Fittonia: home care, flowering

Fittonia (photo in the article) is a houseplant that will appeal to lovers of subtle, discreet, modest, and refined beauty. Its relatively easy home care is a definite plus. Although the plant rarely blooms, and selective hybrids generally do not produce buds, these are not the main attraction of this exotic plant. Plant growers are drawn to its decorative leaves of varying shades, adorned with an intricate pattern of spots and lines.

Types and varieties of fittonia

The Acanthaceae family, native to the tropics of South America, has only a few species:

1. Fittonia verschaffeltii. The leaves are elongated, oval, and covered with soft hairs. Crimson, pink, and red-violet veins form an intricate pattern. The shoots can change color from silver to olive. The plant reaches 10 cm in height.
2. Fittonia argentiferata. On the large oval, slightly curved back emerald plates, a shining silvery-white pattern clearly stands out.
3. Gigantic. The only member of the family with an erect stem growing up to 60 cm in height. The glossy leaves are 15 cm long and 10 cm wide. A fantastic pattern of rich scarlet streaks, spots, and lines is clearly defined. The shoots are red with a lilac tint. It is rarely grown indoors, as even experienced florists find it difficult to create the right microclimate for the flower.

Breeders have developed a sufficient number of varieties that can be grown at home (photo below):

1. Skeleton. It is distinguished by small, oval, matte olive-colored plates, reaching up to 3 cm in length. The entire surface is dotted with a rich scarlet mesh, creating the illusion of a glow.
2. Frankie. Elongated plates of coral or soft pink color are framed along the perimeter by a border of dark green color.
3. Josan. Scarlet leaves with a rich emerald border and “strokes” over the entire surface.
4. Pearcei. Velvet plates with a mesh of pink and crimson veins.
5. Mosaic Kings Cross. The corrugated leaves with pointed tips are almost entirely white, creating the illusion of sea foam. The only clues to their plant origin are a thin emerald border and a scattering of "splashes" across the surface.
6. White Vein. It is distinguished by its “fresh” shade of green foliage and snow-white veins.
7. Fortissimo. The plates are oval, almost round, with a bright network of dark pink stripes.
8. Red. The red pattern covers the entire surface of the leaf, dominating the color over the bright green color of the plates.
9. White Anne. A network of pearl-silver veins is framed by an emerald border.

In fact, this isn't a specially bred, exclusive variety of the plant, but several bright, contrasting perennial cultivars planted in a single container. Therefore, the care principles are identical to those for "monofloral" varieties.

Fittonia – home care

Botanists have worked hard to adapt this tropical exotic plant to indoor life. But it's not a flower you can forget about for long. It's important to follow basic care guidelines and create the right microclimate:

1. The optimal location is near windows facing west and east. Fittonia prefers intense but diffused light. If planted on a south-facing surface, provide shade and protection from direct UV rays. In winter, artificial lighting (2-4 hours per day) is required.
2. Comfortable temperature 20°C-25°CWhen temperatures drop to 17°C, the plant often loses its leaves. At higher temperatures, additional misting is required. It is extremely important to protect it from drafts and daily temperature fluctuations. It is not recommended to place it on a balcony or terrace, even in summer.
3. Water for irrigation should be soft, settled, melted. The optimal temperature is 3°C-5°C above room temperature. Avoid allowing the soil in the pot to dry out completely or become overwatered. This may cause the plant to drop leaves or die. It's important to monitor the condition of the substrate; as soon as the top layer dries out, moisten it. Adjust the frequency of watering according to the season and room temperature. In winter, water slightly less frequently. Drain any excess water from the tray after half an hour.
4. For a comfortable existence, the Tropicana requires high air humidity and systematic spraying twice a day. It is recommended to place a container of water, a humidifier, an aquarium or a fountain in the immediate vicinity of the exotic plant.
5. Any liquid mineral fertilizers for indoor plants are suitable as fertilizers. However, their concentration should be halved. The frequency of soil enrichment with beneficial components is every two weeks during the warm season; in winter, this procedure can be omitted or applied no more than once every 30 days.
6. An important point of quality home care behind the fittonia mix plant (photo in the article) or any other variety planted separately, is regular pruning and pinching, designed to maintain the flower's decorative appearance. This procedure is performed at the end of March, every 3-4 years. To promote branching, the tips of young shoots are removed, leaving only a few leaves on older shoots. To minimize stress, pruning is carried out in 2-3 stages. Completely stripping the plant bare is not recommended, as this will cause its death.
7. Fittonia blooms in summerThe buds are small, inconspicuous, and of no value. Many florists recommend removing flower stalks that emerge directly from the leaves to avoid depleting the bush.
   The ideal method is considered to be cultivation Houseplants in florariums or glass containers create a microclimate that satisfies all the exotic plant's needs.

Replanting Fittonia at Home

After purchasing a small ornamental plant, it needs to be given a few days to acclimatize by placing it in quarantine. Then, repotting is mandatory.

