Any grower with great interest refers to exotic plants with an unusual appearance and flowering. This is hypocirrhoid (its other name is nematanthus). About what this plant is, and about the features of caring for it will be discussed later.

Did you know? There are amulets. Hypocirrhosis — one of them since the apartment is feng shui takes over all the negativity. Promotes financial well-being. WITHthe symbol of family happiness.

Botanical Description

Nemantanthus is a tropical plant. His homeland is considered to be Latin America.

The flower is a small shrub with dense wax leaves of small size, located on curly elastic shoots. It blooms in summer by medium-sized bright single flowers, thanks to which it received another name - “the kiss of summer”.

Main types

Hypocytosis is represented by many different types.

Some of them are ideal for growing a house:

• Hypocytosis Coin - This is an unusual view with creeping stems. A distinctive feature of this variety is the fluff covering the rounded leaves of the plant. The length of the shoots does not exceed 15 cm, the flowers are glossy, orange-red. For winter, this variety discards foliage;
• Glabra - It is a small shrub with upright dense stems covered with glossy small elongated leaves - dark green on top and lighter below. The height of the shoots is approximately 50-60 cm, at the base of the leaves are orange buds - in groups of 2-3;
• Tropicana - a magnificent view with diamond-shaped glossy leaves of dark green color. The stems are tall, straight. Variety flowering is plentiful, lasts all summer. The flowers are yellow, along the bud are dark orange stripes;
• Gregarius - It is an ampel plant with low creeping stems. The leaves are small, shiny, densely located on the shoot; have an elongated, slightly pointed shape. The culture blooms with small tubular flowers (depending on the variety - red or yellow);
• nematanthus columney - the brightest representative of this species. The stems are half-standing, about 30–40 cm long, the leaves are large, green, pointed in shape, with deep veins. The flowers are large, tubular, scarlet. This variety is isolated in a separate genus due to a number of external differences from the classical representatives of nematanthus;
• Variegated - got its name due to the unusual color of the foliage: small, wax leaves in the center are painted dark green, and at the edges they have a light green border. Sometimes there is another option - light leaves with dark “tan marks” along the edge. Flowers of a standard form of orange color.

House growing conditions

Hypocyte is a very popular plant for home breeding. All the varieties described above safely take root in conditions comfortable for them.

Lighting

This flower culture belongs to photophilous plants (with sufficient lighting, it provides long-term flowering). But the plant does not tolerate direct sunlight, and in the summer heat it is fraught with burns of leaves. The flower is recommended intense, but diffused light; in winter you can use a source of artificial lighting.

Temperature

Despite the fact that the countries with a hot climate are the birthplace of hypocirrises, heat is contraindicated for this houseplant. The ideal microclimate for the “kiss of summer” involves maintaining the optimum air temperature of + 22 ... + 24 ° C in the summer and + 14 ... + 16 ° C in the winter.

Important! Nematanthus is especially sensitive to drafts and sudden changes in temperature.

Air humidity

A tropical flower feels very comfortable in conditions of high humidity (if it is above 80%). That is why it is recommended to spray it often, as well as to install around the pot with a plant with a water tank.

Home Care

Nematanthus is not too picky about care, but the basic rules should be followed.

Watering

Watering hypocirrt in the summer should be plentiful and regular. Lack of moisture is detrimental to the flower; water should be at room temperature or slightly warmer.

In autumn and winter, the frequency of watering is reduced. During this period, the plant is watered as the upper soil layer dries. Since the root of the plant is tender and sensitive; to avoid damage, watering is carried out exclusively under the root, from a small height, drip (using a watering can, for example), and not with an intensive stream.

Top dressing

Fertilize the flower is a must. Ready-made mineral fertilizers of industrial production are used for flowering Promix or Fertika indoor plants. Complex mixtures with nitrogen and potassium fertilizers, providing support during the growing season, will also be a suitable option. Top dressing is carried out from April to September at least once every 7-10 days, when growth and flowering are intense. Fertilizer is applied at the root, combining with the next watering.

Pruning

To ensure good branching and flowering in the next season, the shoots of nematanthus are pruned before the onset of winter colds - at a time when the plant slows down vital processes. Typically, each stem is trimmed to about 1/3 of the length.

