How to care for asplenium, unpretentious decorative fern

In nature, more than 700 species of asplenium are found. All of them relate to herbaceous plants. Instances vary in appearance and growth method. Among the aspleniums there are epiphytic and terrestrial plant forms, deciduous and evergreen.

Description and Features

The second common name is the bones. This genus of ferns is very numerous, many species are suitable for growing in apartments. The height of an adult plant varies from 10 cm to several meters. In some species, the length of the leaf plate reaches a meter.

Unlike most other types of ferns, plants have not dissected, but whole leaves. The color is light - a pale green hue. The surface is glossy and looks like oilcloth - asplenium is often mistaken for an artificial flower. The shape of the leaves is very different, the edges are usually wavy.

Some species in nature exist as epiphytes - they grow on trees and snags. It is quite realistic to create the same conditions for them at home. The rhizome in epiphytic species of asplenium is thick, with numerous roots. Its surface is covered with soft scales.

Indoor Varieties

Growing asplenium at home may well outgrow a hobby. In addition to cultivated natural varieties, growers are offered interesting breeding hybrids. The most popular are 11 varieties.

1. Nest. Large epiphyte. In the natural environment, leaves reach meter length. The apartments are grown as an ampel culture. Forms a tight outlet. Leaves sit on short petioles.
2. Viviparous. The peculiarity of the variety is that spores are transformed into brood buds directly on the leaves. Daughter sockets are formed from the kidneys, which then fall and root.
3. Bulbous. Pretty large variety. In a pot grows up to 70 cm. An interesting color - at the base of the leaves are dark, lighter to the tip. Leaves are cut into several segments. The method of reproduction is similar to the viviparous asplenium. Young leaves are edible.
4. Skolopendrovy. This variety of flower growers is called deer tongue. It differs in very dense, not dissected leaves, with corrugated edges. The leaf outlet is not tight. Young leaves are directed upwards, as they grow, they begin to bend in an arc under their own weight.
5. South Asian. It differs in very large leaves, reaching one and a half meters in length. A dense cup-shaped rosette is formed from the leaves. Interesting features are the purple midrib and maturation of spores on the outer surface of the leaf.
6. Hairy. Very compact variety, no higher than 20 cm. Leaves drooping, the socket practically does not form.Petioles are brown-red. A distinctive feature is resistance to frost. This type of asplenium is suitable for outdoor cultivation.
7. Drooping. Atypical openwork leaves with cirrus segments are characteristic. The leaves are rather large, up to 70 cm long.
8. Ebony. A medium-sized outlet, usually not more than half a meter. The peculiarity of the variety is the ability to grow under artificial lighting. Leaves are cut into small segments, sitting on thin petioles. Often used in vertical gardening.
9. The black. Compact socket up to 30 cm. Very hardy grade. The leaves are triangular in shape, sitting on drooping petioles.
10. Northern. One of the most compact fern varieties. Adult specimen does not exceed 10 cm in height. The leaves look like blades of grass in appearance. The dissection in the upper part of the leaf is typical of the type of snake tongue.
11. Mountain. In the wild, it is found only in the eastern United States. It grows on acidic soils. Roughly dissected leaves with almost no veins, differ in an unusual bluish tint. Petioles in young chocolate-colored leaves, in adults - almost black. Suitable for crossbreeding with other varieties of asplenium.

Home care and maintenance of asplenium

How to care for asplenium? It is resistant to adverse factors, easy to grow plant. The main requirements are high humidity and competent watering.

