covered with a glass jar or bag so that they do not touch the ground. Seeds will germinate within 3 to 6 weeks. During this period, it is necessary to ensure regular spraying and airing of planted seeds, as well as to maintain the optimum temperature. With the appearance of the first leaves, shoots are left for several minutes in the open air. When the number of leaves reaches two or three, seedlings can be transplanted to a suitable place.

Cultivating chlorophytum at home, it's difficult to know all about houseplants, because the flower is very unpretentious and does not require extensive knowledge in plant growing. He will simply delight owners with their beautiful green leaves and lovely white flowers.