Stromantha is a beautiful perennial plant that came to us from the marshy areas of South America. It grows on the lower tiers of the forest at high temperature, a lot of light and moisture. In height reaches 150 centimeters, and the length of the leaves is about 50 centimeters. This flower belongs to the family of arrowroots, and the closest relatives are plants: arrowroot, calathea, and ktenant. Due to the species similarity, the stromant is often confused with calathea. Sometimes they cannot be distinguished even by experienced professionals.
Botanical Description
The plant has a very bright, festive look, thanks to its colorful, variegated and unusual leaves on elongated petioles. The top is painted dark green with stripes of cream, pink and white. The other side and petioles - purple, violet, burgundy and raspberry tone. These incredibly colorful leaves always reach for a source of light.
Due to the fact that at night the leaves rise and touch each other, “getting ready for bed,” it makes a soft noise. Because of this property, the stromante was given another name, “Prayer Mom” or “Praying Flower”.
In nature, in summer, the plant throws a long peduncle with white and yellow flowers, red bracts are attached to them. Indoor plant blooms extremely rarely.
Types of stromants for home
In total, there are about 10-13 species of plants. Most often, a stromant is grown pleasant and blood-red.
| Kinds | Description |
| Pleasant | Height is about 30-35 centimeters, leaf length is 15-20 centimeters, width is about 4-6 centimeters. The sheet plate has an oval shape. The leaves on top are painted in light green with darker stripes in the shape of a herringbone and have an oblong shape, an olive color with the addition of purple is visible below. The reverse side of the sheet is silver-green. Flowers are inexpressive. It blooms in spring. |
| Blood red | In height, about 40-50 centimeters, the length of the sheet depends on room conditions and is about 20-40 centimeters, width - up to 10 centimeters. Unlike the previous species, it has a pointed shape. The herringbone pattern is slightly darker than the basic shade of the sheet. On the upper side you can see a pattern similar to the letter V. The lower side is painted in pink and purple. The inflorescence is an ear. Flowers are plain. |
| Yellow | It grows to 2 meters. In this case, the leaves reach only 35 cm in length, many stems branching upwards are visible. Flowers are bright yellow, appear in winter. |
Breeders bred a lot of decorative hybrids from a blood-red look, one of the most striking among them:
| Varieties | Description |
| Tricolor | It has a very bright, festive color. The dark green leaf is painted with stripes and spots of olive, beige, light green, white and pink. The underside of a maroon shade. |
| Multicolor | On a dark green tone of the sheet surface, randomly lying spots and stripes of gentle pastel shades from cream to white are visible. Wrong side of burgundy red color. |
| Horticolor | Light yellow, emerald and light green stripes are located on the upper side of the leaf. Its lower part is dark red. |
| Maroon | The central core is light green, clearly visible on a saturated green leaf plate. Its lower part is burgundy. |
| Stripe star | The veins are chaotic in white on a dark green leaf. |
Home Care
Stromantha is a very demanding plant and sometimes it is difficult to provide a flower with optimal conditions at home. However, if you know certain rules for each season, then it is quite possible. Below is a table of flower care for each season.
| Parameter | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Watering | Abundant watering to maintain moisture. | Moderate watering. |
| Temperature | + 22- + 27 degrees Celsius. | + 18- + 20 degrees Celsius. |
| Top dressing | Twice a month. | Not required |
| Pruning | Elimination of dead leaves. | Not required. |
Landing and transplanting
- It is advisable to transplant a very young plant up to 4 years old every year and remove a small layer of earth 2 centimeters, adding a new one. You need to select the capacity in the form of a bucket, since the root system of the plant is very developed. When transplanting, the roots need to be straightened. Place in steamed soil and compress a little.
- Adult plants are transplanted after 3 years, if roots appeared from the drainage and the pot became too cramped. In this case, as in the previous case, the topsoil is removed and filled with new ones.
Step-by-step transplant instructions
- The bottom of the pot must be strewn with expanded clay about 1/4 part. This is to ensure that excess water goes out.
- Then pour a layer of coarse sand. It will prevent leaching of the soil and fill the free space in the container.
- Next, it is necessary to pour the substrate onto the drainage layer, so that between the drainage and the roots of the plant there are 2-3 centimeters, and then slightly moisten.
- Carefully remove the plant from the old pot by tapping the walls, before doing this, moisten the soil well. Cut off the dead roots, and rinse the rest well.
- Then, with straightened roots, place the flower on freshly moistened soil and carefully fill it up without compacting. Water the earth. If the substrate is donkey you need to pour another layer.
