A flower with pink dots on the leaves. Variegated flower plants - "highlights" of cottages

Here are the most common plant diseases that are found on indoor flowers. Attention: on any plants in violation of agricultural technology (bay, hypothermia, overfeeding with fertilizers) or when planted in non-disinfected soil, signs of several diseases may appear. In the world around us, not one or two types of microorganisms, but millions. We can guess the disease by single characteristic spots. There are specific diseases that cannot be confused with anything: gray rot (long threads of gray mold), powdery mildew (leaves seem to be covered with white dust), dropsy of leaves in succulents (green pimples, the plant is not depressed), ring patterns from viruses and some other.

But very often, plants manifest several diseases at the same time, for example, in orchids tracheomycosis (fusarium) and at the same time septoria or phyllosticosis. Root rot and alternariosis. The good news is that the ones offered to us in the store are usually effective against many diseases. But do not forget that for personal households (i.e. for the home), drugs of hazard classes 3 and 4 are allowed.

Alternariosis and dry spotting

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Alternaria. The fungus infects mainly leaves, sometimes stems and tubers.

Symptoms: first appear dry brown spots, first of all on the lower, and then on the upper leaves. Usually concentric circles are visible on the spots. With the increase in the spot, it gradually turns black, and gray conidia become visible on it.

Frequent temperature changes and changes in humidity contribute to the spread of the disease, i.e. alternating dry and wet periods. But optimal conditions for the development of the fungus at temperatures above about 25-30°C and humidity up to 90%.

Prevention

Avoid overcrowded plants, cut out excess branches and leaves during. Ventilate the room or greenhouse, if the flowers are on the balcony, make sure that there is good ventilation and mold does not grow on the walls - this is an indicator of microclimate disturbances.

Control measures

Fungicides used to combat alternariosis:

• abiga peak 50 g per 10 liters of water
• acrobat MC 20 g per 5 l of water
• oxychom 20 g per 10 l of water
• hom 40 g per 10 liters of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water

Anthracnose

The causative agent is fungi of the genera Colletotrichum, Gloeosporium, Kabatiella. Palm trees, ficuses, anthurium, etc. are more often affected.

Symptoms: The disease affects the leaves, stems, petioles and fruits of plants. Spots on different plants, and depending on the pathogen look different.

• Kabatiella zeae - causes the formation of small rounded or irregular shape spots, 2-5 mm in diameter with a clear contour. It looks like a yellow spot with a brown or black dot inside. If the spot is larger, instead of a black dot, a dark rim is formed, and inside it is a grayish ring.
• Colletotrichum orbiculare - causes usually reddish-brown, often with a slight yellow border, spots, from 2 to 12 mm. On some plants the spots are pale green. Rounded or elongated in shape. In the affected areas, the spots merge, dry out, become like parchment, crack, holes form.
• Colletotrichum trichellum - large yellowish-brown or gray-brown spots on leaves and stems with dark sporulation pads. If you look closely, it is noticeable that on the spots on the upper side of the leaf, the surface is not smooth, but covered with fluffy hairs of spores, however, the spores are already noticeable when the plant is severely damaged. The spots on the fruits are gray-brown with a dark middle, depressed.

Anthracnose develops rapidly in greenhouse conditions, i.e. at high humidity air (about 90-100%) and elevated temperature 22-27°. And also with frequent (several times a day) spraying of plants. The fungus is frost-resistant - it is preserved in plant debris, in seeds and spreads with water during irrigation.

Prevention

Removal of leaves with suspicious spots, disinfection of the earth, seed dressing. Suspicious plants bought in the store are quarantined. When signs of the manifestation of the disease, it is necessary to stop spraying the plants.

Control measures

Spraying, usually three treatments are enough, using fungicides:

• oxychom 15-20 g per 10 liters of water
• : 100 g per 10 liters of water
• colloidal sulfur: 50-100 g per 10 liters of water
• strobi fungicide, in a system with other fungicides, 4 g per 10 l of water
• abiga-peak: 50 g suspension per 10 liters of water

Ascochitosis

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Ascochyta. The most severe lesions are caused by ascochitosis of chrysanthemums, which most often affects plants of the Compositae family.

Symptoms: at the initial stage, small, only 1-2 mm reddish or brown spots appear on the leaves, sometimes brown, reddish with a yellowish or brown rim, different shapes. The spots increase in size and acquire a dark brown necrotic hue with a yellowish chlorosis border around the edge. Small black spores of the fungus can only be seen under magnification with a magnifying glass. If the growth of the fungus on the stem rings it, then the stem easily breaks.

Sometimes the disease begins with signs of overdrying of the plant - the tips of the leaves begin to dry out, a dark brown stripe forms on the border with healthy tissue. The causative agent is very resistant to deep temperature changes, i.e. tolerates both severe drought and freezing of the soil. Preserved on plant residues, seeds. The disease spreads with the wind, undisinfected soil, water drops.

Prevention and treatment, as in .

Dropsy leaves (edema)

A disease caused not by a fungus or bacteria, but resulting from waterlogging of the soil, often with a lack of lighting. It usually appears in succulents, typical for peperomia, fat women, Kalanchoe, possibly on pelargonium, sheffler.

Symptoms: the plant, most often on the underside of the leaf, barely noticeable pimples appear, they seem watery, but are actually dense, sometimes, like cork growths, some look like warts, the color of the leaf may be preserved, i.e. the spots are green, may acquire a gray necrotic color. This is due to the fact that part of the roots dies (due to overdrying, waterlogging, hypothermia), nutrition is disrupted through the conductive vessels that were supplied by these roots. Since waterlogging is not strong, the soil had time to dry out, rotting did not spread further, but the spots remained. The affected leaves will not recover, but if the plant is given good conditions, the new leaves will be healthy.

The difference between dropsy (edema) and other diseases, root rot is that the plant is not depressed, grows noticeably, and the spots themselves in small areas affect 1-3 leaves on the bush. Leaves with dropsy do not turn yellow, do not dry out and do not fall off!

Treatment and prevention: Adjust watering, do not flood, after heavy watering and when compacting the soil in a pot, loosen the ground. Make up the soil with a high proportion of draining, loosening particles - at least 1/5 or 1/4 of the volume of the pot.

Downy mildew (Peronosporosis)

The causative agents are fungi of the genera Peronospora, Plasmopara, Pseudoperonospora, Mildew. The disease can affect any indoor plants, but the disease is quite rare.

Symptoms: on the upper side of the leaves, yellow, then brown spots of irregular shape are formed, with a false powdery rose of cucumbers, the spots are angular (the specifics of the leaf structure). Gradually, necrosis occurs in these places, and the spots become brown. On the underside of the leaves - at the beginning of the disease, light gray coating from the conidial sporulation of the pathogen that came to the surface of the leaf through the stomata, then this coating gradually turns black. Diseased leaves turn yellow, become wrinkled or corrugated, wither and dry out. The causative agent with a strong degree of damage can penetrate into the vascular system, which is noticeable on the cut in the form of darkened vessels (mycelium and spores).

The disease predominates in heavy acidic soils. Exacerbates the spread of high humidity and poor ventilation. The source of infection is undisinfected soil and seeds.

Prevention

Maintaining low humidity, regular airing, thinning and cleaning the bushes. Change of soil and its disinfection. If signs of the disease are already detected, avoid spraying and watering the leaves when watering.

