Ctenanthe - Ctenanthe
Content:
Ktenanta: description and characteristics of the plant
Indoor flower Ktenant: photo
The herbaceous perennial ktenanthe (Ctenanthe), or ktenante, is included in the Marantovy family. The plant is found wild in the humid South American tropics. This genus includes 15 varieties of evergreen vegetation.
The Ktenanta plant can very easily be confused with the calathea, which also belongs to the Marantovye family. These flowers are almost identical to each other, scientists disagree on the classification of these plants. The differences between these species lie in the anatomy of the flower, but if you grow them at home, then they will bloom quite rarely. When buying ktenants in a specialized store, you can make a mistake and buy calathea instead of ktenants, because they are very similar. However, it is necessary to care for crops belonging to the Marantovaya family in almost the same way.
The Ktenant flower is prized for its beautiful leaves. The leaves are quite elongated, whole, dark green in color, on the outside there are a large number of stripes, which diverge asymmetrically from the vein located in the center to the edge. The stripes can be yellow, pale green, silvery.
The leaves of the flower are quite mobile. They follow the sun's rays, while going down and up. Here is such an amazing feature.
The flowers are not decorative. The inflorescence resembles an ear or scallop.
Ktenanta: types, photos, names
- Ctenanthe oppenheimiana.
Ktenant Oppenheim: photo by ctenanthe oppenheimiana
Ktenanta Oppenheim is the most popular indoor grower. The wild-growing ctenant Oppenheim can grow up to 0.9 m. Leaves with patterns, attached on rather elongated petioles, are presented in the form of a spear. Also, the leaves are velvety, elongated, their length is 0.4 m. Stripes of creamy silver or pale green color. The color of the leaves of Oppenheim's ctenants is asymmetrical, the inner surface is purple in color.
- Ctenanthe lubbersiana.
Ktenanta Lubbers: photo
The leaves are painted in a very original way - with spots of yellow color, also in the form of feathers. The inside of the leaf is green. Ktenanta Lubbers stretches up to 0.8 m, there are also miniature flowers - up to 0.3 m.
- Pubescent Ktenanthe (Ctenanthe setosa).
Ktenanta pubescent: photo
The leaves of the pubescent ktenanty are oblong, dark green in color, in the form of an egg. Stripes are gray or light green in color. The divergence of the stripes comes from the central vein in the form of a stroke, as if a brush was drawn over a sheet. The growth of the pubescent chtenant is 0.8 m.
Ktenanta: home care
Caring for this plant at home is quite difficult, because it is quite demanding. A wild-growing flower grows in the lower tier of the tropics, namely, a humid forest. The ktenant, which is cultivated indoors, should be provided with similar conditions: high humidity of the air, there should be no draft at all. Under such conditions, the culture looks more beautiful, original, as, indeed, all plants from the Marantovye family.
Illumination level, choice of location.
The flower can grow in good light and in a semi-shaded room. It is advisable to place the ktenant on the western windowsill. But it is allowed to put it next to a north-facing window.In addition, the culture can be placed on a dummy table, which is located not far from the south-facing window, and it is necessary to shade the plant from the direct sun.
Remember that it is forbidden to put this vegetation near the window that opens to ventilate the room, because it reacts very badly to drafts.
Temperature conditions.
The plant needs warmth. All year round, temperature conditions must be maintained within the range of 20-25 degrees, and abrupt changes in temperature regimes at night and during the day are prohibited (a very small difference is possible). The ktenanta is not taken out on the terrace or outside, even when it is very warm.
Humidity level.
The ktenant plant is very fond of water. It is recommended to spray the bush frequently. With excessive dryness of the air, curling of the leaves of the ktenanta will begin. Professionals recommend regular sprinkling of the plant, but keep in mind that there should be no water getting on the foliage.
Watering.
Watering the indoor flower ktenante is required regularly, in moderation. For this purpose, soft settled water is used. It is worth making sure that moisture does not stagnate in the soil, and also that the soil lump does not dry out. Watering is carried out with warm water.
If the room is colder in winter than in summer, the frequency of watering is reduced.
Fertilization.
It is worth making sure that the soil for the ktenants is not overfed. Top dressing is applied from April to August, twice every 30 days. For this purpose, a liquid complex is used for room decorative leafy vegetation (dosage - 0.5 part of the recommendation). In winter, the plant is fed once every four weeks.
Transplant ktenants
It is necessary to transplant an indoor flower ktenante annually in the spring. Large-width flower pots are used for transplanting ktenants. Remember to have a good drainage layer at the bottom of the container. Professionals recommend mulching the roots with moist moss.
Soil mix.
The soil for ktenants should be slightly acidic and loose. The soil mixture includes peat, coniferous, leafy soil, humus, plus sand is added. The proportional ratio is 1: 1: 2-3: 1. In addition to this substrate, a soil mixture is used, which contains sod, leafy soil, humus and sand in equal parts.
A little charcoal is also added to the substrate. You can buy ready-made soil for ktenants from the Marantovy family at a flower shop.
Reproduction ktenants
Reproduction of ktenants is easy. In the spring, when you transplant to a ktenant, its root is divided. In order for the delenki to take root completely, they are covered with polyethylene and placed in a warm place; you need to water it with a small amount of water. Because before the roots appear, the plant absorbs a very small amount of water from the potting mix. When the plants take root, all the leaves may fall off, but after that the active and rapid growth of new leaves begins.
They also carry out the rooting of the apical rosettes in mini-greenhouses. The stalk should have two or three leaves, it is cut just below the attachment of the leaf to the branch. In addition, rooting in water is also good.
Ktenanta: diseases and pests
The ktenant flower can be attacked by scale insects. Shoots and leaves are covered with brownish bumps. Foliage turns pale, dries up and falls off.
A red spider mite may also be a guest, but this will happen due to a very low humidity in the room. To eliminate this pest, use insecticidal preparations.
Ktenanta: photo
Difficulties in growing ktenants
- Drying and coloring in a brownish color of the ends of the leaves - this indicates a reduced air humidity.
- Leaves fall off - a low level of air humidity or an excess of watering, due to which rotting of the roots and shoots has occurred.
- Foliage blanching - excessively bright illumination (it is necessary to transfer the plant to a shaded place) or, conversely, it is very dark.
- On the leaves of the flower of the ktenants, spots appear and they roll up into a tube - low air humidity and a small amount of water when watering. You need to cover the flower with plastic material before straightening the foliage. Sometimes it is necessary to cut off almost all the foliage (without touching the outlet), but after a certain period of time it will grow back.
- Young leaves are small enough - they don't have enough lighting. You need to place the flower where there is more light.