Araucaria care at home, watering, transplanting and propagation. Araucaria: interesting facts and growing conditions

Fig, fig, fig tree - these are all names of the same plant, which we strongly associate with Mediterranean life. Anyone who has ever tasted fig fruits knows how delicious they are. But, in addition to their delicate sweet taste, they are also very beneficial for health. And here's an interesting detail: it turns out that figs are completely unpretentious plant. In addition, it can be successfully grown on a plot in middle lane or in the house - in a container.

Quite often, difficulties in growing tomato seedlings arise even for experienced summer residents. For some, all the seedlings turn out to be elongated and weak, for others, they suddenly begin to fall and die. The thing is that it is difficult to maintain in an apartment ideal conditions for growing seedlings. Seedlings of any plants need to be provided with plenty of light, sufficient humidity and optimal temperature. What else do you need to know and observe when growing tomato seedlings in an apartment?

Delicious vinaigrette with apple and sauerkraut - a vegetarian salad made from boiled and chilled, raw, pickled, salted, pickled vegetables and fruits. The name comes from the French vinegar sauce, olive oil and mustard (vinaigrette). Vinaigrette appeared in Russian cuisine not so long ago, around the beginning of the 19th century; perhaps the recipe was borrowed from Austrian or German cuisine, since the ingredients for Austrian herring salad are very similar.

When we dreamily sort through bright packets of seeds in our hands, we are sometimes subconsciously convinced that we have a prototype of the future plant. We mentally allocate a place for it in the flower garden and look forward to the cherished day of the appearance of the first bud. However, buying seeds does not always guarantee that you will eventually get the desired flower. I would like to draw attention to the reasons why seeds may not sprout or die at the very beginning of germination.

Spring is coming, and gardeners have more work to do, and with the onset of warmer weather, changes in the garden occur rapidly. The buds are already beginning to swell on plants that were still dormant yesterday, and everything is literally coming to life before our eyes. After a long winter, this cannot but rejoice. But along with the garden, its problems come to life - insect pests and pathogens. Weevils, flower beetles, aphids, clasterosporiosis, maniliosis, scab, powdery mildew- the list could take a very long time.

Breakfast toast with avocado and egg salad is a great way to start the day. The egg salad in this recipe acts as a thick sauce that is seasoned with fresh vegetables and shrimp. My egg salad Quite unusual, this is a dietary version of everyone’s favorite snack - with Feta cheese, Greek yogurt and red caviar. If you have time in the morning, never deny yourself the pleasure of cooking something tasty and healthy. The day needs to start with positive emotions!

Perhaps every woman has at least once received a gift blooming orchid. It’s not surprising, because such a living bouquet looks amazing and blooms for a long time. Orchids are not very difficult to grow. indoor crops, but failure to comply with the main conditions for their maintenance often leads to the loss of a flower. If you are just getting started with indoor orchids, you should find out the correct answers to the main questions about growing these beautiful plants at home.

Lush cheesecakes with poppy seeds and raisins prepared according to this recipe are eaten in no time in my family. Moderately sweet, plump, tender, with an appetizing crust, without excess oil, in a word, exactly the same as my mother or grandmother fried in childhood. If the raisins are very sweet, then you don’t need to add granulated sugar at all; without sugar, the cheesecakes will be better fried and will never burn. Cook them in a well-heated frying pan, greased with oil, over low heat and without a lid!

Cherry tomatoes differ from their larger counterparts not only in the small size of their berries. Many cherry varieties are characterized by a unique sweet taste, which is very different from the classic tomato taste. Anyone who has never tried such cherry tomatoes with their eyes closed may well decide that they are tasting some unusual exotic fruits. In this article I will talk about five different cherry tomatoes that have the sweetest fruits with unusual colors.

I started growing annual flowers in the garden and on the balcony more than 20 years ago, but I will never forget my first petunia, which I planted in the country along the path. Only a couple of decades have passed, but you’re amazed at how different the petunias of the past are from the many-sided hybrids of today! In this article, I propose to trace the history of the transformation of this flower from a simpleton into a real queen of annuals, as well as consider modern varieties of unusual colors.

