To say that the pachistachis flower is a beautiful houseplant means to say nothing. This is a luxurious evergreen plant with spectacular dark green foliage and unusual, spike-like flowers. Actually, the word itself is translated like this: pachis is thick, stachis is an ear. Despite the obvious exotic beauty of this indoor flower, it is not often found on the windowsills of gardeners. This is partly due to the fact that it rarely appears on sale. On the other hand, many breeders are wary of the plant, since it cannot be called easy to care for.
In Europe, and then in and Russia, this unusual plant came from India. In addition, the flower grows in the American tropics and in Peru. In the wild, the length of the shoots can reach more than 2 meters, however, in home growing conditions it is difficult to meet a plant more than half a meter.
Beautiful houseplant
The first copies of this decorative bush appeared in the collections of botanists and in the greenhouses of rich salons in the middle of the 19th century. Then interest in this plant was replaced by a long oblivion. And only in the middle of the 20th century did the pachistachis again appear on the windowsills of apartments and on personal plots of private houses.
Pachistachis yellow
Despite the fact that there are 12 species of the genus pachistachis, only three are subject to home breeding. The most common of them is pachistachis yellow. The magnificent crown of the bush from March to October is decorated with upright yellow "candles" - 10-12cm tall blossoms, from which small white flowers appear. They, by the way, show off quite quickly, but even then the pachistachis does not lose its charm. The foliage itself is quite decorative and, if the bush is formed correctly, then during the dormant period the plant will please the grower, filling the empty space with it.
Another variety of the genus Amanthus - pachistachis red, differs from its counterpart in the larger size and color of the inflorescences. Therefore, in a warm climate, it can often be found on a personal plot than on a windowsill. The bract candles of this representative of the genus Amanthus are light green, and the flowers are red or purple.
Pachistachis red
And, perhaps, the rarest form of this beautiful flower is spike pachistachis. You can hardly find it in flower collections of home plants lovers. This is partly due to the complexity of caring for the plant. Sometimes this species is confused with pachistachis red. But, nevertheless, the differences are still significant. Spikelet pachistachis has not impressive bracts. But exactly until the moment when flowers appear on them. They, being bright red in color, completely cover the bracts, while traditional red pachistachis red does not show such an abundance of flowers.
In order for the pachistachis to feel comfortable, it should be provided with bright, but at the same time, diffused lighting. Windows facing west or east will do just fine for this. If you put a flower pot on the south window, then direct sunlight can harm a sensitive plant. On the other hand, if you place the flower on the north window, then it will suffer from a lack of light.
Temperature extremes and drafts are fatal for this shrub, so you should maintain a constant temperature of about 20-23 ° C and not put it on highly ventilated spaces. In summer, the plant can be taken out to the terrace or balcony, but you need to make sure that the temperature difference does not exceed 4-5 ° C.
Important! If the temperature of the plant is reduced to 14 ° C, then the growth of the plant may slow down, and flowering will not occur. A prolonged stay of pachistachis at low temperatures leads to the death of the plant.
How to Water Pachistachis
Pachistachis is a tropical plant, which means that humidity must be maintained at a level natural for its environment, and this is 55-60%. Frequent spraying, shower irrigation, or planting a garden fountain next to a flower will benefit the evergreen shrub. However, if the plant has given color, then water procedures should be done with caution or discarded altogether. The fact is that yellow or red blossoms of a flower can react poorly to excess moisture.
The pachistachis plant is extremely sensitive to the irrigation regime, for this reason it is not suitable for maintenance by those who leave the house for a long time. The flower needs to be watered every three days. In winter, the frequency of watering decreases. It will be enough to water the plant once every 10 days. At the same time, both in the summer watering regime and in the winter, you need to wait until the topsoil is slightly dry.
Attention! If you practice a method of moistening the soil by placing the pot in water, it is important to observe hygiene. You need to regularly wash the pan and treat it with fungicide.
It is important to observe the watering regime
Soil requirements
Many house plants are very demanding on the composition of the soil. Pachistachis flowers are no exception. For growth and development, they require slightly acidic, well-permeable soil. Such can be easily found in a flower shop. However, to make the soil yourself is not difficult.
Ingredients: soddy soil, river sand, leaf soil, humus. Take all of the above in equal parts and mix well. If the soil mixture is done on your own, then you need to additionally treat the prepared soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to destroy harmful bacteria and insect larvae.
Pruning
In order for the indoor pachistachis flower not to lose its decorative effect and give more flowers, it must be regularly cut. By the way, the flower tolerates this procedure quite well. The best time to stop overgrown stems is early spring. The first circumcision is performed when 2-3 internodes are formed. About 10-12 cm of the stem are harvested to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots.
