Many experienced florists say that in winter, indoor plants are at rest, but this is not always the case, and especially when it comes to a flower like the Decembrist.
This flower has many names - zygocactus, Rozhdestvennik, crayfish neck, Barbarian spit. The Decembrist received all his names for a reason, because his first flowers bloom on December 17. The plant does not require special care, and besides, it is very easy to propagate by cuttings.
The origin of the flower and its features
The birthplace of the Decembrist is Brazil, or rather, its humid forests, where the plant multiplied and spread from the central bush.
The plant is very similar to a cactus, but at the same time it differs significantly in its biological characteristics from a plant growing in the desert.
If the Decembrist is properly looked after, he will delight with his bright colors in the winter season.
Zygocactus has flattened branches that grow stiff over time. Flowers grow on the branch, which are arranged in tiers. Decembrist inflorescences can have a very different color - lavender, cream, dark red, pink, orange, raspberry.
It must be said about the root system of the plant that it is weak, but even despite this, the roots have the ability to recover very quickly and form into full-fledged roots. It is very easy to get a new plant - you need to tear off a small stalk and place it in the soil, which you need to water every day. After 5-6 days, the zygocactus will take root and begin to grow actively.
Every year, breeders present all new species of the Decembrist, which delight with their unusual colors and shapes.
Plant care rules
To make the Decembrist feel comfortable in the house, he it is necessary to create conditionsthat are very close to natural:
- humid and warm atmosphere;
- lots of sunshine.
In the warm season, the plant does not bloom. During this period, it can be located in the northern or eastern part of the room. But in winter, the flowerpot with the Decembrist is best placed on the window on the south side.
If the plant is not moved, the zygocactus bush will be asymmetrical... That is why flower growers recommend turning the flowerpot every month. The thing is that the branches are always drawn towards the sun.
Irrigation saturation largely depends on the season. From mid-spring to early autumn, the Decembrist needs constant and abundant watering, since at this time the plant blooms. It is necessary to water the soil only with warm, settled water. Cold liquid can damage the flowerpot and prevent bud development.
Fertilizers are indispensable if necessary for the plant to bloom. Top dressing should be applied to the soil once a month. In the summer, these manipulations should be carried out 2 times a month.
As mentioned earlier, the Decembrist needs high humidity. To provide a comfortable environment for the plant, it must be constantly sprayed. You can also water the stems in the shower, just before that, the soil must be covered with plastic wrap so that the root system does not rot. In the cold season, you need a Christmas spray once every 2-3 days.
It is best to use a mixture of leafy earth, sand and peat as mail.Also, do not forget about the drainage, which should take up a third of the pot.
Reproduction of the Decembrist
To propagate the plant at home, it is necessary to use extreme cuttings on a long shoot, which consist of long leaves. You cannot cut them with scissors or a knife. The best thing break off a twig at the base of the stem... Sometimes this is not very easy to do, since the stems are very tightly connected to each other.
It is necessary to start reproduction of the plant at home after flowering. In this case, the transplant will not affect the development of the flower in any way.
Germinating cuttings in water
The cuttings must be placed in a container of warm water. You need to immerse not completely, but half. When water evaporates, it is topped up. It can often be observed that the liquid acquires a yellow tint and a thick structure. This indicates that the water has deteriorated. In these cases, the cutting must be rinsed and placed in a clean container. After 5-14 days, you can observe the root system on the stem and this means that the plant is ready to be planted in the soil. Now you can plant the scion.
Reproduction of cuttings in the substrate
To begin with, the cuttings of the Decembrist need leave for 2-3 days on the windowsill, and then plant in the substrate. The plant needs to be rooted. To do this, it is placed in the soil on half of the segment, and jars are placed on top. You can also use a plastic bag or pouch. Once a day, the sachet or jar must be removed for ventilation for several hours.
When the zygocactus sprouts, the greenhouse can be removed. That this happened can be understood by the presence of new stems. When the plant has grown, you need to transplant it into a larger container.
Transplant into soil
To prepare a soil favorable for the growth of the Decembrist, you need to take the following components:
- sand;
- peat;
- fertile garden land;
- rotten leaves.
All this mix in equal proportions... The pot should not be high, but wide. Drainage must be placed on the bottom. For these purposes, you can use expanded clay or pebbles of different sizes. After that, the prepared soil is poured and a small depression is made in the middle of the pot. It is in it that several shoots are placed and poured abundantly with water. After that, the flowerpot can be placed on the windowsill or other designated place for it.
This is how easy zygocactus can be propagated at home.
Diseases of the Decembrist
Despite the ease of care, the plant is very often subject to various diseases. Most often it is a scabbard. The first sign of this problem is brown spots of various sizes, which very quickly spread through the leaves and destroy the plant. In this case it is necessary to apply an insecticiderubbing the affected areas. If the problem is too bad, the infected stems need to be torn off.
Infection with white worms also has very similar symptoms. In this case, the usual mil solution will help, which needs to be wiped off the leaves.
It often happens that no matter how hard a woman tries, the plant simply does not want to bloom and even release buds. To solve this problem, it is necessary to place the pot with the Decembrist in a cold place for a month, and in December put it out in the sun and increase watering.
The Decembrist is a very beautiful plant that pleases with its flowers in winter. With proper reproduction and care, the flower will delight with its appearance for many years in a row.