Salad with spicy chicken, mushrooms, cheese and grapes - aromatic and satisfying. This dish can be served as a main dish if you are preparing a cold dinner. Cheese, nuts, mayonnaise are high-calorie foods; in combination with spicy fried chicken and mushrooms, you get a very nutritious snack, which is refreshed by sweet and sour grapes. The chicken in this recipe is marinated in a spicy mixture of ground cinnamon, turmeric and chili powder. If you like food with fire, use hot chili.

The question is how to grow healthy seedlings, all summer residents are concerned about early spring. It seems that there are no secrets here - the main thing for fast and strong seedlings is to provide them with warmth, moisture and light. But in practice, in a city apartment or private house, this is not so easy to do. Of course, everyone experienced gardener There is a proven way to grow seedlings. But today we will talk about a relatively new assistant in this matter - the propagator.

The Sanka tomato variety is one of the most popular in Russia. Why? The answer is simple. He is the very first to bear fruit in the garden. Tomatoes ripen when other varieties have not even bloomed yet. Of course, if you follow the growing recommendations and make an effort, even a novice grower will receive a rich harvest and joy from the process. And so that your efforts are not in vain, we advise you to plant high-quality seeds. For example, such as seeds from TM “Agrosuccess”.

Task indoor plants in the house - to decorate the home with your own appearance, to create a special atmosphere of comfort. For this reason, we are ready to take care of them regularly. Care is not only about watering on time, although this is important. It is also necessary to create other conditions: suitable lighting, humidity and air temperature, and make a correct and timely transplant. For experienced flower growers there is nothing supernatural about this. But beginners often face certain difficulties.

It’s easy to prepare tender chicken breast cutlets with champignons according to this recipe with step by step photos. There is an opinion that it is difficult to make juicy and tender cutlets from chicken breast, but this is not so! Chicken meat contains virtually no fat, which is why it is a bit dry. But if you add cream to the chicken fillet, white bread and mushrooms with onions, you will get amazingly delicious cutlets that both children and adults will love. During mushroom season, try adding wild mushrooms to the minced meat.

Phytoncides of coniferous plants benefit human health, clean the air well harmful substances, inhibiting the development of pathogenic bacteria. How nice it is to have such an evergreen tree at home!

Trees with flat needles, belonging to the Araucariaceae family, are found naturally in the countries of South America and on the Australian continent. Some species decorate parks and streets of Crimean and Caucasian cities. But there are also those that have taken root at home.

reaches from forty to seventy meters with a trunk thickness of more than a meter. Coniferous plants grown indoors have a smaller height - up to one and a half meters. The trunk of the plant is erect, the branches are located horizontally or bend upward. The conical shape of the crown becomes umbrella-shaped over time.

The hard, bright green needles are up to five centimeters long and densely cover the branches of the araucaria. The cones are round, small, ten centimeters in size, and have seeds similar to nuts.

Two types of coniferous plants are grown indoors: araucaria varifolia and Bidwilla.

The first has a pyramidal crown covered with soft light green needles two centimeters long. Bidwill's Araucaria is distinguished by its spiky, glossy coniferous leaves. The resemblance to spruce has allowed the plant to gain popularity among lovers of indoor floriculture.

Evergreen araucaria is classified as a fastidious plant; it requires the creation of the conditions necessary for its life:

• For the plant, you need to choose a well-lit place in the house, but without direct sunlight. The duration of daylight at ten to twelve hours should be maintained in winter. And here artificial light lamps will help to create illumination. It will help to make the growth of the tree's branches symmetrical by turning it around its axis. Then the light will evenly affect the plant.
• The pot with conifers should be placed away from heating appliances that dry out the air. This is unacceptable to him. In the homeland of araucaria, in tropical forests, humidity is high, so it will need constant spraying. For better growth add Epin or a few drops to the water succinic acid. It will also help to create comfort by moistening the soil in the pot and the air in the room using a tray where expanded clay, pebbles or moss moistened with water will be placed.
• The temperature in the room and house is especially important for the tree. It does not tolerate heat: in summer twenty degrees of heat will be enough, and in winter time– ten. You can place the pot on an insulated loggia for the rest period, but with good lighting. But drafts can lead to the death of the plant.

