Roicissus (Rhoicissus) - a fast-growing herbaceous perennial grape family with curly or creeping shoots, which in natural conditions are capable of reaching a length of 3 meters or more. The homeland of roicissus is the tropics of Central and South Africa.
In indoor floriculture, the plant is grown as an ampelous, its stems without pruning are stretched to a length of 1.5 meters. The leaves of roicissus are quite large, painted in saturated shades of green, can have a different shape depending on the variety (grape, rounded, palmate, etc.).
Blooming of roicissus is not particularly noticeable, it happens only in natural conditions: in the summer on the bushes of the plant from the axils of the leaves, short peduncles with umbellate inflorescences, combining many very small greenish flowers, appear.
Also be sure to look at how to grow cissus plants and tetrastigma wow.
High growth rate. | |
Almost does not bloom in room conditions. | |
Easy to grow plant. | |
Perennial. |
Roicissus: home care. Briefly
Roicissus rhombic. A photoTemperature mode | About + 21 ° C during the period of active growth, about + 15 ° C, but not lower than + 10 ° C in winter. |
Air humidity | Moderate, cultivation at low humidity with additional spraying is possible. |
Lighting | Bright scattered with shading from the midday sun. Roiscissus can grow in partial shade. |
Watering | Moderate with short intervals of soil drying: in the summer - 1 time in 3-4 days, in the winter - 2-3 times a month. |
Soil for roicissus | Purchased nutritious and loose or prepared independently from garden, turf and leafy land with the addition of sand (perlite) in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5. |
Fertilizer and fertilizer | During active growth 1 time in 2 weeks with a liquid complex composition for indoor plants. |
Roicissus transplant | As the bush grows: young plants are transplanted 1-2 times a year, adults - 1 time per year, in old ones they only renew the topsoil. |
Breeding | Apical cuttings, parts of stems or division of the bush. |
Growing Features | Roicissus at home periodically needs to bathe under a warm shower to remove dust and dirt from the leaves. In the warm season, the plant can be kept on the balcony or in the garden, shading from the midday sun. In order for the bush of roississus to be magnificent and have a neat shape, you should regularly pinch the tops of the elongated shoots. |
Care for roicissus at home. In detail
Blooming roicissus
The roicissus plant at home blooms extremely rarely. In nature, flowering usually occurs at the beginning of summer: at this time, unprepossessing small flowers of a greenish tint appear from leaf sinuses, collected in short petioles-inflorescences.
Temperature mode
In the warm season, the plant is kept at a temperature close to room temperature (+ 18- + 22 ° C), for the winter they transfer the flower pot to a cooler room with an air temperature of about + 15 ° C (but not lower than + 10 ° C).
Spraying
Home roicissus can actively grow in low humidity and tolerates the dry air of urban apartments. However, the plant responds well to regular spraying: its foliage acquires a more saturated green shade, the procedure also helps to avoid drying of the tips of the leaf blades.
Roicissus is sprayed 2 times a week with warm, settled water.
Lighting
The roicissus does not need intensive and prolonged illumination; it grows well in sufficiently bright but diffused light or in partial shade. A flower pot is best placed on the south, east or west windows, shaded from active midday rays.
Watering
During the period of active growth, it is necessary to water the roicissus very abundantly, but between the irrigations the soil is allowed to dry slightly (to a depth of 1-2 cm). Water should be taken at room temperature. With the onset of cold weather, the frequency of watering is reduced to a minimum, but at the same time, an earthen coma should not be allowed to dry out, otherwise the plant will drop its leaves.
Pot for roicissus
The capacity for growing the plant must be spacious and stable, and it will have to be changed quite often, since roicissus grows very quickly. When the diameter of the pot reaches 30 cm, the plant can no longer be transplanted in the future, but only annually update the topsoil.
Priming
The plant does not have special requirements for soil quality, it is wonderful any loose purchase soil is suitable, enriched with nutrients. The soil mixture for roicissus can be prepared at home from sheet, turf and garden soil with the addition of river sand or perlite (the ratio of ingredients is 1: 1: 1: 0.5).