A low, wide pot is chosen for the groundcover tropical plant. A bonsai pot is also suitable.

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You can buy the soil mixture at a flower shop or make it yourself:

1. Ready-made substrate for violets or geraniums.
2. Coniferous and sod soil, sand, peat, which are taken in a ratio of 2:2:1:1.
3. Equal amounts of humus, sand, peat, or 1 part of the specified components and 3 parts of leaf soil.

The transplantation procedure involves the use of the transshipment method. It is carried out in several stages:

1. Pour boiling water over the prepared pot to disinfect it.
2. Line the bottom with a drainage layer (approximately ¼ of the way up), pre-baked in the oven. Pebbles, broken brick, or expanded clay are suitable.
3. Add the substrate, which has been soaked in boiling water for disinfection.
4. Carefully remove the plant from its original container. Lightly shake off any old soil, being careful not to expose the roots. Otherwise, the plant will have difficulty and will take a long time to establish.
5. Place in a new container. Add soil to the sides.
6. Moisten the soil generously.
7. Drain excess liquid from the pan.
8. Place in a warm, bright place, protected from direct sunlight.

Reproduction

The easiest way to propagate fittonia is by dividing the plant. This is often combined with a planned repotting. Using a sharp, disinfected tool, the mother plant is cut into several pieces and repotted into individual pots. Division should be done with extreme care to avoid damaging the sensitive roots. The cut areas should be dusted with charcoal or activated charcoal.

Another fairly simple way reproduction – cuttings. This is carried out in several stages:

1. At the top, select a healthy shoot, 6-7 cm long, with 3-5 leaves.
2. Cut with a well-sharpened knife. Powder the cutting points on the mother plant with charcoal or activated charcoal.
3. Plant the resulting cutting in a mixture of wet sand, peat and moss.
4. Cover with plastic film or glass to create greenhouse conditions. Maintain a constant temperature of 26°C.
5. Remove the cap and spray regularly.
6. Once roots appear (this may take 1 to 3 months), transplant into a suitable pot.

A more gentle method of propagation using layering:

1. Select a young, strong shoot.
2. Remove the top 2-3 pairs of leaves.
3. Bend it to the ground and bury it without cutting it from the mother bush.
4. After rooting, separate and replant as an independent plant.

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Diseases and pests of fittonia

Many problems can arise when caring for a flower. The main cause is improper growing conditions:

1. Root rotIt causes stunted growth and development, the roots darken and soften, and emit an unpleasant odor. Leaves change color, droop, and wilt. It is difficult to treat. At the initial stage of development, remove the affected parts, treat with fungicides, and replant.
2. Thinning of the plates, a decrease in the clarity and definition of the leaf pattern. The cause is a lack of light or nutrients.
3. Spotting. It may appear due to direct sunlight or excessive soil moisture.
4. If a flower losing leaves, which means it doesn’t have enough light, moisture, or is simply cold.
   Low temperatures can cause stems to rot.
5. Yellow, curled leaves, appear due to dry air and insufficient watering.
6. Reducing the size of the plates, an increase in the distance between them indicates a lack of light.

Caring for fittonia at home requires regular inspection. This exotic plant isn't susceptible to specific pests. It can be attacked by "omnivorous" parasites:

1. Scale insect. It feeds on plant sap. As a result, young shoots dry out, new growth ceases, leaves and stems turn yellow, and eventually fall off. If the tropical plant's condition deteriorates, the process will ultimately end in its death. After discovering gray-brown plaques and sticky liquid on the underside of the leaves, thoroughly treat the plant with a soapy solution and wrap it in plastic wrap for half an hour. Rinse with warm water. To completely eradicate the pests, apply insecticides three times, every 7-10 days.
2. Thrips. The leaves are discolored and have punctures. Brown or russet spots appear on the underside of the leaves. The damaged areas turn silvery, and the leaves die. The affected plant should be isolated from other houseplants, then thoroughly rinsed under running warm water and repotted in disinfected soil and a pot. Treat all existing plants, including the fittonia, with insecticides 2-3 times every 10 days. For safety, place sticky traps around the perimeter of each "windowsill inhabitant."
3. Spider mite. Numerous light spots and thin whitish "threads" appear. The leaves become discolored and curl into tubes. The plant dries out very quickly. Acaricides are used against pests. Among the gentler options, garlic or onion infusion, alcohol, and soap solution are effective.
4. Mealybug. The presence of the pest can be identified by small whitish lumps and a sticky coating. Mild infestations are relatively easy to treat. Simply clean the plant with a soapy solution and spray with a tobacco solution three times, every 10 days. In more advanced stages, insecticide treatment is recommended.

For those encountering this exotic beauty for the first time, the care process may seem somewhat labor-intensive. In fact, like other indoor plants, it simply requires a comfortable microclimate and basic care guidelines. In return, the fittonia will become an interior decoration for a true aesthete, delighting the eye with its incredibly diverse, colorful blooms.