Hedera is an evergreen vine from the Araliaceae family., very popular among lovers of indoor flowers. Perfectly decorates the interior and complements flower arrangements, used for landscaping walls and in flowerpots as an hanging plant. In this article we will talk about growing and caring for hedera at home.
The length of hedera branches (Hedera helix) at home reaches 6-15 meters. The leaves are leathery, dense and glossy dark green or pinnate.
Although the plant is considered shade-tolerant, feathery ivy species require good lighting to maintain their decorative color.
The leaves, depending on the type of vine, have a three-, five- or seven-lobed shape.
Lianas bloom, if you keep them at home, extremely rarely small, inexpressive, yellow-green flowers collected in an umbrella.
Hedera berries are small, black or yellow, poisonous.
Growing and breeding hedera helix mix at home
Ivy propagation
Ivies are easy to propagate cuttings, apical shoots, layering and seeds.
Cuttings and apical shoots
Hedera helix mix cuttings about 8 cm long with 2-4 internodes take root well. In order not to spoil the branches of the plant and to improve their branching, cut off the tops of the shoots.
Cut branches are placed in water. After the roots appear, the plants are planted in pots, and the top is pinched for the formation of branches.
Use ready-made soil or make it yourself by mixing humus, turf soil, peat and sand.
To make the plant more magnificent, several sprouts are planted in a pot and covered with a jar or plastic bag.
Sprouts are regularly ventilated and sprayed. During the first year, pinching is done repeatedly for better branching.
Medium stem cuttings
A stem cutting with 7-10 leaves is dropped in a container with sand to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, leaving the leaves outside, water.
After 10 days, roots appear near the leaves, and the top of the stem begins to grow. The twig is taken out of the sand, divided into cuttings with one leaf and planted in pots.
Seeds
This is the most time consuming way. The purchased seeds are soaked for 2 days in a damp cloth. For fast and friendly germination, a growth regulator is added.
Small pots are filled with soil and seeds are planted in them. The temperature is maintained at 23-28°C.
The disadvantage of the seed propagation method is the possibility of splitting the variety.
By layering
Without cutting the branch from the mother plant, make a shallow longitudinal cut on it and attach it with a staple to the soil. The area with the cut is sprinkled with damp soil.
When the branch takes root, it is separated from the mother plant and transplanted into a separate pot.
Popular varieties of hedera
- Buttercup– the leaves are pinnate, a small part of them are purely yellow;
- White Night– white leaves with a rich green edging look unusual and attractive;
- Eve– the direct opposite of the “White Night” variety: green foliage with white edging;
- Glacier– distinguished by silvery spots on green foliage with white edging;
- Lace– uniformly colored, rich green, lobed, three-fingered leaves;
- Peppermint Hummingbird– on green foliage there are spots of a yellowish-cream hue;
- Lusia ivy– light green foliage with dark green spots;
- Perkeo- leaves are round in shape.
Care
At first glance, caring for hedera is not difficult, but failure to comply with the maintenance conditions leads to the death of the plant, especially for novice gardeners.
Watering
Liana loves moisture, since the usual growing conditions for hedera are tropics and subtropics. The soil in the pot should always be moist, but the soil should not become acidic due to stagnant water.
When it gets colder, watering is reduced, and in winter it is reduced to a minimum. The soil should not be allowed to dry out either..
If the hedera overwinters at normal room temperature, water it as before.
Lighting and temperature
Ivy plants are considered shade-tolerant plants, but they feel more comfortable in good light. Pinnately-leaved varieties especially need it.
Direct sunlight should be avoided, as it causes burns on the leaves.
Lianas are more comfortable in cool rooms: in summer at +18°C, in winter months - +12°C. In the summer season, vines are taken out onto loggias, balconies and terraces.
They are not afraid of sudden temperature changes and drafts. Dry air and high temperatures lead to scale insects.
Humidity level
The liana is demanding on the level of air humidity. In hot weather, it must be regularly sprayed or the foliage wiped with a damp cloth.
Transfer
When the pot becomes too small, the plant is replanted. Signs that it’s time to replant ivy:
- no growth;
- wilting of leaves;
- roots peeking out of the pot's drainage hole.
Young plants are replanted annually, adult ivy - once every 2 or 3 years. It is preferable to replant in March-April.
The new container is taken 3 cm larger than the previous one.. Drainage must be placed at the bottom of the pot.
Ivy transplantation:
Soil and fertilizing
The composition of the soil for ivy is not particularly important.. Suitable soil mixture for decorative foliage indoor plants or made independently from turf, humus, leaf soil, peat and sand.
