Tradescantia Reo is an exotic ornamental plant with an unusual color of leaf plates. The flower is actively used in landscape design.
What does it look like to which family
Tradescantia Reo (Tradescantia Spathacea) has other names - multi-colored, or vesicular. This leafy ornamental plant belongs to the Commeline family. Wild species of shrubs grow mainly in the subtropics of South and North America.
Tradescantia Reo is highly decorative
A low plant with long xiphoid leaves that have different colors of purple and green.
On a note! The rhizome of the tradescantia does not grow vertically, but is located horizontally.
About the history of appearance
For the first time as a houseplant, the Europeans began to grow the tradescantia, although in their homeland the bush was kept in gardens and in personal plots. Because of the shape of small flowers, the plant has received another name among the people - "Rook of Moses."
Homeland of the plant
The plant in the wild is widespread in Mexico and the southern US states. The habitat of their growth are tropical forests or lowlands near ponds and rivers.
Features of home care
It is quite easy to take care of the tradescantia vesicle, but there are nuances in the cultivation.
Temperature
To grow a healthy plant, it is worth keeping Reo at a temperature of at least +20 ℃. The bush does not tolerate sharp jumps in temperature, which is why it is better not to ventilate in winter.
Lighting
The shrub is absolutely undemanding to lighting. Avoid prolonged exposure to the bright midday sun. Indoor flower is recommended to be placed on the western and eastern window sills.
Watering
The main thing in leaving Reo tradescantion at home is regular watering with quality water. The procedure must be performed at least 2 times in 7-10 days. It is important to prevent stagnation of excess moisture in the soil, especially its drying. To facilitate the irrigation procedure, simultaneously loosening the soil.
Additional Information! In addition, experienced growers recommend mulching tradescantia to retain moisture.
Spraying is carried out to increase moisture and cleanse decorative leaves.
Spraying
Spraying tradescantia is necessary all year round. The procedure helps to increase air humidity and remove accumulated dirt from the surface of leaf blades. During the growing season, it is carried out every 2-3 days, and during dormancy - 1 time per week.
Humidity
Reo loves high humidity, which is recommended to be maintained at the same level all year round. Dry air provokes the rapid aging of the plant and the drying of its leaf plates. To increase humidity, the pot is placed on a special tray in which water is regularly changed.
Priming
It is most effective to plant Reo in a special substrate intended for tradescantia. Some gardeners prepare it themselves. To do this, mix loose soil, sand, compost and peat.
Important! The soil in the pot must always be loose and moist, then the plant will never have problems in growing.
Top dressing
Cultural room tradescantia is fed 1 time every 10 days. The procedure begins with the advent of March. To do this, use complex mineral preparations for deciduous plants. By the end of August, top dressing is gradually stopped to prepare the bush for retirement.
Blooming Tradescantia Reo
When and how it blooms
Tradescantia does not have pronounced flowering. This is not necessary, because the bush is famous for decorative leaves.
Types of flowers
The flowers are white in color, they are almost invisible among the lush foliage. The buds are not located above the bracts, but under them.
Flower shapes
Reo flowers are very small in size, have a navicular shape.
Flowering period
Each inflorescence blooms relatively briefly, but the buds tend to bloom replacing each other. The flowering period is from March to July.
Pruning
This procedure is recommended to be done before leaving for the winter. First of all, remove dried and rotted stems with leaves. It is very important to prevent the appearance of seeds during the growing season, so you need to regularly remove faded flowers until September.
Note! To get a lush shrub, it is recommended to remove the tops of adult shoots.
The division of the bush tradescantia into several parts
How to breed
Multi-colored tradescantia has a great advantage among other indoor plants - it has easy reproduction. There are several ways to carry out this procedure.
Reproduction by children
Sometimes small children grow on the bush, with which Reo propagates. Carefully remove the required amount and slightly bury it in a nutritious and moistened substrate. Soon, the children will give roots, and only then they begin to water. They are planted upon reaching a height of 10 centimeters.
Seed propagation
Seeds are planted in early spring as ordinary seedlings. The container is placed in a lit place and covered with a transparent film on top.
Note! For a month, the sprouts need to be aired and watered twice a week. In early May, seedlings are planted in open ground.
Plant division
The division of the bush is conveniently carried out during a planned transplant. Reproduction by this method can be done in two ways:
- Divide the bush into equal parts. You need to pull the plant out of the pot and use a knife to divide the rhizomes into equal seedlings. The places of cuts are best treated with a potassium permanganate solution. Each part is planted in separate containers.
- Cut only the side of the bush along with part of the rhizome. In this case, the growth of an individual small seedling will take a little more time. In any case, Reo will grow up a powerful and strong plant.
Transfer
Reo transplant should be performed approximately 1 time in 2-3 years. This is done, first of all, with the aim of rejuvenating the bush, since when transplanting it is divided into several parts and planted in different pots.
Powdery mildew on leaf blades
Possible problems in growing
Problems may arise during the cultivation of the Spathacea tradescantia. Most often, they are provoked by errors in care.
Although the plant is disease resistant, it is still affected by some diseases:
- Powdery Mildew White mucus appears on the leaves, which soon dries up, forming a plaque.
- Gray rot. It affects the base of the stem. They begin to rot and become covered with dark spots.
Additional Information! In the fight against diseases, fungicides are used, the preparations of which process the soil and shrubs.
Pests
Only scale insects can harm tradescantia. They lay larvae on the back of the leaves and suck the juices from the bush. To destroy them, you need to resort to treating the bush with insecticides and not waste time on folk methods.
Other problems
Other common problems include:
- shredding of sheet plates - lack of lighting;
- elongated pale stems - a long stay in the shade;
- stunting and blanching of leaves - lack of nutrients in the soil due to lack of fertilizing;
- drying of the edges of the leaves - dry indoor air;
- the appearance of brown spots on the leaves - watering with cold water and overcooling of the bush.
Tradescantia vesicular Reo - one of the most beautiful indoor deciduous plants. It has many colors of exotic leaf plates. Shrub care is easy, which makes Reo popular in home floriculture.
