Aichrizon flower: care and flowering at home

Another name for the aichrizona flower is the tree of love, because the houseplant has heart-shaped leaves. The flower is associated with many signs, superstitions. For example, it is believed that this plant blooms only in the case of mutual understanding between the spouses and, conversely, gets sick due to tensions in the family. Due to family ties with the well-known fat woman (money tree), the owner of the aichrizon is promised financial well-being.

Description of the plant

Aikhrizon is a perennial indoor perennial of the bastard family. In nature, it mainly grows in rocky terrain. Like any other succulent, it is able to accumulate moisture and do without watering for a long period. Loves light.

Aichrizon

A strongly branching dwarf tree up to 40 cm in height has fleshy leaves 1.5-2 cm long and up to 1 cm wide. They are pubescent on both sides and have a varied shape: round, triangular, often heart-shaped. The latter became the reason for its other name: aichrizon - the tree of love.

The green leaves of the plant at the ends of the branches are collected in rosettes. Small yellow flowers up to 2 cm in diameter grow from them, similar to pointed daisies or stars. The foliage has a silvery bloom due to the cannon covering the plates on both sides. The root system of the succulent is highly branched and is located in the upper layers of the soil.

Popular types

There are about one and a half dozen species of Aichrizone, but only a small part of them are used for breeding at home.

Aichrizon tortuosum or tortuous

Succulent shrub up to 20 cm high with twisting stems, woody underneath. Short petioles distinguish this species from others. The diamond-shaped leaves are light green in color and pubescent with white hairs. Tortuosum bloom begins in May and lasts for six months. The flowers are golden beige.

Aichrizon laxum or prostrate

The height of the cube-like bush reaches 40 cm. The leaves are located on long petioles, may have a pinkish edge. Inflorescences are bulky brushes with golden-yellow flowers with a diameter of 1.5 cm. This species spends almost all its energy on flowering, and therefore after it sheds most of the leaves. Often, after flowering, the plant dies.

Aichrizon prostrate is becoming more and more popular among other plant species.

Aichrizon home

A branchy plant in the form of a ball up to 35 cm in diameter has dark green leaves with white pubescence. Peduncles two-thirds of the height of the bush are sprinkled with small fragrant flowers of yellow shades.

Aichrizon variegated

An evergreen shrub that forms leafy rosettes at the ends of the shoots. The leaf plates have stripes of pink or white at the edges.

Aichrizon care

Experienced flower growers know that even a beginner will not have a lot of trouble with such a flower as aichrizon, caring for it at home is quite simple, but there are points that still need to be paid attention to.

Temperature

In the summertime, a normal room temperature of + 20-25 ° C is comfortable for a flower. In the heat, the plant must be ventilated.

From November to March, the flower is in hibernation.The required air temperature during the rest period is + 10-12 ° С. Approximately this mode is available on a windowsill without batteries.

Lighting

The flower needs abundant lighting. However, under the influence of direct sunlight, a burn may form on the leaves, so the light must be diffused. To place a flower pot, choose a room with western or eastern windows.

Regular rotation of the pot around its axis ensures uniform crown growth

Soil and fertilizing

Loose soil for succulent plants or a hand-prepared mixture of low acidity is suitable for Aichrizon. It should include peat, turf soil and coarse sand in equal proportions. To remove excess moisture, drainage is used at the bottom of the expanded clay pot with a layer of 3 cm.

Do not forget about the annual transplantation of a young plant into a new pot slightly larger than the previous one. A shallow root system does not need a lot of capacity, so it should be wide and shallow. The adult flower of love, aichrizon, is transplanted in early spring every three years, but it also needs to renew the topsoil every year (3-4 cm). The succulent itself will let you know about the need for this procedure: its roots will begin to peep out of the ground.

For the splendor of the crown, fertilizing for succulents is added to the soil every two weeks during the growing season, which is observed in the spring-summer period.

Watering

The main indication for watering an aichrizon indoor flower is the state of its leaves, which are capable of storing moisture. If the leaves are dense and elastic, then aichrizon does not need watering.

Sluggish leaves indicate the need for moisture. Usually this phenomenon is observed when the soil in the pot has dried out to half the height of the container. When the earthen coma is completely dry, the plant is watered with a small amount of water every two days until its appearance improves.

The flower is watered with water at room temperature in small portions, being careful not to gulf the plant. Aichrizon roots are very sensitive to moisture and, even with a slight excess, are prone to decay. In the spring and summer, more frequent plant moisture is required than in the autumn-winter period. In the heat, it is recommended to arrange a warm shower in Aichrizona.

Reproduction methods

Aichrizon flower can be propagated in three ways.

Cuttings

This method provides for the rooting of healthy cuttings 7-10 cm long. They can be separated from the plant intentionally or during the next pruning - the formation of a neat crown.

Cut cuttings are sprinkled with chalk or ash and kept for two hours in a cool, shaded place. After that, they are placed in a low box with ready-made soil mixture to root. A month later, the matured plants are transplanted into separate flowerpots. Flowers are allowed to be watered after a week.

Rooted cuttings are planted in individual pots

A stalk dipped in a glass of water with the addition of charcoal will also quickly give roots and will be ready for transplanting. This traditional method of germinating plants involves regularly changing the water in the tank.

Leaves

In the absence of the necessary cuttings for propagation of aichrizon, one healthy leaf is quite suitable. It is placed in moist soil half the length. Over time, the deepened part forms the root system and a young healthy succulent grows upward.

Seeds

The method of growing from seeds is rather complicated. Even experienced florists rarely resort to it. Sowing is done in a shallow container with a mixture of sand and leafy soil. The planting material is deepened by 0.5 cm.The containers are covered with glass (film), placed on a well-lit surface. Crops must be regularly moistened with a spray bottle, ventilated. In half a month, the first shoots should appear.

Seedlings are transplanted into a similar container, but with a different composition of the soil mixture: sand, leafy earth and turf in proportions of 1: 2: 1. The grown seedlings are planted in separate pots of small diameter. The bottom is laid out with a drainage layer of expanded clay and filled with a new mixture intended for succulents. Young plants are watered every day.

Aichrizona flowers - small stars

Flowering aichrizona

The first flowering of the love tree occurs in the summer, 1-2 years after planting. Small flowers are in the form of small stars, collected in a brush.

Abundant flowering for six months is facilitated by:

• cramped pot;
• not frequent watering;
• the correct temperature regime in the winter;
• regular feeding during the warm season.

After flowering, the plant sheds almost all of its leaves. Do not be afraid that he was struck by an illness. Aichrizon loses a lot of energy for flowering, therefore it becomes weak. At this time, the flower should be helped: remove all flower stalks, withered stems and water more often. Soon aichrizon will recover, grow a new "head of hair" from the leaves and get ready for flowering again.

Reasons why it does not bloom

Having a lush crown and a healthy appearance, for some reason aichrizon does not bloom. There are a number of reasons for this that prevent the appearance of inflorescences:

• large pot;
• too wet soil;
• improper wintering;
• lack of light or its abundance in the form of direct sunlight;
• oversupply of fertilizers.

Aichrizon is a spectacular and unpretentious plant. It is not difficult to look after him, but you can admire his flowering for six months.