• Lighting. Asplenium does not need bright light. It can be grown in the north window or under artificial lighting. In winter, it is recommended to rearrange the pot from the window to a shaded place.
• Temperature. Sensitive to temperature. Sudden temperature changes and drafts should be avoided. Optimum performance is about 18-20 ° C. Withstands a slight increase in temperature. Most species do not withstand severe cooling.
• Watering. Water the asplenium regularly, but in moderation. Avoid sudden changes in soil moisture - the soil should not dry out or be too damp. Use the lower watering - put the pot in a pan with water until the soil is saturated with moisture. Avoid dropping water on a leaf outlet. In winter, watering is reduced, but not completely stopped.
• Humidity. The optimum moisture content is 60%. Need regular spraying. The pot is installed in a tray with a moist filler - decorative pebbles, expanded clay, moss. For spraying, choose the smallest spray gun, do not spray into the center of the outlet. Water is used warm, previously settled. In cool weather, do not spray.
• The soil. Young specimens are planted in nutrient soil. A good combination is peat, leafy soil, humus and sand. In the soil for adult plants, sod, crushed coal and sphagnum are added to the same components.
• Top dressing. Mineral and organic fertilizers alternate. They prefer means for decorative and deciduous crops. They are brought in only in spring and summer; in winter, top dressing is not needed. You can feed every two weeks with a solution of low concentration. The dosage is halved compared to the recommendations indicated on the package.
• Transfer. Transplanting the asplenium into another pot is recommended as the roots grow. A transplant is not needed as long as they fit in the container. During the transplant, the roots are completely freed from the old soil, carefully inspected. Dry and decayed areas are carefully trimmed. The roots regenerate slowly, so pruning should be moderate. The diameter of the pot is increased slightly. The optimal shape is low but wide capacity.
• Pruning. Periodically, you have to trim the asplenium.Old, damaged leaves are removed so that they do not interfere with the growth of young, do not violate the decorative bush.

Breeding methods

There are several ways to reproduce. The choice of one of them depends on the type of fern. For example, viviparous and bulbous asplenia can be easily propagated by brood buds. For other species, this method is not suitable.

Dividing the bush

The division of the bush is combined with another spring transplant of asplenium. The mother plant is neatly divided into several parts. Try not to injure the root system and leaves. Each child process must have several growth points.

The fewer growth points, the weaker and slower the asplenia will develop. After division, young bushes suspend growth for a while. New leaves begin to appear only after the formation of a complete root system.

Brood buds

Reproduction of asplenium by the kidneys is the easiest and most effective way. But it is not suitable for all types of fern. On the tips of the leaves of the asplenium of the viviparous and bulbous, brood buds are formed. You do not need to separate them immediately. It is better to wait for the development of a full-fledged leaf outlet and its subsidence. This means that the baby is fully ripe, ready for rooting. A light substrate is used for rooting. Take a mixture of peat with sand or soil for succulents. The substrate is slightly moistened, a fallen outlet is planted in it. To speed up the process, you can water the baby with a root stimulant.

Disputes

Any kind of asplenium can be propagated by spores. To obtain spores, a large leaf with ripened sporangia is cut. Spores are carefully scraped with a knife on a sheet of paper. Spores are sown in early spring in light soil. Do not stack densely - sprouts will interfere with each other. The substrate is preliminarily calcined and watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide. Keep under cover, in the dark, in a tank with lower heating. The optimum temperature for germination is at least 21 ° C. Spores germinate for a long time - at least one month. The process of germination can take up to three months. After emergence, the shelter is removed. The grown seedlings can be planted by selecting the strongest plants.

Mistakes during cultivation and their consequences

Improper watering, insufficient or excessive top dressing, inappropriate humidity or temperature - all these factors affect the health of the plant, its appearance. A table with a description of the most common errors of care and their consequences will help to identify the problem that has arisen, to eliminate it in time.

Table - Consequences of improper care for asplenium

Common pests

Pests love asplenium for delicate leaves. Scabies, spider mites, aphids feed on the sap of the plant, which often leads to its death. It is recommended to regularly inspect the asplenium for pests in order to notice them at the initial stage of the lesion. Signs indicating the presence of pests, the names of insects and methods of combating them, you will find in the table.

Table - Asplenia pests and control methods

Diseases and methods of dealing with them

Diseases do not bypass the asplenium. Most often, he is affected by diseases such as gray rot, bacteriosis, leaf bronze virus. Treatment includes treatment with special drugs, changing conditions. The main signs of diseases, their names and treatment methods are given in the table.

Table - Asplenia Diseases

Given all the features of caring for asplenium in a pot, you can minimize the risk of disease. The plant with its decorative foliage will add variety to any interior, clean the air in the apartment, create a feeling of coziness and comfort.