Creation comfortable conditions for this unique conifer it will help to preserve the greenness of its needles and the symmetry of its thin branches. It is undesirable to change the location of the plant; it may react by dropping the needles and turning them yellow.

The capriciousness of the plant requires attention to it and the fulfillment of basic care requirements:

1. Watering is important for araucaria, since the slightest drying out of the earthen ball on the roots will lead to the death of the plant. During the growing season, it is enough to water two to three times a week, in winter - much less. The water should be at room temperature, it is advisable to let it stand before watering.
2. For the plant, select those that are recommended for conifers. They bring them into active time tree growth from April to August every three to four weeks. In winter, this procedure is not necessary.
3. It is enough to replant an araucaria once every three to four years in cases where the pot has become too small for it. A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the selected container. Soil for araucaria is selected by mixing an equal share of deciduous and coniferous soil, turf, peat, sand, and humus. Suitable for growing. The method of transplantation is transshipment while preserving the old substrate on the roots.

If every year a coniferous tree grows one layer of branches, then it is cared for correctly.

There are many ways to propagate a plant: cuttings,... The most reliable is cuttings. They are prepared from April to June from the apical part of semi-lignified shoots. After drying in the shade for 24 hours, having cleaned the cuts well, place the prepared branches in sandy soil or a mixture of peat and sand. The soil should be well moistened. After this, the containers with the material are covered with polyethylene films, creating a greenhouse effect.

Reproduction of araucaria at home is a labor-intensive process and not always successful.

After placing the pots with cuttings in a cool, well-lit room, ventilate the plantings daily. It is also necessary to water and spray them periodically. Rooting of araucaria can only occur after two or four months. As soon as callus appears at the end of the cutting, the shoot can be transplanted into a substrate of peat and sand. And after the roots appear in June-July - to a permanent place.

It is possible to propagate the plant by seeds, but they must be fresh. They are planted one or two seeds per pot. small size filled with nutritional mixture. The nuts will take a long time to germinate – up to four to five months.

Araucaria diseases occur due to improper care:

• The falling off of the needles and their drying out indicates that the plant does not have enough moisture and the air temperature is too high.
• There is no need to worry about the loss of lower branches - this is a natural process. But if their number increases rapidly, then it is necessary to create sufficient coolness for the plant.
• Paleness of the needles and stretching of branches occurs due to excessive watering or the pot with the tree being in a draft. In such situations, the plant often dies.
• With a lack of calcium in the soil, araucaria slows down in growth.
• A damaged top of a coniferous tree can cause it to stop developing normally and stop growing.

By correcting deficiencies in care, you can return the plant to its former healthy appearance.

To prevent the appearance of pests on conifers, you need to be attentive to your pet, noticing problems in time.

More information can be found in the video:

Indoor Araucaria (Araucaria)

Araucaria or indoor spruce - an evergreen coniferous plant that can be grown in an apartment. Like many conifers, indoor spruce purifies the air. IN room conditions grows up to 2 m in height. Araucaria grows slowly and can be kept indoors for up to 8-10 years. Grows well in winter gardens. An adult plant can be planted outdoors.

Names of Araucaria varifolia: tall araucaria, indoor spruce, Norfolk pine.

Araucaria(lat. Araucaria) - genus of evergreens coniferous trees family Araucariaceae.

Distribution: Australia, on the islands of New Guinea, New Caledonia and Norfolk. IN natural conditions grows up to 50-60 m in height.

Most Popular Araucaria varifolia or indoor spruce (Araucaria heterophylla)

Other types of araucaria:

1. Chilean Araucaria (Araucaria araucana)
2. Bidwill's Araucaria (Araucaria bidwillii)
3. Brazilian Araucaria (Araucaria brasiliana) or narrow-leaved (Araucaria angustifolia)
4. Araucaria columnaris
5. Cunningham's Araucaria (Araucaria cunninghamii)
6. Araucaria hunsteinii
   

You can buy araucaria (indoor spruce) in our store

indoor spruce or Araucaria varifolia - Care

Lighting. Araucaria grows well in a place with bright, diffused light, but also grows in slight shade. Like most indoor plants, it does not like direct sunlight. In summer, it is advisable to take the spruce out into the open space: balcony, terrace, garden. Do not forget to shade the plant from direct sunlight.

