Cotyledon is a succulent plant that belongs to the Tolstyankov family and is widespread in the southern and eastern regions of the African continent. The surface of green or gray leaves, round or oval in shape, is covered with a dense bloom of white or slightly pubescent. Cotyledon blooms with inflorescences of bright yellow, orange, red and purple, located on high peduncles.
Popular types of cotyledon
Paniculate - a type of cotyledon, characterized by a high branched trunk, the average height of which is from half a meter to two meters. At the tops of the shoots are fleshy, slightly pubescent leaves about 3-4 cm wide and 6-8 cm long. Panicle-like or umbellate inflorescences on half-meter peduncles consist of drooping red flowers with a green border along the edges of the petals.
Wavy - a type of perennial succulent, which has tall (about 80 cm) branched shoots and wavy leaves along the edges. It blooms with numerous red umbrella-shaped inflorescences. A distinctive feature of this species is white stripes on flowers, peduncles and leaves.
Large-flowered - a kind of perennial succulent with thick, fleshy leaves of a dark green color with a red edging along the edges. The average height of the shrub is from 50 to 80 cm, the peduncle is about 25 cm.
Reticulate - a type of shrub, a distinctive feature of which is a short thick trunk and small shoots in length with small fleshy leaves (about 1.5 cm in length). It blooms with inflorescences of a yellow-green hue. With the onset of a dormant period, the plant sheds its foliage.
Cacaloid - a type of perennial shrub, the trunk of which reaches a height of about 20 cm. The length of gray-green leaves collected in a rosette is about 5 cm. Inflorescences-panicles of red, orange and yellow shades are located on a high (up to 30 cm) pubescent peduncle.
Round-leaved - a type of succulent shrub with thick white-gray leaves with a red border and branched shoots, reaching a height of about 90 cm. It blooms with numerous red umbrella-shaped inflorescences, located on thirty-centimeter peduncles.
Home care for cotyledone
Lighting
Lighting for cotyledon needs bright, sunny and long-lasting.
Temperature
In winter, it is advisable to place the plant in a bright and cool room. The temperature regime during the rest period of cotyledon is no more than 10 degrees Celsius. In the spring and summer period, the optimum temperature is 20-21 degrees.
Air humidity
Since cotyledon has tissues with a moisture reserve, the level of humidity in the room does not matter much for it. Dry air will not adversely affect the plant.
Watering
The need for watering cotyledon depends on the season. For example, during the dormant period and after shedding the leaves, watering is not carried out. In early spring and with the arrival of autumn - it is recommended to water the plant in minimal volumes.In the rest of the period, watering is carried out as the soil dries up in a container with a plant. The next watering is necessary only when the soil dries out completely, to the very bottom of the pot.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Top dressing is applied to the soil once per vtczw, starting in March and ending in September. It is ideal to fertilize a houseplant with cactus food.
Transfer
It is recommended to transplant cotyledon in early spring as needed. In a new container, the bottom must be covered with a drainage layer, and the soil must consist of coarse sand, peat, sod land, and leafy soil. All components must be taken in equal proportions.
Reproduction of cotyledon
Propagation by cuttings
Rooting of cuttings takes place in a special substrate for succulents. A container with cuttings is placed in a shaded room, with a temperature of fifteen to eighteen degrees, watered in a moderate amount.
Seed propagation
The seedbed consists of one piece of fine sand and two pieces of leafy soil. Seeds are sown on the surface in shallow dishes with soil mixture, sprinkled with a thin layer of sand, sprayed and covered with glass or thick plastic wrap.
Basic seed care is:
- Regular airing;
- Moistening crops by spraying from a sprayer;
- Timely picking of seedlings.
The seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of at least one centimeter between them. The grown plants are transplanted into individual flower pots about 7 cm high. The abundance of watering is moderate.
Diseases and pests
The main pest is mealybug.
Signs of common diseases are stem rot and shedding of leaves. Rescue measures - reducing the volume of irrigation water and regulating the frequency of irrigation.