Seed preparation for sowing:

• immersing them in hot water at 50°C for 20 minutes, followed by rapid cooling in cold water within 2-3 minutes
• soaking in a seed treater, for example, Maxim preparation

Control measures

Removal of diseased leaves and severely affected branches. You can use preparations containing copper: oxychom, cuproxate, 1% solution, ordan. These fungicides are more available (cheap and effective) for the treatment of horticultural and horticultural plants. Can get more modern drugs: quadris, bravo - but they are not sold in small packages, they are intended only for Agriculture(in canisters and bottles), gardeners usually purchase them in collective purchases.

For a simple grower, fungicides are available:

• topaz 4 ml per 10 liters of water
• abiga-peak 50 g suspension per 10 l of water
• oxychom 15-20 g per 10 liters of water, three times

Start the treatment at the first sign of the disease and repeat every 7-10 days, especially carefully treat the underside of the leaves. It is necessary to carry out at least 3-4 treatments.

Preparations: pure flowers, fast, rayok are ineffective against downy mildew.

powdery mildew

A common plant disease caused by fungi of the species Podosphaera fuliginea, Erysiphe cichoracearum and Oidium - powdery mildew on oidium grapes.

Symptoms: at the beginning of the disease, small mealy spots appear on the flowers and leaves. They are easily erased, but then reappear and increase in size, becoming a rich gray color. Gradually, the mycelium thickens and becomes almost brown. Powdery coating can be on both sides of the sheet. The leaves gradually dry up, the buds and flowers crumble, the growth of the plant stops. The most favorable conditions for the development of the disease are high humidity - about 60-80% and warm air within 15-26°C.

From domestic plants, powdery mildew most often affects: laurel, Saintpaulias, gloxinia, roses, gerberas, Kalanchoe, etc.

Prevention

To prevent powdery mildew of indoor plants and flowers, pollination with sulfur can be carried out 3-4 times during the summer. Overfeeding plants with nitrogenous fertilizers, especially during the budding period, increases the risk of powdery mildew. On the contrary, top dressing with phosphorus and potash fertilizers increases the resistance to the powdery mildew pathogen. You should also ventilate the room more often, avoiding cold drafts. Pay attention to the bushes and trees that grow under your windows, if they show signs of disease, you constantly need to be on the lookout - the spores of the fungus are easily carried by the wind.

In addition to sulfur treatment, preventive spraying with whey (backwash) can be carried out. Ordinary whole milk will do, but whey is preferable (less traces on the leaves), you need to dilute with water in a ratio of 1: 3 and spray the plants. For prevention, repeat after 2 weeks.

Fighting powdery mildew at home

If powdery mildew has got on indoor flowers, and violets (Saintpaulia), potted gerberas, indoor roses, then the same means can be used as for garden plants, except for highly toxic ones (bayleton), but preference should be given to fungicides such as topaz, fast.

You can use the preparations Chistotsvet, Skor, Rayok - they are all available in small packaging, contain difenoconazole, dilute 2 ml per 5 liters of water. For fruit trees, vegetables and berries, dilute 2 g per 10 liters of water, maximum 4 treatments: the first - on a green cone, the rest - after 12-14 days, stop treatments 20 days before harvesting.

It is safe enough to spray powdery mildew at home with a solution of soda ash and blue vitriol: dilute 10 g of soda ash and 2 g of soap (household, tar) in 1 liter of water, dissolve 2 g of copper sulfate separately in a glass of water. Pour the copper solution into the soda solution, add water to a liquid volume of 2 liters and spray the plants.

If you heard from someone a recipe for fighting powdery mildew with antibiotics, do not try to repeat it, penicillins, tetracyclines and other antibiotics do not work on fungal infections, in extreme cases, will help from bacteriosis, but no more.

You can use drugs such as Topaz, Vectra, Hom, Oksikhom, Bordeaux liquid (1%). How to get rid of powdery mildew on gooseberries, currants, roses, etc. horticultural crops- read more:.

Spraying with a solution of iodine helps as a preventive measure and treatment: dilute 1 ml of an alcohol pharmaceutical tincture of iodine in 1 liter of water. Roses can be increased in concentration - dilute 1 ml per 400 ml of water.

Septoria

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Septoria.

Symptoms: dark brown or dark gray spots with a yellowish border (on anthurium) or, as on azaleas, small reddish or reddish-yellow spots that gradually increase. Then blackening appears on the spots in the center - the fruiting organs of the fungus, which can even overwinter on the leaves when sub-zero temperature and the disease will begin to spread in the spring. Some forms of septoria have different manifestations (depending on the type of plant):

• Pathogen Septoria albopunctata - looks like small 2-5 mm reddish-purple or brown spots with a gray center. With the development of the disease, the spots increase, and in the center of some of them you can see small dark brown or black spores of the fungus. Over time, the spots merge, turn brown, and the leaf dries out. Ideal conditions for the development of the disease are high humidity and temperatures in the range of 28-31 °.
• The causative agent Septoria populi - the so-called white spot, first causes the formation of small whitish or gray spots with a brown rim around the edge, rounded or oval.

Prevention

Removal of leaves with suspicious spots, disinfection of the earth, seed dressing. With signs of a manifestation of the disease, it is necessary to stop spraying the leaves, improve air circulation (ventilation).

Treatment of septoria

When the spots have already appeared and spread further, spraying should be carried out using chemicals: among them, 1% solution (100 g of copper sulfate + 100 g of lime per 10 l of water diluted strictly according to the instructions), a solution of copper oxychloride (hom, oksihom), copper sulfate (100 g per 10 l of water) are popular in gardening. As well as:

• colloidal sulfur 50-100 g per 10 liters of water
• strobi in a system with other fungicides, 4 g per 10 liters of water
• abiga-peak 40-50 g per 10 liters of water
• fungicides: pure flower, fast, rayok, discor, keeper - any dilute 4 ml per 5 liters of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water

Repeat spraying after 7-10 days.

Gray rot

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Botrytis Botrytis.

Symptoms: most often the affected areas are on the stems in the form of a fluffy grayish-olive coating. With further development, the disease passes to the leaves, ovaries of flowers and fruits.

Over time, the lesion takes the form of dry rot with concentric spots. After a few days, the spot grows and rings the stem. For the first week, there is no sporulation of the fungus on the spot, it turns pale in the center to a straw color, blurry ring-shaped stripes become visible. Gray rot looks like gray loose cotton wool or mold. Inside the stem, tissue necrosis develops, while the vessels die, and the movement of water stops. Escape above this zone withers.

Prevention

Prevention measures include soil disinfection during transplantation (heating in the oven or microwave), regular airing of the rooms, removal of dying leaves and thinning of seedlings, good lighting. Avoid waterlogging the soil, especially when kept cool, if the flowers are on the balcony in early spring or late summer - autumn. When transplanting, trichodermin, barrier, barrier or phytosporin preparations can be applied to the soil (spill the soil).

Control measures

At the first sign of the disease, remove diseased leaves and inflorescences. Sprinkle the affected area with charcoal powder, chalk or wood ash. You can make a paste from the preparation of trichodermin ( a small amount of moisten the powder with water) and smear the affected areas in the same way. Spraying with a solution of topsin-M (0.1%) or a solution of phytosporin (dilute to the color of tea). In case of severe damage, spray:

• (0,2%)
• copper-soap solution: 0.2% copper sulfate and 2% laundry soap
• fungicides: pure flower, fast, rayok - dilute any 4 ml per 5 liters of water

Repeated treatments are carried out after 7-10 days.

sooty fungus

Appears in the form of a dry sooty film on aukuba, buksus, laurels. It is caused by the fungus Capnopodium, which settles on the secretions of aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs. By itself, the plaque is not dangerous for the plant, but it clogs the stomata on the leaves, thereby disrupting the respiration process. The plant slows down growth and weakens.

