Fittonia is a beauty with a capricious character. Fittonia

The tropical forests of South America are a paradise for naturalists and botanists. Even in the last century, among lush greenery scientists were attracted by decorative leafy species of Fittonia. In fact, the plant is not at all large, and if it were not for the original color of oval or ovoid leaves, the creeping shoots of Fittonia would have been waiting for their researcher for a long time.

But how to get past the green-pink, white-green, purple, violet or olive-carmine curtains?

Named after the Fitton sisters, British botanist promoters, Fittonia has become an incredible success with amateur flower growers around the world thanks to the incredible coloring of the leaves.

Classifications and interesting facts about Fittonia

Today, many varieties of this crop have been bred, the famous giant and dwarf fittonia, but scientists have not come to a consensus regarding the classification of the plant.

One school of botanists distinguishes three independent species:

• Fittonia Vershafelt (Fittonia vershaffeliti);
• silver-veined fittonia (Fittonia argyroneura);
• Giant Fittonia (Fittonia gigantea).

However, this opinion has many opponents who believe that Fittonia is single view, only with rare variability. Obviously, the supporters of both theories have their own arguments. It can only be said for sure that the vast majority of cultivated varieties of a perennial herbaceous plant were obtained with the help of breeding work and are not found in nature.

From their natural ancestors indoor views fittonia received:

• love for moisture;
• capricious disposition, worthy of such bright beauties;
• climbing, creeping or erect shoots;
• inconspicuous, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences, white or yellowish flowers.

It is the inconspicuous flowering that the plant owes to the brightness of the leaves, which serve as bait for Fittonia pollinating insects.

In addition, there are some more Interesting Facts about Fittonia, which will be curious to her fans.

The unusual color of the leaf plates serves as a warning to herbivores that can harm not only small plants, but also themselves. Although official sources do not mention the toxicity of certain types of Fittonia, local residents have long been collecting and heating its leaves. The drink obtained from them is used as a medicine for headaches and toothaches, as well as during Indian rituals as a hallucinogen.

Types of Fittonia for home growing

Named after the German botanist of the century before last, Fittonia Verschaffelt is a small herbaceous plant. In nature and in pot culture, the flower is grown as a perennial. And his characteristic feature are willingly branching creeping shoots covered with pubescent ovate or oval leaves.

The leaf plates of Fittonia Verschafelt cannot be confused with any other culture. The network of veins on them is painted in shades contrasting with the rest, which makes the 10-15 cm plant incredibly noticeable, unique. Once on fertile soil, shoots at the nodes quickly give roots and take root. This variety traditionally includes plants with bright pink, purple, burgundy veins.

Flowering, like other types of Fittonia, is very modest. Above the cap of greenery, green inflorescences-ears appear with single yellowish flowers covered with stipules.

The silver-veined Fittonia group includes plants with white or silver veins on a dark, purple, brownish or light green background. You can hear that this species is called white-veined Fittonia, which is also true, but is considered a somewhat outdated version of the name.

Within the population there are quite large varieties, small-leaved varieties and real dwarfs, sincerely loved by flower growers involved in the design of terrariums and decorative aquariums. An example of such a dwarf fittonia is F. argyroneura Nana with leaves no more than 2–3 cm long.

Fittonia giant is a giant exclusively among its fellows. The height of the plant does not exceed half a meter, and the length of velvety, slightly compressed leaves along the veins reaches 15 cm. The “record” size of the flower is due not to creeping, like in other species, but to erect or slightly decumbent stems.

The ovate leaves with a pointed tip can be either dense green or crimson-purple. At the same time, the network of veins is not as noticeable as on small plants, and is colored in reddish or pinkish tones.

Fittonia varieties for indoor floriculture

Flower shops most often offer flower growers small pots of young plants adorned with Fittonia Mix labels. Beginners mistake the inscription for the name of a variety, but connoisseurs know that this is just a commercial name for hybrid plants for commercial use.

They are unpretentious, compact, decorative and adapted to growing in indoor pot or aquarium. However, in order to collect a truly precious collection of Fittonia, you should pay attention to varietal specimens.

The variety of room fittonia Fortissimo is distinguished by an oval or almost rounded shape of small leaves, on which a bright network of red-pink veins flaunts.

