Akalifa

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Akalifa (lat. Acalypha) - a numerous genus of flowering plants, included by botanists in the Euphorbia family. In the name of the genus, the leaves of plants, similar to the leaves of Nettle, played a role. And the word "nettle" in Greek sounds like "akalephes", and so it turned out "Akalifa". Among the plants of the genus there are all the main representatives of the plant world: herbaceous perennials and annuals, shrubs and even trees. The vibrant flowering and highly decorative leaves have made many plants of the genus popular garden and houseplants.

Description

Most members of the genus are monoecious, that is, female and male flowers are present on the same plant. But nature is generous with "exceptions", and therefore some plants are knocked out of the common ranks, being dioecious.

Plants of the genus Akalifa are characterized by the presence of pubescence on the stems and leaves of simple or stellate hairs. The leaves often have petioles and are located on the stem in the next order. The edge of the leaf can be serrated or crenate, and the surface of the leaves is so divided into lobes by veins that a very beautiful drawing is created on the leaf, a real work of art.

Flowers in plants are very small, petalless, collected in inflorescences. Male inflorescences are densely flowering, spike-shaped. Female inflorescences are more creative, and therefore can be spike-shaped, racemose or paniculate. For long spike-shaped bright inflorescences, the plant is called "Fox's tail" or "Cat's tail".

Small ovoid seeds are also obtained from small flowers.

Views

The genus of plants Akalif has more than four hundred species, a simple listing of which would take several pages of text. Therefore, we will dwell on just a few popular types.

* Acalypha hispida.

* Akalifa creeping (Acalypha chamaedrifolia).

* Akalifa Indian or Indian nettle (Acalypha indica).

* Acalypha mexicana.

* Akalifa foxtail (Acalypha alopecuroidea).

Usage

Plants of the Akalifa genus are popular with gardeners for their bright tailed inflorescences and beautiful leaves, and are also grown as indoor plants. There are species with very decorative leaves that are grown for these leaves.

In some countries in Southeast Africa, a species such as Akalifa bipartita is used by the local population as a vegetable and also as a pet food. Young leaves and shoots are harvested from the wild. Leaves can be harvested year round in areas with moist soil. They have a very mild or slightly bitter taste. Akalifa leaves are added to dishes made from peas or beans during cooking. Sometimes they can be bought at local markets.

From the stems Akalifs weave baskets for winds and build granaries.

The plant is also used by traditional healers.

Growing

Although most species love warmth, they prefer not to expose their stems and leaves to the direct rays of the sun, which must be taken into account when choosing a planting site or a window sill in an apartment.

Akalifa loves fertile, loose, moist soil without stagnant water. Therefore, watering is very important for the plant.

Fans of Akalifa, who grow the plant outdoors in areas with cold winters, class it as an annual.

Reproduction

The easiest way to buy a plant is in a horticultural center, and then you can resort to grafting, which is carried out in the spring.

Diseases and pests

For a plant, soil moisture is very important. If you overdo it with watering, and even allow stagnant water, then pathogenic fungi are immediately activated, harming the plant.

It would seem that the dense leaves are very persistent and strong, however, the bites of harmful insects provoke swelling on the leaves. In order to avoid big trouble, the injured leaves must be removed.