Control measures: timely spraying from pests that form sweet secretions (aphids, scale insects, thrips). After curing the disease, wipe the affected plants with a sponge dipped in soapy water, rinse with warm pure water, carry out treatment with phytosporin: take a liquid or paste and dilute in a glass of water until the color of weak tea. Spray the leaves.

Sometimes a sooty fungus settles on the surface of leaves affected by other fungi, carefully examine the nature of the spots, put the plant in quarantine.

leaf rust

The causative agent is rust fungi, for example, the genus Phragmidium or Puccinia.

Symptoms: are expressed in the appearance of orange-brown tubercles on the upper surface of the leaf, sometimes yellow or red round spots. With reverse side leaf pustules are clearly visible - pads (like warts) oval or round shape. Gradually, the spots develop into stripes, the leaves turn yellow and fall off.

Prevention

The disease is provoked by uneven watering and high humidity, but even with good care infection is possible at home through garden cut flowers or with new store-bought potted plants, such as gerberas. The infection can also come from garden soil, because rust often affects apple or pear trees.

Control measures

Remove affected leaves and branches. Apply fungicide spray:

• abiga-peak 50 g per 10 liters of water
• bayleton 1 g per 1 liter of water
• Vectra 2-3 ml per 10 liters of water
• 10 g per 1 liter of water
• oxychom 15-20 g per 10 liters of water
• ordan 20 g per 5 liters of water
• strobe
• 4 ml per 10 liters of water
• hom 40 g per 10 liters of water

Repeat the treatment 2-3 times in 10 days. Biological products do not help against rust: phytosporin, bactofit, etc.

Phyllosticosis (brown spot)

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Phyllosticta. Of the domestic flowers, hibiscus, roses, orchids, etc. are susceptible to the disease.

Symptoms: Small dark reddish or dark purple dots first appear on affected plants. They enlarge and turn into brown spots with a purple, almost black border around the edge. The middle of the spot becomes thinner, dries up and falls out in plants with non-leather leaves, holes are formed. When viewed through a magnifying glass, black rounded spores can be seen on the brown areas of the spot. The disease spreads with the wind, undisinfected soil, water drops.

Orchid phyllosticosis manifests itself in small spots about 2 mm in diameter, dark brown in color, slightly depressed, holes do not form, the disease is often called "black spot", since the leaf is dotted with small spots like a rash - the spots do not merge into large ones, remain loose, but the leaf turns yellow, and then the spores of the fungus become noticeable. The disease spreads quite quickly, as orchids are often in an atmosphere of high humidity.

Prevention

Compliance with the rules of care and hygiene - timely watering if necessary, but not more often, pour water only under the root, water should not fall on the root neck, in the axils of the leaves. Use only warm water for irrigation, without chlorine and salts (iron, calcium). Make sure plants get enough light, weakened chlorosis leaves are more susceptible to infection. Ventilate the house or rooms, avoiding drafts. Ventilation must be very good - an indicator of proper ventilation - the absence of mold in the bathroom, the perimeter of the window frame, the corners of the rooms. Observe temperature regime, consider the species requirements of orchids and other plants - deviation from the norm and habitual care weakens the immune system.

Treatment of phyllosticosis

• Vectra fungicide - dilute 2-3 ml of the drug in 10 liters of water
• abiga-peak - 50 g per 5 liters of water
• strobi - 4 g per 10 liters of water
• oxychom 20 g per 10 l of water
• fungicides: pure flower, fast, rayok, discor, keeper - any dilute 1 ml per 1 liter of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water

Spraying at the first signs of the disease or prophylactic, then subsequent with an interval of 7-10 days. In some plants, you can safely remove the affected leaves (for example, in hibiscus), in orchids, do not rush to cut the affected areas to healthy tissue, this can further weaken the plants. You can cut the leaf only when it has already turned yellow. The rest is treated by spraying.

root rot

This is a group of diseases caused by a number of pathogenic fungi of the genera: Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora and others. All these diseases sooner or later appear on the crown, tops of plants, but infection begins through the root system. If the pathogen is serious, and the plant is young (cutting, seedling, seedling), then the leaves do not even have time to start turning yellow - the roots and the lower part of the stem quickly rot.

Orchids, saintpaulias, cacti and succulents are most susceptible to root rot. The reason is a violation of agricultural technology.

The black leg is the scourge of seedlings, manifested in the decay of the lower part of the shoot, the cutting. Rot is the most typical - blackening, softening of tissues. A very part of the black leg affects when the soil is waterlogged, poor aeration, if the clods of earth are so dense that an anaerobic environment is constantly around the roots. The source of infection is unsterilized earth mixtures, inventory, pots and seedling boxes after diseased plants.

late blight

This is a type of root rot. In this case, the plant first slows down growth, fades somewhat, the leaves lose color, become pale, only then the roots rot and the plant dies. The first impression with this disease is that the plant does not have enough water, but after watering the turgor is not restored, and the leaves fade even more. In plants with dense leaves, the leaves do not fade, but are covered with extensive brown spots that start from the central vein.

Prevention

Pick up correct soil for your plants, add more porous, draining materials to structure the soil. Do not use fine river sand or sand from a children's sandbox (quarry) - it cements the earth mixture! Use small pebbles with a particle size of 3-4 mm, such as can be bought in specialized departments and aquarium stores, or sift river pebbles. When planting, add a drug to the plant pot

Make sure that the soil does not become waterlogged, water after the permissible degree of drying: if it is indicated that watering is plentiful, then the soil in the pot should have time to dry out by the next watering by about 1/2 or 1/3 of the upper part of the pot. If you dip your finger into the ground, you will find that the soil is dry on top, and the inside of the pot is slightly wetter (cooler) - then you can water.

If moderate watering is recommended for the plant, then the soil should dry out completely - if you dip your finger into the pot, it should also be dry inside (the finger does not feel that it is cooler, wetter). Of course, you should not stick your fingers into the ground before each watering. Just wait for the soil to dry on top and wait another 2-3 days before watering so that it has time to dry in depth. And if it suddenly gets colder and the temperature drops, you may need to wait even longer - 5-7 days before the next watering.

To propagate indoor plants, cut off only healthy cuttings and leaves. Be sure to sterilize the ground for planting cuttings, especially if you are breeding plants that are very susceptible to late blight and root rot (for example, Gesneria, gardenia, sheffler). Old, already used pots in which the plants died must be scalded with boiling water.

Before planting, soak the seeds in a disinfectant, use, for example, the drug maxim.

Control measures

With a large development of root rot, when a significant part of the roots died off, and most of the shoots drooped, lost their elasticity, treatment is useless. If the tip of the petiole or twig has blackened on rooting, it can be cut off, drop phytosporin into water and put on rooting again.

If the plant shows signs of wilting, while the soil is damp, it is urgent to remove the plant from the pot. Rinse the root system, remove rot. If healthy roots are still preserved, treat them (soak for a few minutes) in a fungicide solution:

• Alirin B - 2 tablets per 10 liters of water
• Hamair - 2 tablets per 1 liter of water
• ordan 5 g per 1 liter of water
• 3 ml per 2 liters of water
• baktofit 10 ml per 5 l of water
• oxychom 10 g per 5 l of water
• hom 20 g per 5 liters of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water

spotting

This is a whole group of diseases that are both fungal and bacterial in nature.

Pathogens - fungi genera Ascochyta, Colletotrichum, Phyllosticta, Pestalotia, Septoria, Vermicularia and others. Spotting is a disease whose causative agent is difficult to identify, it can be anthracnose, septoria, phyllostictosis, ascochitosis, but the specificity of the spots is not pronounced. At the same time, brown spots appear on the leaves of the plant, which, with the spread of the disease, grow in size, merge and affect the entire leaf. If the plant is strong enough, resistant to diseases, or very well cared for, the spots grow slowly and the leaves dry out also slowly.

