Recommendations to gardeners on the cultivation and care of Sansevieria Velvet touch at home
Sansevieria Velvet Touch is a popular indoor flower. According to scientific research, the plant is able to absorb and process carbon dioxide and harmful toxic substances.
At home, a decorative perennial is very popular and undemanding in care.
In the article you will learn how to care for this representative of the flora and how to propagate it, as well as the main diseases of this plant are described.
Botanical description and other names
Sanseveieria (Sansevier) Velvet touch (Sansevera velvet touch) belongs to the genus of herbaceous evergreens. The perennial belongs to the huge family Asparagaceae, previously the genus was classified as the Agave family.
A distinctive feature of this variety is that the plant does not have a stem. Due to the long leaves of sansevieria velvet, the tach is classified as cylindrical sansevieria (Sansevieria cylindrica).In Europe, a tropical flower is called a leopard lily, African hemp. Among domestic flower growers, the plant received a funny nickname "pike tail", "mother-in-law's tongue".
Sansevieria Velvet Touch - a kind of cylindrical sansevier. The stem is absent. The flower grows in height over 1 m.
The leaves are erect, similar to tubules with a deep groove. The diameter of the leaves does not exceed 2 cm. The surface of the leaves is velvety, delicate. The leaf plate is saturated green, decorated with white pale longitudinal stripes.
The base of the leaves is wide, the tips are pointed. The tip is dry. Inflorescences are inexpressive brushes, located along the entire length of the peduncle. Peduncle long, up to 40 - 50 cm. In nature, the peduncle grows to 1 m. Rhizome is powerful.
History of occurrence and geography of habitat
The flower was first discovered in the tropics and subtropical forests of South Africa in the 14th century. Later, in the 18th century. the family was named after the Italian prince, an adviser to Karl of Burgon himself, Raimondo de Sangro.
The Grand Duke was considered an alchemist, a heretic; he was even excommunicated. The prince developed natural sciences, in particular biology. Received vegetable color dyes. He made a discovery - it is in the leaves of sansevieria that there are strong cellular tissues (Africans used the plant as a bowstring for onions). Because of this feature, the flower in the homeland was called the "language of the devil."
The natural habitat of the plant is rocky terrain:
- Africa
- India
- Madagascar
- Indonesia.
Home Care
Temperature
In spring and summer, the optimal air temperature for Sansevieria Velvet Touch is 20 - 24 ° C. In the summer heat, the flower can withstand an increase in air temperature up to 27 ° C. In autumn, the air temperature must be reduced by 4 - 5 ° C.
Watering
For a flower it is recommended:
- Moderate watering at any time of the year, it is enough to water once every 7 to 10 days.
- Stagnation of water in the soil and sump should be avoided.
- In winter, due to lower temperatures, watering is reduced.
From excessive watering on the leaves spots appear - corks.
- Spraying the flower is necessary only in the spring-summer period.
- When watering and spraying, water should not fall into the axils of the leaves.
- It is advisable to use clean, filtered or rainy water at room temperature for irrigation water.
Shine
Lighting should be bright, but somewhat distant, diffuse. The south windows must be obscured by a light curtain. It is better to have pots on the east and west sides of the apartment.
Important: from a lack of light, the leaves of the flower lose their bright color.Priming
The soil for sansevieria Velvet tach should be nutritious, loose, drained.
Drainage layer:
- expanded clay;
- small pebbles;
- coarse sand;
- clay shards.
The composition of the soil mixture:
- Sod land - 2 hours
- Sheet land - 1 h.
- Coarse sand - 1 hour.
- Humus - 1 hour
- Peat crumb - 1 hour
- Drainage layer.
Often in home floriculture, a flower is grown hydroponically.
The topsoil is mulched by small pebbles.
Pruning
Only adult flowers should be cut. The procedure is performed during a transplant, in March - April.
Cropping Pattern:
- Dry and decayed root processes are cut off.
- Places of cuts are necessarily treated with phytosporin or powdered with powdered coal.
