Acanthus family. The birthplace of the tropics of Asia and Australia. These are herbaceous perennials, rather shade-tolerant, but demanding in indoor cultivation. About 100 species are common in nature.
At home, Hemigraphis is grown alternating Hemigraphis alternata - having lying and easily rooted stems. The leaves are opposite located, ovoid, heart-shaped at the base and town-like along the edge, with pubescent petioles. The surface of the leaf is smooth, green with red veins on top, purple on the back. It blooms with small white flowers collected in loose apical ears. The plant is noteworthy for the fact that its leaves in a dark place have a greenish-silver tint, and in bright diffused light they acquire a metallic tint.
Hemigraphis is not very popular in Russia, but it is undeservedly ignored - it is a beautiful houseplant that does not require cold wintering. It is better to grow it in hanging baskets and planters, like a ground cover, planting in tubs to large plants - palms, ficus, yucca, diffenbachia, etc. In addition, hemigraphis is perfectly combined in compositions and minisadiques with other acanthic (for example, fittonia), miniature deciduous begonias, dwarf varieties of singonium or philodendron.
Hemigraphis - care and cultivation
Temperature: Hemigraphis is thermophilic, in summer it grows at normal room temperature, about 20-25 ° C, does not like heat and stuffiness - closed poorly ventilated rooms when the temperature is above 30 ° C. Night temperature drop is not desirable below 15 ° C. In winter, like all acanthus, it prefers a slightly cooler content at 17-18 ° C, at least 14 ° C.
Lighting: Hemigraphis grows perfectly in bright diffused light, does not tolerate direct sun between February and August from noon to 4-5 pm - at this time of year the plant will be fine on the east or north window. And in the period from September to January, hemigraphis grows well on the southern or western windowsill. If you have windows on the shadow side and it is very hot in winter, it is worth highlighting the plants so that the shoots do not stretch or grind.
Watering: Abundant during the period of active growth - the soil should have time to dry out at the top of the pot, but not dry out completely. In winter, watering is moderate, 2-3 days after the upper layer of the earth dries. Hemigraphis does not tolerate re-drying of an earthen coma, the leaves may droop, but after watering the turgor it is restored. But excessive watering can lead to rot of the roots and death of the plant.
Fertilization: The plant is fed in two weeks from April to September, using fertilizer for deciduous indoor plants.
Air humidity: Hemigraphis loves moist air, so it must be sprayed regularly if air humidity is below 50%. In winter, when it is very dry, you need to put the pot on a wide tray with wet pebbles or moss-sphagnum, but so that water does not flow into the tray.
Transplantation: It is necessary when the soil is salted - gray appears on the surface of the earth, like ash or a reddish coating - hemigraphis does not tolerate salinity of the soil. Also, transplantation is necessary if the plant has grown greatly, and the pot has become small. The soil can be composed independently: take 1 part of the turf land, 1 part of the leaf, 1 part of the humus land, 1 part of the small pebbles, 1/2 part of the vermiculite or pine bark. When transplanting, drain about 2cm tall with small pieces of foam or broken shards of coconut.
Hemigraphy reproduction
Stem cuttings in spring and summer. Hemigraphis multiplies very easily - just cut off the cuttings 7-10 cm long, break off the two lower leaves, and put in a glass of water. You can plant cuttings in the ground when the roots grow about 4 cm, in spring or summer it takes about 1 month to root.