IMPORTANT: for uniform growth of branches, araucaria must be turned around its axis once a week sunny side or place it in a place where sunlight falls evenly on it.

Temperature. Araucaria prefers cool and well-ventilated areas. In summer optimal temperature content - 15-22 C, in winter - no higher than 15 C. Do not place the plant near central heating radiators or heating devices.

Air humidity. It is advisable to spray the plant, especially in rooms with dry air. To increase humidity, an indoor spruce can be placed in a tray with wet expanded clay (but do not place the pot on expanded clay). A dry atmosphere can cause Araucaria branches to dry out and turn yellow.

Watering. You need to water the plant abundantly so that the earthen ball in the pot is completely wet. The remaining water in the pan must be drained. In summer, watering frequency is approximately once a week. Top layer The soil in the pot should dry out a little before the next watering. The frequency of watering also depends on the conditions under which the araucaria is kept - in hotter and drier rooms it is watered more often.

In winter, especially in cool rooms, reduce watering.

Important: Araucaria does not tolerate drought. Make sure that the earthen lump in the pot does not dry out.

Feeding. Feed indoor spruce during the growing season (spring-summer) once every 3 weeks. Araucaria does not like calcium (lime), so its content in the fertilizer should be minimal.

Transfer. It is not recommended to frequently replant araucaria. Young plants are transplanted every 2-4 years in spring or early summer into a larger pot. If you want to curb the growth of the spruce, change the soil and replant it in a pot of the same size. The plant needs a good layer of drainage (about 1/3 - ¼ of the pot). Soil for replanting: 1 part turf land, 2 parts leaf, 2 parts peat, 1 part sand. You can use store-bought substrate “For coniferous plants”

Trimming and shaping. Indoor spruce does not need pruning.

IMPORTANT: be careful not to damage the top of the araucaria, there is a growing point. If you break off the top of a spruce tree, then at best the plant will stop growing upward; at worst, the branches of the plant will begin to develop unevenly and the auracaria will look unaesthetic.

Bloom. Only mature specimens bloom. Araucaria rarely blooms in an apartment.

Reproduction. Araucaria is propagated mainly in two ways: cuttings and sowing seeds. Suitable for breeding purposes only mature plant, whose age exceeds 10 years.

In mid-summer, the semi-lignified apical stalk(not the top!) of the plant, at a distance of 3-4 cm below the whorl (a group of ring-shaped branches located on the stem at the same height). It is dried for a day, cleared of resin, treated with charcoal and planted in a mixture of sand and peat in equal parts. Cover with transparent plastic glasses to maintain moisture and place in a warm place (18-20 C). Rooting occurs within 2-5 months. Rooted cuttings are planted in a substrate for coniferous plants.

Protection from pests and diseases. Araucaria can be attacked by mealybugs.

The plant can get sick from excessively dry air and high temperature. It is also dangerous for the plant to overdry the earthen clod.

Plants in winter. In autumn- winter period The optimal temperature for indoor spruce is 10-15 C, but it is possible to keep it at a higher temperature.

Do not place the plant near heating appliances. Do not overdry the spruce.

IMPORTANT: in winter, when ventilating the apartment, do not leave araucaria in a cold draft.

Beneficial properties of araucaria. Like many coniferous plants, araucaria releases beneficial phytoncides (substances that destroy germs and bacteria) and purifies the air in the apartment.

PHOTO OF ARAUCARIA. CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL TO ENLARGE IMAGE

VIDEO OF ARAUCARIA

Araucaria – dioecious plant which strongly resembles spruce, but in fact belongs to a separate family of Araucariaceae, which has about two dozen varieties. Of these, only one is grown at home - araucaria varifolia, and it is extremely rare to achieve its flowering.

In nature, Araucaria variegated grows in New Zealand and reaches a height of about 60 meters, but at home, it rarely exceeds one and a half meters, only when quality care and no less than 5 - 7 years, since it grows, like most conifers, quite slowly.