- Healthy leaves are cut for cuttings.
- Parts of the bush are carefully cut along with healthy root processes.
- After flowering, the peduncle should be cut to the ground.
Plant juice is poisonous, can cause allergies and itching, work should be done with gloves. Tools are treated with disinfectants.
Top dressing
It is best to use ready-made mineral complex feeding for cacti.Fertilizers should be diluted in 2 r. less than indicated in the instructions.
Pot
Capacities are selected wide, but not very deep - moisture will stagnate. To prevent the flower from falling over, it is better to use ceramic pots with thick walls.
Drainage holes are required. Drainage layer - at least 4 - 5 cm.
Transfer
Young flowers are transplanted 1 p. in 1.5 - 2 years. Adult bushes should be planted 1 p. in 3 to 4 years, as the bush grows. A transplant is best done in early spring.
Transplantation scheme:
- The entire bush is carefully removed along with an earthen lump (for convenience, put the pot on its side).
- The old soil is partially cleaned, dry shoots of the root are cut off.
- Drainage is poured into the finished containers.
- A layer (2 - 3 cm) of the finished soil mixture is added.
- The bush is installed strictly in the center of the pot.
- The voids are filled with the finished mixture, the soil is slightly compacted.
- The soil is moistened, a little substrate is added as it settles.
- Pebbles are poured on top.
Wintering
The rest period lasts from October to the end of February., the required temperature is 15 - 20 ° С
Temperature reduction to 10 - 14 ° С is unacceptable.
Watering is reduced, watering should be as the soil dries. The optimal winter watering regimen is 1 p. in 3 weeks. In winter, dust leaves are wiped with a damp cloth.
In winter, top dressing is not applied. You can fertilize the soil from the end of February.
Propagation Features
Leafy cuttings
- A healthy leaf is detached, cuttings 5-8 cm long are cut.
- The cuttings are dried for 2 to 3 hours, root slices are processed.
- For rooting, cuttings are buried in the substrate with a slice down to a depth of 1 cm.
- Capacities are placed in a bright, warm place.
- Humidification is regular, in small doses.
- Rooted cuttings within 3 weeks.
- Seedlings are planted in separate containers for growth.
The soil for rooting cuttings: disinfected sand and peat in equal proportions.
Root division
The easiest and safest way to use at home.
- From the mother bush leaves with large rhizomes are separated.
- Each separated part is planted in a separate container.
Leaving, as with a transplant.
After dividing, one should refrain from feeding for 2-3 weeks.
Bloom
Sansevieria Velvet tach blooms in early springflowering lasts 2 weeks.
The flowers themselves are inconspicuous, do not have a special decorative, fragrant. Inflorescences are brushes that combine small white flowers with a creamy hue.
Diseases and Pests
- Brown spots appear on the leaves from the bright sun - burns. Need to change the location of the pots.
- Do not feed the flower with nitrogen fertilizers - the roots rot.
- With excessive watering, root and gray rot appears. An urgent transplant is required. Rotten fragments are trimmed, slices are treated with benlat powder. A complete soil replacement is required.
- The shield is removed manually. The shell of insects is treated with alcohol or vinegar.
- From a spider mite, a mealybug, treatment with a solution of actellic, phytoerm, and karbofos will help.
Similar flowers
- Yellow Yellow Agave. The leaves are dense, erect, the tops are dry, pointed.
- Blue Agave (Mexican). It grows only in the wild. Leaves lanceolate, pointed, plant stemless.
- Agave compressed. The leaves are tightly assembled into a socket, raised up. Bright green color of the leaf plate.
- Aspidistra olancepholia. The leaves are oblong, narrow, bright green. The flowers are small.
- Aspidistra Milky Way It is distinguished by the motley color of long dark green leaves. The leaf plate is covered with white dots and spots - constellations.
Sansevieria Velvet touch - a very unpretentious flower, loving space. It is often used to decorate halls, offices. In mixed plantings, tropical exotics can be found in conservatories and greenhouses.