Actinophylla Schefflera, Schefflera arboricola

The Cheflera is one of the most popular houseplants. Belongs to the Araliaceae family and is native to tropical areas of Taiwan, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

Totaling 150 species and the two most popular are:

Schefflera actinophylla (= Brassai actinophylla). Over time a tree is 7-8 m in height.

Schefflera arboricola: Most varieties are for sale as houseplants are of this kind. For example, arboreal Schefflera 'Charlotte', Schefflera arboreal 'Melanie' arboreal Schefflera 'Gold Capella', 'Trinette', 'Variegata', etc.

They are not difficult to grow plants. We see him point by point:

LIGHT

Where is best near a window, but no direct sun in summer.

If you are losing leaves, are too small or yellow variegation is less, it near a window, maybe there is recovered.








TEMPERATURE

Keep it in a moderately cool temperature (12 to 25 ° C) and free of drafts when possible.

In frost-free climates or very slight (- 2 ° C a few hours) can live all year outdoors. In fact, many people have the Cheflera on the terrace or garden with shadow and sometimes gives better results than indoors.

If inside is bad, take it out to the balcony to see if it improves. In winter in cold climates, it must be put back inside.

Humidity

Thanks a high humidity in the air (it grows more and has better color), but supports the dry and stale air.

Spray the foliage from time to time, especially if there are heating and drying that occurs in summer. It will also wash the leaves.

IRRIGATION

The Cheflera needs little water and even less cool if you're in a room with low light intensities.

Remember that flooding is the worst enemy and the main crop failure. Better too little water and go looking. Drought hardly die without giving signals before and with the possibility of recovering watering.

Needs good drainage. Check the bottom of the pot hole is not clogged and compacted substrate.

FERTILIZER

Provides green liquid plant fertilizer once a month between March and October as the dosage indicated on the label, or every 15 days to energize.

Liquid fertilizer is fast-acting, but there are granules of slow release or bars, ie for 4 or 5 months are releasing nutrients to the roots. It is more convenient than the liquid because you have to be aware of throw. What not to do is to use both at once, as it may 'burn' the plant by excess.

PRUNING

Grows large and can reach the ceiling, unless the trimmings for a more rounded shape and dense instead of lanky.

If you start a sheet including the petiole, the insertion point of the petiole with the stem then leave 2 leaves.

If the base is peeled, you can prune it to issue new outbreaks or other Cheflera foot plant at small to fill the void of vegetation.

CHANGE OF POT

If you are young, trasplántala to a larger pot early, if not, do it every 2 years or simply replaces the top layer of substrate on the other fresh.

If the roots come out the bottom hole is a sign that the pot is now too small.

Sets the stem with a rubber band type a guardian or bamboo stick covered with moss.

PROBLEMS

1. Disorders

Should be acclimated to your home and "take place" after the change of conditions (light, temperature and humidity).

Yellow and deciduous leaves: over-watering. Let the compost dry out between waterings. Check it out excess water drain hole and the substrate is not compacted; Instead, loosen with a fork.

The neck of the plant is dark, excess water.

Leaves fall down it can come from lack of light.

Pale leaves, lack of fertilizers and / or light.

Leaves 'burned': too much fertilizer. Water deeply to 'wash' the fertilizer substrate.

2. Diseases

"Alternariosis (Alternaria panax)

Circular spots on leaves. There are products to prevent disease progression, such as Daconil 0.15% (active matter Procymidone).

"Dotted leaf (Xanthomonas campestris pv. Heredae)

On the beam with a yellow dot appears less than 1 mm in diameter. If infection occurs strong leaf yellowing and subsequent fall. Do not wet the leaves to detect early symptoms.

"Bold (Fumagina spp.)

It's a black soot on the leaves and stems. It is a fungus that is based on the honeydew excreted Mealybugs, aphids and whitefly. Eliminating these pests will not Bold.

"Powdery mildew

In the leaves a white powder that dry and fall. Use a fungicide Antioidio.

"Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp. Gleosporium spp.).

"Leaf spots (Cercospora spp.).

"Basal stem rot (Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia).




The temperature of both the soil and the environment, affects the rate of flowering and stem length. Likewise, excesses and imbalances can get to create water stress and resulted in the death of the plant.

The most suitable temperatures for gerbera are about 25 º C during the day and 20 º C at night.

By type of foliage, Gerbera requires a rather high relative humidity of around 75%. But humidity of this kind must be accompanied by adequate ventilation, especially during the winter months to prevent diseases like Botrytis problems.

Light is also important. A lack of light will reduce the emission of lateral buds and thus fewer new flowers. Similarly, the lack of light affect the quality of flowering stems that are long and weak, in addition to flower color of less intensity.

If we plant the potted Gerberas, these must be quite high for the plant to find a deep soil to develop its root system as we have said. If we do prepare the ground directly in farming plateaus.

Planting is recommended in late May, beginning to flower in three months. When planting, the neck of the plant should not be buried to prevent spread of disease.

As the Gerbera is very sensitive to any mechanical manipulation because it can cause damage to the root system during the first disbudding be done with care and once the stems are more than 15 inches long. At first, the elimination of weeds is carried out manually. After three or four months, the most common cultural practices and may be less careful because the root system of Gerbera be better implemented.

Along with the harvesting and preparation of the flower, leaf removal is an operation that affects crop performance significantly. This is to remove all those aged leaves or plant parts that prevent proper lighting and ventilation and that are the focus of pests and diseases.

Are performed starting at the approximate year of culture and thereafter every two or three months. With the bare, avoid rubbing the leaves with the flower buds and can cause deformities in flowers and stems sprains.

Gerbera often have a dormancy period coinciding with the winter season in the northern hemisphere. Only a professional level, you try to change the rest of season to get better prices on the sale of this flower.

As the subscriber, the well balanced nitrogen is essential for the proper development of this plant in the early stages of growth. Later nitrogen nutrition influences the duration of the flowers. The application ex-sandy land, fertilizer 2:1:1 complex young plants such good results.

The recommended pH should be around 5.5 to 6 and it recommends a balanced NPK type 1-0,5-1,3 before flowering and during flowering 1-0,4-1,6.

Finally, the risk of Gerbera it is recommended that water quality and directly on the ground.

It is important to avoid water stress after planting because the roots are not able to extend and explore the ground. To avoid the risks will be enhanced even in less quantity, humidify the air and shade the crop area. Once well established, the risks will be less intense and further apart in time.


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