Growing coniferous plants indoors is not the easiest process, even if it is a miniature spruce - Araucaria variegata. But still, with a certain patience, and most importantly, following the rules of care, this is quite possible. Let's look at these rules in more detail.

Light mode

Decorative spruce - araucaria, loves a lot of quite bright natural light, but it should be slightly diffused. Early spring and in the fall, the plant can easily tolerate direct sunlight, but in the summer, especially on the hottest days, it is imperative to shade its crown, otherwise you will not be able to avoid burns. This will not only spoil the decorative appearance of the tree, but can also lead to its disease.

In addition to the brightness of the light, it is desirable to ensure its multidirectionality, which means that at home best location for araucaria there will be a place between the windows facing different sides. If this is not possible, you will have to turn the pot around its axis from time to time (preferably 1-2 times a week), but not immediately by 180°, but little by little. If this is not done, the crown will reach towards the sun and grow one-sided.

Temperature

Like most conifers, araucaria is variegated and likes moderate temperatures. So, during the warm period - from spring to the end of summer, the optimal temperature will be in the range - 20 - 25 ° C, and for the winter it is advisable to reduce it to 15 - 18 ° C. The tree can easily tolerate more low temperatures– up to +10°С, but not lower. Lower temperatures make the tree weak and prone to various diseases.

In addition to temperature, it is imperative to provide the plant with fresh air, that is, regularly ventilate the room. However, this must be done carefully, with an eye to the thermal regime, which is very important in winter.

Watering and humidity conditions

Unlike flowers, araucaria is an evergreen plant, that is, it does not have a dormant period, so watering is needed all year round. This tree does not tolerate drying out, which means the soil must be constantly moist. The required amount of water depends on the temperature and humidity. In summer, during hot times, abundant watering is needed, and in winter, the temperature drops, and the rate of moisture evaporation decreases accordingly, so watering needs to be slightly limited. The fact that indoor “spruce” likes abundant watering does not mean that it is necessary to water it until a swamp forms in the pot - stagnation of moisture is categorically unacceptable, there must be moderation.

Separately, it is worth noting that araucaria is extremely sensitive to water with a large number salts dissolved in it, so it would be better to prepare rain or melt water. But this is only provided that your region is not polluted by industrial emissions. Otherwise, it is better to water with boiling and settled tap water, with the obligatory separation of sediment - it contains a lot of salts.

Air humidity also has great value– if you lack it, you are guaranteed not to receive good result. Because of this, the tree needs regular wet care. In summer, during hot times, it is best to place it in a wide tray filled with wet expanded clay - it will evaporate water and humidify the air, and on the hottest days, moisturizing care is necessary - spraying the crown with a sprayer. In winter, this is done only if the optimal temperature regime– not less than +15°С.

If the plant is kept in winter at a temperature of 20 - 22°C, which is typical for keeping at home, spraying is simply necessary, since any heating devices dry the air and without additional moisture it will be difficult for the tree.

We remind you once again - tap water, containing salts, is not suitable, even for spraying.

Soil composition and fertilizer

To begin with, it’s worth saying a few words about the pot for araucaria - it should be at least medium in size and quite wide. Before planting the tree, it is equipped with a drainage layer of pebbles, screenings or crushed red brick. A thickness of 5–7 centimeters will be sufficient to reliably drain excess water, which will prevent rotting of the roots. The soil itself must be nutritious. Of course you can use it ready-made mixture from the store - universal soil for indoor plants, for example, for flowers, but it would be better to spend a little time and prepare it yourself.

You need to mix the turf, leaf soil, peat and sand in proportions – 1/2/2/1. In such soil, araucaria feels very well and develops fully, but subject to regular feeding.

They are carried out with minerals, about twice a month and once a month with organic matter - a small amount of mullein. They are introduced during the active growing season, that is, from March to mid-autumn. Fertilizing is carried out by watering the soil with liquid mineral fertilizers. At the same time, it is worth considering the fact that indoor spruce - araucaria - does not respond very well to excess calcium - its concentration should be minimal. One more point - before liquid fertilizer, be sure to check the soil for moisture, if it is dry, water it, otherwise the fertilizer will burn the roots of the plant.

