The three-colored or prayer plant is a herbaceous plant of the same name with origin from the swampy terrain of Central and South America. The decorative representative of this flower looks very bright. And it's not about the blossom of the tri-color's trash. In fact, its flowers, appearing in early summer, look unobtrusive. The wide-oval leaves up to 15 cm long are distinguished by an effective coloring: streaks and spots of various colors are visible on a light or dark green background. In the tranquilant's maranta, there is another feature - a reaction to lighting. In a comfortable environment, its leaves are located with the rosette open horizontally, and in case of lack of light, the leaves rise vertically and fold. That is why the plant received the name of prayer.
Maranta tricolor - care
First of all, it is important for the flower to find the right place - it needs diffuse lighting. Direct sunlight leads to a pale color of the leaves and to burns on them. A too dark area also adversely affects the state of the leaves of the arrowroot. In addition, the plant is quite thermophilic, and therefore do not put the pot with it close to the window in the winter. Comfortably it feels at +16 degrees in winter and +22 + 24 degrees in summer. But the arrowroot does not like drafts and temperature changes.
In the care of the flower, the trickle tree, it is important to adhere to the appropriate irrigation regime. In summer, it should be carried out every three to four days, not letting the earthman wither. In winter, the plant is watered with warm water, when the earth dries out. Make sure that the flower is not overdried - with a lack of moisture, its leaves curl. Maranta loves frequent spraying. True, suitable water is suitable for this, otherwise the leaves will have white stains.
In the warm season - from the middle of spring and until autumn - the marante tricolor can be fed with complex fertilizers in liquid form every two weeks. By the way, the plant does not like an overabundance of fertilizers, so it is recommended to monitor the dosage.
Transplantation and reproduction of three-color
Every year in the spring, a three-color transplant is required. The soil for the plant must consist of peat, humus and leaf land in the same ratio. It will not hurt to add a small amount of coniferous land. It is recommended to choose a tricolor pot for a marant, but not deep. When transplanting, always put a drainage layer - expanded clay.
As for the reproduction of the plant, there are several ways. At the first - the division of the bush - in the spring during the transplantation earth lump around the rhizome should be divided into two or three plants in such a way that each tuber had several good roots and leaves. Each "young" arrowroot should be planted in a small pot and covered with a plastic bag until the flowers are completely rooted. The described method is most often used, since it is the most effective.
During cuttings in summer, shoots 8-10 cm long are cut off at the apical shoots of the mantle and placed in a container with water until
Diseases and pests of a three-color
The main pests of the arrowroot are spider mites and thrips , which usually appear with increased dryness of the air in the room. To get rid of them will help insecticides and systematic spraying of the plant. The lack of moisture indicates yellowing and falling leaves. With irregular irrigation of the land near the mantle, tricolor foliage becomes covered with small spots and folds. And if the ends of the leaves have turned yellow, it is recommended to make additional fertilizing.