Interesting! Pruning can be used as a handle for further rooting.
Pachistachis Trimming
Pachistachis transplant
Pachistachis transplantation is carried out once a year. The first signal to the need for transplantation will be the roots of the plant protruding from the drainage holes. If the flower feels normal, then the plant can be transplanted every two years. The correct one is to take the pot a little more than the previous one. Without fail, the pot must have a good drainage layer.
With proper cultivation, this flower rarely affects disease. However, if the bracts suddenly began to fall, and the leaves began to spin, then something goes wrong and it is worth immediately coming to the aid of the plant.
Perhaps the flower hit the pest. It is necessary to protect the shrub from aphids, which can cause significant harm to the flower. Whitefly, mealybug and spider mite can also choose pachistachis. In this case, it is necessary to quarantine the plant, excluding the possibility of the spread of these insects to other plants.
Interesting! If the plant is not very affected by pests, then it will be enough to treat it with a soapy solution. If there are too many insects, then you can not do without the use of insecticides.
Why leaves turn yellow and curl
Sometimes pachistachis caressed by the care of which is carried out like a clock, begins to hurt. There can be several reasons, besides the attack of harmful insects.
For example, why does pachistachis curl leaves? An experienced florist knows that this phenomenon may be due to dry air. In this case, it is worth taking measures to moisturize it. Frequent spraying, moving the shrub away from the room radiator is likely to correct the situation.
Why doesn’t pachistachis blossom and its stems stretch out? The problem is insufficient sanctification. The situation can be easily corrected by moving the plant to a more illuminated place and cutting the elongated stems.
Pachistachis. Twisted leaves
How to propagate pachistachis at home? There are two options: seeds and cuttings.
Seeds
Since the cultivation by seeds of this evergreen plant is a very painstaking and not always successful process, it is rarely practiced by gardeners. In order to grow pachistachis from seeds, you need to take an oblong-shaped box, which is usually used for seedlings, fill it with a nutrient mixture and evenly distribute the seeds over the entire surface.
To create a greenhouse microclimate, the pot must be covered with plastic wrap, which can be removed when watering or spraying is carried out. After about 10-14 days, the first shoots will appear. As soon as the seedlings grow, you need to plant the flowers in individual containers.
Important! Germination directly depends on the quality of the seeds.
Cuttings
It is much easier to grow a new plant using the cuttings. You can root the stems trimmed during the rejuvenation of the bush. Planting material taken when pruning an adult bush should be placed in a vessel with water, which must be put in a place where the air temperature does not exceed 22 ° C.
After 14-20 days, the first roots appear on the stems. As soon as the roots are strong, the young plant needs to be transplanted into an individual peat pot or plastic cup.
The next stage is planting in an individual pot. You can also root a plant without first forming roots in the water. To do this, cut the cuttings must be treated with phytohormone and deepen it into the ground, not reaching the lower leaves by 2-3 cm. In this case, the propagation of pachistachis, the quality of the soil will determine success.
Cuttings
Which pot to choose
Pachistachis is a rather large plant, then, accordingly, the pot should also be of the proper size. The best choice would be a low pot with a wide diameter. In it, the flower will feel comfortable, scrub, and bloom profusely.
If there is a desire to grow a lush flowering bush, then several processes can be planted in one pot. In an ordinary pot, the plant is likely to differ in elongated stems and look unaesthetically pleasing. This beautiful shrub should be propagated in spring.
Caution! All types of amantine are poisonous. Precautions should be taken in contact with this plant. Do not transplant pachistachis without wearing gloves. It is especially important to protect children from contact with this plant, since the ingress of plant juice into the body can cause severe poisoning.
It is noticed that with the advent of a new houseplant in the house, the life of its inhabitants can change. Some plants can cause a feeling of anxiety or, conversely, carry a positive energy. Many flowers can purify the atmosphere or predict weather changes. Pachistachis, as life shows, also has a special quality.
This spectacular evergreen plant with bright colors can bring to life those who have acquired it, balance and peace, as well as significantly affect the psychological climate in the family.
Interesting! If a person is a pronounced extrovert, then you should give him yellow pachistachis. Care at home for this shrub with sunny "ears" will inwardly reassure its owner, filling the soul with harmony and silence.
An introvert, or a person who has lost the will to live, is more suitable for the red representative of the amantine family. Care for pachistachis and the propagation of this flower will return a person’s will to life, optimism and will open up to this world.
If pachistachis is presented to a married couple, then wisdom and mutual respect will settle in the family for a long time. Alas, this plant does not have any healing properties. But you should not be upset, since its purpose is to create an atmosphere of love, joy and happiness.