The wide-lanceolate leaves of Fittonia Frankie are painted in delicate pink or coral tones, on which scatterings of green splashes and the same thin flounce along the edge of the plate look especially elegant.

Magnificent fittonia variety Josan combines all shades, red, coral pink, green. Young leaves are noticeably lighter. Which perfectly highlights the centers of the rosettes and gives the whole curtain a wonderful volume.

The Fittonia Red variety is addressed to original natures. This is a real riot of colors, and the traditional green here plays only the role of a thin edging.

Breeders have long been working on entire collections of Fittonia varieties and hybrids. An example of this is the Fittonia Red Vein series dedicated to wine with dark green leaf plates pierced with bright wide red veins.

Fittonia silver-veined Pink Vein is more tender than her "sister" in the family. The plant has white-pink veins, the color of which is much richer on young foliage.

Fittonia White Vein has fresh, spring-like foliage. green tint, and the network of veins shines snow-white.

Although White Anne is also a silver-veined Fittonia, it gives a very different impression. The leaf plates are corrugated along the edge and framed with a dark green border. And the chalky white veins, spreading, occupy the entire area of ​​the leaf.

Among flower growers, Fittonia Skeleton with greenish-yellow leaves, dotted with a network of pink veins, enjoys special recognition.

Dwarf Fittonia Perseus belongs to the vast group of Vershafelt Fittonia. A small, barely reaching a height of 10-12 cm, the plant has creeping pubescent stems covered with oval-pointed leaves. On the green background color of the leaf plates, pink or crimson veins are clearly visible.

The original fittonia of the Mosaic Kings Cross variety most of all resembles sea foam or exquisite lace. Corrugated pointed leaves are almost entirely painted white. The thinnest edging with a scattering of small splashes reminds of greenery.

Fittonia is a delicate herbaceous plant with flexible shoots and an unusual contrasting pattern along the veins. It belongs to the Acanthus family and lives in Peru and other countries of South America. Although Fittonia is able to bloom, in culture it is valued precisely for its beauty and exquisite pattern on soft leaves. Compact vegetation is suitable for small spaces. It will completely hide the soil in the pot and can be used in company with indoor trees. The nature of the tropical guest is rather obstinate, so at home you will have to strictly follow the rules of care, otherwise the lush bush will not grow.

plant description

Fittonia is a herbaceous perennial. It consists of flexible branched shoots that spread along the ground. The height of the shoot does not exceed 10 cm. root system Fittonia superficial, fibrous. The soft, hairy stems also take root quickly when in contact with the soil.

Opposite petiolate oval leaflets grow close to each other on shoots. They have a blunt edge and a smooth surface. On the back there is a rare short pile. The length of the leaf is 6-10 cm. Shiny thin strips are located along the veins on the olive-green leaf plate. On young leaves, they are painted in a silvery, yellow or pink tone, and with age they become greenish.

In spring or summer, a long bare peduncle grows from the axils of the leaves. It bears many small buds collected in spike-shaped inflorescence. Flowers bloom in turn from bottom to top. They have no aesthetic value. Small yellow corollas of the correct form are located close to each other and sit tightly on the shoot. From the bottom they are hidden by a single large bract. The diameter of the flower with a bract does not exceed 1 cm.

Indoor varieties of fittonia

The genus Fittonia is small. It has only 10 plant species. Of these, only a few are used as indoor flowers.

This species is the most widespread. Based on it, several spectacular ornamental varieties. The plant consists of flexible, branched stems covered with a short, silvery pile. Oval or ovate leaves are large in size. Their length is 5-10 cm, and their width is 4-5 cm. Base sheet plate rounded and takes a slightly pronounced heart-shaped shape. The surface of the leaf is olive or dark green. It has silvery or carmine-red veins. Varieties:

• silver fittonia - smaller leaves are covered with a gray-white mesh;
• fittonia red - the mesh along the veins is colored red, pink or purple color with a more saturated center or, conversely, an edge;
• josan - leaves with wavy edges and a lighter center are covered with a pink mesh and edged with a dark green stripe;
• White Anna - dark green leaves with a lighter center are covered with a very thin silver mesh.

Fittonia giant (large). The only species with upright branched shoots. Its height reaches 60 cm. Red-purple stems are covered with soft pile. They grow large oval leaves on short petioles. The size of the leaf plate is 10-16 cm long and 4-10 cm wide. The leaf surface is shiny. A small red pattern is visible on a dark green leaf.

