Fittonia fittonia

 

Acanthus family. Homeland South America. There are only two species in nature. Fittonia grows in warm and humid conditions, so it turns out to be a rather difficult and capricious plant for the house. Fittonia is best grown in a terrarium. In spring, under favorable conditions, it can bloom, but its nondescript yellowish flowers do not represent decorative value.

  • Fittonia albivenis (obsolete, synonymous with Fittonia silvery-vein Fittonia argyroneura) is a medium-sized herbaceous plant with erect stems. The leaves are oval in shape, light green, slightly bent back, with silver-white veins. There are large-leaved varieties, in which the leaves are about 10 cm long, there are small-leaved, in which the leaves are about 2.5 cm. Variations in colors: from thin white veins, to an almost completely silver surface, the leaves can be painted red or brick, with white or yellowish venation.
фиттония беложильчатаяFittonia albivenis White-veined fittonia
фиттония беложильчатаяFittonia albivenis White-veined fittonia
фиттония персейFittonia Persei fittonia pearcei
ФиттонияFittonia albivenis White-veined fittonia
  • Giant fittonia Fittonia gigantea - erect stems up to 55-60 cm long, with time lignified. Leaves are almost heart-shaped, upper up to 10 cm long, lower up to 17 cm long, and about 14 cm wide, dark green (with a slightly brown or purple tint) with a network of thin reddish veins. The flowers are dark pink, with a yellow patch on the corolla. It is very rare in culture, mainly among collectors and big acanthus lovers.

Fittonia Perseus variation of Verschaffelt Fittonia pearcei var. verschaffeltii - has creeping, strongly branching stems, about 10 cm tall. The stems are hairy, silvery with grey hairs when young, turning green with age. The leaves are oval about 10 cm long, glabrous or slightly pubescent, dark green, covered with a network of bright red veins. The flowers are small, yellow, covered with a bract from above, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences.

Fittonia Perseus is still not unanimously officially accepted by scientists as a separate species, it is considered as a variation of white-veined fittonia. Therefore, the first two species have official status. However, the white-veined veins are still white or silver, and the Persians only have red veins, which allows one to doubt its belonging to Fittonia albivenis.

Phyttonia care

Temperature: Phytotonia is thermophilic, the temperature should not fall below 17 ° C. In summer, it is optimal 20-25 ° С, in winter 18-20 ° С, but it grows perfectly in ordinary home conditions, during the heating season, provided that there is enough light. Fittonia does not tolerate draft and sudden temperature changes. It does not tolerate heat above 32 ° C, especially if the ground in the pot dries up quickly.

Lighting: partial shade, in bright light, as in too dark a place, the color of the leaves pales. From direct sunlight should be protected from 11 to 16 hours. In winter, plants should not be placed close to window panes. The best for growing fittonia are the eastern, northern or northwestern windowsill. It can also grow completely under artificial light.

Watering: plentiful in summer, the soil should be slightly moist all the time (have time to dry in the upper layer of the pot), watering is more moderate in winter, but the soil should not dry out completely. You only need to water fittonia with soft water.

Top dressing: from April to August with liquid fertilizer for ornamental and deciduous plants every two weeks. Fittonia is sensitive to excess or overfeeding with fertilizers, so the dose of fertilizer is taken 2-3 times less than recommended for other plants.

Air humidity: loves humid air optimally 70-80%. Regular leaf sprays are necessary (only very soft water). The pot is placed on a tray with wet moss or peat.

Transplantation: annually in spring in loose, light soil, consisting of 1 part of leafy land, 1 part of heather (or coniferous), 1/2 part of peat, 1/2 sand. Phyttonias are planted in loose soil that does not cake, does not stick together (does not contain clay). Another option for the soil mixture: 1 part of the coconut substrate (in briquettes), 1 part of the garden land, 1 part of the pine bark, 1/2 part of the sand.

The acidity (pH) of the soil is slightly acidic. It does not tolerate phyttonium of alkaline soils, and even neutral ones. The pot for fittonia is chosen shallow, but wide, since the roots of this plant are superficial. By the way, this is a great crop for hydroponically growing.

Reproduction: fittonia is easily propagated by cuttings, bush division, branches. Cuttings are best cut in spring or summer, although fittonia roots well at any time of year, very good diffused lighting is needed for further growth. Therefore, if you cut cuttings in autumn or winter, choose the brightest place for rooted plants. Just put the twigs in the water, the roots will appear within 4-5 days. You can plant in pots when they grow by 2-3 cm.

Growing problems

The leaf tips are brown and dry, with stunted growth. The reason is too dry air. Check if the plant is affected by the red spider mite. Remove dead leaves. Spray the plant regularly or place on a tray with wet moss sphagnum.

The ends of the leaves are yellow-brown - with an excess or lack of nutrients in the soil, this happens when feeding with concentrated fertilizers.

The leaves lose their turgor and droop with rags - when the earthen coma is re-dried. If the plant is watered in time, the leaves become elastic again.

The stems are sluggish, especially on the tops of the shoots, brown spots on the leaves - when the roots are waterlogged, especially in cold conditions. So that the roots do not completely rot, and the plant does not die, it is urgent to transplant the plant.

When too wet in cool conditions, fittonia is susceptible to gray rot disease.

Leaf fall - with systematic re-drying. The soil should be constantly slightly moist, but not too damp.

The lower leaves turn yellow and fall, the shoots stretch out - with a lack of light.

The leaves lose color, thin and dry out - in too intense sunlight.

Fittonia pests

Scutes: insects look like brown plaques on the surface of leaves and stems, suck out cell juice. The leaves lose their color, dry and fall.
Control measures. For mechanical cleaning of pests, the leaves are wiped with a soap sponge. Then pour the plant with a solution of actara or confidor. Repeat the treatment a week later.

Red spider mite: it is difficult to detect it on the variegated leaves of fittonia, but it is worth looking for pests if the edges of the leaves turn inward, on young shoots the leaves curve, deform, the edges of the leaves turn yellow, some leaves dry out and fall. The ticks themselves usually hide on the back of the sheet, you can notice them with a magnifying glass.
Control measures. Spraying with acaricides: phytoverm, actellic, apollo, vermitek, etc. You can wash the tick off the leaves with a sponge moistened in a soapy solution. Beat the soap cap on the leaves, wash off in 3-5 minutes with clean warm water.

Read more about indoor plant pests in the pest section

By the way

Фиттония

Phyttonias that love humid air and are small in size can be grown in aquariums, bottles or just pot-bellied glasses. When planting, you need to do high drainage and not plant plants too tightly, there should be a place where they grow.