Starting from the end of October, there is no need to feed the tree until the next warm season.

Transfer

Transplantation is carried out only when absolutely necessary - all araucarias really do not like changing their place of residence and have a hard time taking root in a new flowerpot, and even more so in new soil. Hence the conclusion - when replanting, it is necessary to reproduce the previous conditions as accurately as possible, the main one of which is the composition of the soil.

Young plants that have become cramped in a flowerpot and plants with a diseased root system are subject to mandatory replanting. In the first case, it is advisable to transplant the plant using the transshipment method, without exposing its roots; in the second, you will have to clean them, treat them with a solution of potassium permanganate and transplant them into a new substrate.

Mature plants require replanting approximately every 3 years.

Reproduction

At home, vegetative propagation is rarely used due to its problematic nature. Sometimes they try to root stem cuttings, but this is impossible without strict adherence to temperature and humidity conditions and the use of stimulating phytohormones. And even in this case, the forecasts are far from clear. Due to such difficulties, propagation of this variety of spruce is carried out by seeds.

Seeds are sown in the ground immediately after they are collected, since they very quickly lose their viability. The composition of the soil is similar to that for an adult plant (described above). It is moistened, covered with a layer of sphagnum and the nursery is kept at a temperature in the range of 18 - 20 ° C. Be sure to maintain constant humidity in the nursery and provide an influx of fresh air, but not cold.

After rooting, young spruce trees actively entwine the earthen ball of the flowerpot with their roots. At this point, they need to be transplanted into large containers and provided with optimal conditions care

Possible problems during cultivation

Araucaria is quite sensitive to deviations of care conditions from optimal ones and immediately reacts to this. Let us give an example of the most common such cases and clarify their cause:

• With insufficient air humidity, young shoots begin to turn yellow and dry out;
• The falling of needles most likely indicates a lack of watering combined with low air humidity;
• Wrong organized lighting leads to slower growth and withering of branches, and if the crown deviates towards the window, then the flowerpot needs to be rotated around its axis more often;
• A strong slowdown in growth, for no apparent reason, is most likely due to a violation of the composition mineral fertilizers, or rather with excess calcium in them. Another reason is watering with hard water;
• Stretching and thinning of the crown indicates a lack of nutrients.

In addition to improper care, diseases caused by infections and pests can also lead to problems. So, for example, when the lower branches dry out, it can be assumed that the tree is infested with a root beetle, and the appearance of a dirty white coating on the trunk and branches indicates infection with a mealybug. Both are treated by treating with chemicals from the group of insecticides, followed by washing them off with warm water.

Araucaria - one of the few evergreen coniferous plants that can be grown in a pot at home. They are grown as an ornamental foliage plant, although some species reach 50 - 90 m in height!

Araucaria is used in pot culture and in winter gardens in solitary plantings. In indoor conditions, flowering of araucaria is difficult. It is believed that araucaria, like many coniferous plants, purifies the air.

Genus Araucaria (Araucaria Juss.) unites 14 species of plants of the Araucariaceae family. These are coniferous plants with needle-shaped or linear-lanceolate hard leaves. Distributed in Australia, New Zealand and South America. The seeds are edible, and the wood is used in construction and furniture production.

Araucaria species

Araucaria angustifolia , or Brazilian araucaria (Araucaria brasiliana). Grows in the mountains of Southern Brazil. These are large trees, reaching 50 m in height in nature. The branches of this plant are thin and drooping. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, up to 5 cm long, bright green. Suitable for growing indoors, since araucaria rarely grows more than three meters in indoor and greenhouse conditions.

Forests of Brazilian araucaria are called pinheiros in Brazil (the Portuguese word is all from the same Latin root “pin” - pine), they occupy a significant part of the state of Paraná (the wood of this araucaria is called “Paran pine”). Here, araucaria forests are adjacent (vertically) to tropical rain forests and themselves contain some typical species these forests. However, the araucaria forests themselves in Brazil cannot be considered climatically tropical. In large areas of light (sparse) araucaria forest, its undergrowth consists of continuous thickets of Paraguayan tea, or mate (Ilex paraguariensis). Araucaria brasiliensis is the most important timber tree in Brazil. Its wood is widely used by local industry as building material, as well as for the manufacture of furniture and all kinds of crafts, and even as raw material for paper. It is used in the production of musical instruments.

