Callisia, beginner growers are often confused with tradescantia... And even experienced plant growing enthusiasts often mistake it for setcreasia. This is not surprising, since the plants are similar, belong to commelin and are in close family relations. These plants are usually grown as ampelous plants. Callisia is a compact and highly decorative plant. Thanks to this, it is easy to place it in any interior, where it will decorate it and make it modern and attractive.
Florists grow several types of this plant. The most common is Callisia is graceful or elegant... She was one of the first to take her place in our homes. After it, other varieties of it appeared - creeping, scaphoid... On a special account, florists have Callisia fragrant, which has another name "Golden mustache". This variety is preferred due to the many beneficial medicinal properties of the plant. Regardless of the type, callisia will not cause inconvenience to the grower in care, it is unpretentious and requires almost the same content for all varieties. Since callisia is graceful - the most common in our homes, we will consider the content of the plant using its example.
Callisia care at home
Location and lighting
Callisia, having a variegated color of leaves, like all similar plants, treats well diffused lighting and does not tolerate sun exposure to leaves at all. Light shading will not harm her, which allows you to place the plant in the depths of a bright room. This property of the flower makes it very suitable for offices and large spaces. The best conditions for the plant will be a well-ventilated area with a large volume of air. And in the summer months it can be taken out onto the balcony.
Temperature
Plants are quite thermophilic, which allows it to develop well all year round in an apartment. In winter, the temperature should not be lower than +14 degrees, anything less is not at all suitable for callisia. Quite normal and optimal for a flower is the temperature regime in summer + 20 ... + 25 degrees, in winter - from +16 to + 20 degrees.
Watering
Callisia has no particular claims to watering, but it is not recommended to overdry the land. Lack of watering leads to the fact that the plant loses its beauty and begins to ache. If the top layer of soil in the pot is dry, then the plant can be watered. In winter, the irrigation regime changes: it becomes less frequent, but it all depends on the ambient temperature in the room.
Air humidity
The plant loves high humidity, so the plant needs constant spraying. But the plant should be sprayed carefully, it must be done with a fine spray. If large water droplets remain on the leaves, they can damage the leaves.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Like most plants, during the period of greatest growth, from early spring to late autumn, callisia must be fed.For these purposes, mineral fertilizer, which is usually used by flower growers, is quite suitable.
Transfer
It is widely believed among plant lovers that it makes no sense to transplant callisia, but it is better to grow a new flower. Over time, the plant loses leaves and becomes bare. But this process is rather slow, so callisia retains its attractiveness and decorative effect for a long time. There are no special rules for transplanting a plant. Young callisia are transplanted annually. Older plants can be replanted less frequently - once every 2 years or as needed.
It is easy to prepare the soil for planting yourself. Its optimal composition is as follows: peat, leafy earth, humus, sand and turf are mixed in equal proportions. Before replanting the plant, broken shards or expanded clay should be placed on the bottom of the pot to ensure drainage for the plant.
Reproduction of callisia
It is very easy to propagate callisia, in almost the same way as tradescantia, hoyu or ivy... To do this, you just need to cut off the top, leaving two or three knots with it, and place the cutting in water. The stalk will soon develop roots. After the roots are sufficiently developed, the plant is transplanted into the ground. In order for callisia to be more attractive and look more decorative, several shoots can be planted together.
Another way of propagation of callisia is by layering. If there is enough space in the pot, then the process is buried in the ground at the second or third nodule. In the event that the pot is too small, then an additional container with earth can be placed next to it for these purposes. After the shoot has given roots, it is cut off. It turns out an independent little plant. The breeding process can be carried out throughout the year, but the best time will be the summer period, when the plant is actively developing.
Diseases and pests
The greatest danger to callisia is spider mite and thrips.
There are such tortured plants in the video !! A monstrous attitude to flowers ... Moreover, the "golden mustache" has a large root system and grows quickly, and is planted in funny plastic cups ...