Reproduction methods

Indoor Fittonia flower reproduces well vegetative ways. The best time for procedures - spring or summer, when daylight hours are large enough.

To get a new plant from a cutting, you should cut off the top of the shoot from 8 cm long. It should have 3-5 healthy leaves. Rooting is carried out in wet sand or in water at a temperature of + 26 ... + 28 ° C. Need to cover the plant plastic bag. Several times a week, the cap is removed and the condensate is removed. The process takes 1.5-2 months. With the appearance of roots, cuttings can be planted in the ground for adult plants.

A heavily overgrown bush must be divided into several parts during transplantation. To do this, the flower is taken out of the pot and, with great care, is freed from the earthy coma. It is important to cause a minimum of damage to the rhizome. With a sharp blade, the plant is divided into parts and immediately planted separately.

Since Fittonia shoots take root on their own upon contact with the soil, reproduction by layering is the most painless and fastest. It is enough to bend the shoot to the soil in the same pot or in another container and lightly press down. The top must remain free. Only after the formation of roots is the sprout cut off from the mother plant.

Home care

Fittonia refers to demanding plants who need a few minutes of attention every day. To move to long vacation and leave the flower unattended will not work.

Lighting. A flower pot is placed in a place with bright diffused light. It can be an east or west window. On the southern windowsill on a summer afternoon, the leaves are shaded so that there are no burns. In winter or on the north window, backlight is used. In low light, the stems stretch and the distance between the nodes increases, and the contrast of the pattern on the leaves also decreases.

Temperature. Heat-loving Fittonia needs to be kept warm throughout the year. Optimum temperature is +22…+25°C. In winter, it can be slightly lowered (up to 18°C). If it is too hot in summer, you need to ventilate the room more often. It is not recommended to expose the flower to the street. In our climate, nighttime cooling will be too sharp for him. Drafts are also detrimental to the plant.

Humidity. Fittonia need high humidity. It is sprayed daily or placed near water bodies, pallets with moss and wet expanded clay. Due to its miniature size, it is convenient to grow a flower in an aquarium or a large flask, where its own microclimate is maintained.

Watering. In the warm season, Fittonia is watered often and plentifully. The soil should dry out only on the surface. However, water stagnation should not be allowed. All excess immediately after watering is removed from the pan. When the temperature drops, irrigation and spraying are reduced so that the fungus does not develop.

Fertilizers. In April-October, Fittonia is fed twice a month with a mineral complex. It is best to use half a serving at a time. The composition is diluted in water for irrigation and applied to the soil.

Pruning. Over time, the shoots may become too long and bare at the bottom. To prevent this, you need to regularly pinch the tips and cut the flower. Pruning is carried out in the spring. The stems are shortened by half. Too radical a haircut can slow down growth and reduce decorativeness, so it is better to do it little by little in several stages.

Transfer. A plant with a superficial rhizome is placed in flat and wide pots. Fittonia mix looks very nice in a rectangular or round wide pot, where from several miniature plants constitute interesting compositions like a carpet woven by a skilled craftsman. A thick drainage layer must be laid out at the bottom. The space between the roots is filled soil mixture from equal parts:

• sand;
• coniferous land;
• leaf land;
• peat.

Transplantation is desirable to be carried out annually. Fittonia grows quickly, so after 2-3 years it is completely rejuvenated.

Difficulties in care

The most common diseases of Fittonia are fungal infections (root rot, powdery mildew, leaf mosaic). They occur when using a low-quality substrate, contact with another infected plant, as well as when improper watering and low temperatures in room.

With improper care appearance Fittonia is deteriorating significantly, but the situation can be corrected if agricultural technology is corrected. Here are the main problems:

• leaves dry and curl from the edge - low humidity;
• faded brownish leaves - lack of fertilizer;
• the leaves wither and curl up - watering is necessary;
• rotting stems and petioles - exposure to drafts and low temperatures;
• the leaf plate becomes thinner and becomes faded - too bright light.