The plant is responsive to root and foliar feeding. You can use fertilizers for decorative foliage plants.
In the warm season, fertilize every two weeks, in winter - no more than once a month.. Excess fertilizer leads to yellowing of leaves.
Trimming
Pruning gives the header fullness and improves its decorative appearance.. It is carried out in the spring, when intensive growth of the vine begins. Trimmed apical shoots are used for propagation.
Pruning and propagation of headers:
Diseases and pests
Treatment with a soap solution helps against aphids, and with insecticides against thrips.
A little work and compliance with all the subtleties of care They will allow you to grow from a tiny cutting a magnificent plant that can turn any room into a corner of the summer garden.
Hedera helix or Common ivy
If you are looking for a shade tolerant plant for your home or office, choose hedera houseplant.
Genus Hedera includes approximately 15 species of evergreen vines that are found in the subtropical forests of Europe, Asia and Africa.
IN natural conditions ivy grows under the canopy of trees, so it is relatively undemanding to light.
Ivy stems are not strong enough to support the weight of the entire plant, but they attach well to tree trunks.
All ivies have suction roots, so be prepared for your ivy (chedera) to attach itself to the nearest wall. To prevent this from happening, it is better to insert bamboo or other sticks into the pot with the plant.
If you create a header favorable conditions content, then this ivy grows long shoots that can be placed horizontally or hanging down.
More than 100 forms and varieties are cultivated hedera helix or common ivy(Hedera helix). Basically, they differ from each other in the color and shape of the leaves. And hedera helix is recommended for those people who have pets, as this ivy is and removes fecal bacteria from the air.
Another view ivy canary(Hedera canariensis). This hedera has no aerial roots. This indoor ivy has wider, larger leaves compared to common ivy.
Often found at home Colchis ivy(Hedera colchica).
Hedera (Ivy). Care.
Colchis ivy (Hedera colchica)
Temperature. In summer, the optimal temperature will be 18-20°C. Also in summer, it is advisable to take the pot with indoor ivy out into the fresh air. In winter, the temperature in the room where the hedera is kept should not fall below 12°C.
Lighting. Hedera is a shade-tolerant plant. Ivy grows well not only in bright, diffused light, but also in partial shade and shade. Do not place a pot of indoor ivy in direct sunlight. Variegated forms of ivy require more light.
Watering. In summer, the soil in the hedera pot should be constantly moderately moist. In addition, the plant needs to provide reliable drainage. The plant can be grown using hydroponic methods. In addition, ivy requires high humidity and moderate temperature, so if you keep it in an apartment with radiators, then regularly spray the ivy leaves with water. room temperature. You can give your home ivy a warm shower.
The soil. Loose, light soil is suitable for growing ivy. You can take a mixture of turf soil, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 1:1:0.5.
Feeding hedera(ivy) is carried out during the growing season once or twice a month with complex fertilizers that contain nitrogen and potassium.
Ivy propagation produced by stem cuttings. cuttings 15-20 centimeters long are obtained by pruning shoots. Then the cuttings are rooted in a mixture of earth and sand, in pre-made grooves. When rooting ivy cuttings, do not bury the leaves. Rooting of cuttings should be done at high humidity and a temperature of 20-24°C.
At home, hedera (ivy) rarely blooms. Small flowers have a yellow-green color and are collected in umbrella inflorescences. Ivy fruits have spherical shape and blue-black color. The berries reach a diameter of 1 cm.
Diseases and pests of hedera (ivy).
Canary ivy (Hedera canariensis)
Leaves from lack of light variegated varieties the ivy is fading. Increase the lighting intensity. In addition, due to lack of light, new ivy leaves may be small.
The reasons why the tips of hedera (ivy) leaves turn brown are dry air or insufficient watering. It is necessary to increase the humidity in the room and water more often.
Due to lack of nutrition, ivy (chedera) grows too slowly. Repot and feed your indoor plant.
Typical pests of ivy are scale insects, thrips, scale insects, aphids, and spider mites.
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Popular indoor plants include hedera. This evergreen vine has been grown at home for a long time. It wonderfully decorates the interior of the room and complements flower arrangements. Unpretentious ivy grows quickly and does not require much maintenance. A large number of its varieties allows you to choose a flower for every taste.
Botanical description
Hedera belongs to the evergreen vines of the Araliaceae family. It is native to Europe, but is also common in Africa and Asia. In natural conditions, it reaches a very high height of up to 40 m. It likes to grow in shady forests, entwining trees with its long shoots. In total there are almost 30 varieties of this ivy.
