Asparagus Meyer is a beautiful and very unusual houseplant that will look harmoniously in any interior. One of the advantages of the culture is the ease of care and cultivation.
What does Asparagus Meyer look like to which family
Asparagus Meyer - a representative of the Asparagus family (Sprazhevye). The name of the indoor asparagus flower in Latin is asparagus. In the people it is sometimes called the "fox tail" for fluffy twigs.
Asparagus Meyer
The plant is a small-sized herbaceous shrub that grows a little more than 1 m in height. The crown is sprawling, grows 3-4 m in diameter. The shoots are straight, leaflets needles densely cover the shoots.
On a note! Perennial street asparagus is considered a winter-tolerant plant.
Asparagus - species
About 300 species of this plant are known. At home, only 10 of them are grown. In bouquets, varieties of cirrus asparagus are most often used.
Popular types of plants:
- Asparagus Setaceus - different unusual leaves, similar to feathers of birds. In height reaches 30-85 cm.
- Asparagus Aethiopicus or Aspraragus Ethiopian - is a shrub with long aerial stems. In spring, small white or pink flowers bloom on it.
- Asparagus Umbelatus - the stems of this species are thin, but very firm. Leaflets look like needles. The flowers are small, after flowering red berries remain.
- Asparagus Virgatus - looks like shoots of dill. It is often used to decorate bouquets. The second name of the flower is asparagus triferen.
- Asparagus officinalis (Latin: Asparagus Officinalis) or edible asparagus is the oldest type of culture that is grown as a vegetable. Young shoots are used for food.
- Pyramidal asparagus - shoots are long, densely covered with leaf-needles. The culture grows to 1.5 m.
- The asparagus is densely flowered - the crown is sprawling, lush.
- Asparagus Medeoloides - stems straight, strongly branched.
A variety of flower called Medeoloides
Briefly about the history of the appearance
The plant comes from South Africa. In Egypt and the Mediterranean, asparagus has been cultivated for many millennia. In the wild, it is characterized by uncontrolled rapid growth. Asparagus began to be used for landscaping landscaping in the 19-20 century.
Features of caring for Meyer asparagus at home
Asparagus in the care is quite unpretentious.
Temperature
The optimum temperature for the flower is + 20 ... +22 degrees. The main thing is that the room is protected from cold drafts.
Lighting
Asparagus prefers to grow in partial shade or shadow. Do not place the pot in open sunlight.
Watering
Water the plant should be plentiful and regular. The soil must not be allowed to dry out. It is also undesirable for the potted water to stagnate.
How to water a plant
Spraying
The plant loves moisture, so foliage should be sprayed regularly. In the cold season, 1-2 times a week are enough. In summer, you can spray every other day.
Humidity
In winter, next to the pot, you can put a plate with wet expanded clay or hang wet towels on the batteries.
Priming
Caring for Meyer's asparagus at home involves the selection of suitable soil. The plant prefers loose and breathable soil. It is best to purchase ready-made primer in the store.
On a note! The acidity level of the flower soil should be in the range of 5.5-7.5.
Top dressing
Fertilizers are applied to the soil once every two weeks during the period of active growth. You can use complex mineral fertilizing. It is also useful to sprinkle soil with wood ash.
Winter care, rest period
The plant rests from October to March. In winter, they reduce the amount of watering and cease to fertilize. You also need to increase the level of humidity.
How Asparagus Meyer propagates
There are several ways to plant a house.
Seed germination
Step-by-step instructions for sowing seeds:
- Pre-planting material is soaked for a day in water.
- Then the seeds are sown in the ground, sprinkled with a thin layer of soil and watered.
- The container is covered with a bag or glass on top and placed in the sun.
- Once a day for 20 minutes it is opened to ventilate.
- When the first shoots appear, the container is rearranged in partial shade.
Transplanting seedlings to a permanent place is possible after the seedlings have grown and strengthened.
Rooting cuttings
The procedure for the propagation of asparagus by cuttings:
- Cut the stalk. Its length should be from 10 to 15 cm.
- Put the stalk in the growth activator for several hours.
- Then plant it in the ground and cover it with a bottle or glass cap.
- When the roots appear and the stalk grows stronger, it can be transplanted. If the pot is spacious, the flower can be left in it.
Important! The best time for rooting cuttings is February-June
Planting cuttings
Other options
Another method of reproduction is dividing the bush. It is suitable for propagation of a garden plant. The bush is dug up and cut into several parts. Then each part is planted.
Transfer
It is necessary to transplant a plant in the spring. This procedure is carried out with young plants every year, and with old plants every three years. Before transplanting, the flower is abundantly watered. The main thing is to carefully extract the plant without damaging the roots and stems.
Possible problems with growing and disease
As asparagus grows, flower growers may encounter some problems.
Plant drops buds and leaves
This may be due to a lack of light, waterlogged soil, or a lack of nutrients in the ground.
Leaves turn pale
Most likely, the plant does not have enough sun. To solve the problem, it is enough to rearrange the pot in a more sunny place.
The tips dry on the leaves
The cause of this phenomenon may be too bright lighting or drying out the soil. Perhaps the problem is caused by pests.
The tips of the leaves dry on the flower
Lower leaves fall off
Sometimes this happens for natural reasons. So the plant discards old leaves. In other cases, lower leaves may fall due to lack of nutrients and waterlogging of the soil.
Pests
Most often on a flower you can see a scab and a spider mite. The scabbard is collected by hand, and then the bush of Actellic preparations is sprayed. This drug also helps against spider mites. To protect the plant from this pest, it needs to be placed more often under a warm shower. It is better to cover the soil with a film before it, so that the soil is not waterlogged.
Additional Information. Mushroom mosquitoes and thrips can appear due to dry air and increased soil moisture. In this case, the plant is treated with Fitover or any other fungicide.
Other problems
In addition to pests and breeding conditions during cultivation of asparagus, one often has to deal with diseases. The most common of these is root rot. It occurs due to improper watering. The disease is very dangerous. If treatment is not started in time, the flower will die. The plant needs to be removed from the pot, cut off rotten roots. Then transplant it into new soil. In the future, you can not overfill the plant.
Signs and superstitions
Asparagus in the home relieves stress and helps build relationships between family members. According to signs, the plant improves the psychological atmosphere in the room and helps to reconcile faster after quarrels.
Asparagus is not only a beautiful, but also a healthy indoor plant. The flower is unpretentious in care, grows quickly and combines with all indoor flowers.