Transfer

The good news for gardeners may be the fact that hypocirrhoid does not require a traditional annual transplant. Its root system is quite thin and develops with moderate intensity, so transshipment into a new pot can be done every 2 years. A flower pot is chosen for a small, proportionate branching of the roots (it is desirable that it be short and wide).

The soil should be light, porous. Of the prepared substrates, a soil mixture for home violets is suitable, and with independent preparation of the mixture, it is enough to mix peat, sand, humus and leafy soil in equal proportions.

The plant is transplanted in the spring before the onset of flowering: from early March to early April. It is necessary to transship the flower into new soil together with an earthen lump surrounding the roots in order to prevent their damage. A layer of substrate is poured at the bottom of the new pot, a small depression is made in it, to which the root is placed; then add the required amount of soil mixture so that it fills the voids of the tank.

Important! It is absolutely necessary to create a drainage layer in containers with a plant of emptiness, otherwise root rot may develop.

After the transplant, the flower is watered with warm water, and after a few days you can make ready-made nitrogen-potassium fertilizers for indoor plants under the root.

Propagation by cuttings

Hypocyte successfully propagated by cuttings. It is possible to separate the cuttings for breeding during a period of intensive plant growth, when the length of the process will be sufficient (at least 6-7 nodes with buds). The cutaway shoot is placed in a container with wet sand, deepening to the lower leaves.

Caring for a seedling does not differ in technology from caring for an adult plant (with one exception, it is recommended to cover it with a cap). From time to time, the sprout needs to be ventilated and quenched in room conditions. The air temperature must be between +22 ... + 24 ° C.

As soon as the stalk gives the first long roots, it can be transplanted to a permanent habitat. It is allowed to plant both one or several shoots in one pot.

Possible growing difficulties

Despite the ease of care, novice growers may encounter some problems when breeding hypocirrhosis:

• if you water the plant with too cold water, his immunity will begin to weaken; because of this, dark or reddish spots may appear on the leaves. A similar phenomenon is observed with a long absence of watering. To avoid this problem, water the flower with settled soft water at room temperature, and in the winter - slightly warm;
• lack of flowering - one of the main problems. There can be many reasons, but most often it is a lack of light, lack of top dressing and sudden changes in temperature in the room. If such a difficulty arose, it is worth acting in stages: first of all, drafts must be eliminated. If the plant still does not bloom, it is necessary to rearrange it in a more illuminated place away from direct sunlight;
• the plant loses foliage with excess moisture, fluid retention in the root area, as well as when kept in a cold room. Noticing the loss of foliage, you should limit watering, transfer the flower to a warm place and wait for the earthen coma to dry out. After the measures taken, watering is organized so that the liquid does not linger on the bottom of the pot (drainage is used). In some cases, when signs of decay appear, the plant is transplanted, removing rotted roots during transplantation;
• moisture disturbance and excessive watering may cause powdery mildew or gray rot. If you find signs of these diseases, you need to treat the leaves and stems with a fungicidal solution of industrial production - for indoor plants. The most commonly used drugs are Bona Forte or Diskor (or a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate). Affected shoots remove and move the plant away from healthy flowers.

To prevent the occurrence of the described problems, it is enough to strictly adhere to the rules for caring for the flower and prevent its hypothermia.

Omens and superstition

Like most indoor plants, nematanthus is overgrown with a lot of beliefs and mysterious signs, namely:

• this flower is able to attract wealth to the house, its owner of the sign guarantees financial well-being and professional growth;
• Hypocirrh - a flower-healer: if a person is sick, the stems of the plant will certainly go down.

Did you know? Many flower growers have confirmed yet another theory in practice: if a pot of nematanthus is placed next to a diseased plant, the diseased flower will soon recover from ailments. It is believed that hypocyte actively releases phytoncides into the atmosphere. So called substances that inhibit the growth and development of pathogenic bacteria.

So, acquaintance with an unusual flower plant called “hypocirrhoid” makes it possible to draw conclusions about its unpretentiousness. Caring for a flower is simple and affordable even for novice lovers of indoor flora. Compliance with simple rules will allow you to easily grow a beautifully blooming culture for a long time, which will decorate any room.