Hypoestes is a vibrant representative of tropical flowers, native to South America and the island of Madagascar, often grown at home.
Briefly about history
There is no reliable information regarding the one who first came up with the idea to try to provide hypoesthes care to the bush at home. Culture attracts florists by the brightness of colors and ease of care, landscape designers - the ability to plant the most bizarre combinations when planting hypoesthes in a flowerbed.
General description
The family to which the plant belongs is Acanthus. In the wild, the hypoesthes flower forms giant multi-meter impassable shrubbery. During the growing season, it gives a large number of sprouts, which is why it is characterized by strong branching. The stalk is very thickly covered with foliage. The shape of the leaf is similar to a chicken egg. Its edges are most often smooth, but can also be jagged in some varieties.
Hypoestes - a chic plant native to the tropics
The leaves look very beautiful and unusual. On their surface, spots of different sizes are scattered in random order, which can be burgundy, white, pink or chocolate. In this case, the foliage itself has either saturated green or purple, turning into a lilac hue.
The flowers of the plant have a very interesting shape. Perianth forms the original flap, in which from 1 to 3 small flowers are located. In general, the flowers look quite modest, because they are lost against a background of bright leaves, and the flowering process often goes unnoticed.
Common varieties
Hypoesthes has a sufficient number of species. Most of them are not suitable for growing at home. The following varieties are most often planted on window sills in a pot.
Hypoesthes Phyllostachus (leaf-gill)
Hypoestes phyllostachya feels great if you put it in the house. This species is also known as leaf-gipoesthesa. The people call a freckled face for a large number of specks on the leaves. Violet-red background color of foliage gives the plant a special decorative effect, which looks very unusual.
Hypoestes can be grown both at home and on the street.
Interesting. Hypoesthes leaf-spike can be grown with equal success on the windowsill and in the garden (in relatively mild climatic conditions).
Hypoestes Mix
Hypoestes Mix is also called "Confetti." It includes a large number of subsorts, including:
- Red raspberry;
- White;
- Crimson;
- Red wine.
From the name of the variety it becomes clear that the colors can be very different. For Mixes, semi-lignified succulent stems and leaves with well-drawn veins are typical. The length of the foliage, depending on the subspecies and growing conditions, can vary from 8 to 10 cm.
Hypoesthes pink
Hypoesthesia pink has another name - Pink Veil. This variety is considered to be fast-growing, its reproduction is often made from seeds at home. The foliage of this species is characterized by the presence of a large number of pale pink spots on a bright green background. Since pink hypoesthesia is compact and rarely grows above 20 cm, it is often planted in apartments.
Care Features
Like any other culture, hypoesthesia needs some care.
Temperature
In summer, hypoesthesia, both in the garden and in the apartment, feels best in the temperature regime from +20 to +25 degrees. If climatic conditions allow, it is allowed to grow hypoesthesia bushes in open ground.
Hypoesthes can grow even an inexperienced gardener
If it is not possible to provide a flower + 18-20 degrees in the winter, it is better to move it to the house for cold time.
Lighting
Hypoesthesia needs good lighting when growing. He will feel good both with diffused light and with short-term exposure to direct sunlight. If the latter condition is present, the color of the foliage will become even brighter.
Watering
To care for a flower means to water it in a timely manner. In the case of hypoesthesia, this must be done as the soil dries. In the fall, watering can be reduced.
Important! Drying of the soil should not be allowed under any circumstances. The plant is characterized by an interesting property - with a minimum moisture deficit, the shrub begins to discard foliage.
Spraying
Experts recommend spraying with settled (or distilled water) daily.
Humidity
The optimum humidity for hypoesthesia is 65-80%. The indicated indicator is maintained by regular spraying of the bush.
Priming
Planting a plant at home should be done in a specially prepared soil mixture, which includes river sand, peat, leaf soil and compost in equal proportions. It is equally important that the flower formation occurs without problems, organize drainage.
Top dressing
Decorative shrubs need to be fed throughout the year. In summer, it is recommended that the procedure be repeated twice a month, in winter - once only. Fertilizers can be used universal type.
Important! Mixtures containing large amounts of nitrogen are recommended to be avoided. From the excess of this useful substance in the soil, the leaves begin to fade.