Fertilizer and fertilizer
Due to the fact that roicissus is growing very actively at home, it quickly takes all the nutrients from the soil, so their reserves should be regularly replenished. Feeding is carried out every 2 weeks with any liquid complex fertilizer for indoor plants. Roicissus also responds well to organic nutrition.
Transfer
Due to the very active growth of bushes during the growing season, young plants need to be replanted at least 1-2 times a year. Adults need to change the pot to a new larger one each year.
The transplantation of roicissus, which has reached a very mature age, is usually extremely difficult due to the large size of the plant, therefore it is enough only once a year to update the topsoil in a old pot to a depth of 3 cm.
Pruning
So that the bush of the roicissus does not grow over time and does not lose its decorativeness, it should regularly arrange a “haircut” during which the tops of the elongated shoots are pinched and stems that are knocked out and spoil the appearance of the bush are removed.
The cut parts are easily rooted, from them you can get new plants.
Rest period
Caring for roicissus at home involves, among other things, the correct organization of the rest period for the plant. With the advent of winter, when daylight hours are significantly reduced, the flower pot is transferred to a cool room with an air temperature of about + 15 ° C, it is watered rarely and very mildly to prevent root decay, top dressing is temporarily suspended.
Growing roicissus from seeds
Roicissus seeds have an extremely low germination capacity, so this method is not used much for reproduction. It is much easier to get new plants in vegetative ways.
Propagation of roicissus by cuttings
The apical parts of the stems having 1 living bud and 2-3 formed leaves are used as cuttings. After cutting the planting material and treating the cut sites with powdered coal, the cuttings are sent to root in a glass of water or in any loose substrate.
Rooting is easy and does not take much time. With the appearance on the cuttings of several strong roots, they are planted in individual pots.
Reproduction of roicissus by parts of the stem
The method is similar to propagation by cuttings, only in this case, the cut planting material is laid out horizontally in a container with soil and covered with a film or glass to create greenhouse conditions. Within a month, new shoots will begin to develop from the axils of the leaves, after some time, stronger plants are planted in constant containers.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
From the adult large roicissus, you can get several new ones by simply cutting it when transplanting into divisions with parts of the root system of the mother plant. All places of cuts are treated with charcoal, new plants are planted in suitable containers.
Diseases and Pests
Roicissus is not whimsical at all, it rarely gets sick, but some deterioration in the appearance of the plant can be triggered by errors in caring for it, including:
- brown spots appear on the leaves of roicissus - these are sunburns. The plant must be shaded during particularly hot hours from direct sunlight.
- The shoots are stretched, and the leaves are smaller - the plant does not have enough light, you need to rearrange the pot with it in a more lighted place.
- Roicissus leaves turn yellowif the irrigation regime is violated or food supplies are depleted in the soil. The plant should be regularly and moderately watered and fed in a timely manner.
- The tips of the leaves are dry due to too low humidity. The problem can be solved by regular spraying of foliage.
Pests representing a real danger to roicissus include spider mites, mealybugs, aphids and whiteflies, they are controlled with special insecticides.
Types of roicissus home with photos and names
Roicissus Fungus (Rhoicissus digitata)
Highly decorative variety with unusual palmate leaves, the surface of which is glossy, leathery, painted in a very saturated emerald green hue. The reverse side of the leaf plate is covered with thin reddish villi. It blooms in nature with nondescript greenish-yellow flowers.
Roicissus rhombic (Rhoicissus rhomboidea)
The most common variety in indoor floriculture with long flexible shoots, covered with large enough juicy green leaves of complex shape, consisting of three rhomboid parts. It blooms in nature with small greenish-whitish flowers.
Cape Roicissus (Rhoicissus capensis)
Curly lianike plant with beautiful whole
and leathery leaves of a malachite-green hue, in shape resembling grape. It blooms in nature with very small greenish flowers.
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