Syngonium

The Syngonium plant is a representative of the Aroid family. This genus is a climbing vines that are held on supports with the help of air roots. They live in Brazil and other South American countries, as well as in Central America. Syngonium is relatively unpretentious, therefore it is quite widespread in indoor floriculture. At home, they are grown as an ampelous plant or as a liana.

It is believed that the syngonium, constantly changing as it grows, has a positive effect on the home atmosphere and helps to look to the future with optimism. The energy of the flower helps to eliminate depression, improves mood and quality of sleep, and also increases the degree of efficiency and stimulates action. In addition, thanks to the large leaves, the bushes help purify the air in the house, as well as saturate it with oxygen.

Description of syngonium

Syngonium has a fast growth rate. Over the course of a year, its shoots can elongate by about 30 cm, while forming about 6-7 fresh leaf plates. The size of adult specimens is rather large - about a meter. Under natural conditions, the length of vines can reach up to 20 m.

The shape of the syngonium leaves can be cordate, spear-shaped, arrow-like, or consist of several lobes. In this case, the lower and upper foliage has a different appearance. As the bush develops, the leaves may no longer become whole, but lobed. Different types of syngoniums can have leaves of different colors, often they are decorated with light or dark veins, as well as specks or strokes. The surface of the leaf is smooth, leathery or slightly pubescent.

In nature, there are about 33 varieties of syngonium. These plants are not among the flowering ones - all the decorativeness of the vines is provided by their unusual foliage. Sometimes on the bushes, cob inflorescences can appear, but in appearance they are rather inconspicuous. In this case, the fruits of some species of syngoniums in the homeland of plants are considered edible. The sap of the plant is considered poisonous.

For syngonium, a hanging planter or stand located in a semi-shaded place is suitable. In summer, you can also keep the flower in the garden or on the balcony.

Brief rules for growing syngonium

The table shows brief rules for caring for a syngonium at home.

Syngonium care at home

Caring for the syngonium is not particularly difficult, but it still has some features, thanks to which the plant will be able to develop correctly and maintain strong immunity.

Lighting

Syngonium foliage reacts poorly to direct rays, so the bushes should be kept in partial shade. You can position them in the southwest or north direction. From the sun's rays, monophonic foliage can begin to fade and lose its attractiveness. The exception is variegated species - they need more light, so they are able to tolerate a more sunny location well.

But in full shade, a syngonium with monochromatic foliage should not be kept. In such conditions, its leaves will also begin to fade, and their size will decrease. To avoid this, in the cold season, when the sun is less active, the bushes are moved closer to the windows.

Temperature

The temperature regime for syngonium is quite important. In a too cold room, the bush will not be able to develop normally and may begin to shed leaves. The room temperature should not drop below 15 degrees. The plant does not like sudden changes, it should be protected from drafts. In the summer, the vine prefers moderate heat - up to 20-25 degrees. In winter, the room can be a little cooler - about 17-18 degrees, but such a decrease in degrees is not considered mandatory.

Watering

Syngonium bushes need abundant watering, but they should be carried out so that the liquid does not stagnate in the soil - as the soil dries out. Otherwise, the roots of the plant may start to rot. For irrigation, use moderately warm and well-settled water. If the vine spends the winter in a cooler place, the number of waterings during this period should be reduced.

Humidity level

Syngonium also needs an average humidity level. The leaves are systematically sprayed using lukewarm water. It is especially important to carry out such humidification in hot and dry weather, as well as in winter, if the flower is located near a hot battery.

In addition to spraying, you can also use special humidifiers, as well as periodically place a container with water next to the plant. Another way is to place wet sand next to the pot, for example, by pouring it into a wide pan. It is important that the sand is not too wet and does not lead to stagnation of water in the sump.

Once a month, you can rinse the syngonium leaves under the shower by placing the pot in the tub. All excess water from the pan after such water procedures must be poured out. It is also recommended to wipe the creeper foliage with a soft, damp cloth.

Capacity selection

The shape of the pot for growing syngonium can be any, only its volume, as well as sufficient height, is of decisive importance. There must be drain holes at the bottom. The preferred pot material is clay.

Syngonium transplants into more spacious containers are carried out when the root system ceases to fit in the old pot, and the roots begin to be seen in the drainage holes.

The soil

Loose and light substrates are suitable for growing syngonium. You can use ready-made store mixes for indoor species with a weakly acidic or neutral reaction. To prepare the substrate yourself, you can take a mixture of sand with turf and peat and add 3 parts of leafy soil to it. Bone meal can be added as fertilizer.

Top dressing

Lack of nutrients can adversely affect the decorative effect of the bush. Its foliage will begin to fade, and sometimes become covered with brownish specks. Syngonium should be fertilized only during the period of its active growth - from spring to late autumn. Top dressing is applied about 2-3 times a month. Usually, complex formulations that practically do not contain calcium are used for this. In winter, the bushes are not fertilized.

Transfer

Transplanting syngonium allows you to update the depleted substrate with a fresh one, as well as move the bush to a more spacious container. Young plants need replanting more often. They change their pots every season - you can do it in spring or summer. Older plants develop less actively, they are transplanted every 2-3 years.

