Ledeburia is valued for its decorative leaves, which gradually completely fill the surface of the pot and form a dense nest of bright green with silver stripes. It lives in the tropical forests of Latin America and has long been actively spread throughout the world. In the middle lane, the flower of ledeburia feels great as a houseplant.
Description
Ledeburia is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asparagus family. The root system has the shape of a bulb with thin white roots. The ground part of the adult plant is represented by juicy green shoots with a large number of lateral processes. The maximum height of the plant is 20 cm.
Smooth leaves have a lanceolate shape and a rounded edge. The length of the sheet is usually about 13 cm. The surface of the sheet plate is painted green and may contain contrasting spots and stripes. The leaves form a dense, prilucular socket. The plant develops rather slowly. Only 2-3 new leaves grow each year.
In the spring-summer period, the ledeburia blooms flowers. A high inflorescence in the shape of a brush consists of 30-50 buds. Small whitish or pinkish bells with fused petals in diameter are 4-6 mm.
Plant species
In the genus Ledeburia, there are only 40 varieties, but only some of the most attractive species are used in the culture.
Ledeburia Cooper - compact semi-deciduous plant. Bushes in height are only 5-10 cm, and in width - up to 5 cm. Root erect foliage has an oval shape and a pointed edge. Over the entire length of the sheet plate, contrasting purple stripes are visible. The dense inflorescence up to 25 cm high consists of bright pink flowers with wide-open petals and long stamens. The diameter of each flower is only 6 mm.
Ledeburia is public. A plant up to 10 cm tall has fleshy leaves collected in wide rosettes. Smooth foliage is covered with silver and dark green spots that are located transversely. The length of the basal broad-lanceolate leaves is 10 cm. A dense flower stalk about 25 cm long rises above the rosette. It is crowned by a paniculate inflorescence with purple small buds.
Ledeburia Luteola. Compact bushes consist of dense leaf sockets. Lanceolate foliage is covered with yellow-green stains and dark green spots.
Breeding
Ledeburia propagated by seeds and division of the curtain. Regardless of the method chosen, it is better to carry out the procedure in early spring, when the plant actively starts growing. When planting seeds, freshly harvested material must be used. A mixture of sand and peat is poured into the prepared flat container, the substrate is slightly moistened and the seeds are evenly distributed. They do not need to be deepened. The surface of the plate is covered with glass and transferred to a warm place. The first shoots appear after 2-3 weeks. Seedlings develop very slowly and are ready for transplanting only after 1-2 months.
Ledeburia quickly grows daughter bulbs, which form a very attractive curtain above the surface of the earth. When transplanting, you can separate the side bulbs and plant separately. Children are separated with a sharp blade and immediately planted in prepared soil. It is recommended to leave at least half of the bulb on the surface. The pot is covered with foil and the greenhouse is aired daily. Young leaves appear after 12-16 days. This signals a successful rooting. Now the shelter can be removed for several hours a day, gradually increasing the gap.
Ledeburia Care
Ledeburia care at home is not difficult. Some gardeners for incredible vitality compare a flower with a weed. Ledeburia needs a long daylight and a bright, scattered sun. With a lack of lighting, she first loses the motley color of the foliage, and then begins to discard the leaves. The formation of flower buds also depends on the length of daylight hours.
The western or eastern window sills, as well as rooms with southern windows, will be an ideal place for ledeburia. In summer, you can put pots on the balcony or in the garden. It is important to select places where there are no drafts and strong temperature extremes. In summer, the optimum temperature regime is + 21 ... + 24 ° C. In winter, it is recommended to lower the temperature to + 16 ... + 18 ° C. In regions where there is no frost and cold below + 8 ° C, it is permissible to grow a ledeburia in open ground with little shelter.
For planting, use light fertile soils. You can use the store universal primer or make a mixture of the following components yourself:
- leaf soil (2 parts);
- humus (1 part).
A transplant is carried out as necessary, preferably no more than once every 3 years. Bulbs cannot be completely buried in the soil. Often this leads to their decay and death of the plant.
You need to water ledeburia often, but in small portions. Drying of an earthen coma is allowed at half the height, limp leaves testify to drying. For irrigation, it is better to use well-maintained tap water. The plant needs the mineral salts found in such water. With a sufficient number of additional feeding is not needed. If, nevertheless, ledeburia does not develop well enough, a portion of the universal mineral complex can be added once a month during the summer.
This resident of the tropics is surprisingly resistant to dry air and does not need additional spraying. Water on the leaves also does not cause problems.
Ledeburia does not need pruning, except for the removal of dried leaves and peduncles. After 8-10 years, the attractiveness of the bush is significantly reduced. It is recommended to periodically rejuvenate the plant.
Possible difficulties
Ledeburia is resistant to most diseases and parasites. Major problems may be related to improper care. With excessive watering and high dampness, fungal diseases can develop. Attacks of aphids and fruit flies are also possible. Move the plant to a drier room and reduce watering. The affected parts are cut off, the overgrowth is treated with an insecticide solution.
In too dry air, succulent leaves can attack spider mites. If the leaves begin to dry and become punctured, and a barely visible cobweb accumulates at the edges, this indicates the presence of a parasite. It is necessary to rinse the plant under a warm shower and treat it with a chemical insecticide.
