Indoor eucalyptus
Content:
The homeland of eucalyptus is the Australian continent, but now these plants can be found in the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa and South America. The genus belongs to the Myrtaceae family and has more than 700 species, including shrubs of various sizes and huge trees reaching a height of 100 meters. Eucalyptus is highly valued due to the secreted phytoncides - natural biological substances, or natural antibiotics, as they are also called. Approximately 25-30 plant species are used commercially in medicine and cosmetology. Of course, only a few types of eucalyptus are suitable for growing at home. We will talk about how to care for a plant and what types of it can be grown at home in this article, namely, about indoor eucalyptus.
Indoor eucalyptus description
Indoor eucalyptus: photo
Indoor eucalyptus in a pot grows rather slowly, its domestic varieties differ in that their leaves change aroma and structure with age. The leaves of a young plant are soft, of an unusual bluish-green color and with a strongly pronounced characteristic aroma. As the plant grows, the leaves become denser and the aroma less pronounced. The shape of the leaves also changes from oval to more elongated.
When grown indoors, the size of the plant will be more compact; from time to time it needs pruning in order to form a beautiful crown.
The most popular among flower growers are Hunni eucalyptus and Lemon indoor eucalyptus.
Indoor lemon eucalyptus: home care
Air temperature and humidity. In the warm season, the most comfortable air temperature for eucalyptus will be + 20 ... + 24 degrees, in winter, if there is such an opportunity, the room temperature can be reduced to + 13 ... + 15 degrees.
It is not recommended to spray eucalyptus, and there is no need for this - the plant feels fine with average humidity. But in summer, in especially hot weather, you can place vessels with water next to it, put a lido flower pot in a tray with expanded clay and periodically add water there.
Watering mode. In the warm season, watering indoor eucalyptus in a pot is necessary quite often, but try to avoid waterlogging the soil. In winter, the interval between waterings is increased and they are carried out when the topsoil is dry. Watering the eucalyptus in room conditions is necessary only with settled water at room temperature.
Fertilizers. Starting in spring, the indoor eucalyptus flower is fed 1-2 times a month. When choosing a fertilizer for indoor plants, it should be borne in mind that eucalyptus does not like phosphorus fertilizers, so the percentage of this substance in the fertilizer should be minimal. From the middle of autumn, feeding is stopped and resumed the next spring.
Indoor eucalyptus: reproduction
Indoor eucalyptus: photo in a pot
In theory, it is possible to propagate eucalyptus by cuttings indoors, but they are very difficult to root, and this process rarely brings the expected result.Therefore, growers propagate the plant by sowing seeds, which can be found in a flower shop, among other planting materials, or ordered online and received by mail.
Small seeds of indoor eucalyptus have very good germination. When sowing, the seeds of indoor eucalyptus should not be deepened, they should remain on the surface of a moist soil mixture from garden soil and sand. The air temperature in the room should not exceed + 18 ... + 19 degrees, it is not necessary to water the crops in the first 3-4 days, and then watering should be done by spraying. It will take 7-10 days for the seeds to germinate. Until the moment of picking, it is necessary to water the seedlings very carefully, experienced flower growers recommend using a syringe for this. In addition, it is necessary to ventilate the room daily, but do it so as not to create a draft.
It is necessary to dive the bores in separate clay pots, the diameter of which is at least 10 cm, and the depth of about 15 cm, while it is important not to forget to lay a layer of expanded clay on the bottom of the pot. After the pick, the plants are not watered for four days, and then they begin to water daily, but little by little. After about 3-4 weeks, young eucalyptus trees will get stronger, and further care for them is carried out in the same way as for adult plants.
Transfer
Indoor eucalyptus: photo of a houseplant
In the early years, while indoor eucalyptus in a pot is actively growing, it is transplanted annually, then this procedure should be carried out every two to three years. The flower pot should be slightly larger than the previous one (just a little, do not take too large a container). Experienced flower growers recommend giving preference to clay containers, in which the eucalyptus feels best.
Pre-water your indoor eucalyptus flower, after watering it will be easy to remove from the pot without injuring the root system. Pour the drainage into the prepared container, transfer your eucalyptus there by transferring and add the required amount of fresh soil (a mixture of leaf, turf, peat and sand). After that, pour the plant with warm, settled water.
Possible difficulties
Like most essential oil plants, the indoor eucalyptus flower is almost not attacked by harmful insects. It is very rare to find a spider mite or any kind of aphid on it. In this case, isolate the indoor eucalyptus in a pot from the rest of the indoor flowers and treat with an insecticide in two or three doses with an interval of several days.
Any changes in the appearance of the houseplant Eucalyptus indicate, as a rule, the discomfort experienced:
- From a lack of light, the shoots stretch out, and the leaves become smaller and turn pale.
- Withering and crumbling leaves indicate a lack of moisture, the amount or frequency of watering should be increased.
- Spots on the leaves may indicate sunburn; in the summer months, the plant should be shaded a little during the daytime.
- When the earthen coma is waterlogged, the roots begin to rot, and the leaves lose their original elasticity.
