Neomarica is a lush houseplant from the Iris family. It is common in South America and along the west coast of Africa. Florists love him for bright, plentiful greens and large flowers. The neomarica in the photo is a voluminous bush dotted with delicate, fragrant flowers. Other names are also known: the walking iris, the apostle iris, or the paw of the devil.
Plant description
Neomarika is a flowering, evergreen perennial isolated in an independent genus. The plant has a branched surface root system. Above ground, a basal rosette of xiphoid leaves is revealed. Bright green foliage is located in the shape of a fan, the longest leaves can bend to the ground. The length of leaf plates with embossed, longitudinal veins is 60-180 cm, and the width is 5-6 cm.
The flowering period falls on May-July. Long, flexible flower stalks are formed directly from the thickness of the upper leaf plate. Each stalk contains 3-5 buds. The diameter of the flowers is 5-8 cm. The neomarik flower resembles an iris flower. It consists of 6 alternating petals with bright colors. There are varieties with milky, blue, purple, golden flowers. Flowering is accompanied by an intense sweet aroma with tart notes.
Each flower lives no more than a day. Dissolving in the morning, in the evening he is already fading. In place of the bud, a tiny baby begins to develop with its own air roots. All parts of the plant are very poisonous, so it is placed away from children and pets.
Types of neomariki
In total, 15 species were recorded in the neomaric genus. In culture, only two of them are used.
The neomarica is slim. The plant forms a large spreading bush up to 1 m high. Rigid leaves are collected in a basal rosette and are distinguished by a bright green color. The maximum leaf length is 1.8 m. Long peduncles contain up to 10 buds that open gradually. The diameter of the bud is 6-10 cm. The flowers are painted in milk or golden color.
Neomarica North. More compact plant. The height of the bush does not exceed 80 cm. The length of the leathery leaves is 60-90 cm, and the width is 5 cm. The flowers are grouped in the upper part of the peduncle for 4-6 pcs., Their diameter is 6-8 cm. Petals have a bright blue or purple color. . In the center, the flower has several golden transverse stripes.
The variety is very popular. neomarica variegate. Her leaves have contrasting whitish stripes arranged vertically. The flowering of variegate neomarika is quite plentiful and long. New buds are formed immediately after the previous ones wither.
Breeding
Neomarika propagated by seed and vegetative methods. The most convenient is the vegetative propagation of neomariki. After flowering, children develop rapidly. They can be cut or rooted without being separated from the mother plant. It is enough to press the young shoot to the ground with a wire or clamp, and it will take root within 1-2 weeks. Rooting children is recommended in a separate pot with sand and peat soil. With the advent of young roots, the peduncle is trimmed and neomarika is grown as an independent plant.
The neomarica gradually grows and forms a wide bush of several outlets. It can be divided. The plant is completely dug up, freed from an earthen coma and cut with a sharp blade into parts. In each dividend, at least 3 growth buds should remain. Place the sections sprinkled with crushed charcoal. Plants are immediately planted in the ground.
You can propagate neomarika seeds, but this method is considered the most difficult and ineffective. Seeds remain viable for only a few months. They are planted in shallow containers with fertile, light soil. Shoots appear within 2-3 weeks, but no more than half of the seeds germinate. Soon, seedlings can be transplanted into separate pots.
Plant care
Caring for a room neomarika is not difficult. The plant quickly forms a lush green bush, but flowering is not so easy. For the formation of flower buds, bright and long-lasting lighting is necessary, as well as cool air during the rest period. Direct sunlight is contraindicated in plants. You can place pots on the eastern and southern windowsills, but provide shading.
The air temperature in summer should be + 22 ... + 25 ° C. You can take a neomarik to a balcony or terrace, but you need to choose windless places. Night cooling is also undesirable. In winter, a neomarik needs to provide a rest period and transfer it to a room with an air temperature of + 8 ... + 10 ° C. Even in winter, she needs bright lighting. If this is not enough and the leaves lose their brightness, you need to use a lamp.
Neomariki use shallow, wide pots for planting. The drainage layer must be laid out at the bottom. The soil should be light and fertile, with neutral acidity or slightly acidic. You can use soil from the following components:
- turf land (2 parts);
- peat (1 part);
- river sand (1 part).
Transplantation of adult plants is done every 2-3 years. The roots must be carefully freed from most of the earthen coma.
Neomarika is watered abundantly, only the top of the soil should dry out. When cooling, the volume and frequency of watering is reduced. The plant does not like alkaline water, so the irrigation fluid should be defended and softened with lemon juice.
In the summer heat, it is useful to spray leaves from a spray bottle and wipe them from dust. Several times a year, the bushes can be washed under a weak warm shower. In winter, it is undesirable to place pots near radiators, otherwise dry spots may appear on the leaves.
In spring and early summer, complex mineral fertilizers are added to irrigation water every month. In the natural environment, the neomarika grows normally on poor soils, so it is important not to overdo it with top dressing.
Pruning is carried out only if necessary, removing dried leaves and peduncles. It is recommended to cut the kids so that the plant remains attractive and forms new buds.
Difficulties and diseases
Neomarica is resistant to disease, but with frequent stagnation of water in the ground, root rot can develop. Low temperature in this case will only aggravate the situation. At the first sign of illness, a bush is dug up and freed from the ground, damaged roots are ruthlessly cut off. The plant is treated with an antifungal drug and planted in a new substrate.
Sometimes delicate greens are attacked by a spider mite. A tiny network of punctures appears on the foliage, and the thinnest cobweb accumulates along the edge of the leaf plate. Moreover, the insects themselves are so small that they can not be noticed. It is not worth delaying the treatment, the plant can die quickly. As a first aid, the foliage is washed in the shower and treated with a soapy solution. In the coming days, you need to spray the plant with an insecticide.