Hedera stems have small roots that provide nutrition to the entire bush. In countries with a mild climate, vines grow in a continuous carpet, entwining the walls of buildings and growing into cracks.
Another favorite type of ivy among gardeners is “Canary” or Hedera Mix. Caring for it at home is not difficult, but in order for it to curl, it needs support. It does not have aerial roots, and its stems need to create a secure base. It has large yellow-white leaves.
The Colchis variety is very popular. This is a very large plant, growing up to 30-40 meters in height. The leaves look like hearts in shape, their sizes reach 25 cm. They have one amazing property give off a nutmeg aroma. But flowers and fruits have a very unpleasant smell.
Hedera "Pastukhova" has aerial roots, but it does not have the ability to cling on its own. natural environment for the stones. The leaves of this species are dark green on the top and light green underneath. This ivy is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Basic rules of care
Since Helix hedera and other species are characterized by rapid growth, it is recommended to prune them in a timely manner. A neglected appearance impairs the decorative properties of ivy. In addition to cutting, they also prune shoots. It is advisable to perform all these procedures when active flower development is observed.
Ivy will provide bright green foliage and intensive growth mineral composition. It is used twice a month in summer and spring, and once a month in winter. An excess of fertilizing negatively affects the condition of the flower. The composition is applied while watering the plant.
Diseases and pests
When growing indoors, it is recommended to monitor the level of air humidity in the room and water it properly. If the room is hot, the leaves of any type of heder begin to dry. Care at home consists of proper temperature maintenance, regular and moderate watering. Lack of moisture leads to dry soil, after which spider mites appear.
This is beautiful ornamental plant, the Araliaceae family, quite unpretentious, growing quickly and actively. Compared to other indoor flowers, it is easy to grow, does not require constant attention and requires minimal care.
There are over a hundred different types headers, which differ in the shape and color of the leaves. In this article we will talk about an evergreen vine called Hedera. Caring for ivy at home does not require excessive effort. Hedera brings special beauty to any interior, and looks especially picturesque in hanging planters attached to the wall. Dark green, as if “carved”, ivy leaves make any room more elegant.
Hedera: home care
Externally, hedera can be recognized by its dense, leathery, light or dark green, lobed leaves, small flowers, and golden or black berries. The plant has tenacious roots - “hooks”. Thanks to them, the header clings to various surfaces. The photo shows the attachment of ivy to a brick wall using special roots.
In order for ivy to feel good and grow actively, it is necessary to create climatic conditions for it that are close to natural. Optimal temperature in summer it should be maintained within +20°C. Ivy feels great in the warm season on the balcony: fresh air perfectly hardens the Hedera flower. In cold weather, the room temperature should be maintained at least +12°C. As for lighting, ivy tolerates both shade and partial shade. It grows well in bright light scattered throughout the room. But do not place the ivy pot in direct sunlight, otherwise the plant may get burned.
Hedera plant. Home care: watering and fertilizing
The hedera is watered regularly, more often and more abundantly in the summer. The substrate in the pot must be constantly moist. The water should be soft and settled. In the cold season, watering is reduced, but the substrate in the pot is not allowed to dry out excessively. Hedera responds well to spraying; it is done regularly, maintaining sufficient humidity.
Hedera is periodically pinched. This is done so that the side branches grow faster. Tip: cut parts of twigs can be used as cuttings. Young hedera is replanted once a year, in the spring. An adult plant is transplanted once every two years. For replanting, choose pots with a diameter of at least 30 cm. To ensure that the plant does not suffer from a lack of microelements, it is periodically, every two weeks, fed with complex fertilizers. They begin to be applied in March and end in August.
Hedera. Home care and treatment
When growing ivy, the watering regime must be observed and the required air humidity must be maintained. Too high a temperature has a bad effect on the plant - its leaves dry out, darken and fall off. To avoid this, it is necessary to water and spray the plant abundantly. If the growing conditions are violated, the hedera can be attacked by pests: scale insects, aphids, etc. To combat them, special ones are used, carefully treating each ivy leaf.
Ivy or hedera (Hedera) is an evergreen from the Araliaceae family. About 15 species of ivy are known, widespread in the subtropics of Europe, America, North Africa and Asia.
In nature, ivy grows in shady forests, entwining trees with its long flexible shoots. Its stems have small roots with which the plant clings to a support and can climb 10-15 meters up. These same roots provide additional nutrition to the plant.
In areas with mild winters, ivy covers the walls of buildings with a continuous green carpet, clinging to cracks.
Common ivy (Hedera helix) has long been known in indoor floriculture. It has long been used for vertical gardening and as a complementary plant in plant arrangements.