Prevention of spotting

Contribute to the development of diseases violations of conditions of detention. This waterlogging is especially aggravated by hypothermia of the root system (after watering cold water or when transporting home from the store during the cold season). Spotting can also develop in warm, humid conditions, especially with poor air circulation and planting in dense clay soil.

Avoid large plant crowds and excessive watering. Regularly ventilate the room, greenhouses and provide good lighting. For prevention, water the plants with a solution of the drug or bactofit. Can be added to pots when planting tablets of the drug.

Control measures

In garden conditions, you need to collect and destroy any plant remains stained with dead plants. Prune affected leaves and branches from houseplants. Spray with fungicides that can deal with most fungal infections.

• abiga peak 50 g per 10 liters of water
• acrobat MC 20 g per 5 l of water
• oxychom 20 g per 10 l of water
• hom 40 g per 10 liters of water
• alirin-B 2 tablets per 1 liter of water
• Vectra 3 ml per 10 liters of water
• 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid (100 g of copper sulfate + 100 g of lime per 10 liters of water diluted)
• copper sulfate: 100 g per 10 liters of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water

At home, indoor flowers from spotting should be tried to be treated with more affordable and simple means: use Chistotsvet, Skor, Rayok preparations - they are all available in small packaging, contain the same active ingredient - difenoconazole, you need to dilute 2 ml per 5 liters of water. Spray the leaves with the solution, repeat after 2 weeks. Add zircon to the solution of these fungicides Chistotsvet, Skor, Rayok (6 drops per 1 liter of solution).

Red burn

The causative agent is a fungus of the genus Stangospora Staganospora. A disease characteristic of hippeastrums and some bulbous.

Symptoms: red narrow spots appear on the leaves and peduncles, on which spore-bearing crusts subsequently form, the scales of the bulbs completely turn red. In a diseased plant, the deformation of leaves and flowers begins, flowering does not begin or stops, the bulbs rot.

Treatment

Treatment of bulbs in fungicides. You can use the drug maxim (soaking the bulbs), but it can cause burns of the primordia of the leaves and peduncle - their tips have a very thin epidermis. The third photo - burns from the drug maxim, although the bulbs are cured, the burns will remain.

You can treat the red burn of hippeastrum with other fungicides:

• fundahol (benomyl) 1 g per 1 liter of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water
• oxychom 4 g per 1 liter of water

black spot

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Rhytisma, Dothidella.

Symptoms:

• Rhytisma acerinum - causes the formation of large rounded spots, initially yellowish and blurry. Then black dots appear on them, which gradually merge and form black shiny stromas (nodules), surrounded by a yellowish border. Sometimes there may be no yellowing around the black stroma.
• Rhytisma salicinum - causes similar lesions, only the spots are more convex, more angular in shape, large and small.
• Rhytisma punctatum - causes the appearance of small, dotted or teardrop-shaped, shiny black and bulging stroma.
• Dothidella ulmi - causes the formation of grayish-black, rounded stroma; they are convex, at first shiny, later - rough, like warts.

A combination of conditions contributes to the spread of the disease: high humidity, shading and high temperatures.

Control measures

Spraying with fungicides:

• abiga peak 50 g per 10 liters of water
• acrobat MC 20 g per 5 l of water
• benomyl (foundazol) 1 g per 1 liter of water
• Vectra 3 ml per 10 liters of water
• oxychom 20 g per 10 l of water
• hom 40 g per 10 liters of water
• alirin-B 2 tablets per 1 liter of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water

Spraying three times in 10 days.

Tracheomycosis

Tracheomycosis is a group of diseases called vascular wilt- pathogens enter through the roots and affect the vascular system of plants, clog the lumen of blood vessels with their mycelium, release toxins, the plant does not receive water and nutrients and begins to fade.

Tracheomycoses include diseases such as:

• verticillium wilt (verticillium wilt)
• fusarium wilt (fusarium)
• malsecco in citrus

The symptoms are very similar, all diseases are diagnosed only in the laboratory, all are incurable, they are detected at the stage when pathogenic fungi have already poisoned the vascular system, this is something like blood poisoning in animals. Orchids, phalaenopsis, dendrobiums, cattleyas, etc. are especially affected by tracheomycosis. From other indoor flowers: fuchsias, roses, balsam, begonias, geraniums; from garden: petunias, carnations, chrysanthemums, asters, dahlias. Vegetables prone to tracheomycosis: cabbage, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, lettuce, melons, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, rhubarb.

There are also plants resistant to tracheomycosis: saintpaulia, ageratum, gypsophila, mallow, periwinkle, primrose, zinnia, asparagus, ferns, philodendrons. Of the vegetables, only corn and asparagus can resist.

In foreign practice, all tracheomycotic wilts are simply called: wilt - from wilt - to fade.

verticillium wilt

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Verticillium. It reproduces exclusively asexually - by conidia, infects plant roots and poisons xylem tissues: it grows and reproduces systemically throughout the plant.

Symptoms: in the initial stages of the disease, the lower leaves acquire a grayish-greenish color due to the development of interveinal necrosis. The leaf tissue between the veins turns brown and dries out. Then wilting begins, most of the leaves, starting from the bottom, turn yellow, curl and dry. On the section of the stem, browning of the vessels is noticeable. Vessel lumens are filled with thin multicellular mycelium. Plants lag behind in growth, develop poorly, then die. Sometimes the disease manifests itself on the plant in the drying up and death of individual branches of the bush. If the conditions are favorable, then the disease passes to other branches and the whole plant dies rather quickly. If there are unfavorable conditions for the development of the fungus, then the disease can last for months and part of the plant looks healthy, and part dies off.

The pathogen persists in the soil in the form of microslerotia for several years. Optimum temperature for germination of sclerotia 25-27°, humidity 60-70%. The development of the fungus is most likely on soil with a neutral pH value = 7-7.5. The spores of the fungus germinate and penetrate the conductive tissue, where mycelium develops, causing clogging of blood vessels. Since there is a gradual clogging of the vessels from the bottom up, the wilting of the leaves begins with the lower leaves and gradually covers the entire plant.

Prevention

Do not use garden soil for indoor plants without pre-treatment: pour on a baking sheet with a layer of 5 cm, warm up for maximum temperature 20 minutes. Disinfect seeds by heating and disinfectants (for example, fungicide maxim)

Control measures

Chemical agents, due to the peculiar biology of the pathogen (development in the soil and distribution through conductive vessels), are ineffective. Treatment is possible only in the initial stages, by spraying with foundationazole, vectra (3 ml per 10 l of water) or topsin-M at a concentration of 0.2%.

Fusarium (fusarium wilt)

The causative agent is fungi of the genus Fusarium.

Fusarium develops only on weakened plants, primarily in dying areas. The course of the disease can take place according to the type of tracheomycosis wilt or with rotting of the roots. Plants are affected at any age. The fungus is found in the soil and enters the plant through soil and wounds, with water from natural sources, non-sterile tools during grafting or pruning. The increased humidity of air and soil contributes to the spread of the disease.

Symptoms: In young plants, the disease manifests itself in the form of rotting of the roots and root neck. In these places, the tissues turn brown, the stem becomes thinner, the leaves turn yellow. In affected plants, the tops of the shoots wither (loss of turgor), and then the entire shoot. This happens, as in the case of infection with verticillosis, due to blockage of blood vessels by toxins and enzymes secreted by fungi. Therefore, the darkening of the vessels is also visible on the transverse section. But sometimes tracheomycosis appears only on part of the crown, the rest remains healthy for the time being - then the bush or tree is oppressed, individual branches droop. If you cut off (the cut is clean without darkening) cuttings from healthy branches during the time, you can root and get a healthy plant.

