Siderasis

Siderasis fuscata is the only member of its genus and belongs to the Commelin family. The only place where it can be found in natural conditions is in the Brazilian forests located in the east of the country. Siderasis can be attributed to exotics, this plant is not often found in the collection of florists, it is also rarely sold in flower shops. The Siderasis plant is very beautiful, a special charm is given to it by a fluffy coating of small hairs on almost all parts of the plant. And if one of the types of indoor cotyledon is called "bear paw", then siderasis received the nickname "bear ears" (if you move in this direction, you can collect a whole bear at home!).

Siderasis: flower description

Siderasis brownish: flower photo

An adult brownish Siderasis plant reaches a height of about 35 cm, its stem is very small, the leaf rosette is dense, with thick glossy oval leaves measuring 10 by 20 cm.The upper side of the leaves is dark green in color with a longitudinal strip of light green color located in the middle. The underside has a more interesting green-purple coloration.

The Siderasis plant blooms in May and flowering can continue until October. Three-petal lilac flowers no more than 2.5 cm in size are collected in medium-sized inflorescences and are located on small plump peduncles. The combination of purple or lilac petals with delicate white stamens looks very beautiful.

Siderasis: home care

Caring for siderasis cannot be called too difficult, but it is still important to know what exactly the plant needs in order to create the most comfortable conditions for it. Indeed, only in such conditions will the bush delight you with flowering and decorative appearance.

Let's start with lighting - it should be diffused. Moreover, the Siderasis flower feels great on the northern windowsill and under artificial lighting, which is its undoubted advantage, since most flowers require a lot of light. If the windows of your apartment face south, but it is strongly recommended to place Brownish Siderasis away from the window, in the back of the room.

In spring and summer, Siderasis will be comfortable at an air temperature of about +25 degrees. But in winter, if possible, it is worth placing the plant in a cooler room, the air temperature in which will be + 15 ... + 17 degrees (but not lower, otherwise the plant may suffer).

The air humidity at the location of the brownish Siderasis flower should not fall below 70%, but at the same time it is absolutely impossible to spray the plant from a spray bottle. To increase humidity, you can use a humidifier, an aquarium with a compressor, an indoor fountain, or just containers of water located between indoor plants. Another option for increasing air humidity is to pour expanded clay into the pallet, in which there is a flower pot with siderasis, and pour water, then place a container with a flower on top.

Watering the Siderasis flower must be extremely careful. In addition to the fact that moisture should not stagnate in a pot or sump, during watering, care must be taken that water does not fall on the leaves of the plant. The best option would be to pour water into the pan, wait until the plant is "drunk", and then pour out the rest. Avoid waterlogging of the soil - this inevitably leads to rotting of the plant. But at the same time, do not allow the soil to dry out, since the root system of Siderasis is rather weak and is not able to accumulate moisture and make reserves.

The Siderasis flower refers rather to decorative deciduous plants than to decorative flowering plants, this determines the choice of fertilizers for it. From spring to the end of flowering in October, fertilizing should be carried out twice a month. In winter, while the plant is dormant, no feeding is required.

Since the plant does not grow in height or width, it does not need pruning as an element of care.

Siderasis: transplant

Siderasis brownish: photo of a plant

Another advantage of the brownish Siderasis flower is that it does not need to be repotted often, since it does not grow quickly. When the roots begin to peep out of the drainage hole, it means it's time to transplant the plant, while slightly increasing the volume of the flower pot. And when choosing a container, give preference to not very deep, but wide enough flower pots.
The soil for siderasis must be prepared loose and nutritious, this will not be a problem, since there is now a large selection of different soil options in flower and agricultural shops. But if you are used to preparing the soil mixture yourself, then mix humus, coarse sand and garden soil in a ratio of 1 to 1 to 2. One of the most important points when transplanting is the presence of a drainage hole in the flower pot and an obligatory layer of expanded clay or other drainage.

Reproduction

In this case, of all types of plant reproduction, the most suitable is the division of the bush during the transplantation process. Theoretically, it is possible to grow a brownish Siderasis flower from seeds, but in practice this process turns out to be very difficult, and often all seedlings die.

Possible problems and solutions

Plant Siderasis brownish: flower photo

Houseplants are less likely to be attacked by harmful insects than those growing in the garden. Still, they are not immune from this either. When growing a Siderasis flower, there is a chance of encountering a spider mite. It would seem not so scary, because you can buy and apply effective insecticides, right? But no, because earlier we said that the leaves of Siderasis brownish should not come into contact with water, they cannot be sprayed, therefore, pests will have to be dealt with in a different way. First, isolate the affected plant from other indoor flowers. Second, prepare cotton balls and soak them with dichlorvos. Cover Siderasis with a bag, after placing these balls inside so that they do not touch the leaves of the plant or the soil.

The brownish Siderasis flower is not susceptible to diseases, but if the rules of care are violated, some problems may arise. Both excessive and insufficient watering can lead to the death of the plant. Insufficient humidity in the room will lead to the fact that the corners of the leaves begin to dry out and the appearance of the plant will no longer be so attractive. And since it develops very slowly, new healthy leaves will not appear soon. That is why you need to follow completely simple, but such important rules and competently care for such a plant as Brownish Siderasis.