Bertolonia

Bertolonia is a rather rare guest among gardeners who like home plants. It's all about her capriciousness and exactingness to certain conditions of detention. Is this not a reason to take a chance and try to decorate your collection of home flowers with it? In addition, with the beauty of its leaves, she is able to fall in love with the most sophisticated flower growers.

Indoor plant Bertolonia: characteristics

Indoor plant bertolonia: photo

Bertolonia is a perennial, evergreen herbaceous shrub from the melastomataceae family. Its homeland is the tropical forests of Brazil, and in Europe it became known in the middle of the 19th century. In total, 14 species of this plant are known, but only two are suitable for growing at home - Bertolonia maculata and Bertolonia marmorata.

Indoor plant marble Bertolonia is not a tall plant, reaching a height of 7 to 15 cm with creeping stems, the length of which can reach 30 cm. The flowers are small, no more than 2.5 cm in diameter, most often pink, less often white. Inflorescences are spike-shaped or umbellate. The plant can bloom several times a year, although it is not often possible to see flowering when grown at home. However, the main aesthetic appeal of bertolonia is not at all in flowers, but in chic, large (about 12cm long) "fluffy" olive, silvery (bertolonia sanderiana) or reddish (bertolonia varaenea) leaves. The leaves have light stripes or spots (depending on the species) and, in combination with the ribbed structure of the leaf, they create a unique visual effect of volume. The only exception is the species Bertolonia varaenea, which does not have a pattern on the leaves. The reverse side of the leaf is usually purple, sometimes pink.

Indoor plant Bertolonia: cultivation

Indoor plant bertolonia: photo

Since Bertolonia is a tropical flower, it also needs tropical conditions. Just like that, in a room environment, she most likely will not survive. For the normal functioning of the plant's life system, an air temperature of 18 to 25 ° C is needed in the summer and from 16 to 18 ° C during the dormant period. In addition, you need a constant air humidity at the level of 65-70%, the complete absence of strong air currents, diffused sunlight, in no case direct rays, partial shade is best. If the sun is actively falling on the leaves of bertolonia, thermal damage may appear on them. Additional lighting will also be required, since the duration of daylight hours should be at least 13 hours. This requires a closed insulated vessel such as a terrarium or green window. You can try growing bertholonia between window frames if there are no drafts and enough space.

Bertolonia: landing and care

You need to plant a houseplant Bertolonia in a shallow, wide pot, like a pots. It is in such a "container" that the leaves will look most impressive, being distributed throughout the pot, and the root system will have enough space for development. The soil intended for growing a plant is optimally composed of peat, leaf humus and coarse sand or perlite in equal proportions.

In order to ensure the required level of humidity, you can use a humidifier, a container filled with water, or put the pots in a tray with material that can retain moisture for a long time, for example, with moss, expanded clay, pebbles.

It is strictly forbidden to use a spray bottle to humidify the air! Getting on the leaves, moisture is retained in their villi and can cause decay.

For the same reason, plants should be watered strictly at the root, in small doses. The soil in the pot should always be moist, but not waterlogged.Waterlogging is harmful to the root system and can lead to its death. In the warm season, watering should be done 3-4 times a week, and less often in winter. For irrigation, take only soft (ideally rain or river), warm water. Tap water needs to be defended and even boiled.

In the warm season, Bertolonia also needs regular feeding. As a fertilizer, you can use both complex mineral and organic fertilizers, it is also possible to apply them alternately. When using a complex fertilizer, the frequency of its application should be once a month, in other cases, once a week. During the dormant period (in winter), the plant does not need feeding.

Reproduction and transplantation of a houseplant bertolonia

Indoor plant marble bertolonia: photo

It is only necessary to transplant the houseplant Bertolonia into a pot with a larger diameter when the leaves and stems of the plant completely cover the ground in the old pot and already go beyond its borders. The transplant is done by lightly digging in the plant and transferring it to a new pot along with all the lump of earth. Please note that mature plants usually have a hard time transplanting. But, since bertolonia grows rather slowly, the plant will not have to be transplanted more often than once every three years. The best time to transplant is early spring.

As for reproduction, it can be carried out in two ways: by seeds or vegetatively (apical cuttings).

The seed method is not very popular, it is very laborious. But if you are lucky enough to contemplate the flowering of bertolonia at home, then there is a chance to collect your own seeds and use them for reproduction.

The seeds of a houseplant of marble bertolonia are laid out on the prepared soil and sprinkled with a thin (several millimeters thick) layer of soil, and covered with some kind of plastic container on top. Seedlings are placed in a well-lit place, or placed under a fluorescent lamp. The optimum soil temperature for seed germination is 25 ° C. Moreover, this temperature must be maintained in all layers of the soil. Remember to water your seedlings regularly. The first shoots will be visible in a few weeks (and for some species, even in a few months). When young plants reach 1.5 cm in length, they begin to slightly open the shelter and air the seedlings. Make sure that the plants are not exposed to drafts.

For vegetative propagation, also, in late spring or early summer, a stalk about 10 cm long with 2 leaves is cut from the mother plant. The cut cutting must first be placed in warm filtered and settled water for several days, where it is also good to add a stimulant for root formation. After this time, the seedling is moved to a permanent place. For the first phase of life, a pot with a diameter of 9 cm will be enough for the plant. A plastic shelter is installed on top of the seedling, which is opened daily for ventilation for 10-15 minutes, controlling the absence of strong air currents. All other care procedures follow the standard care procedures for adult plants. The seedlings take root in about 6 weeks, then the shelter can be removed.

Diseases and pests

Indoor plant bertolonia: photo

Indoor plant bertolonia marble infrequently suffers from diseases and pests. However, if it is not correct to care for the plant, and to allow waterlogging of the soil, then it can suffer from various kinds of rot. To eliminate this problem, you can use fungicides, as well as Bordeaux liquid. But the main thing is to correct the conditions of detention.

Sometimes the houseplant marble bertolonia is attacked by a spider mite, which is corrected with the use of special insecticides.