Aucuba was first brought to Europe back in 1783. She belongs to the dogwood family. The plant, which has a high decorative effect and the ability to easily propagate both by seeds and by cuttings, has rapidly and extensively spread throughout the world.
The flower has found its application as a culture grown in the open field, and a culture that grows as an ornamental plant in indoor conditions. Moreover, the use in the form of a greenhouse and room culture has become more widespread. The original leaves look especially attractive with yellowish spots of various sizes located on them, which make them look like a gold-bearing rock sample or a sausage slice. From here, apparently, the plant got its name, which is popular among the people, as "sausage tree" and "golden tree".
Aucuba care at home
Location and lighting
For aucuba, bright, diffused sunlight is preferable. Indoor flower, in order to avoid leaf burns, should not be placed in direct sunlight. It can grow well in light partial shade, but artificial lighting is required in winter.
Temperature
In summer, the temperature of about 20 degrees is most suitable for the aucuba. Higher temperatures cause rapid aging and loss of leaves. In the summertime, the aucuba can be taken outside, but it must be placed so that the plant does not fall under the influence of scorching sunlight, rain and wind.
In winter, the preferred air temperature is 8-14 degrees. Indoors, it should not be lower than 5 degrees. If it is impossible to provide a cool wintering for a flower, it must be frequently sprayed and provided with additional illumination. If in winter the air temperature in the room is higher than the indicated values, then the leaves of the plant will begin to fall off.
Air humidity
In summer, the aucuba calmly tolerates dry air, and can be sprayed at will. Spraying with soft and heated water in the autumn - winter period is simply necessary. If the plant is kept in a room in which the temperature is kept from 6 to 12 degrees, then in order to avoid the occurrence of fungal diseases, it must be sprayed with extreme caution.
Watering
In the summertime, the aucuba is watered abundantly after each drying of the upper layer of the substrate. And in the fall and winter, the plant requires moderate watering. It should be noted that the flower relatively easily tolerates the state when the earthen lump is overdried, but excessive waterlogging of the soil causes black spots to appear on the leaves.
The soil
The soil most suitable for growing aucuba is a substrate, which includes leaf, clay-sod, peat soil and sand in proportions (2: 6: 2: 1) or the indicated components equally. By the way, hydroponics is well suited for growing aucuba.
Top dressing and fertilizers
During the spring-summer season, the aucuba should be fed weekly with organic and mineral fertilizers, observing their alternation.
Transfer
Aucuba are transplanted in the spring. Young plants require annual replanting. And adults are transplanted in the case of filling the entire flower pot with roots. This is usually done every two to three years.
Transplanting should be done with extreme care so as not to damage very fragile and fragile flower roots. The best option is when the plant with an earthen lump is rolled into a larger pot. Aucuba grows best in wide pots. After transplanting the plant, it is recommended to immediately cut it off or when pinching the upper parts of the shoots.
Reproduction of aucuba
For reproduction of the aucuba, seeds or its apical cuttings are used.
Seed propagation
With the artificial pollination of two heterosexual plants, seeds are formed, which are then used for reproduction. Due to the rapid loss of germination, reproduction should only be carried out with freshly harvested seeds. It should be noted, however, that with this type of reproduction, varietal traits may not be transferred to the new plant.
Sowing seeds is carried out in a container filled with a moist substrate of sand and peat, which must be covered with glass or a transparent plastic bag. Before emergence, it is imperative to maintain an air temperature of about 21 degrees. It is necessary to constantly conduct ventilation and regular spraying. After some time, the seedlings with the leaves that have appeared must be cut into separate pots.
Propagation by cuttings
Cuttings used to propagate a houseplant are cut from March to April, or from August to September. This must be done so that each of them has at least two or three leaves. After that, the cuttings must be placed in wet sand or a mixture of it with peat and covered with a plastic bag. The temperature should be maintained up to 22 degrees with constant spraying and regular ventilation.
After rooting, the cuttings are planted in separate pots with soil, which includes humus, turf soil and sand in proportions (1: 1: 0.5).
Important! It should be remembered that when working with an aucuba, it is imperative to observe precautions, since the plant is poisonous, including its berries. Poisoning is manifested by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea and blood in the urine.
Diseases and pests
- Due to the absence or poorly arranged drainage, waterlogging of the soil occurs, causing black spots on the leaves and rotting of the plant. Therefore, it is very important not to bring the soil to a state of waterlogging.
- Aucuba is often susceptible to pests such as worms. To get rid of them, anti-coccid drugs are used.
- A decrease in the number of yellow spots of color on the leaves indicates that the plant does not have enough light and nutrition.
- Blanching of the leaves is observed when the light is too bright.
- If there is not enough fertilizer, then the leaves become very shallow.
- When the room is very warm and the air is too dry, the leaves begin to fall off the plant.
- With irregular watering and sharp fluctuations in air temperature, yellowing of the leaves located in the lower part of the plant occurs, followed by their fall.
- With an excess of light, the tops of the leaves dry out and turn yellow.
- Leaves dry out at the edges if there is insufficient watering in the summer and in the presence of dry air in the winter.
- With extremely warm and dry wintering, dark spots appear on the leaves.
