Hechtia

This article will focus on an evergreen perennial that looks very similar to a plant called aloe hechtia.

Hechtia: description of the plant

Hechtia plant: photo

Hechtia has long leaves that can be up to 30 cm long and 2 cm wide. There is a large amount of sap inside the leaves. The leaf shape of hechtia is wide near the stem and narrow, elongated towards the tips. Numerous thorns can be seen along the edges of the entire leaf plate. All the collected leaves form a rosette. The shade of the plant here is green, sometimes with elements of gray and even orange. This is if the flower is in a sunny place.

On the back of the hechtia leaf, you can see light scales. In the autumn, a tall peduncle grows from the center of the rosette. Hechtia inflorescences are not particularly beautiful. The flowers of this culture have a yellow or orange tint, and are also divided into male and female flowers. The constellation itself forms an ear. The height of the bush reaches no more than 50 cm.

Hechtia plant: planting and caring for a flower

Hechtia flower: photo

The hechtia plant feels comfortable when grown at room temperature, both in winter and in summer. However, it is still recommended to create lower temperature conditions in winter, about 10 degrees above zero. Hechtia is a fairly frost-resistant plant. This plant belongs to the Bromeliad family. Like any houseplant, this flower requires a lot of light and sun. Direct sunlight should hit the plant in the morning or evening.

Hechtia is a fairly undemanding plant. You do not need to prune it, you just need to remove old leaves from time to time.

The soil for growing hechtia must be rich, fertile, well-drained. The composition of the soil should contain several parts of rotted compost and sand. The easiest way is to buy ready-made soil for succulents and cacti in a specialized store.

It is recommended to feed the plant with hechtia every month. As a fertilizer, you can buy ready-made mineral complexes. The plant blooms very rarely.

The undemandingness of the hechtia plant lies in the fact that the plant feels comfortable in absolutely any room. The plant does not need special air humidity and can grow near heating systems.

Watering here must be done as the soil dries out. However, it should be regular. In winter, you can change the watering mode by reducing their number. This plant is drought tolerant, since hechtia stores moisture in the leaves. Water for irrigation should be soft and should settle.

In order for the plant to grow and develop well, it is necessary to transplant it into a new substrate every spring, as well as to choose a larger container, since hechtia does not like cramped conditions.

Hechtia: plant propagation

Hechtia plant: flower photo

The hechtia plant is propagated by division. For this, adult bushes are chosen, on which daughter sockets have already formed. You can also propagate the plant by seed.

• For reproduction by division, disconnect the socket. It is important to make sure that it is already large enough, about 1/3 the size of an adult plant.
• The growing environment of a young bush must be constantly moist. It is recommended to cover the top of the new plant with a plastic cap, or you can use a bag.
• This plant is not propagated by seeds so often, since this is a very long process. After all, culture is characterized by a weak growth force.

Pests and diseases

Most of all, the hechtia plant is afraid of excessive moisture, due to which various rot can form. Also, if the bush is in a dark place where the sun does not get enough, hechtia slows down its growth, and the leaves also lose their color.

Of insect pests, the flower hechtia is usually affected by aphids and scale insects.

Gloves should be worn when you cultivate a plant or pick leaves to avoid injury from the prickly edge of the bush.

Conclusion

Hechtia is an unpretentious plant that is very similar to aloe... Since the culture is not capricious, even a novice florist can grow it.