The rate of the course of the disease depends on how favorable the conditions are for the development of the fungus. With high soil and air humidity, as well as temperatures above 18 ° C, the disease can destroy the entire plant in a few days. If the humidity is lowered, then the disease can become chronic, then the plant slowly fades within 3-4 weeks.

Control measures

Removal and destruction of the plant along with a clod of earth. Disinfection of pots with a 5% solution of copper sulfate, bleach, or at least scald with boiling water.

If wilting has just begun, then you can try to treat the plant with fungicides:

• Vectra 3 ml per 10 liters of water
• benomyl (foundazol) 1 g per 1 liter of water for orchids can be 1 g per 100 ml
• alirin B 2 tablets per 1 liter of water
• Vitaros 2 ml per 1 liter of water

Spraying three times, with an interval of 7-10 days.

How to treat orchids: get rid of the old substrate (throw away or boil the bark for at least half an hour). Cutting down rotten roots. Prepare a fungicide solution, and carefully spray the root system and leaves. Leave to dry. Plant in a fresh substrate (large pieces of bark, foam, cork). Do not spray, dip as needed on a short time(5 minutes is enough). It is advisable to keep diseased orchids at a temperature of 23-24 ° C, without drafts, with very intense but diffused lighting (possible under lamps).

The soil for large plantings (growing seedlings and transplanting tub plants) can be prepared by shedding it properly, with a solution of potassium permanganate (pink), Maxim, or applying trichodermin. When working, sterilize tools - a knife, scissors and even garter material (wire, thread) with alcohol.

Standard flowers with variegated leaves very difficult to grow under normal room conditions - they need constant heat and high humidity. Flowers with multi-colored leaves and are more suitable for growing in a small garden.

In this article, we will introduce you to varieties of indoor plants with variegated leaves, such as fittonia, heptapleurum, hypestes, arrowroot, peperomia, plectranthus, poliscias, scindapsus and others.

You can also see photos of flowers with variegated leaves and learn about the care of home flowers with colorful leaves.

Flower with variegated fittonia leaves

There is a dwarf variety of Fittonia with small leaves that is quite easy to grow in the living room. It will grow well in dry air if occasionally sprayed with water.

The variegated-leaved Fittonia flower has leaves with a network of veins. These veins are theirs hallmark- Fittonia Verschaffelt (F. verschaffeltii) has pink veins, while F. silver-veined (F. argyroneura) has silver-white. F.s. Nana (F. a. nana) is an easy-to-grow dwarf form.

Temperature:

Light: Partially shaded location without direct sunlight.

Watering: Water generously from spring to late autumn and moderately in winter. Use warm water.

Air humidity:

Transfer:

Reproduction: Division of plants during transplantation. Planting rooted shoots.

Flower with colorful leaves heptapleurum

HEPTAPLEURUM - fast growing tree plant. Pay attention to the photo of this plant with variegated leaves - it looks like a sheffler, it is quite easy to grow in the presence of warmth in winter, good lighting and humid air.

A flower with multi-colored leaves, heptapleurum will successfully grow as a shrub if the growing point of the main stem is removed. Leaves may fall if conditions suddenly change.

To get an unbranched tree 2 m high, tie the heptapleurum tree (Heptapleurum arboricola) to a peg. There are varieties - Hayata (with grayish leaves), Geisha Girl (with rounded leaf tips) and Variegata (with yellow-variegated leaves).

Heptapleurum, like most indoor flowers with variegated leaves, prefers moderate temperatures. AT winter period the air temperature must be at least 16°C.

Light:

Watering:

Air humidity: Spray the foliage frequently, wash the leaves from time to time.

Transfer:

Reproduction: Stem cuttings in spring or sowing seeds in spring.

A flower with colorful leaves hypestes and its photo

HYPOESTES is grown for its spotted leaves. In good light, their color will be bright - in a shady place, the foliage will turn completely green. This colorful-leaved flower forms small clumps that are pruned regularly to maintain a height of 30-60 cm. After flowering, the plant sometimes becomes dormant; in this case, reduce watering until new shoots begin to grow.

As you can see in the photo, Hypoestes sanguinolenta has a blood-red tint with multi-colored leaves, its foliage is covered with pale pink spots, especially expressive in the Splash variety. To maintain bushiness, pinch the tips of the shoots.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 13°C in winter.

Light: A brightly lit place - a certain amount of direct sunlight enhances the color.

Watering: Keep the substrate evenly moist. Water abundantly from spring to autumn - more sparingly in winter.

Air humidity: Spray the foliage frequently.

Transfer: Repot in spring annually.

Reproduction: Sowing seeds in spring or

Indoor flower with colorful arrowroot leaves

A distinctive feature of the arrowroot is its impressive foliage with colored veins or spots on the background, the color of which can vary from almost white to almost black. This indoor flower with multicolored leaves rarely exceeds 20 cm in height and tends to fold and raise its leaves at night. Maranta isn't particularly difficult to grow, but it's still not a plant for beginner growers.

Varieties white-veined arrowroot(Maranta leuconeura)- massangeana with white veins. A variety with red veins (erythrophylla) is also sold under the name M. tricolor (M. tricolor).

Temperature:

Light: Partially shaded location away from direct sunlight. Move to a brightly lit area in winter.

Watering: Keep the soil moist at all times using soft tepid water. Reduce watering in winter.

Air humidity: Spray the foliage regularly.

Transfer: Repot in the spring every two years.

Reproduction: Division of plants during transplantation.

Home flower with colorful leaves peperomia

Peperomia grow slowly and are suitable for places where space is limited. The inflorescence is a thin vertical spike covered with tiny greenish flowers. There are several ampelous species, but more popular are bush ones with different shapes and colors of leaves. Growing peperomia is easy.

At wrinkled peperomia(Peperomia caperata) corrugated leaves 2.5 cm wide; P. hederaefolia has wavy leaves 5 cm wide; in P. magnoliaefolia (P. magnoliaefolia Variegata) variegated wax leaves size 5 cm.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 10°C in winter.

Light:

Watering: Allow the soil to dry out to some extent between waterings - water very sparingly in winter.

Air humidity: Mist the foliage occasionally in summer and never in winter.

Transfer: Transplant in the spring only if needed.

Reproduction: Stem cuttings in spring.

Indoor flowers with colorful leaves plectranthus

Plectranthus is more like a small simple coleus with drooping stems. These colorful-leaved houseplants are not very popular, although they have many good qualities. Plectranthus can grow in dry air, tolerates temporary dry soil, grows quickly, and will even occasionally bloom. From time to time, pinch the tips of the shoots so that the plants are thick.

Plectranthus Ertendal(Plectranthus oertendahlii) has colored leaves 2.5 cm wide and pink-purple flowers 2.5 cm long. The largest leaves are in the white-lined plectranthus koleusovy (P. coleoides marginatus).

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 10°C in winter.

Light: Bright light or partial shade without direct sunlight.

Watering: Keep the soil moist at all times. Reduce watering in winter.

Air humidity: Spray the foliage from time to time.

Transfer: Repot in the spring every two years.

Reproduction: Stem cuttings in spring or summer.

A plant with multi-colored leaves of poliscias and its photo

The twisted stems and attractive foliage of poliscias give the plants an oriental look. However, they are not popular as they are expensive and easily shed their leaves if their needs are not fully met. The most common polyscias of Balfour.

