Maranta tricolor: home care

Three-colored arrowroot is distinguished by its spectacular appearance and interesting coloring of leaves. It is because of the foliage that flower growers and breeders love her. The intricacies of growing this variety of arrowroot at home are the focus of our article.

Botanical description of the plant

Three-colored, or red-stalked arrowroot (Latin Maranta tricolor) is part of the family of the same name. Her homeland is Brazil.

Because of the interesting behavior of the tricolor arrowroot when lighting changes in the people, it is called a prayer plant or “10 Commandments”. In daylight, its leaves are arranged horizontally, in the dark - rise up. This ability is necessary for the flower to retain moisture, reducing evaporation, and thereby avoid sunburn.

The main characteristics of the flower are collected in the table:

House growing conditions

Maranta requires increased attention of the owner and a special approach, so before you plant it in your home, you need to study all available information about your preferred conditions and care measures. It should be remembered that the arrowroot is a native of the humid tropics, therefore it is important for it to create close to natural conditions: heat, high humidity and good lighting.

Did you know? Tarantulas and other organs are used to obtain starch, and in folk medicine they are used to treat insomnia, problems with the intestines and to increase the body's resistance to diseases.

Location

This flower is not an adherent of bright sunlight. He needs a light shadow, so the pot needs to be placed on a light windowsill, but with shading from direct sunlight.

The best location is east and west. When growing from the south side, it is better to put the pot not on the windowsill, but at a certain distance from the window. On the north side, the flower will be dark.

In winter, the arrowroot will have little lighting, so you need to install additional - using a daylight lamp. Recommended daylight hours - 16 hours.

In summer, the pot can be taken out to fresh air and grown on a balcony, loggia, terrace.

Temperature

The optimum temperature for the content of arrowroot is from +20 to 25 ° С. A flower without a decrease in decorativeness can tolerate a rise in temperature to + 28 ° C and a decrease to + 16 ° C. In summer, the arrowroot will enjoy living in the fresh air: it can be taken out to the balcony, loggia, terrace. However, it is important to ensure that it is not in a draft. Also, the flower does not tolerate temperature extremes.

Air humidity

Maranta needs to be moistened well. In summer, she needs daily spraying, regular shower. In winter, the desired humidity level should be maintained by installing the pot on a pallet with wet expanded clay, pebbles, sand. In this case, the pot should not be in contact with water.

Important! It is necessary to ensure that water droplets during spraying do not fall on the leaves, as this threatens the formation of bright spots on them.

Home Care

Marante needs regular care: ignoring the owner of systematic watering, dressing, transplanting will reduce the decorativeness of the flower, in addition, it will begin to hurt and wither.

Watering

Water the plant often and plentifully. The topsoil should not completely dry out. In the summer, daily watering will be required, but without stagnation of moisture in the pot. In winter, the frequency of hydration should be reduced to 1 time in 5-7 days.

It should be watered exclusively with warm water - a couple of degrees warmer than room temperature. Water should be left standing for 2 days, filtered or rain.

Top dressing

Fertilizers for arrowroot are needed, but not frequent. In the spring and summer periods, 2 top dressing per month will be required. Suitable organics, mineral fertilizers and universal fertilizers for decorative and deciduous plants. The dosage indicated by the manufacturer is best halved. In winter, the frequency of top dressing should be reduced to one per month.

The use of a large number of nitrogen bait should be avoided - they change the color of the foliage.

Did you know? The Indians made an antidote from the tuberous roots of the arrowroot, which healed the soldiers who were injured by poisoned arrows.

Pruning

The arrowroot does not need to be trimmed and shaped. In spring, you need to remove damaged, dried, old, elongated shoots. As necessary, tear off the leaves, dried buds.

Decorative and deciduous plants also include such as:

Transfer

Plants under three years of age will need to be replanted annually. Later, one transplant in 2 years will be enough.

In order to transplant a plant, you need to purchase a pot and soil. In stores, a substrate for decorative leafy plants is sold, which is ideal for planting arrowroot.

Also, the mixture can be prepared with your own hands, combining such components:

• garden land (6 parts);
• peat (3 parts);
• sand (2 parts).

Another option for preparing the mixture:

• sheet earth;
• peat;
• humus.

Video: How to transplant an arrowroot tricolor

Components are taken in equal parts. It is also desirable to mix charcoal, coniferous soil. The capacity for the flower needs wide and shallow. Better if it is made of plastic. The transplant is carried out by transshipment method - in March. Read more about how and when to plant indoor plants.

