Akalifa - home care, watering and feeding

Akalifa, or "foxtail“, Has a compact size, does not grow taller than 30-70 cm under home conditions. Many growers grow it as an ampelous plant in a hanging planter or basket. In this article, we will dwell on the features and characteristics of this plant.

Description of the Akalifa plant

Akalifa is one of the most famous and brilliant representatives of Euphorbia in every sense. Most often, you can find the plant in tropical rain forests in Southeast Asia. But in general, today breeders have created several subspecies that take root well in the realities of our country. Akalifa has another name - foxtail. The plant has been grown indoors since about the 90s.

The plant is quite compact; in indoor growing conditions, its height does not exceed 70 centimeters. Many gardeners today are more focused on growing foxtail more like an ampelous plant, and they do this mainly in a hanging basket. The plant looks quite attractive and decorative, makes it draw attention to itself. In connection with this, Akalifa has indeed become one of the most common and popular plants today, which is worth paying attention to if we are talking about growing and caring for it, and about its key features and properties.

Most often, gardeners prefer to grow akalifa at home, which belongs to the bristly-hairy variety. Its peculiarity is that it has ovoid leaves with serrated edges, which looks very unusual and attractive, especially considering that the purpose of the plant has become more decorative. It should also be remembered that foxtail is a poisonous plant, and should not be bred in apartments where children also grow, or there are pets that this plant can harm.

Indoor gardeners also like to grow another type of akalifa - akalif called Wilkes. This plant is very popular due to its attractive appearance and decorative leaves. At the same time, it is worth focusing on the fact that the flowering of this species does not at all cause such delight, therefore, if the breeder is still focused on getting a special flowering, then he should certainly turn his gaze to other varieties of akalifa. At the same time, the flower is completely unpretentious, it can be grown not only by experienced florists, but also by beginners who are trying to learn the basics of floriculture, and in particular in the cultivation of flowers in indoor conditions.

Of course, at home, there are several aspects that must be considered when caring for a plant such as akalifa. In the next part of the article, we will dwell in more detail on how to care for akalifa, what watering and feeding it needs, and whether it is generally worth spending a lot of time on this plant if, from the point of view of modern flower growers, it is relatively unpretentious.

Plant care at home

The rules for the care and maintenance of all plants from the Caliph family are generally the same. When a florist takes care of them, he needs to take into account that the plant is toxic, so you should remember the safety rules. When working with akalifs, it is imperative to wear gloves, and the tools after processing the plant should be thoroughly sterilized or at least washed with soap or detergent to remove any toxic elements.Children and animals should limit the approach to foxtail, because for them it is a toxic plant that can lead to health and life problems.

Foxtail is a rather thermophilic plant that has a completely negative attitude towards weeds. For this reason, experienced gardeners emphasize that in the summertime it is best not to expose the plant to fresh air, as many other gardeners often do, since a draft or strong gusts of wind can destroy the plant, and it is unlikely to recover to its original appearance. Akalifa feels best at temperatures from 20 to 25 degrees, since it is considered the most suitable for this plant. If akalifa grows in winter, then you should ensure that the temperature in the room is not lower than 16 degrees, otherwise this will lead to freezing of the plant, it will stop growing, and then it will end its flowering, which will negatively affect its external form and special functions as a flower.

The Akalifa plant is very fond of bright diffused light. It is best to protect it from direct sunlight, since the flower does not tolerate this at all. If the plant does not receive a sufficient amount of lighting, then it becomes elongated, lanky, ugly, loses its aesthetic and decorative appearance, and this, of course, affects the general impressions of growing this flower in the plots. Ornamental akalifa leaves also lose their appearance - they become pale, inconspicuous, wilted. In general, if the flower begins to fall ill, then it is best to immediately create the necessary conditions for it. In this case, the chances are increased that it can be saved.

Akalifa (foxtail) grows very quickly and intensively, and needs a sufficiently large amount of moisture to maintain its vital functions. In summer, Akalifa should be watered very abundantly, but in winter, as a rule, the grower is recommended to reduce watering a little, since the general situation seems to hint that the flower needs peace, and moisture can cause some damage, especially to the root system. At a high temperature in the room, the soil in the pot must still be kept moist, because this is how the flower can continue to grow and develop even in not the most favorable and comfortable weather conditions for itself.

Considering that in its natural habitat, Akalifa mainly grows in tropical forests, it should be kept indoors in a state of high humidity. It is best for a grower to place the plant pot in a pallet and also fill the pallet with damp pebbles. It will become an artificial drainage that will retain moisture in itself, evaporate it. Do not forget that the foxtail is very positive about the fact that the gardener will be able to constantly spray him, since this is a plant that really likes water procedures, and if provided to him, the Akalifa will respond with gratitude in the form of very abundant flowering and incessant growth ...

During the period of the most intensive growth (and this time falls from March to September) it is best to feed the plant with complex mineral mixtures and fertilizers. They should be applied once every two months, and organic natural fertilizers can also be added as additional feeding. When choosing a top dressing, it is best to trust professionals: in a store, a florist can advise a professional and suitable complex, and the instructions will indicate all the necessary dosages. By following them, as well as the schedule, the grower will not cause any harm to the plant, but on the contrary will strengthen it, make it more stable, and increase immunity.

Of course, one of the most popular questions for flower growers is how to transplant Akalifa. Young plants can be replanted approximately every year.Akalifa, which is already more mature, can be transplanted about every four years, but still it is worth focusing on the fact that there is no point in growing Akalifa for more than four years: the plant stretches very quickly, loses its attractive appearance, so it is best either cuttings it, or start growing more fresh young. If you do not take timely measures to rejuvenate the plant, then after a couple of years it will completely lose its attractive appearance, so it will also need to get rid of it due to the fact that the plant will not decorate an apartment or a decorative corner at all. If the akalifa has grown unnecessarily, you can simply transfer it, while renewing the top layer of the earth. It is recommended to shorten the shoots by about half.

Experienced gardeners also emphasize that it is best to transplant young plants in the spring. Many soil substrates can be suitable for Akalife, this plant is not particularly whimsical if we are talking about the composition of the soil. The main thing is that the soil is light, allows air and moisture to pass through, this is the most important condition for the plant to quickly adapt to the environment, and also in the future will give excellent growth and development indicators.

Pruning is a complex procedure, but it is necessary for the foxtail. In order to preserve a more mature plant, it must be periodically pruned, and only a stump should be left, the height of which will vary from 20 to 30 centimeters. Also, in the future, this stump is covered with polyethylene, placed under a glass cover to create the necessary conditions and, of course, humidity, because, as we noted earlier, Akalifa is very positive about this. A florist can achieve good results if the stump is sprayed with a solution containing zircon. This substance has a positive effect on the condition of the plant, on its properties, growth, flowering, as well as resistance to various diseases and fungi.

If the plant is improperly looked after, then it can be attacked by various bacteria and diseases. For example, akalifu can attack aphids, scale insects, scale insects or thrips. They very quickly disrupt the performance of the leaf part, through which the akalifa receives many nutrients, and the plant can die very quickly. If the foxtail is in a cool room, where the temperature is lower than that which is recommended for it, then the leaves of the plant may gradually acquire a yellow tint, and then completely disappear. If spots have appeared on the leaves, then this indicates that the plant was infected with various fungal diseases, as well as that the foxtail lacks any trace elements. First of all, nitrogen and nitrogen-containing fertilizing are responsible for this, which are urgently introduced for plant restoration.