Jun 08 2017

Fittonia: description, photos of species and varieties

Fittonia came to us from the rainforests South America and painted the interiors of our houses and apartments. Its leaves, so beautiful in shape and brightly colored, attract the eyes of others. And the unique patterns of multi-colored veins over the emerald green of the leaves are works of art. You never get tired of admiring them, either live or in the photo. We will talk about the popular types and varieties of Fittonia below.

Description

Fittonia (Fittonia) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the large Acanthus family. Only four species belong to this genus. This is dicotyledonous plant, since its seed is divided into two cotyledons. One of the Fittonia species has erect stems, the other three have shoots that creep along the ground. In the wild, the flower grows in swampy South American forests. It was first discovered in Peru, from where it was brought to England in 1867. Likes moisture and warmth. Most of the species are undersized perennials densely covering the soil with bright green oval leaves covered with veins of various colors. The main role in the juicy color of this exotic is played by good lighting.

The Fittonia flower got its name in honor of the two Fitton sisters - Elizabeth and Sare-Mary. Living in Victorian England, the Fitton sisters co-authored the book Conversations on Botany. At that time, these small, decoratively colored perennial flowers were used to create solid carpets of greenery in winter gardens and greenhouses. The height of Fittonia is from 10 to 60 cm, depending on the variety. She has flexible branched stems, which in one type of plant are erect, and in the other three they creep along the ground. This feature of it allows you to grow Fittonia in the form of an ampelous or ground cover crop. The length of one stem is about 10 cm. They are brown and often pubescent. But in a pot, usually, shoots are not visible, it seems that the plant consists of leaves alone. And Fittonia leaves are an amazing sight! They are located along the entire length of the shoot in pairs, opposite each other. In shape, they resemble an egg with a pointed tip. Fittonia leaves are quite large for such a low plant: from 6 to 10 cm in length. The surface of the leaf plate, thanks to the network of veins, is embossed-corrugated, velvety and soft and very pleasant to the touch. On this velvet field, nature has drawn the thinnest, cobweb-like mesh of white, yellow, red, pink, lilac, silver and other fantastic veins, similar to a lace pattern on fabric. The color of the leaf itself is also not always green. Often there are purple leaves, gray, grayish-silver, and if green, then a bright and saturated tone.

Fittonia is a flowering plant. AT wild nature Fittonia blooms in spring, and at home in summer, and very rarely. It blooms with small white or yellowish flowers, collected in inflorescences in the form of a panicle or spikelet. But the flowering of Fittonia passes almost imperceptibly to the eyes of others, as the inconspicuous-looking flowers are odorless and are lost among the bright fabulous leaves of the flower. Experienced flower growers usually cut off the formed buds so as not to weaken the plant with a completely uninteresting flowering. Hybrid varieties of Fittonia do not bloom at all.

Fittonia is not poisonous, but medicinal properties does not have. They say that her numerous bright bushes are able to defuse the tense atmosphere in the family, as they draw in all the negative energy after conflicts and scandals. It has been established that Fittonia purifies the air of the room from harmful microbes, and its leaves saturate the air with moisture. Sleep better in a room next to a plant.

Varieties and types of Fittonia

white veined

Fittonia White-veined or White-veined is the most common and favorite species of Fittonia flower growers, which combines several species that were previously considered separate: Verschaffelt and Silver-veined.

photo by Fitton Verschaffelt

Fittonia Verschaffelt is a perennial indoor plant with strongly branching stems and creeping shoots covered with thick soft fluff. Over time, the shoots change their color from silver to olive. This plant is not high at all, about 10 cm in height, sometimes a little higher, but not more than 20 cm. Its olive-green large leaves, up to 10 cm, are decorated with patterns of crimson-pink and red veins. Like all plants of this species, it prefers high humidity and warm. Looks especially good in flower arrangements. Fittonia Verschaffelt is the mother of most Fittonia hybrid varieties bred by breeders.

Silvervein

Fittonia Silver or Silver Vein (Argyroneura) is a small decorative leafy plant with creeping shoots. Its large, oval-shaped, green leaves have shiny silver-white patterns. For this, she was nicknamed the Mosaic Plant. AT vivo it grows in a thick carpet, its shoots root easily when in contact with the soil. This type of Fittonia is able to survive indoors.

Variety Nana

This Fittonia, in turn, has its own hybrid Nana (Nana) with small leaves no more than 2.5 cm long. But this does not lose the complexity of coloring at all, and the pattern in the form of a mesh of veins on miniature leaves seems even more interesting. This hybrid is very popular with flower growers, it is hardy and tolerant of the dry air of our apartments.

