The fern zirtomyum attracts with a spreading crown of shiny, bright green foliage. It will be a wonderful decoration of a room or a green composition in a greenhouse. Due to resistance to diseases and unpretentious nature, it is precisely the cirthium that most gardeners buy. The genus belongs to the Thyroid family and is distributed in the humid forests of South Africa and East Asia.
Botanical characteristics
Cirtomyum is a grassy evergreen perennial. It grows on moist soils of tropical and subtropical forests. Scaly orange roots are almost completely hidden underground. Only the root neck protrudes. Vayy grow directly from the earth, they have a long, brownish petiole. Paired and unpaired cirrus dissected foliage is painted in a bright green color. Glossy leaf plates with embossed central vein resemble a huge feather. The length of the leaf along with the petiole is 50-60 cm, and the width is 10-12 cm. The lateral edge of most species is smooth, even. Varieties with wavy or serrate leaves are found.
The leaves of cirtomyum are characterized by high stiffness and density. Lush curtain grows from several growth points on the rhizome. The height of the bush is usually 30-60 cm, and the width is 1 m. In indoor conditions, the fern is more modest in size. On the back of the foliage are small rounded brown spots. This is how sporangia look - fern seeds.
Popular views
In total, 12 types of cirtomyum are registered, a photo and a description help gardeners decide before buying.
Cirthium sickle. This herbaceous perennial forms a sprawling bush about 60 cm high. It is found in Japan and South Africa. Resistant to cold and dry air. Long, bright green with a grayish dusting vayi covered with unpaired, cirrus-dissected foliage. The length of the sheet is 35-50 cm with a width of up to 10 cm. The edges of the sheet plates are dissected unevenly and covered with sparse teeth. On sale, a decorative variety of this species, Rochfordianum, is more common. It has more dense and shiny leaves.
Tsirtomium Fortuna. The plant is found in China, Korea and Japan. Vaya have a lodging shape and form a curtain 30-60 cm high and 1 m wide. Egg-shaped or triangular leaves are painted in light green or grayish color. Shares are located on the petiole through a larger gap compared to other varieties.
Tsirtomium karyotovidny. This type of fern has a light brown, scaly rhizome and lush erect vayi. The height of the bush reaches 70 cm. Cirrus leaves consist of large lobes with an uneven edge. Gray-green broad-lanceolate leaves resemble a larger feather. Such unusual foliage attracts many gardeners, but to meet on sale this species is not easy.
Large-leaved cirtomy. On the stiff petiole of the waya are large, shiny lobes. Each “feather” reaches 70 cm in length and 30 cm in width. Oblong-lanceolate thin leaves are arranged in pairs and have a pointed edge. The rounded sporangia on the back of the leaf are dark green or gray.
Cirtomium Hooker. Fern forms a spreading curtain. Each vaye contains 10-15 pairs of broad-lanceolate, light green leaves. Each leaf reaches 12-15 cm in length and 5 cm in width. This species is the rarest in culture.
Reproduction of cirthium
Cirtomyum propagates by spores and division of the rhizome. Both methods make it easy to get strong, fast-growing plants.
Disputes take root easily. Sometimes self-seeding can be found in a pot with ferns, so problems with germination of spores usually do not arise. For sowing seedlings prepare a flat and wide box. It is filled with sphagnum moss with the addition of a small amount of sand and peat.
Spores are scraped off from the leaf in the fall, they are dried for a month and sown in moist soil. The box is covered with a film and kept at a temperature of + 20 ... +25 ° C. The greenhouse is regularly ventilated and the soil is sprayed with water. When shoots appear, the shelter can be removed. 2-3 months after sowing, the soil surface resembles a solid green carpet, in which it is still difficult to distinguish individual plants. After another month, large leaves begin to appear. Now, cytomiums can be planted in separate pots and grown as an adult plant.
An adult, heavily overgrown cirtomyum bush can be divided into several parts. The procedure is carried out in the spring during a transplant. The rhizome is cut into several parts so that at least 3 growth points remain in each. Sliced areas are sprinkled with activated charcoal and the delenki are planted in separate pots.
Transplant Rules
A transplant of a cirthium is carried out as necessary, when the fern almost completely covers the entire surface of the earth. Use wide and not too deep pots with a thick drainage layer at the bottom. A transplant is planned for early spring, until new vaiyas appear. The soil mixture is made from the following components:
- peat;
- sand;
- sphagnum moss;
- charcoal;
- pine bark.
The soil should be light, breathable. When transplanting, the roots do not bury too much. The root neck should remain on the surface. Before planting, the roots are checked for rot. You can trim affected or too long areas.
Growing Features
Home care for cirthium is very simple. This unpretentious plant will grow beautifully even at a careless grower, and in response to love and care will form a magnificent crown. Tsirtomium can grow in deep shade on the northern windows, but in a brighter room its leaves become more juicy and vibrant. From the midday sun it is better to create a slight shading or put the pot further from the window.
Cool places are suitable for ferns. In summer, it grows well at + 20 ... +22 ° C. In winter, it is recommended to lower the temperature slightly, but cooling below +11 ° C can be fatal. It is advisable to provide small nighttime temperature fluctuations.
It is necessary to water the cirtomyum regularly so that the soil remains always moist. A slight drying of the topsoil is allowed. For irrigation use soft water at room temperature. With cooling, watering is reduced.
For ferns, increased humidity is preferred. It is recommended to spray the leaves more often and periodically bathe them from dust. However, even in dry air, this type of fern develops normally and does not dry leaves.
Since the spring, when the zirtomyum launches new vaya, it is recommended to fertilize it twice a month. Use highly diluted mineral compounds for deciduous houseplants.
Possible difficulties
Cirtomyum is resistant to disease and is almost not affected by parasites. In rare cases, scabies and worms can be found on its leaves. It is recommended that insecticides be treated when insects appear so that the plant does not lose vitality.
If the leaves of the cirtomyum become yellow, and the growth has completely stopped or slowed down, you should check the condition of the soil. It is recommended to dry highly moistened soil. It is useful to transplant the plant into fresh ground.
