Curculigo bent

Curculigo curled is a native of warm countries, in nature it can be found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and India. However, despite this, curculigo can be called one of the most hardy and unpretentious plants, which will grow well not only in an apartment, but also in public spaces: offices, kindergartens and schools, in theater lobbies or in the halls of industrial premises. In nature, there are ten types of curculigo, but as a houseplant, flower growers breed only one species - curculigo retracted. If you study all the information about the plant in advance, then it will not be at all difficult to create comfortable conditions for it and take care of it.

Curculigo bent: description

Curculigo bent: photo

The genus Curculigo pendulum belongs to the Hypoxia family. It is a perennial herb that looks very much like a palm tree. It is distinguished by a rather rapid growth, the life expectancy of this plant is about 10 years. Leaves are bright green, hard to the touch, oval in shape, sharpen towards the end. There are corrugated folds on the surface of the sheet plate. The upper part of the rhizome sticks out of the ground, and the leaves grow straight from it - this is what gives the plant a resemblance to a palm tree, and part of the rhizome is confused with the trunk of the plant.

Adult specimens of curculigo are very spectacular plants, the length of their leaves can be 70-100 cm, and the width is about 16 cm.If there is enough space in the room so that leaves of this size do not come into contact with objects, then such a plant looks very beautiful.
The plant blooms from May to late summer. Yellowish flowers make up the capitate inflorescence, and do not amaze with beauty, the main decorative function is performed by the large leaves of curculigo.

Curculigo bent: care

The most comfortable Curculigo bent feels at an air temperature of about +20 degrees. Temperature fluctuations of 2-3 degrees are allowed up or down, but it is extremely important to protect the plant from drafts and from sudden temperature changes.
Curculigo bent should be protected from direct sunlight; diffused light will be more to its taste. Although it should be noted that this plant tolerates shade well and does not require additional lighting, so in a room with windows facing north, it will feel good enough.

Curculigo bent can do without spraying and additional humidification of the air, this is also an undoubted advantage. But since its leaf plates are quite large and perform the main decorative function, you will have to make sure that dust does not accumulate on them and periodically wipe gently with a soft, damp cloth.
Water the plant fairly sparingly and only after the soil is dry. With excessive moisture in the soil and roots, ugly brown spots may appear on the leaves of the plant.
The most important requirement for the soil is that it must be sufficiently loose, it must pass moisture and air well. Starting in spring, once or twice a month, the plant should be fed by adding a complex fertilizer for decorative deciduous plants to the water during watering, but the dosage should be reduced by about half: curculigo needs additional feeding, but does not tolerate a large amount of fertilizer.

Curculigo bent: transplant

Curculigo bent: photo

While the curculigo plant is still young, it is sufficient to replant it every two years.Then this will need to be done only when the roots become cramped in the old pot (you will learn about this by the roots sticking out of the drainage hole). In flower shops, you can find a wide selection of pots made of plastic, glass and metal, but for curculigo the best option would be a clay pot, it is these containers that perfectly regulate soil moisture. As always, the presence of a drainage layer is a prerequisite. To prepare the soil mixture, you need to take one part of leafy soil and compost, add two parts of sod land and 1/2 part of sand, to make the soil loose.

Plant propagation

The most common way of reproduction of curculigo bent is by dividing the rhizome. This procedure is carried out in the spring during the process of plant transplantation, part of the root with a visible stem process is separated and at the same time they act with very sharp and disinfected garden tools.

Rooting of offspring is also practiced, or, as they are also called, branches. They are also separated in the spring with a sharp tool and placed in prepared containers with nutrient soil, covered with a jar or bag on top and kept in such greenhouses at a temperature of about +23 degrees for 15-20 days. After rooting takes place and the plant gets a little stronger, you can transplant it into a suitable pot.

If your adult plant is in bloom and has been able to harvest the seeds, then you can grow the curculigo from the seeds. This process is no different from growing seedlings: sowing, sprouting, picking and caring like any other plant.

Probable problems and how to solve them

I hope you have already seen that Curculigo Pendulum is one of the most unpretentious plants, and it is not at all difficult to grow it. Another advantage of this plant is that it practically does not get sick and is extremely rarely attacked by harmful insects. We have already said that when the earthen coma is waterlogged, the leaves of the curculigo bent can become stained, but this problem can be solved by adjusting the watering. Also, spots can appear with sunburn if you place the plant too close to the window and the hot midday rays fall on it.

It is extremely rare to find scale insects on the foliage of this plant, which you recognize by their brown shells. To get rid of parasites, it will be enough to wipe the leaves of the plant with soapy water (it is best to use tar soap). It is necessary to carry out such a procedure for curligo bent twice a week until the pests disappear.