Fittonia Perseus (Pearcei). Its distinctive feature is a darker, green leaf with an olive tint, adorned with mixed luminous white streaks with dark pink. The underside of the leaf is light scarlet. This hybrid is successfully grown indoors.

Fittonia White Anna (White Anne) differs in that the pattern on the leaves is white, and along the edge of the leaf plate there is a border that is darker than its main tone. There are other popular hybrid varieties of Fittonia with a white pattern - White Star, Frankie.

Skeleton

Fittonia Skeleton is a very elegant indoor plant with creeping shoots. Its small matte leaves have a velvety to the touch surface, which is covered with a dense network of red veins. Sometimes, it seems that the blood-red pattern on the leaves literally shines in the sun or glows in the dark. There are other hybrid varieties with red patterns. different shades: brick to dark purple. These are Purple vein, Red Anne, Fortissimo.

Fittonia Josan. The leaf surface of this hybrid is of an emerald tone, but thick, sometimes almost interlocking bright pink veins make the color of the leaf plate light pink with shades of emerald. A dark green olive border runs along the edge of the sheet, which, from a distance, seems black.

Fittonia Juanita (Juanita) is similar to the previous hybrid, and has patterns on the leaves of a similar shade.

Fittonia Giantica

Fittonia Giant or Large is the only representative of the genus with erect stems. It grows up to 60 cm in height. Large leaves reach 15 cm in length and 10 cm in width. The shoots are pubescent, have a beautiful, reddish-purple color. The leaves are glossy, shiny, covered with fantastic patterns of bright red stains, spots and stripes. It is very difficult to grow Giant Fittonia at home - its large leaves intensively absorb moisture and, if it is lacking, dry immediately.

Fittonia miniature in various colors

Fittonia Miniature - hybrid variety, which is small in size. Small leaves, up to 5 cm in length, are painted in all sorts of beautiful colors.

But contrary to popular belief, Fittonia Mix is ​​not a type of plant - this is the name of the assembly into one flowerpot of several varieties of low indoor perennials with leaves of various shades: from light to dark green, painted with multi-colored bright veins. Such magnificence of colors is rarely seen in other indoor plants. This flowerpot looks especially elegant and exotic.

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Fittonia - elegant, ornamental plant which is native to Peru. Fittonia got its name in honor of Sar and Elizabeth Fitton, who described in detail the features and varietal characteristics of the flowers of the acanthus family in their book, published in 1850. Despite the fact that the plant is thermophilic and rather exotic, it gets along well on the windowsills along with violets and orchids and, with proper care, blooms and grows very well.

Varieties

1. Fittonia Verschaffelt. A plant with large, oval leaves, which are the main decorative value of the plant. The dark green surface of the leaves is decorated with wine-red veins.
2. Fittonia Josan. A distinctive feature of this variety is an elegant, olive border along the edge of the leaves. They themselves are painted in dark green and emerald shades with carmine streaks.
3. Fittonia White Anna(Fittonia white anne). amazingly soft and exquisite flower with exquisitely elegant leaves. The coloring is unusual - dark green leaves are covered with silver-white veins, and the edges have an emerald border.
4. Fittonia Skeleton(Fittonia Skeleton). A bright and elegant plant, whose pale green leaves are decorated with scarlet veins. All this splendor looks very bright and elegant.
5. Fittonia white. It is very similar to White Anna Fittonia, but differs in that there is no border around the edges of the leaves, and the white veins look much thicker and take up more space on the sheet. This plant looks white-green and it is quite difficult to decide which color prevails.
6. Fittonia Mix is a mixture of varieties that sellers in flower shops planted in one pot for greater decorativeness. This mini columbarium looks very bright, elegant and surprisingly exotic.

How to water

Fittonia needs constant, regular watering with early spring until late autumn. It is necessary to moisten the soil in a pot as the soil dries. Do not allow the earth to dry out! This can lead to shedding of leaves, as in natural conditions the plant is thus protected from drought. It is advisable to put a jug of settled water next to the pot in order to gradually solder the plant. Fittonia very intensively evaporates (transpires) moisture through the leaves, so it needs to be watered every other day or two.

