Murraya

Murraya is a perennial evergreen shrub of the Rutaceae family. These plants are common in Southeast Asia, India, the Pacific Islands, Sumatra and Java. The murraya plant got its name in honor of the famous 18th century botanist D. Murray.

Murraya is a small tree with a height of up to one and a half meters. The color of its bark is gray-white or with a yellowish tinge. The color of its leaves is dark green. The use of its leaves in cooking is very common due to its citrus-lemon scent. Murraya blooms with mesmerizing snow-white flowers and at the end an ovary appears in the form of small red berries resembling hawthorn fruits. Their taste is very spicy, with a pronounced sweetish aftertaste.

The peculiarity of this plant lies in the fact that in the same period flowers can bloom, young buds appear and berries ripen. Approaching this plant, you can hear its fragrances with light notes of jasmine aroma.

Description of murraya and its features

For gourmets of exotic plants, the Murraya flower is an undoubted find. This unpretentious tree, reaching up to 1.5 meters at home, has a lush green crown, flowers as white as snow and the presence of berries, which ripen unevenly, due to which the color range of this flower is constantly changing. The color of the ripe berries has a bloody scarlet color, which gives grace to this flower.

There are many legends about this amazing plant, which say that in ancient China, during the reign of emperors, the protection of this plant was equated with the protection of the owner himself. The main ability of this plant was that it could heal from cancer, give youth and immortality. Touching the delicate leaves, enjoying the wonderful smell of its flowers, having tasted the infusion from its leaves, healing comes not only for the body, but also for the soul.

Returning to our time, for the cultivation of this flower in indoor conditions, you need to know how to properly care for it and what conditions are most favorable for its growth. Experts say that there are 8 types of murraya in the world. Only two types of this flower can grow at home, the external differences of which are insignificant - these are exotic and paniculate murraya.

The life expectancy in the apartment conditions of this flower is long. The branches, stretching out, eventually form a lush crown, but due to the fragility of the shoots, the use of additional support is inevitable. Murraya grows primarily from the root system, and only after filling the entire pot with it, the rapid growth of the upper part of the plant begins, increasing every day within a few centimeters.

For a long time, the acquisition of this exotic flower was unrealistic for flower growers. But now it can be purchased at almost any flower shop. Moreover, the bush will be of Dutch selection. The unpretentiousness of growth in apartment conditions is the main plus of the home murray. Although it will take a long time to wait for this variety to bloom.

Caring for murray at home

Location and lighting

Murraya prefers diffused bright lighting. In the summer, the plant can be exposed to fresh air, and in the winter, the best place for its growth is a window on the west or east side. If there are none and all windows are on the south side, then a prerequisite for murraya will be the need to shade them with a film or gauze, because it cannot stand direct sunlight.

Temperature

From spring to autumn, the most optimal temperature for growing murraya is about 20-25 degrees. With the onset of autumn, it is advisable to slightly lower the temperature of the content. In winter, it is advisable to keep the plant at a temperature of 16-17 degrees.

Air humidity

Murraya needs high humidity, so the flower needs daily spraying. Once a week, the leaves are washed under warm water, and once a week, the plant can be given a warm shower. For additional moistening, the pot with the plant can be placed on a pallet with damp expanded clay or pebbles.

Watering

Murraya is very fond of watering and all kinds of procedures associated with water (spraying, rubbing the leaves). In spring and summer, the flower needs abundant watering, in autumn and winter, watering is reduced. For watering, it is necessary to use settled water at room temperature.

Important! The earth must not be allowed to dry out, otherwise the root system may die.

The soil

The optimal composition of the soil for successful cultivation of murraya should consist of a mixture of store and ordinary soil with the addition of peat and sand. To ensure the safety of the plant from harmful microorganisms in ordinary soil, it is necessary to disinfect it with special solutions (potassium permanganate is quite suitable for this).

Top dressing and fertilizers

From March to September, the murray must be fed with complex fertilizers 2 times a month, the murray will thank with abundant flowering and a gorgeous green crown. You can alternate organic and mineral fertilizers.

Transfer

Young plants are best replanted annually in the spring. Mature plants need to be replanted every 2-3 years. The pot should be selected a little larger than the previous one.

Providing good drainage is the key to excellent plant growth. It should occupy a third of the pot, preventing water stagnation, in which the death of the flower is quite likely. When transplanting murraya, you need to make sure that there is no deepening of the root collar of the plant, otherwise flowering and fruiting will stop.

Pruning and shaping the crown

Murraya usually does not need pinching. In order for the crown to grow evenly, the plant periodically needs to be turned towards a light source. In the spring, before the start of the growing season, long shoots must be shortened by a third or even half. Shoots growing inward and thickening the crown must be cut off.

Bloom

Young seedlings begin to bloom in the second year, but it is recommended to pluck the first buds to allow the plant to grow stronger. Murraya blooms from early spring to late autumn with small, white flowers. After flowering, small, round, dark red berries develop. The berries grow and ripen for about 4 months. On the murraya bush, buds can be laid at the same time, flowers open, ovaries appear and fruits ripen.

Reproduction of murraya

Murraya can be propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Propagation by cuttings

Murray cuttings are best propagated in early spring. Apical shoots are cut into cuttings. Cut long leaves to half the length of the leaf to reduce evaporation.Cuttings are rooted in a mixture of peat and sand mixed in equal amounts. Peat can be replaced with leaf or humus soil. In addition, cuttings can be rooted in a peat tablet, perlite or in water.

The container with the handle is covered with a transparent plastic bag, glass jar, or cut off plastic bottle and placed in a bright place. The greenhouse is periodically opened for ventilation. The soil temperature must be maintained within the range of 26-30 degrees. The soil is kept moist.

After the cuttings take root, they are planted in separate small pots.

Seed propagation

Murray seeds are usually sown immediately after harvest or at any time of the year (germination lasts a long time). Before sowing, the seeds should be soaked for 1-2 hours in warm water. There is no need to use growth stimulants. The seeds are germinated in a mixture of peat and sand mixed in equal amounts or in a peat tablet.

Seeds are spread over the soil surface and covered with a 0.5-1 cm layer of substrate. The container with seeds is covered with a transparent glass or plastic bag. The greenhouse must be ventilated from time to time. The soil temperature is maintained within the range of 26-30 degrees. The seed pot is provided with good lighting, but no direct sunlight. The substrate is kept moist. It is better to moisten the soil from a sprayer, while being careful not to erode the topsoil.

Seeds germinate in 30-40 days. When 2-3 full-fledged leaves grow in the senyats, they are transplanted by the picking method into separate small pots. The seeds can be sown directly into separate pots, then they will not need to be dived.

Over time, when the root system completely fills the pot, the muraya seedlings are transplanted into larger pots. Seedlings grow slowly for the first two years, so a transplant may not be needed soon.

Diseases and pests

Diseases and pests appear with improper watering, lack of lighting and moisture. The greatest danger to the plant is the scale insect and the spider mite.

Growing difficulties

• With a lack of trace elements in the substrate or high alkalinity of the soil, the leaves become yellow.
• If the light is too bright or due to sunburn, the leaves around the edges and in the center dry out.
• If the air is too dry, the tips of the leaves dry out, the peduncles fall off.

Summing up the above, Murraya is absolutely not whimsical plant, which can be grown at home even from a small seed or cuttings, and with good care and attention, will give an unforgettable experience and good mood. Also, the flower has medicinal properties - murraya is used to treat many diseases.

Murraya - rules for caring for an exotic flower (video)