Today I will share with you tips for growing zamiokulkas at home. The second name of the plant is the dollar tree. Like money, according to legend, it is able to attract wealth to a home. If you are already the owner of Zamiokulkas or are just planning to start it, my recommendations for care for a succulent will come in handy - you will be able to create favorable for its growth and development conditions.
Description and features of the plant
Zamioculcas zamielistny is the only representative of the Aroid family. The homeland of the evergreen is tropical Africa.
The appearance of the succulent is unusual and attractive. The plant does not have as such a trunk and stems. Complicated pinnate leaves grow from fleshy petioles thickened in the lower part. Their length can be from 30 to 60 cm. Each such “fan” leaf consists of 9-13 feather leaves. The leaf blades are dark green, leathery, glossy. The petioles are loose, covered with purple spots.
Zamioculcas is a representative of succulents, therefore it easily accumulates moisture and calmly tolerates insufficient watering. And although the dollar tree is unpretentious to care for, in favorable conditions it develops better and has brighter, juicy foliage.
Succulent grows slowly - it releases only 1-2 new leaves during the year. With good care, it can reach its maximum height of 1 m. The life span of a dollar tree is from six to ten years.
Zamioculcas is poisonous, its juice can harm allergy sufferers. Therefore, when pruning and replanting a plant, it is important to observe safety precautions: work in protective gloves, do not allow juice to get on the skin and mucous membranes.
Features of growing a dollar tree
The rules for caring for zamioculcas are simple, but they are. Let's take a closer look at the main points of growing a succulent at home.
Watering
Zamioculcas needs moderate watering: it is better to under-water the plant. Water it as the soil dries up with settled water at room temperature. It is important that moisture does not stagnate in the pallet - this is fraught with rotting of the petioles and tuber. It is also not worth overdrying the soil in a pot - although zamioculcas tends to store water, a lack of moisture will lead to the fact that the leaves from the top of the plant will fall off.
It is undesirable to spray the succulent - this can provoke yellowing of its leaves.
Lighting
Zamioculcas is adapted to growing conditions in any light - it is not afraid of either shading or bright direct sunlight. A succulent pot can be safely placed on any windowsill in an apartment and even on a table located far from the light source. In the case of placing a succulent on a sunny south side, it is necessary to increase the frequency of its watering.
Zamioculcas loves the light of lamps and develops well under fluorescent lighting.
Top dressing
Zamioculcas at home tends to quickly absorb and consume nutrients from the soil, so it needs regular feeding.
The leaves of the plant grow actively from the beginning of April to the end of August - it was during this period that the soil in a pot with zamiokulkas it is necessary to apply liquid fertilizers intended for members of the family succulents. The frequency of top dressing during the period of active plant growth is 1-2 times a month.
It is allowed to apply universal complex fertilizers to the soil with the dollar tree, intended for decorative indoor flowers, but the dosage should be halved compared to that indicated in instructions.
With the onset of autumn, the introduction of nutritious dressings is stopped and resumed with the arrival of spring.
After transplanting, the young tree is not fed until new leaves appear on it.
Pruning
The plant, despite its weak growth, needs regular thinning and crown formation procedures. If this is not done, the leaves in the middle will begin to turn yellow due to lack of light.
Pruning of a succulent should be carried out during its growth phase - in spring or summer. First of all, dry, diseased leaves and parts of the stems, as well as thickened ones, are removed. Pruning is carried out with a disinfected sharp knife or secateurs.
At the end of the procedure, the sections are sprinkled with powdered coal.
Transfer
Zamioculcas must be transplanted as its root system grows - about once every 2-3 years. Old specimens are not transplanted, but only periodically replace the topsoil. Do this carefully, trying not to damage the roots.
The best time to transplant a dollar tree is spring. Zamiokulkas tubers are transplanted together with an earthen lump by transferring to a larger pot.
The soil mixture is prepared from equal parts of turf, peat and leaf soil, sand, and humus is added.
Reproduction
The dollar tree is propagated by any vegetative method: by dividing the bush during transplantation, by leaf, by cutting.
The simplest method of reproduction is by dividing the bush during transplantation.
If you have chosen the method of transplanting by rooting cuttings, the procedure will take a little longer. To do this, put a healthy shoot in a container with water. After the roots appear, transplant the sprouted stalk into the ground.
The most difficult and time consuming method is leaf propagation. Separate the leaf from the branch, place it in a glass of wet sand and cover with a transparent jar on top, thus constructing an impromptu greenhouse. Once the leaf has grown roots, transplant it into a pot.
I hope that my tips on caring for zamiokulkas will be useful to you, and the dollar tree will decorate the interior of your home.
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