Pot selection
The main rule when choosing is its diameter. You need to buy a pot more by 2-3 centimeters, since the roots of stromants grow very quickly, filling with themselves the entire space.
Also consider the depth and breadth of the container. It should not be too deep, but wide so that the plant feels good.
Location, lighting
It is necessary to place the plant on the eastern or western windows. Perhaps the location on the south, but when shading from direct sunlight, and on the north - in the presence of illumination.
Watering and feeding
Watering the flower is necessary plentiful, especially in spring and summer, when the period of increasing green mass passes. In cold weather - cut in half, as root rot can occur due to low temperatures and excessive moisture. It is necessary to water the plant with settled water at room temperature.
An important component is the spraying of flowers in the hot season, it must be done in the evening or early in the morning.
From April to November, it is very important to feed the stromantum with complex mineral fertilizers for ornamental plants and this must be done once every 12-14 days, reducing the dose by 2 times. Examples of such fertilizers are the brands Etiss, BonaForte. In addition, the stromant can be fed with organic substances, for example, humate. It would be logical to purchase fertilizers specifically for this family, but they can not always be found in the store.
Breeding
In a home, a stromant is fairly easy to breed. It can be propagated by rhizome or cuttings.
Rhizome Reproduction
- Carefully remove the flower from the pot and remove excess soil, rinse the roots well.
- Divide the flower into two or three parts, and sprinkle the places of cuts with charcoal. Plant parts in special small containers with slightly moist ground.
- Let the plant get used to new conditions. Over time, cover the bushes with a plastic cap and remove after 7 days to create greenhouse conditions.
Propagation by cuttings
- Carefully cut the selected cuttings further than the leaf attachment, leaving three or two leaves on each.
- Put them in water and cover with a regular plastic bag.
- After 30 days, when the roots appear, plant them in the soil from coarse granular sand with low acidity.
- After 50-60 days, plant in ordinary pots for plants.
Mistakes in care and their elimination
| External signs | Probable reasons | Treatment and prevention |
| Leaves dried up and lost color. | Excess Sunlight. | Move the flower to a more illuminated place where there are no direct rays of the sun. Or shade the room. |
| The tips of the leaves are dry. | Dry air. |
|
| Spider mite. | ||
| Leaves curled and fall. | Wrong flower watering. | The soil must be moist. |
| Rotting stems and falling leaves. | Cold room temperature. | The air should warm to +25 degrees. |
| Fawn foliage around the edges. | Incorrect feeding. | Pay attention to the rules of feeding. |
Pests and diseases
| Pest | Features | Solution |
| Spider mite | The tips of the leaves dry and curl. The color of the flower fades. Petioles and junction with leaflet are covered with transparent thread. | Irradiate the plant with ultraviolet light every 12-15 days for 2-3 minutes. After this, it is necessary to treat the leaves with a soap-alcohol solution for 30 minutes and rinse well. After 3 hours, spray the flower with acaricide (Vermitek, Nisoran, Oberon) and cover with a plastic bag. |
| Shield | Bulges with a characteristic gray-brown color appear on the underside of the sheet. The areas around turn yellow, and later turn white. | First, treat the leaves with a cotton pad or cloth soaked in an alcohol solution, even arrange a shower + 45- + 50 degrees Celsius. Spray the flower and the ground with an insecticide (Mospilan, Metaphos) and close with an ordinary packet for 2 days. After processing, do not pull the flower out into the open, as the sun's rays can damage it. |
| Whitefly | Larvae of individuals draw juice from leaves. Then they lose their shape and fall away. The plant stops growing. | Solutions of harsh odorous herbs, garlic and onions can be used. Adhesive tape for flies is also used. Of the methods used to combat such means as the Commander, Tanrek, Admiral. With a solution, spray either the soil itself with a frequency of 3-4 weeks, or a flower every 7 days for about a month. |
| Thrips | The individuals settle on the underside of the leaf, releasing a sticky liquid and sucking out the juice. The upper side is covered in beige and silver tint. | From folk methods, infusions of potato tops and tobacco chips can be cited as an example. You can use insecticides (Dantol, BI-58, Mospilan), wash the plant in the shower, process and cover with a bag. |
Mr. summer resident informs: Stromantha - harmony in the family, confidence in work
This flower has incredible properties. His presence in the house establishes a close relationship between the physical and spiritual world of man.
This plant will help those who suffer from insomnia and sleepwalking. As you know, such people often do not find their place and try to do something until they sleep.
For the fussy and dull people, there is also a solution. Stromantha will bring peace and tranquility to the house and a person will be able to reveal himself from a new perspective.
