Aizoonic

 
Фрития Конофитум Фаукария Литопс

This extensive family of leaf succulents includes plants of the most diverse species and forms common in the desert rocky areas of America, Asia, Australia, Africa. But the name of the family itself (you can find another - hazel), unlike the well-known aroid or gesnerium, is not heard by a simple lover of indoor plants. However, it is to the representatives of this family that the currently fashionable crumbs "living stones" belong.

Such aisoonic ones as delosperm, litops, conophytum, mesembriantemum, faucaria, fritium, trichodiademes, etc. became widespread in culture.

Care for aizoonic

  • A large amount of sunlight at any time of the year, however, after a cloudy winter, they are gradually accustomed to the spring sun so as not to get burns.
  • Cool wintering in the range from 10 to 15 ° C
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  • The dormant period is accompanied by the cessation of irrigation and a decrease in temperature.
  • Neat watering, very moderate during almost the entire growth period, the ground should be slightly wet after watering and dry well until the next watering.
  • Transplantation only as the pots are filled with overgrown roots.
  • The soil, as a rule, should consist of 1 part of well turf, 1 part of coarse river sand and 1 part of brick crumbs or small pebbles.
  • Fine river sand is not suitable for succulents - over time it is pressed, cemented, the roots have no access to air, the soil dries slowly - this contributes to the decay of the roots. Therefore, only coarse sand with a fraction of about 2-4 mm fits into the soil.
  • After transplanting aisoonic, they do not need to be watered for several days, since the tender roots could be damaged and easily rot.
  • Feeding is allowed only during the growing season if the plant has not been transplanted for more than two years. The fertilizer is diluted at half the recommended concentration and applied once a month.

Problems of growing aisoonic

  • Light brown wrinkled spots appear on the "living stones" - sunburn from too bright spring sun. If in winter the plant did not stand in the sun or winter was very cloudy, then the "stones" are gradually accustomed to the spring sun, using light shading in the form of a piece of tulle or gauze, which is gradually left for an ever shorter period.
  • Leaves do not grow or grow too slowly - perhaps the roots filled the whole pot and a transplant is needed. If the transplant was carried out only a year ago, then the soil mixture may not be correctly selected or the plants do not have enough nutrients in the soil, you need to feed.
  • A new pair of leaves appeared, but the old leaves do not die off, and the same green ones - this can happen if watering is started too early, before the end of the dormant period. You can start watering only when the old leaves shrivel and begin to dry out.
  • The leaves are too long, and flowering does not begin - if it is too dark - the natural conditions of the aizoonic suggest maximum sunlight.
  • The leaves soften and turn black - if decay has begun from excessive watering. If the decay appeared only on the leaf, then you can try to save the plant by cutting out the blackened part and sprinkling the cut with crushed coal. If signs of flooding (wrinkling, lethargy and softness, not associated with the natural death of leaves) are found throughout the plant, then the roots are most likely flooded. You need to get the plant out of the pot. If not all the roots have suffered (rotted), then you can try to save the plant. It is necessary to rinse, cut off all the blackened parts of the roots and dry them in the air, plant them in new dry soil, powdering with root. Do not water from a week after transplant.
   
Aizoonic

By the way

Most indoor aizoonic have the appearance of small rounded pebbles, as if cracked in the middle, hence the name of many of them - "living stones." Depending on the species, representatives of this family have a variety of shapes - from spherical to the shape of elongated tubes. Coloring is also very different from pure green to gray gray, pink, brown with stripes, spots and inclusions on the upper surface of the "stone."

The body of "living stones" is represented by a pair of succulent leaves that can store moisture for a long period of drought. This pair of leaves is always unchanged and constant, the next year the exact same pair will appear in place of the old, dead leaves.

However, there are other aisoonic, more like small bushes with succulent leaves, these are delosperm and mesembriantemum, which are used as ground cover plants in Mediterranean countries. There they bloom throughout the year, delighting the eye with yellow, pink, red, white and lilac flowers.

By the way

In general, aisoonic very delicate plants common in culture, immediately responding to climate change, irrigation disturbance or soil quality. Unfortunately, often any violations of the conditions of detention lead to the death of plants. Therefore, only a few of them have spread as indoor culture.

By the way

Of the pests of indoor plants, most often, perhaps, you can notice the mealybug, although the mushroom mosquitoes that have appeared can also cause harm.

If the pest is found by accident or during transplantation, you need to gently, shaking off all the old earth from the roots, rinse them in an insecticide solution. Dilute the drug according to the instructions. After that, the roots must be dried in the air.