Corynocarp family. Homeland - New Zealand, New Guinea. As a houseplant, or rather, a greenhouse plant, a species is grown - smooth Corynocarpus Corynocarpus laevigatus - an evergreen shrub, growing in nature from 3 to 15 m in height, with a spreading crown. At home - in Hawaii it is considered an invasive species, and they call it Karakia. It has oval-elongated leathery leaves with pronounced venation, alternate, on short petioles. When flowering, it forms whitish nondescript panicle inflorescences. The flowers are bisexual, 4-5 mm in diameter and greenish-cream in color, in their place berries are formed - red drupes. The fruit is quite sweet and fleshy, edible, but the seeds are poisonous. As a houseplant, a variegated variation is popular - Corynocarpus laevigata variegata.
At home, it grows on average 1.5-2 meters in height, requires a garter to the support. Like most indoor plants, he does not like drafts.
Corinocarpus - care and cultivation
Temperature: this plant prefers moderate temperatures - during the period of active growth (in spring and summer) about 20-24 ° С during the day and 16-18 ° С, in winter, with a decrease in lighting, it is advisable to rearrange it in a cool room, at 14-15 ° С (permissible minimum + 8 ° С) or set additional illumination.
Lighting: Carinocarpus is light loving, prefers bright diffused light, but needs protection from direct sunlight between March and August. The best place in the immediate vicinity of the southwest, southeast window is behind a tulle curtain. In winter, you need a lot of light, shading will have to be removed until March.
Watering: moderate from spring to autumn, after a good drying of the upper layer of the earth, in the heat abundant watering, provided that the soil is very porous. In winter, strictly moderate, especially with cool maintenance, you need to water only when you make sure that the earth is completely dry. During the growth period in spring - summer, fertilizer watering is carried out once every two weeks, using liquid fertilizer for indoor plants.
Air humidity: Corinocarpus requires very high air humidity, this should be taken into account if the room has central heating. It is sprayed twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. It is even better to put a pot of corynocarpus on a tray of water. If the air is too dry, the plant can shed its leaves.
Transplantation: soil - 3 parts of sod, 2 parts of peat land, 1 part of fine gravel, 1 part of coconut substrate. Transplantation of young plants annually, adults - after 2-3 years. Do not forget about the drainage at the bottom of the pot (about 2 cm high), it can be made from clay shards.
Reproduction: apical cuttings in spring and summer, seeds. Cuttings take quite a long time to root, the best way to root a sprig of corynocarpus (10-12 cm long) is in vermiculite, in a mini-greenhouse, with high air humidity, moderate substrate humidity. You can use phytohormones for better rooting.
Corynocarpus from seeds reproduces quite easily. Sow the seeds in pots in a mixture of compost, garden earth and sand (or peat in half with vermiculite). Put in a warm place (22-24 ° C), keep the substrate moderately moist. Germination takes about 1 month. As seedlings appear, move the pots to bright diffused light and water regularly to keep the soil slightly wet. When the seedlings grow up, transplant into pots with a diameter of 8 cm.