The leaves of young plants are small, three- or five-lobed, dark green with lighter veins. The leaf blades on a thin flexible stem are located close to each other. Mature plants have oval leaves.
More than 100 forms of hedera vulgaris are known, differing in the size and color of the leaves. The most prized varieties are those with white, cream or yellowish spots on the leaves, with clearly visible veins. Such ivies are more capricious than ordinary green ones; in particular, they need more light, especially in winter.
Like all plants from the Araliaceae family, ivy flowers are not distinguished by their beauty. They are small, greenish, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. After flowering, fruits appear, berries about 10 mm in diameter, first green, then black. But flowers only appear on old shoots; ivy almost never blooms in apartments.
Due to the large mass of leaves, hedera is considered one of the most effective. She is also known as medicinal plant. Biologically active substances of ivy leaves have expectorant, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal effects.
Why is this unpretentious plant For some, it braids the entire wall, while for others it does not grow more than a meter in length and withers even with careful care? Ivy does not like hot sun (although a few hours in the morning or evening will not harm it) and does not tolerate the dry, hot air of an apartment in winter. This plant prefers cool weather.
Recently, the popularity of ivy has been growing rapidly. Hedera is ideal for cool winter gardens and green corners.
Ivy is used as a ground cover plant; it grows quickly and covers the ground with a thick green carpet. Its additional roots on the stems penetrate into the soil, which contributes to the active growth of the plant.
Hedera is not picky about soil, so it can be planted as a complement to almost any plant.
A variety of options can also be easily realized with the help of this unpretentious vine. Green walls, green window frames, screens of shoots with small leaves will make your garden charming. A variety of driftwood, roots, stones entwined with ivy will naturally fit into the interior.
Rules for caring for ivy (chedera).
Ivy is an unpretentious plant and does not require complex care. It is important to wash the leaves frequently and prevent them from becoming dusty. This is beneficial for the plant itself, and in addition, clean leaves better purify the air in the apartment.
Location. Ivy is a shade-tolerant plant, but its variegated forms require good lighting with shading from the sun in summer.
Temperature. Ivy (chedera) prefers cool rooms with a temperature of about 18 C in summer, 6-12 C in winter. In summer, the plant can grow on a balcony or in the garden. Tolerates drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations well.
Watering. Hedera is a moisture-loving plant, its root system is superficial, so in the spring and summer, watering should be regular and quite abundant. Drying out the earthen ball is undesirable, but stagnation of water in the pot will lead to the death of the plant. In winter, water frequently when overwintering in a warm room, but if the ivy overwinters in a cool place, watering should be limited so as to only prevent the soil from drying out.
Air humidity. When kept in a cool room, humidity does not matter, but at temperatures above 20 C, ivy requires regular spraying and high air humidity.
Fertilizer. Ivy is most often hung in small pots. In order for the plant to grow and develop normally, it must be fertilized regularly. In spring and summer, ivy is fed 2-3 times a month with fertilizer for decorative foliage plants. In winter, growth does not stop, but it slows down depending on the temperature; usually the amount of fertilizing is reduced to once a month. But excess fertilizer has a bad effect on the plant - the leaves turn yellow and fall off.
Transfer. Young plants are replanted annually in the spring, adults after 2-3 years. Choose a wide pot, but not deep, because the root system of the hedera is superficial. Good drainage is installed at the bottom of the pot so that the earthen ball does not become waterlogged.
The soil. Ivy is not picky about soil and grows in almost any substrate. The best result is if planted in a slightly acidic, loose ready-made universal substrate or in a soil mixture made up of turf and leaf soil, peat and sand in equal parts. Sometimes the substrate is made up of equal parts of humus, turf soil and sand.
Trimming. During the period of intensive growth, it is recommended to regularly prune ivies for bushiness and remove shoots that have lost leaves. In addition, too long lashes in the spring should be cut to a third of their length. The cuttings are used for cuttings.
Reproduction. Ivy is easily propagated by apical cuttings throughout the year. They take root very quickly in water. To make the plant branch better, pinch the cuttings after planting them in the substrate.
Pests. Hedera can be damaged by scale insects, thrips, red spider mites. As a result, the leaves become deformed, turn yellow and die. For treatment, the leaves are treated with special insecticides.
Possible difficulties when growing ivy:
- Yellowing of leaves - abundant watering at low temperatures, excess fertilizer.
- The leaves of variegated varieties turn green - insufficient lighting.
- Brown and dry tips of leaves - too dry air, high temperature, insufficient watering.
- Too large distances between the leaves - lack of lighting.