Araucaria varifolia or indoor spruce (Araucaria heterophylla). The island's homeland is Norfolk. These beautiful majestic trees with a pyramidal crown reach up to 60 m in height, with brownish flaky bark. The branches are arranged whorled, extending horizontally at right angles to the trunk, forming a generally pyramidal crown. The leaves are soft, awl-shaped, slightly curved upward, tetrahedral, small, up to 2 cm long, needle-shaped, light green, arranged densely in a spiral. In culture, it is often confused with another species of Araucaria high (A. excelsa).

Araucaria columnar or Cook's araucaria (Araucaria columnaris) , distributed in the southern tropical zone in the New Hebrides and on the Pine Island (New Caledonia). The trunks of these majestic trees are uniformly covered, from the very base to the top, by a narrow crown, vaguely reminiscent of the crown of a pyramidal cypress. It is formed by relatively short branches, collected in whorls and extending from the trunk at almost a right angle (in cypress the branches are pressed to the trunk). On Sosnovy Island, columnar araucaria forms dense coastal stands of trees, which amazed the first travelers with their appearance, who compared them either to basalt columns or to smoking factory chimneys. At the very top of the tree, the crown is usually somewhat expanded. Columnar cones of Araucaria, up to 10 cm long, have a bristly appearance due to the tops of the scales, drawn into a long (5-6 mm) awl-shaped appendage, which is bent downwards. In many ways, columnar Araucaria is similar to variegated Araucaria. It also undergoes a change in leaf shape during the transition from a juvenile to an adult state. But you can also notice differences in the leaves, which at first glance are very similar: columnar araucaria leaves are softer, more straightened, with a gradually narrowed apex (in variegated leaves - suddenly narrowed) columnar araucaria is widespread in culture, but only in countries with tropical, less often subtropical climate (in Australia, Indonesia, Africa, even Italy). It can also be seen in greenhouses.

grows not only in Chile, but also in western Argentina. Araucaria Chilean is a very large tree, reaching a height of 60 m with a trunk diameter of up to 1.5 m. The crown of young trees is broadly pyramidal, with its lower branches lying directly on the ground. With age, the lower branches usually fall off. The lateral branches of mature trees are located 6-7 in whorls, they are horizontally extended or slightly hanging in old trees; the crown becomes flat-umbrella-shaped, located only at the very top of the trunk. The bark is resinous, thick, longitudinally fissured. The leaves of Araucaria Chilean are hard, prickly, dark green, spirally arranged, covering the branches very tightly to each other. Araucaria Chilean is light-loving, grows in humid climates, evenly moist, but not swampy, fairly rich nutrients soils. It tolerates dry conditions well, as well as light frosts. The large seeds of Chilean Araucaria are nutritious and tasty. Araucanas eat them raw or roasted. The wood of this araucaria is yellowish-white in color and is used in construction. Araucaria Chilean - very valuable ornamental plant. In 1796, the rut was already introduced into England (the first grown tree existed for almost a hundred years). Later, this araucaria spread widely in Western Europe(up to Norway), and in Russia - only in botanical gardens Crimea and the Caucasus.

Araucaria care

In rooms with central heating and it is quite difficult to grow araucaria in dry air. Araucarias grow best in greenhouses. When purchasing this plant, you must keep in mind that failure to comply with the conditions for keeping the araucaria can lead to the death of the plant or to its disease.

Lighting. The plant loves bright, diffused light, but it is better to shade araucaria from direct sunlight in summer. Can grow in the shade. In summer you can expose it to the open air, but should be protected from direct sunlight and precipitation. Adult araucaria plants are installed in bright places in medium- and large-sized rooms. It is best to place araucaria in rooms where light falls from two sides. Otherwise, the araucaria will need to be constantly rotated around its axis - about 90 degrees once a week. This is necessary in order to ensure symmetrical growth of the plant.