Taking syngonium out of the pot, you need to examine its root system. Decayed and damaged areas are removed. The transplanted bush is watered. The next time, the soil in this pot can be moistened when the top layer is about 2.5 cm dry.

If the vine will be grown not as an ampelous plant, a suitable support should be provided for it. It is installed during transplantation, trying to place it closer to the center of the tank immediately after laying the drainage layer. Having filled up about a third of the soil into the pot, a bush is placed there, and then the rest of the earth is poured.

Pruning

Thanks to the correct pruning of the syngonium, you can not only make the crown of the bush more neat, but also stimulate the growth of fresh shoots. A sharp tool is used for trimming. The branches are shortened at the level of 6-8 leaves. In addition, old branches that interfere with the growth of young growth are also subject to removal.

When pruning, it must be remembered that syngonium juice can cause irritation, therefore, all manipulations with the flower must be carried out with gloves.

Bloom

At home, the syngonium does not bloom, this can be achieved by transplanting the bush for the summer in open ground. Only adult plants are capable of blooming. During this period, medium-sized light or pinkish inflorescences in the form of an ear appear on them. After flowering, the bush will "rest" for at least 3 or 4 years, and only after this period it will be able to bloom again.

Dormant period

In winter, a dormant period begins at the syngonium. This practically does not affect the appearance of the plant, but the rate of its growth temporarily slows down or completely stops until the beginning of spring. At this time, the bush is not fed and watered a little less often - about once a week.

Syngonium breeding methods

Syngonium is easy enough to propagate. Usually, cuttings or plant seeds are used for this. Another possible method is dividing the bush, but the root system of the syngonium includes many thin roots that are easily damaged during this procedure.

Cuttings

To obtain a new syngonium, cuttings of adult specimens with 2-3 leaves, taken from the tops of the shoots or from the stem itself, are used. The length of the segments should be about 14 cm. It is desirable that they have air roots. If the cutting is not taken from the top, the upper cut should be sprinkled with crushed coal.

To form new roots, you can put the segments in water or immediately plant them in light sandy soil or in sphagnum moss. The stalk is covered with a bag or jar and placed in a warm (about 25 degrees) place, periodically ventilating and checking the degree of soil moisture. It usually takes 3 or 4 weeks to root. If desired, the rooted seedling can be transplanted into a new pot.

Young syngoniums can be grown both in their own pots, and in one, larger one, placing them in several pieces.This will create the effect of a single, spreading bush.

Growing from seeds

Syngonium seeds lose their germination very quickly, so only fresh material can be used for sowing. Such seeds are placed in a pot filled with light soil, sprinkled with soil a little and placed in greenhouse conditions.

Diseases and pests

Due to mistakes in care or non-observance of the conditions necessary for the plant, the syngonium may weaken or become sick. In order not to start the problem and ultimately not to lose the plant, you need to pay attention to the signals that it gives:

• Leaves of variegated forms began to fade or fade - the bushes do not have enough light.
• Yellowing of foliage is usually caused by a lack of nutrients, poor soil, or excessive lighting.
• Fresh leaves become shallow due to lack of light or nutrition.
• Brown specks on the leaves are associated with insufficient air humidity. Such a bush needs to be regularly sprayed or try to increase the humidity in other ways.
• Pulling shoots - lack of light or too tight a pot.
• Droplets on the syngonium foliage are a sign of excess air or soil moisture. Thus, the plant removes excess water.
• Decay of stems is a consequence of too frequent watering. In this case, the soil does not have time to dry out. The irrigation regime needs to be reviewed. Rot especially often appears with frequent watering in a cool room.

Syngoniums can be affected by many pests of indoor plants - spider mites, scale insects, thrips, etc. If such insects appear on the bush, it is treated with insecticidal preparations. Sometimes, as part of the struggle, the bush has to be transplanted into fresh soil, after having washed the roots in a pale solution of potassium permanganate.

To prevent the appearance of pests, it is important to comply with all plant requirements. Most often, the cause of their occurrence is excessively dry air in hot weather, as well as waterlogging of the soil.

Types and varieties of Signonium with photos and names

Syngonium podophyllum

The foliage color of this species can be either light green or variegated. Syngonium podophyllum has cordate leaf blades made of fused lobes. Their length ranges from 7 to 13 cm. This species does not bloom.

Syngonium auritum (Syngonium auritum)

The name of the species is associated with the shape of its foliage. In Syngonium auritum, it has the shape of an arrow, while in the upper part of the plate there are peculiar “ears”. The foliage of an adult specimen can have 3 to 5 segments. In variegated species, the pattern becomes brighter over time. The bush forms rather long shoots, their annual growth can reach 1 m.

The most popular varieties of syngonium:

• Albolineatum - a hybrid variety of the above-described type, characterized by foliage with contrasting light veins.
• White butterfly - the bushes of this variety have unusual, almost white foliage. Because of this feature, such plants need a lot of light especially.
• Intra Red - varietal hybrid, the color of the leaves of which changes as the bush grows. Young leaf blades are pinkish. As they develop, they turn green, but still retain a slight pink tint.
• Spear point - the bushes of this variety have foliage decorated with contrasting white stripes. The foliage is arrow-shaped and narrower than other Signoniums. Such plants can be used as hydroponic plants.