In addition to frequent watering, the flower needs high humidity. It needs to be sprayed with water. room temperature at least once or twice a day.

The soil

Soil mixtures for fittonia are prepared either from leaf and sod land, or from peat and sand. For two parts of soddy soil, one part of sheet soil is taken and everything is thoroughly mixed. For cooking peat soil it is necessary to mix sand (1 part) with peat (2 parts).

Lighting

The plant is extremely demanding on lighting and must be protected from bright sunlight. It is best to place fittonia pots on the east or west windows and shade the leaves a little in the summer using fabric screens for this. It is not recommended to keep the plant on the southern windows, but the northern ones are perfect for growing this capricious, but surprisingly beautiful flower.
In winter, Fittonia needs additional lighting therefore it is recommended to use fluorescent lamps.

Important! If there is not enough light, the plant loses its decorative qualities. Its leaves will look dull, the shoots will stretch out, and the beauty will fade slightly.

Trimming, pinching

Pinching the tops of the plant is simply necessary. This will give impetus to the appearance of side shoots and the flower will become more magnificent. Try to pinch off the tops of the longest lashes to stop their growth and encourage new branches to grow.

Fittonia pruning is done at the age of 3-4 years, when it begins to age and the branches lose their lower leaves. It is best to do this during spring transplant, shortening old branches by 2/3 of the length.

Temperature regime

Minimum +18, maximum +25-26 degrees. This is the optimal temperature regime for growing Fittonia. The plant is afraid of drafts, so you should not “ventilate” it on the balcony.

Diseases, pests and possible risks when growing

Fittonia rarely gets sick. But as a result improper care the following problems may occur:

• Leaves wrinkled. The reason is too dry air (spraying was carried out on time) and too bright light.
• Leaves withered and withered. The reason is too frequent watering. It is necessary to moisten, and not fill the soil in a pot with fittonia.
• The stems became bare and the leaves remained only at the top. This is natural process, just at the next transplant, the plant needs to be rejuvenated (cut off) and then it will become lush again.

Pests that can harm the plant: thrips, spider mite, mealybug.

The genus Fittonia belongs to the Acanthus family and is a herbaceous perennials, whose origin is predominantly mountainous Peru. The genus is not numerous and includes, according to various data, about ten species, of which less than half are used as ornamental plants.

These plants do not have an outstanding height, their stems are usually creeping and covered with fluff, yellow flowers form inflorescences-spikelets, foliage has distinguishing feature in the form of bright veins.

Types and varieties of fittonia

Tropical plant, fluffy and reddish stem which grows up to 50 cm. Leaves about 15 cm long, oblong, glossy, with red veins.

Fittonia verschaffelta low plant with a creeping shoot covered with fluff. Thanks to the creeping form, it is easily propagated independently by layering. The foliage is green with red veins. Has a variety of Perseus.

This species is characterized by straight shoots and whitish veins on the foliage. Some scholars classify this Fittonia as a form of verschafetl.

Many cultivars have been bred from these three species, including:

• Josan - having a beautiful light green stripe at the edges of the foliage;

• White Anna - a variety with white veins and a light green stripe on the edge of the leaf;

• Skeleton - foliage is light green, covered with pink veins;

• White - similar to the White Anna variety, but does not have a light strip on the edge of the sheet, and the veins themselves are thicker in the White;

• Mix or geming - these are just planted in one container different varieties plants.

Fittonia home care

Fittonia is grown as a houseplant and since it comes from tropical regions, it requires special care.

This culture needs bright diffused light, because direct sunlight can cause burns, and the lack of lighting has a bad effect on the quality of foliage color. AT winter period needs a continuation of the light for that is achieved with the help of lamps.

The temperature should be warm all year round - about 25 degrees in summer, and at least 20 degrees in winter. It must not be assumed that the temperature changed dramatically, and also that the flower stood in a draft. Fittonia is not one of those plants that will benefit from summer outdoors - this crop can only be grown indoors.

Hypoestes is also a member of the Acanthus family and has a decorative foliage color. It is grown when caring for at home and needs to comply with the rules of maintenance. Growing recommendations can be found in this article.

