House flowers Alocasia: beautiful, but dangerous

They say that at home this flower is able to predict rain: if you "cried" - wait for bad weather ... Flowers Alokazia - a tropical plant, rarely grown in a room. It comes from the family of aroids. There are more than fifty different species, differing in plant height, size, shape and color. A common characteristic of all varieties is dense thyroid-like large leaves, oval, with a pointed end and well-visible veins. On the surface of the leaf there is a stomata, through which the Alocasia discard excess moisture.

The plant is brought from the tropical forests of Malaysia and Ceylon, where it grows in the wild. As an indoor flower, Alocasia is considered one of the most ornamental deciduous plants, and it is quite deserved. Its magnificent foliage looks very picturesque in almost any interior, especially near the artificial reservoirs of winter gardens. The plant is quite large, reaching a height of 1 m.

Blossoms Alocasia very rarely, its small fragrant flowers are collected in the cob, partially wrapped in a sheet, as in a veil. If the cob-inflorescence is pollinated, then over time berries with seeds are formed. Inflorescences are better to remove, as during their appearance the growth of magnificent leaves stops, because of which the flowers of Alocasia, in fact, are grown.

You should know that the whole plant is completely poisonous, the juice irritates the mucous membranes and skin, so that the tropical beauty should be kept away from children and animals.

It's simply amazing how unpretentious the olorose flower of Alocasia is. Care for him, despite the tropical origin, is not difficult, you just need to provide the conditions to which he is accustomed in the wild. He calmly grows in a damp warm microclimate, spreading his exotic leaves. Periodically, some of them turn yellow and fall off, but new ones immediately grow in their place. Alocasia flowers are very fond of light, however, from the direct sun rays they need to be shaded.

Heat and humidity are indispensable conditions for well-being for plants, it is desirable not to allow sudden temperature changes. Pots are conveniently placed on a pallet with a small wet pebble to maintain a constant moisture. The plant should be watered with plenty of soft water in the summer, and make sure that the soil in the pot is always moist. In winter, on the contrary, watering should be moderate and cautious, so that root rot does not occur.

In the spring-summer period, Alokazia flowers are required to be fed once every 2-3 weeks by CMU for indoor plants. The soil must be easily permeable to moisture and air, with good drainage. The transplant is done in spring - for young plants as needed, and for adults - every two to three years. Pots for plants should be high.

It should be borne in mind that in dry air plants can be affected by pests, most often aphids, scabbards, spider mites. If the infection is small, the leaves and stems can be wiped with a soapy sponge. If there is a strong infection, you will need to use a suitable insecticide. Remembering the virulence of the plant, all work on caring for it must be carried out with gloves.

Important! The plant is used in folk medicine, but because of its virulence, self-medication is very dangerous!