2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Perennial herbaceous plants that do not have a stem, or have a very short stem, are like bright motley stars that descended from heaven to decorate the Earth, and in our harsh climate, to decorate living quarters
Rod Criptanthus
Plants of a small genus
Cryptantus (Cryptanthus) are members of the family
Bromeliadsgrowing naturally in the subtropics and tropics. They are relatives of an exotic fruit, Pineapple, which bourgeois ate during the time of Vladimir Mayakovsky, and today any mere mortal can eat without waiting for his last day.
Since the living conditions of the plants of the family can be very different, there are some among them that do not need soil. They grow by attaching themselves to neighboring plants, but they do not parasitize on them, but only amicably lean on their trunks or branches. These are the so-called "epiphytes".
Among them there are also "lithophytes", plants that easily settle on rocks in order to destroy them with their roots to prepare the soil for ordinary plants.
As for the plants of the genus Criptanthus, their star-shaped rosettes of leaves grow on loose soil. The dense leathery leaves are covered with small scales, making them look like small decorative crocodiles, spreading in different directions. It is possible to grow Kriptanthus as an epiphytic plant.
Plants of the genus are monocarpic, that is, the plant shows its white small flowers to the world only once in its life (the life span of a plant is three years), after which the leaves of the rosette die off.
Varieties
* Cryptantus biloba (Cryptanthus bivittatus) - light green short leaves with a wavy finely toothed edge form a miniature rosette up to 8 cm high. Two white stripes run along the leaves. The most popular type, grown as a houseplant. There are different varieties that differ in the color of the leaves. For example, the Pink-Painted variety flaunts bronze leaves decorated with a pink stripe.
* Cryptantus stemless (Cryptanthus acaulis) - wavy green leaves of this species are thorny. The varieties "Silver" and "Red" are especially decorative. In the first, the surface of the leaves is decorated with silvery scales, and in the second, the leaves are light green with a purple tint.
* Cryptantus bromeliad (Cryptanthus bromelioides) is a species that differs from the above in a higher rosette (up to 35 cm), which freely spread its olive-green leaves with a bronze tint, glistening in the light.
* Foster's Criptanthus (Cryptanthus fosterianus) is just a giant among fellows with reddish-brown leaves forming a flattened rosette up to half a meter in diameter. The leaves have a jagged edge and a grayish-white pattern across the leaf.
* Cryptantus striated (Cryptanthus zonatus) is perhaps the most popular home-grown Cryptanthus. The leaves, decorated with uneven white transverse stripes, form a dense rosette.
Growing
Cryptanthus are very modest plants that do not require large containers for planting. They look beautiful in a single planting, and can also decorate a composition from other ornamental plants. The container is filled with loose soil fertilized with organic matter.
The brightness of the color of the leaves is more effective in a well-lit place, however, direct sunlight should be avoided. Favorable winter temperatures of 20 degrees are only 2-8 degrees lower than summer temperatures.
Winter watering of the plant is very moderate, while in summer the plant needs a lot of moisture, and spraying the leaves will not hurt.
Reproduction
Since the plant's age is short and ends with flowering, which happens every three years, the daughter shoots should be carefully separated, which take root without problems, if the soil temperature is above 20 degrees. Can be propagated by sowing seeds.
Enemies
Enemies are the direct rays of the sun, which leave burns on the leaves, and excess moisture in winter, which attracts worms.
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