Watering Fittonia

In watering, the main thing is not to allow the soil in the pot to dry out completely, but stagnation should also not be allowed, otherwise the soil will turn sour. That is, in summer, watering should be carried out as soon as the top ball of soil dries up, and in winter, the plant is watered a couple of days after drying. For irrigation, you can use only soft settled water, which will be slightly above room temperature.

This tropical plant needs high humidity, which should be about 75%. To comply with this point of care, it is necessary to carry out daily spraying twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. You can also place a container with a flower in a tray with raw pebbles. It is better not to touch or wipe the foliage, as is done with some plants.

Fertilizer for Fittonia

Fertilizers are needed for fittonia all year round, but they must be diluted twice as much as indicated in the instructions. Comprehensive mineral supplement, in summer - once every two weeks, in winter - once a month.

Pruning Fittonia

To improve branching, this culture must be pinched. With growing up, the bottom of the shoots gradually loses foliage, therefore, with the advent of spring, the tops of the shoots are cut off. The cut parts of the stem can be used as cuttings.

Fittonia transplant at home

Every year in the middle of spring, the flower must be replanted. Along with this, you can also carry out anti-aging pruning, which has just been mentioned. Capacity for growing should be selected wide, but with a shallow depth. A drainage layer is immediately laid, and then soil, which can be made from coniferous soil, sand, peat and sod land in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 2. Also, the mixture can be made from coconut soil, garden soil, pine bark and sand in a ratio of 1:1:1:0.5.

The reaction should be slightly acidic, alkaline is unacceptable, neutral also has a bad effect on the health of the flower. As a growing container, you can take an aquarium, a bottle or other glass container.

Fittonia can be successfully grown in a florarium, although only low species are suitable for this. In this case, care is greatly facilitated, since there is no need for spraying, because there will already be high humidity in the florarium. Growing a plant in this way, you will have to cut and replant it more often, because in such conditions development occurs much faster.

Fittonia propagation by cuttings

As already mentioned, during pruning, cuttings can be collected, on which there should be at least 3 leaves, and their length should be no more than 7 cm. Root the material in the sand, covering it with a container that can create the effect of a greenhouse, the air temperature should not be lower 25°C.

From time to time, the container must be removed to ventilate and spray the cuttings. After about a month, the jar can be removed, and later, when the plants get stronger, they are transplanted into the substrate for adult plants.

Propagation of Fittonia by dividing the bush

During transplantation, a large bush of several plants can be carefully divided and planted individuals in separate pots. In this case, you need to try not to damage the roots.

This is not exactly reproduction, because the actual bushes remain as much as they were, but now they occupy separate containers and can grow in different parts your house.

Fittonia propagation by layering

Fittonia is easily propagated by layering. The shoot only needs to be sprinkled with earth a little, and after a while the roots will begin to erupt.

When they grow a little, the layer can be separated from the parent and transplanted.

Fittonia diseases

Because it exotic plant, then various problems may arise with it.

With excessive watering, especially in winter, it may rot will appear , with which the plant withers and dies . You can try to ration watering, but if the rot has spread too much, then there may be nothing to be done. Also, death can occur due to cold temperature, drafts or sudden changes in temperature.

The lower foliage on the shoots falls off as a result of aging. But if all leaves fall , then this indicates violations of the rules of care, and most often this happens with too much watering or low temperature and drafts.

Foliage yellowing indicates excess moisture.

With a lack of humidity leaves begin to wrinkle and dry , also this happens due to placement under the scorching sun.

There is leaves turn brown , then this is most likely due to a lack or excess of fertilizers.

Fittonia pests

Also, this crop may be attacked by pests such as spider mite , scab and mealybug .

Infecting a plant, the spider mite feeds on its juices, resulting in leaves begin to dry and curl , it also leaves behind thin cobwebs. If a pest is found, you can wash the leaves with soapy water, but when doing this, remember that this procedure may adversely affect the foliage. Another way is to use acaricides.

When a scale insect appears on the leaves, small brown growths . It is very difficult to remove scale insects and, if the plant has a tender above-ground part, then it is better to use insecticides, for example, Actellik.

Mealybugs leave behind whitish coating and sticky mass on the shoots . If there are few pests, then they can be easily dealt with by washing the plant with a solution of soap or calendula. If the lesion has spread, then it is no longer possible to do without chemicals - Aktara, Mospilan, Fitoverma or the like.