Kallizia creeping (small-leaved, repens) is an attractive houseplant, which is easy to grow in an apartment, office. This article provides a description of the creeping callisia flower and information on caring for it.
Botanical characteristics
Kallizia is a native of the genus Evergreen perennial Commeline family. Not surprisingly, the name translated from Greek means "beauty." The flower is characterized by creeping as well as erect stems, which can form dense thickets. The flower hails from tropical and subtropical regions of the USA.
Kallizia creeping
For your information! Sometimes it is confused with tradescantia, because they have similar external characteristics.
Today kalliziya well takes root at home. Most often, callisia elegant, repens, fragrant and laly-shaped is grown. Fragrant has not only decorative properties, but also healing. However, do not forget that the plant can cause an allergic reaction in both humans and animals.
The callisia repensa is characterized by a stalk 15-20 cm long, on which spherical, heart-like leaves of green color are formed on top and with a burgundy hue from below. In size, they are no more than 3-4 cm.
At home, small-leaved callizia rarely blooms, but if the process occurs, the flowers are white and plain, although they have a pleasant smell.
How to care for callis at home
The flower itself is not very finicky, but still there are certain conditions that must be observed for proper cultivation.
Seat selection
Choosing a place is a rather important stage when planting a plant. For callisia, it is necessary that the site is well lit, but it is better that direct sunlight does not fall. It can be a windowsill if the windows are not on the sunny side, the back of the room, a table, a shelf perpendicular to the window, etc. It is important that the room has good air circulation.
You do not need to select a special soil, for example, you can take a substrate for succulents or any other. However, it is important that the soil is light. You need to water regularly and increase the amount of water during the spring-summer period, when the air temperature is very high.
For your information! Also, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers will be beneficial, mixing it in water for spraying. The procedure should be carried out from May to September.
If the plant has grown very much, and there is already not enough space in the pot, it must be transplanted. This can be done in two ways: transplant into a larger container or divide the plant into two parts.
Do not forget about harvesting yellowed or dry leaves, as well as damaged stems.
Transplanted calliza repens
Air temperature
For callisia, a temperature of 20-25 ° C is best, so in the summer it has no problems. In winter, it may be difficult to maintain the temperature, but if it is not lower than 16 ° C, then everything will be fine. Of course, the flower will slow down its growth, but it will not disappear.
Important! Air temperature can fluctuate, but if this happens abruptly, the plant will die soon.
Air humidity
The need for water largely depends on the origin of the plant. Since Callisia comes from the subtropical and tropical regions of the United States, it needs high humidity. In order for this plant to develop correctly, bloom and smell, it is necessary to spray it regularly (preferably every day) and do not let hot air flow blow on it, that is, it is not recommended to put the pots next to the battery, heater, stove, etc.
Diseases and Pests
The following pests and ailments can destroy the flower.
Parasites
Just like plants in the open ground and indoor plants, a flower can be infected with diseases or suffer from parasites. Domestic pests are thrips, scale insects, mealybug, whitefly, etc.
For your information! Kallizia repens is most attracted by spider mites, thrips and scale insects.
A spider mite is a microscopic mite that cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, attacking the plant, it leaves thin layers of cobwebs (most often on the inside of the leaf). It seems that the leaves are sprinkled with flour. For prevention, it is necessary to spray the plant with water.
Important! Water should be cold.
If the plant is already infected, then you need to rinse it in the shower and treat it with drugs. For use, they are best suited: vertimec, fitoverm, agravertine, acarin and neoron.
Thrips are sucking parasites that lay eggs in leaf tissue. Outwardly, they look like an elongated fly, although it is quite problematic to see it, but the tracks - dry dots of silver color that can turn into a stain - give it away. For the fight use actar (best), agravertine, acarin, spark-bio, fitoverm.
Scabies are sucking insects that feed on cellular sap. It’s easy to find them: small, bright tubercles, similar to droplets of frozen wax. They are easy to remove with a finger or crush. When fighting a parasite, it is recommended to use the same drugs as against thrips.
Although callisia is quite resistant to adverse conditions, do not forget about its departure, because parasites most often infect a weak plant and with low humidity. If the plant is infected, it is necessary to process the entire collection of flowers, otherwise there may be an epidemic that will lead to the death of many copies.
Small-leaved Callizia
Disease
Callisia is characterized by the problem of root and stem rot. This can occur due to the permanent moisture of the earthen coma and the lack of good drainage. To fight, you need to remove all damaged parts and treat the slices with chopped charcoal. You also need to change the soil in the pot. If there are a lot of lesions, then it is necessary to carry out treatment with fungicides, for example, profit, bayleton, acrobat, rovral and oxychome.
Possible growing difficulties
Problems may arise due to improper care. It can be unusual diseases, for example:
- atypical discoloration of leaves and their falling. To do this, reduce the amount of water when watering;
- drying leaves. To do this, on the contrary, it is necessary to increase the amount of water, but not to overdo it;
- an increase in the distance between the leaves and lengthening of the stem indicates a poor place of growth;
- if they smoke in the apartment / office, then callisia should be removed as far as possible, otherwise it will die. The plant does not tolerate tobacco smoke.
Kallizia creeping
Thus, callisia does not require diligent care at home. The main thing is to follow the rules of cultivation, carefully monitor the condition of the flower, and then it will delight the eye with its presentable appearance.