Temperature. The plant needs fresh air and a cool room. In summer, the temperature can be room temperature, optimal within 20°C. It is advisable that in winter the temperature in the room where the araucaria is located does not rise above 14-15°C, and the optimal temperature is about 10°C.

Watering. It is necessary to water araucaria all year round, using settled water (for more details, see the section on watering). In winter, more moderate watering is required, especially when kept in a cool room, and in spring and summer, more active watering is required; at this time, drying out the earthen clod is especially dangerous, but under no circumstances should the water stagnate in the pot.

Feeding. During the growing season (in spring and summer), araucaria must be fed every 2 weeks with fertilizers with a low calcium content (the plant reacts poorly to it), and the fertilizer solution is made weak. You can feed it with mullein infusion once a month.

Transfer. Replant in March-April and in summer. Plants are replanted as needed, when the entire earthen ball is entwined with roots. Only overgrown specimens are transplanted, since araucaria does not tolerate transplantation well. Large araucaria will need replanting every 3-4 years. The pots must be wide, with a good layer of drainage; growing araucaria in small pots inhibits the growth of the plant.

Priming. Soil for araucaria requires a slightly acidic reaction. The substrate is made up of turf, leaf, peat soil and sand (1:2:2:1), or clay-turf-leaf soil and sand (2:1:0.5). A mixture of equal parts deciduous, turf and coniferous soil, humus, peat and sand, with the addition of 0.5 parts of coniferous soil.

Araucaria - beautiful plant for hydroponic culture.

Reproduction. Propagated by seeds and semi-lignified stem cuttings.

Seeds are sown immediately after collection, as they quickly lose their viability. They are sown one at a time in pots filled with a mixture of peat soil and sand, adding small quantity charcoal or from leaf, peat, turf soil and sand. Moisten, cover with a layer of sphagnum on top, and place the pots in a room with a temperature of 18-20°C. Periodically spray and ventilate. Shoots appear unevenly, from 2 weeks to 2 months. Seedlings are picked after the appearance of the first bunch of needles, but if the seedlings are planted one at a time in a pot, then they are not picked, but are left until the roots of the plant have entwined the entire lump, after which they are transplanted into large containers.

When propagated by semi-lignified cuttings, they are rooted in March-April. The semi-lignified tops of an adult plant are cut into cuttings, 3-4 cm below the whorl. Before planting, the cuttings are dried in a shady place for 24 hours. Then the sections are cleaned of resinous juice and powdered with charcoal powder. Also, before planting, cuttings can be treated with a root formation stimulator (heteroauxin). Cuttings are planted for rooting one at a time, in a moist substrate consisting of peat and sand (1:1) or simply in sand. Cover the top with a transparent cap (jar, plastic bottle). Rooting occurs faster in a mini-greenhouse with bottom heating. Maintain the temperature within 24-26°C, constantly spray and ventilate regularly. Rooting of araucaria cuttings is a long process, it occurs after 2 months. If the temperature at which the cuttings are kept is low, then rooting can take up to four to five months. After entwining the coma with roots, the rooted cuttings are planted in a substrate suitable for an adult plant.

Possible difficulties

- The top of the araucaria requires very careful handling - there is a growth point there, if damaged, the plant stops normal growth and development.

— In indoor conditions, the plant usually suffers from dry air, low temperatures in winter, and lack of lighting.

— Excessively warm placement or excess water may cause plant branches to droop.

— If the air is too dry and there is a lack of moisture, the shoots turn yellow and dry out, and the needles may fall off.

— With a lack of nutrition, new shoots grow thin.

— If there is an excess of calcium in the soil, plant growth generally slows down.

Discuss this article on the forum

Tags: araucaria, araucaria care, araucaria photo, araucaria, araucaria Chilean, araucaria, araucaria plant, araucaria propagation, araucaria heterophylla, araucaria, araucaria Juss, araucaria, araucaria angustifolia, araucaria brasiliana, araucaria brazilian, indoor spruce, araucaria heterophyl la, Araucaria columnar, Araucaria kuka, araucaria columnaris, araucaria araucana, watering araucaria