Pay attention to the photo of this plant with multi-colored leaves - Balfour's polyscias (Polyscias balfouriana) has gray-spotted leaves 8 cm wide; the leaves of its variety Pennockii have yellow veins. Leaves P. shrub (P fruticosa) 20 cm long.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 16°C in winter.

Light: Bright light without direct sunlight.

Watering: Water moderately from spring to autumn - water sparingly in winter.

Air humidity: Spray the foliage frequently.

Transfer: Repot in the spring every two years.

Reproduction: Complicated. Stem cuttings in spring - use hormones to root and heat the substrate.

Flower with variegated leaves scindapsus

SCINDAPSUS is an easy-to-grow plant with leaves flecked with yellow or white color. It may be called golden scindapsus (Scindapsus aureus) and golden pothos (Pothos) in garden centers, and among botanists the name golden epipremnum (Epipremnum aureus) is accepted.

Scindapsus, or golden epipremnum(Scindapsus, or Epipremnum aureus), - liana or ampelous plant; the moss stick is the perfect support. Stems can reach 2 m or more.

Temperature:

Light: Well-lit place without sunlight. The variegation disappears in low light.

Watering: Water abundantly from spring to autumn. Water moderately in winter. Humidity: Mist the foliage frequently.

Transfer:

Reproduction: Stem cuttings in spring - use hormones to root. Keep in the dark until rooted.

Houseplant with variegated leaves ragwort

The ragwort is a complex genus that includes flowering species, succulent species, and false ivy-like creepers. Like true ivy, they have lobed leaves and stems that hang down or form on a support, but their lobes are more pointed and fleshy. They grow better in dry air than true ivy.

At ragwort large-tongued(Senecio marcroglossus variegatus) leaves with yellow edges on stems up to 3 m long. K. shiny, or mikanioides (S. mikanioides) can also reach a length of 3 m.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 10°C in winter.

Light: Bright light - some direct sunlight is useful in winter.

Watering: Keep the soil moist at all times - reduce watering in winter.

Air humidity: Spray the foliage from time to time.

Transfer: Repot in late spring every two years.

Reproduction: Stem cuttings in spring or summer.

Home flower with colorful sansevieria leaves

Sansevieria tristripe is the most popular type of house plant with colorful leaves. This is a very resistant (unpretentious) plant - vertical succulent leaves withstand drafts, dry air, bright sun, dense shade and direct sunlight. In good conditions, it produces inflorescences with fragrant small white flowers.

Sansevieria tristripe(Sansevieria trifasciata)- species with completely green leaves 30 cm -1 m high; its variety laurentii is variegated, Golden hahnii is a dwarf 15 cm high.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 10°C in winter.

Light: Bright light with some sun, but can grow in shade.

Watering: Water moderately from spring to autumn; once every 1-2 months in winter.

Air humidity:

Transfer: Rarely needed - repot if the pot is damaged.

Reproduction: Separate the offspring at the base, cutting them off, let them dry before planting in the compost.

Flower with variegated sheffler leaves

Unfortunately, shefflera does not bloom under room conditions. She has finger-shaped glossy leaves arranged in rays, like the spokes of an umbrella. It is not difficult to grow a sheffler.

Young Schefflera radiata(Schefflera actinophylla) is an attractive shrub, and in adulthood a tree 1.8-2.5 m high. W. palmate (S. digitata) is smaller. In Sh. eight-leaved (S.octophyllum) leaves with distinct veins.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 13°C in winter. If possible, avoid temperatures above 21°C.

Light: A brightly lit place away from direct sunlight.

Watering: Water abundantly from spring to autumn. Water moderately in winter.

Air humidity: Spray the foliage frequently.

Transfer: Repot in the spring every two years.

Reproduction: Complicated. Stem cuttings in summer. Use hormones to root and heat the substrate.

Houseplant with colorful nolin leaves

Nolina is grown as a tall solitary plant that does not require much attention. The swollen bulbous base accumulates water, so temporary drying of the soil will not harm it. She has a lush "tail" of long belt-like leaves. Nolina is sometimes sold under the name Beaucarnea recurvata.

There is one species on sale - tuberculate nolina (Nolina tuberculata). It grows slowly, but over time the trunk will reach a height of 2 m or more, and the base of the trunk will be swollen like a huge onion.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 10°C in winter.

Light: Brightly lit places - a certain amount of sunlight is useful.

Watering: Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out moderately. Avoid over-wetting.

Air humidity: Spraying is not necessary.

Transfer: Repot, if necessary, in the spring.

Reproduction: Separate and plant offspring during transplantation. It's not easy - it's better to buy new plants.

yucca plant

Mature yucca is lovely false palm for a hallway or large room. She will need a deep, well-drained container that can be moved outdoors in the summer and in an unheated, well-lit area in the winter. White bell-shaped flowers may appear after a few years.

A tree trunk 1-1.5 m high bears a rosette of long leathery leaves. Yucca elephantfoot (Yucca elephantipes) is safer than Yucca aloe (Yaloifolia) with sharp xiphoid leaves.

Temperature: Moderate - keep in a cool place during the winter (minimum 7°C).

Light: Pick the brightest spot you can.

Watering: Water abundantly from spring to autumn. Water moderately in winter.

Air humidity: Spraying is not necessary.

Transfer: Repot in the spring every two years.

Reproduction: Separate and plant offspring or root cuttings from trunk sections.

Flower with variegated radermacher leaves

Radermacher is grown as a single tree indoors. It has large, compound leaves that bear glossy, deeply veined leaflets with long, tapering tips. Central heating is not a problem when growing it because it tolerates dry air well.

Radermacher grown as indoor plant, may indicate on the labels as Radermachera sinica, R. Danielle or Stereospermum suaveolens. There is a variegated form.

Temperature: Moderate - minimum 10-13°C in winter.

Light: Brightly lit areas, but protect from midday summer sun.

Watering: Keep the soil moist at all times - avoid waterlogging.

Air humidity: Spraying is not necessary.

Transfer: Repot, if necessary, in the spring.

Reproduction: Stem cuttings in summer.

Codiaeum (Codiaeum) - an evergreen shrub with large leathery leaves, very diverse in shape and color. In some varieties of the flower, the codiaum sheet plates so bizarre or elegant, and the coloring is multi-colored and artistic, that the whole bush looks like a huge exotic plant.

The main advantage of this codiaum flower is its longevity; with good care, it will not wither for many years. AT South-East Asia and on the islands of the Pacific Ocean there are about 15 species belonging to this genus of the Euphorbia family. In nature, these are large shrubs or evergreen trees about 3-4 m high. In indoor floriculture, only the variegated codiaum species (Codiaeum variegatum), or croton, and numerous hybrids and varieties derived from it, are used.

Indoor flower codiaum variegated or croton

Variegated codiaum, or croton (Codiaeum variegatum var. Pictum) - an evergreen shrub up to 1.5 m high with large (about 30 cm long), leathery, shiny leaves of various shapes - narrow or wide, laurel-shaped or ribbon-shaped, spirally twisted or fancifully -cut out.

The young leaves of the indoor flower codiaum, located in the upper part of the bush, are green or slightly yellowish, but as they grow older, their mottled multi-colored color appears: yellow, red, orange, brown, located in spots or along the veins. In some varieties, such an intricate pattern can be traced on the leaves that it seems as if an artist decorated it.

Croton very rarely blooms at room conditions, and if it blooms, then it is better to cut off the flowers, as they greatly weaken the plant, and do not differ in special beauty. The croton flower is strewn with small white-yellow balls with fluffy stamens, collected in loose racemose inflorescences.