In winter
Special care during dormancy is not required for the plant. You just need to reduce the amount of watering, protect the flower from drafts and sudden changes in temperature and not place it in close proximity to heating appliances, making sure that the temperature in the room does not exceed +20 degrees.
When and how it blooms
Hypoesthes begins to bloom from the beginning of summer and continues almost until the onset of winter. The flowering itself is quite plentiful. Since the flowering of hypoesthesia is not the most mystical and fascinating process, experienced flower growers prefer to pinch buds. The fact is that the abundant formation of flowers takes away a lot of forces from the plant, and it can die.
Propagation Features
Reproduction of hypoesthesia is possible in two ways:
- Seed germination;
- Rooting cuttings.
Seed germination
Germination of hypoesthesia from seeds at home is practiced very often. Seedlings sprout well and do not require special care. The procedure is as follows:
- Prepare the tank and the soil.
- Moisturize the soil mixture.
- Sow the seeds.
- Sprinkle the seeds a little with the ground.
- The container is covered with a film and left for several days until germination.
- After the appearance of the shoots, the film is removed.
- As they grow, seedlings are transplanted into separate pots.
- When the young plant reaches a growth of 15 cm, pinch the top to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots.
Rooting cuttings
Cuttings are another popular way to propagate flower culture.
Important! When using this technique, you need to take into account some nuances. For example, the fact that the stalk will give roots faster in water than in the ground.
The process of grafting itself looks something like this:
- In the spring, cuttings are cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Shank should be from 7 to 10 cm in length.
- Put the cuttings in a container of water.
- The next day, the cuttings are rearranged in an opaque container and covered with a film.
- The container is placed in a warm and bright place, avoiding direct sunlight.
- After the appearance of roots, seedlings are transplanted into pots.
- The top is cut off.
Transfer
A transplant is recommended in spring. You do not have to do this too often. The plant should be replaced every three years with a young one, since with age the flower loses its beauty, starting to become bare and stretch very long.
Planting a flower is not the most difficult procedure
The pot should be chosen not very deep, but wide.
How to pinch correctly
Pinching the shoots is necessary periodically throughout the year. This should be done in such a way that the total height of the flower does not become higher than 40 centimeters. After pinching, the shrub begins to branch intensely, and a beautiful and lush plant is obtained.
Growing problems
In the process of growing a decorative shrub, certain difficulties may arise. Most often we are talking about the following points.
Leaf dropping
The culture begins to actively drop leaves with a lack of moisture, too low temperature or draft. Making appropriate adjustments to plant care will easily solve the problem.
Blanching leaves
Blanching of foliage is most often associated with an excess of nitrogen in the soil. Direct sunlight in the constant mode can also cause a problem. The leaves will again become bright if the flower is transplanted into a new suitable soil or rearranged in place with diffused light.
Drying leaf tips
Typically, the leaves begin to dry out due to insufficient watering or too low an indicator of humidity. Increasing the frequency of irrigation and daily spraying will solve the problem.
Falling leaves
Falling of the lower leaves in most cases is related to the age of the crop. Perhaps the time has come to rejuvenate hypoesthesia.
Pests
Most often, the bush suffers from the attack of a spider mite or scutellum. Periodic use of insecticides (including for prophylactic purposes) will allow not to recall harmful insects.
Hypoesthes and Coleus: differences
Some confuse hypoesthes with coleus. In fact, these are completely different plants, which even belong to different families (Acanthus versus Spongiform (Iasnotkovye).
Hypoestes - the perfect decoration for your home or office
The only thing that unites these two plants is variegated foliage. The shape of the leaves of coleus is not ovoid, but resembles a nettle in shape. The contrasting color of its leaves is never formed in the form of simple spots, as is the case with hypoesthesia. As a rule, these are rims, veins, stains, striped patterns, etc. Thus, there are so many differences between hypoesthesia and coleus that it makes no sense even to compare these two flowers.
Hypoesthes and fittonia: differences
Between hypoesthesia and fittonia the differences are not so significant. Not too experienced flower growers, in principle, do not differentiate these two shrubs. There is a difference, however. So, in hypoesthesia, foliage is larger and more tender to the touch. In addition, hypoesthes is an erect plant, while Fittonia without periodic pruning begins to creep. It is often used as a groundcover.