For its successful implementation, the following steps are taken:

1. At the bottom of the pot lay a layer of drainage of expanded clay, pebbles, broken brick, coarse sand.
2. Sprinkle drainage with soil.
3. It is good to water a flower.
4. Inspect the plant and remove dry, yellow leaves.
5. Extract flower from pot with earthen lump.
6. Move the earthen lump into a new pot.
7. To fill up with soil.
8. Moisturize liberally.
9. Put in a warm, well-lit, but shaded place.

Breeding

Most often arrowroot propagated in 2 ways - by dividing the bush and cuttings. Any of them is simple to carry out: if there is an instruction, a novice will be able to implement it.

Rhizome division

The division is planned for the first month of spring.

For its successful implementation, the following manipulations are performed:

1. Remove the plant from the pot.
2. Clear the roots of the earth.
   

3. Divide the bush into parts so that each of them has 2-3 tubers and a pair of leaves.
4. The places of separation should be treated with charcoal or activated carbon.
5. Place each part in a separate shallow pot, filled with loose light soil with a predominance of peat.
6. Moisturize.
7. Cover each pot with polyethylene or a plastic bottle.

Further care will consist in regular moistening and ventilation. Shelter will need to be removed when new shoots and leaves form.

We recommend reading how to plant indoor flowers in a pot.

Cuttings

Cuttings are produced from spring to autumn.

The technology of rooting cuttings is as follows:

1. Use sharp, disinfected scissors or a knife to cut strong apical cuttings from 8 to 10 cm long with several leaves and internodes.
2. Put the cuttings in water.
3. Put in a warm place.
4. After the appearance of the roots, plant in loose soil.

Growing difficulties

If a plant is missing something, then its appearance will change.

By the nature of the changes, the owner can determine what exactly the flower is missing:

1. The leaves are lightened and dry. Direct sunlight enters the plant. It is necessary to move it to another place or shade, so that the light becomes diffused.
2. Dry, turn yellow, turn brown leaves. This is a symptom that several factors lead to: lack of moisture, dry air in the room, lack or excess of nutrients. The reason must be established and eliminated.
3. The stems wilt and rot. Such a problem is observed if the arrowroot grows at a cool temperature and is excessively moistened. It is necessary to reduce the frequency and volume of irrigation.
4. The ends of the leaves turn yellow. Factors that can provoke such a decrease in decorativeness are excessive or insufficient fertilizer application. Top dressing should be done in accordance with the recommended frequency and dosage.
5. Dark spots appear on the foliage, the leaves curl. This situation is observed with a lack of moisture. It is necessary to more and more actively water the arrowroot, and its leaves will return to their former beauty.
6. Stunting. When the arrowroot stops growing, it may lack nutrients, which means it will need to be fed. Also, growth retardation occurs if transplantation has long been carried out and when the air is too dry.

Important! Chemicals are used only in advanced cases. If several treatments are required, the interval between them should be 5 to 7 days.

Erroneous or inadequate care leads to the fact that the flower's immunity is reduced, and he becomes a victim of insect pests.

The following can affect the arrowroot:

1. The red spider mite settles on that plant which is contained in too dry and hot conditions. You can eliminate it by raising and constantly monitoring the level of humidity. If a web and red dots are found on the leaves, it is necessary to spray the plant well and put a plastic bag on it for several days. Soap wipes are also used. Of the drugs , Apollo, Borneo, Flumight, Akarin, Actellik, Fitoverm are effective.
   

2. Signs of aphid infection are yellowing and curling leaves, lethargy, leaf fall. Destroy it with soap wipes and insecticide treatments.
   

3. Scale is a small sucking insect, covered with a hard shell. The first sign of its appearance is a sticky fluid on the trunk. The fight against the parasite is carried out mechanically - scraped off with a brush. Acetic wipes are also effective, rubbing with tincture of garlic, red pepper. In case of severe infection, they resort to chemical treatment using Fitoverm, Actellik, Metafos.
   

4. When a mealybug appears on the plant, you can notice white friable discharge, similar to cotton wool. They destroy it with the help of soap wipes, spraying with a solution of green soap, infusions of tobacco, garlic, a decoction of cyclamen, tincture of calendula, alcohol, preparations of Aktara, Biotlin, Calypso, Confidor, Fitoverm.
   

We introduced you to one of the most beautiful indoor plants - arrowroot. Growing this flower is not suitable for too busy people: for it to please its decorative features for a long time, it is necessary to create a favorable microclimate for it and carry out daily quality care for it.