Varieties of codiaum (croton) in the photo

There are many varieties of codiaum on sale, differing in the variety of colors, the shape of the petals and the height of the stem.

Aucubofolia- yellow pattern on green leaves resembles the color of aucuba leaves.

Baron J. de Rotschild- leaves of different ages change color from olive green to pink and orange. As can be seen in the photo of the croton, the veins on all the leaves of this variety of codiaum are underlined in red.

Batic- the leaves seem to be painted using the batik technique.

Bravo- leaves are green with yellow spots.

Norma- the main background of the leaf is green with yellow spots and red veins.

Goldfinger- the leaves are long, narrow, green in color, a yellow stripe runs along the central vein.

Mrs Iceton- the leaves are large, elliptical in shape, young leaf plates are colored yellow-green, and more "adult" red-orange with a transition to dark green.

spiral- red and green leaves are twisted spirally.

Yellow Snow - yellow spots on a green background, reminiscent of snow flakes.

There are varieties of codiaum, photos of which are presented in our photo gallery, with less artistic coloring of the leaves. However, this is offset by their intricate shape.

Golden Bell- leaves with constrictions.

Mammie- leaf plates are strongly twisted.

Mascarena- the leaves are straight, narrow, but hanging down, and not directed upwards as in other varieties of codiaum.

Сraigii and Нoluffiana- varieties with lobed leaves.

In the design of the premises, the plant can be used both as a tapeworm and in flower arrangements.

Caring for codiaum (croton) at home

Codium (croton) is often, by analogy with other euphorbia, referred to undemanding plants. However, in order to see the plant in all its glory, you will have to try to provide it with optimal conditions. The main one is constancy, that is, the level of illumination, temperature, watering and air humidity all year round should be approximately the same. However, it should be taken into account that the bright lighting, which is necessary for the richness of colors on the leaves, happens in the southern window in winter, and in the summer the same lighting is on the east or west. When caring for codiaum at home, care should be taken to protect the plant from direct sunlight, which can cause burns on the leaves.

The temperature in winter should be maintained at +18 +24 °C. Watering should be such that the clod of earth is constantly wet, that is, plentiful in summer, but without stagnant water ( good drainage obligatory) and rarer in winter. AT hot weather and during the heating season, croton must be often sprayed, even washed. If the air is very dry, the codiaum indoor flower can shed its foliage, and a new one will never grow in place of the lost leaf. The plant does not tolerate the presence of lime in the water.

During the period active growth, in spring and in the first half of summer, croton is fed every 2 weeks, if possible with alternating mineral and organic fertilizers.

Croton care at home involves an annual transplant of young plants. The codiaum flower is transplanted necessarily by the transshipment method, since its roots are very easily injured. Older crotons can be transplanted every 2-3 years. A compact crown is formed by pruning, which can be carried out throughout the year. On young shoots with three or four formed leaves, pinch the growth point, which slows down the growth of shoots in length and stimulates their branching. The codiaum is propagated by apical cuttings, which are rooted in any substrate or even in water. To speed up the process, it is better to use phytohormones.

Plant dieffenbachia (lat. Dieffenbachia) belongs to the genus of evergreen plants of the Aroid family, growing in the tropical zone of the American continent. The dieffenbachia flower was named by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott, an Austrian botanist, after a senior gardener botanical garden at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna by Joseph Dieffenbach. In nature, there are about 40 species of dieffenbachia. Room dieffenbachia is different rapid growth- some species can reach a height of two or more meters in five years.

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Planting and caring for dieffenbachia (in short)

• Bloom: decorative leafy plant.
• Lighting: bright diffused light for variegated forms, light partial shade for a view with green leaves.
• Temperature: in summer - 20-30 ˚C, in winter - not lower than 15 ˚C.
• Watering: plentiful in summer, moderate in winter.
• Air humidity: increased - 65%. Regular foliar spraying is recommended.
• Top dressing: once every three weeks during the period of active growth with lime-free mineral solutions at a concentration two times weaker than recommended.
• rest period: from September to March.
• Transfer: from February to May, when the pot becomes small for the plant.
• Reproduction: apical and stem cuttings, air layers and in rare cases seeds.
• Pests: aphids, thrips, scale insects, spider mites, mealybugs.
• Diseases: bacteriosis, root rot, anthracnose, leaf spot, fusarium, leaf bronze and mosaic viruses.
• Properties: The sap of the plant is very poisonous and can cause burns.

Read more about growing Dieffenbachia below.

Dieffenbachia flower - features

For all dieffenbachia, a common feature is a thick, juicy stem, bearing large, oval leaves. The Dieffenbachia leaf is an amazing creation of nature, although breeders have made their own contribution to the creation of many varieties and hybrids with different leaf colors. The growth point of dieffenbachia is usually located at the top of the shoot, although there are species in which dormant points are located at the base of the shoots, and therefore they are able to bush. The inflorescence of representatives of this genus, like that of other Aroids, is in the form of an ear, but Dieffenbachia rarely blooms at home. And flower growers are not interested in the flowering of dieffenbachia: dieffenbachia flowers attract the eye with the beauty of their large variegated leaves.

- a unique plant. Get acquainted with a number of features that distinguish the Dieffenbachia indoor flower:

• dieffenbachia is poisonous, so pruning and transplanting the plant must be carried out, observing safety measures;
• dieffenbachia grows very quickly - under favorable conditions for it, it releases a new leaf weekly, but as it grows, its trunk becomes bare in the lower part, the plant loses its decorative effect, and it has to be cut off with subsequent rooting;
• dieffenbachia does not tolerate a sharp cold snap and drafts at all and loves moisture very much;
• dieffenbachia does not tolerate lime, so water for irrigation and spraying should be settled or filtered. You can use rain or boiled water.

These not very attractive properties of dieffenbachia, however, do not detract from its indisputable merits, the most important of which is beauty and impressiveness.

Dieffenbachia care at home

How to care for dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia prefers bright diffused light without direct sunlight, and varieties with variegated leaves need more light than plain green ones, otherwise their original color will fade. The best place for this rather large plant is at a distance of a meter or two from a brightly lit window. You can keep dieffenbachia and not so close to the window, but then you have to use an additional artificial lighting. The temperature in summer is preferably between 20 and 30 ºC, in winter - not below 15 ºC, and remember - no drafts, or dieffenbachia will start to lose leaves. Dieffenbachia should be watered abundantly in the warm season, but still the soil in the pot should not resemble liquid mud. AT cold period watering, respectively, is reduced, but the earthen ball should not dry out even in winter. Dieffenbachia requires high humidity (65%), so spraying and washing the leaves is a must, and the more often you do this, the better Dieffenbachia will feel. And for watering, and for wiping, and for spraying, you can use only settled or boiled water. Sometimes, however, it is possible to arrange a plant, if it is small in size, not a cold shower, but at the same time water should not fall into the ground.

Dieffenbachia care involves seasonal top dressing. Fertilize dieffenbachia, like most other plants, in the spring and summer, applying liquid mineral or organic fertilizers that do not contain lime, once a decade at half the recommended dose. By the way, varieties of dieffenbachia with white leaves from the nitrogen contained in complex fertilizers lose this varietal property, becoming greenish, so they are not fertilized with organic matter, but mineral supplements deposited every 20 days.

How to transplant dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is transplanted as the pot space is filled with roots, sometimes it has to be done twice a year, and the best time for this procedure the period from February to May. The pot is chosen a couple of centimeters in diameter larger than the old one, a decent layer of drainage is placed in it and the dieffenbachia is transferred into a new pot with earthy clod, but cleaned of adhering fragments of the old drainage. Then add the required amount of fresh slightly acidic loose substrate, consisting of two parts leaf ground, one part of peat, one part of crushed sphagnum and half of river sand.

How to prune dieffenbachia

Sometimes it is necessary to remove damaged Dieffenbachia leaves that cats like to eat, in addition, if the plant grows too quickly, some measures must also be taken. In such cases, dieffenbachia pruning is used. First of all, blot the damaged leaf with a napkin so that the poisonous juice does not splash into your eyes when pruning, then cut off the leaf or part of the trunk with a clean knife or blade treated with alcohol for disinfection. Places of cuts should be blotted again with a napkin that will absorb the juice, and treated with crushed charcoal. Pruning should be done with gloves, and the remaining parts of the plant can be used for propagation.

Dieffenbachia - harm or benefit?

If dieffenbachia juice gets on the mucous membrane or skin, it will cause burning, redness, swelling and temporary numbness, as with local anesthesia. And if, God forbid, it ends up in the stomach, then profuse salivation, vomiting and paralysis of the vocal cords will almost certainly follow, so dieffenbachia should be at home out of the reach of children. If trouble occurs, rinse your mouth immediately. large quantity water, take Activated carbon And just in case, consult your doctor. In the homeland of the plant, it is considered a weed, it is ruthlessly destroyed, making sure that its remains do not get into livestock feed. They made poison for rodents and insects from it and used it as a rod to punish slaves who suffered for a week after the execution. However, indoor dieffenbachia are much less poisonous than their wild sisters.

On the other hand, dieffenbachia is undoubtedly beneficial: NASA data show that this plant, along with ficus and dracaena, cleans the air of toxins such as formaldehyde, trichloroethane, xylene and benzene. Therefore, at home the best place for dieffenbachia - your kitchen.

Dieffenbachia reproduction

Propagation of dieffenbachia by apical cuttings

This is the easiest way to dispose of an old plant with a bare stem from time to time. How to root dieffenbachia? The cut top, after wetting the poisonous juice on the cut, is placed in water, moss, wet sand or a mixture of sand and peat for rooting. The main thing is to regularly spray the stalk, protect it from direct sunlight and keep it in moderate heat (21-24 ºC). If you root the cutting in water, then let the roots grow to 2-3 cm, and then plant it in the Dieffenbachia substrate in a permanent pot.

Dieffenbachia propagation by stem cuttings

Cut the rest of the plant, that is, the bare trunk sticking out of the pot, into pieces with at least one knot in the middle, leaving only a stump no higher than 10 cm in the pot. cling film and keep at about 25 ºC. When the parts take root, transplant them to a permanent place in the usual Dieffenbachia substrate. A stump will also come in handy: leave it in a pot, continue to water moderately, and after a while a new shoot will appear from the top node. Wait for 2-3 leaves to appear on it, then cut and plant in soil to root. How many knots remain on the stump, so many new shoots will develop on it.

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Hello beauty lovers. Today we will talk about indoor plants with white flowers.

Beautiful flowering plants have always been especially popular among flower growers and ordinary connoisseurs of beauty.

And recently, flowers began to play the role of the finishing touch in interior design. Combinations of two colors have come into fashion: yellow and brown, red and black, but the most sophisticated solution is the interior in white and green tones.

No designer's imagination can surpass harmony and perfection green houseplant with white flowers and, beautiful by nature.

Gardenia (Gardenia)- a low evergreen shrub of the madder family, originally from South Africa, India, China. In nature, there are up to 250 species of this small tree.

Gardenia jasminoides (Gardenia jasminoides) is the most popular among flower growers. Bush with dark green glossy leaves, rather large, with depressed veins.

Creamy white flowers, collected in corymbose inflorescences, each - 4-6 pieces or single, double and semi-double, 5-7 cm in diameter. The aroma is sweet, intense, with notes of jasmine.

At home, gardenia grows up to 45–50 cm. Flowering begins in July and continues until the end of October.

Gardenia is very demanding, it must be taken care of exclusively according to all the rules. But there are not many of them:

• slightly acidic or neutral soil;
• watering timely, no frills;
• mandatory spraying of water around the bush;
• temperature - strictly within the range of 16 to 22 ° C;
• a bright place, but at the same time protected from the direct rays of the sun;
• after flowering, formative pruning is necessary.

Jasmine belongs to the olive family, distributed in Asia, Transcaucasia in northern China. Flowers at different types are white, yellow, pink.

Jasmine officinalis (Jasminum officinale) has exceptionally white fragrant flowers - the most common species for growing at home.

In form - a liana with gradually woody stems, pinnate leaves, white flowers, collected 5-6 in a racemose inflorescence. The diameter of the flowers is 2.5 cm. The plant blooms all summer, but only upon reaching adulthood.

Jasmine is quite unpretentious, he gratefully responds to care, and he does not need so much:

• a brightly lit place with shading during the hottest hours;
• moderate watering, the earth should always be wet;
• regular spraying of leaves;
• room temperature is moderate, jasmine prefers wintering to be cool (up to + 7 ° C), and in summer - stay in the fresh air;
• soil for young plants - clay-turf with leaf and sand, for adults - clay-turf;
• time for transplantation - March.

Zephyranthes white(Zephyranthes candida) is a member of the Amaryllis family, common in Central and South America.

In nature, there are up to 40 species of zephyranthes. This plant is bulbous, perennial, with small rounded bulbs (3–4 cm in diameter).

The leaves are narrow, belt-like, up to 30 cm long, 0.5 cm wide. Each peduncle (about 20 cm long) has a single flower. Perianth funnel-shaped, about 6 cm in diameter, white on the inside, pinkish on the outside.

Blooms from July to October. For a special straight and high peduncle, the plant was popularly called the upstart.

In order for the plant to please with normal growth and abundant flowering, several conditions must be observed:

• the temperature optimal for zephyranthes is 17–23°С during the growing season, during the dormant period - 12–14°С;
• watering is moderate, if during the dormant period the plant began to lose leaves, then watering should be stopped and the bulbs should be kept dry, if the leaves remain, water occasionally;
• a well-lit sunny place, zephyranthes is not afraid of bright light and direct sunlight;
• in summer, in a room with dry air, you need to periodically spray the plant;
• transplanting is often not recommended, it should be done in the spring, no more than once every 3-4 years or when the pot has become cramped;
• soil must contain equal parts: clay-soddy soil, leafy, peat, sand and humus.

Spathiphyllum(Spatiphyllum) - from the aroid family, it is called differently. Distributed in South America, Polynesia, East Asia.

He is different unique feature: under favorable conditions, flowering continues all year round. And for the first time, the flowering period begins in him in a very young age- at 6-7 months.

Spathiphyllum profusely flowering usually has an underground creeping stem, oblong-lanceolate leaves pointed at the end. Its peduncle reaches 25 cm in height, the inflorescences are cobs with a slightly concave pure white veil.

This houseplant with white flowers requires favorable conditions for itself. Here is a short list of them:

• loves heat, the optimal range is from 22 to 26 ° C, occasionally dormant periods are needed at a lower temperature (14 ° C) lasting 2-3 weeks;
• it is desirable to isolate the plant from drafts;
• lighting is bright, but at the same time diffused, shading from direct sunlight, additional lighting in winter;
• watering plentiful, more moderate in winter;
• regular spraying, flowers and buds should be covered,
• leaves need washing;
• the composition of the soil should contain two parts of soddy soil and one part of leaf, peat, humus and sand.

Eucharis(Eucharis), or otherwise - the Amazonian lily. Representative of the Amaryllis family, native to tropical America. Eucharis is a bulbous plant with wide leathery dark green leaves.