This coffee tree in the house - it is not exotic. Many, many growers dare to growing this wonderful plant with unusual fragrant flowers. Not only is the coffee tree just magically blooms, it also breeds, giving even a small, but the real harvest of coffee. However, not all coffees and all kinds of coffee tree can be grown indoors. So that your tree has not grown a giant, taking half of the apartments (and throw a pity!), Let's find out how to grow coffee trees, and the effort and knowledge of you will require the botanical experiment.

Miracle Tree

In the wild coffee trees - a large shrub or tree, reaching heights of up to eight meters and has about a hundred species. Wild coffee lives in tropical Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. Flowers it is very similar to jasmine flowers (but much larger) and possess at least a pleasant aroma. The fruits of decorative coffee no less than its flowers, they look like red or blue-black cherries slightly elongated. Cultivated this plant (in order to obtain grains) in tropical America, Africa and Asia.

At room conditions the coffee tree is able to grow up to 4-5 meters (so far as the ceiling height). However, it is so intensive growth can be adjusted by cutting to the desired size and holding irrepressible desire for heaven. In addition, for indoor flower has withdrawn special dwarf varieties of coffee tree. A known and common types of home coffee tree is suitable Arabian coffee (Arabica), Brazilian and Liberian.

Caring for an adult tree is not difficult, but it is growing some difficulties. This process is, so to say, is not the easiest. Typically, coffee trees are grown from seed or from cuttings. How to do it?

Coffee tree from cuttings

For this method of growing a new plant sprig picked from the middle of the crown of the adult fruit trees. Better if it will be a branch of the previous growth (they formed the kidney) with two pairs of leaves. If you plant a sapling it, the tree that grew out of it will begin early in bloom and bear fruit.

Sharing planting prepared as follows:

1. The stalks are cut, making the indentation of the bottom pair of leaves is about two to three centimeters.
2. On the lower part of the cutting of the sewing needle makes several longitudinal scratches, which contributes to the rapid formation of roots.
3. Sharing (only the lower part) is placed hour for three hours in a solution of one and a half liters of water and one-fourth of tablets of IAA (plant growth stimulator, plant hormone). Or half a liter of warm water and 25 milligrams IBA acid. In such a solution stalk placed about 15 hours.

For rooting cuttings will suit any soil, but it should be breathable and well retain moisture. The most suitable substrate for rooting cuttings of coffee tree is considered to be a mixture of one part peat (or sphagnum bog) and one part perlite (expanded building sand). Pour into a container substrate is left in the backwash condition and shed a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Stalk immersed vertically into the ground by two, two and a half centimeters, and a pair of lower leaf as digged into the soil. With this method of landing can be expected to almost completely rooting because it leaves in place the growth of additional roots are formed. After that, once planted sapling watered potassium permanganate, cover with a plastic bag or plastic bottle, making holes in them for ventilation.

Such mini-parnichok will maintain a suitable temperature for rooting, which ideally should be as high as 25-27 degrees. The higher the temperature, those roots will give graft, but at a temperature above 32 degrees the effect is reversed. Rooting period lasts for about 37-40 days, during which the future of a tree it is necessary to spray and protect from direct sunlight.

Once the handle has its first top rostovaja kidney - he gave the roots. And after the first of a new pair of leaves can be transplanted seedling has a permanent place. However, it should be done very carefully, because the root system of the tree, baby is still quite weak. For transplant suitable mixture of four parts sod peat two parts and one part of sand and a pot with a diameter of 10-12 cm.

On the bottom of the pot is placed drainage (about 1 cm) and poured prepared soil. Sapling coffee tree planted very carefully, placing roots on a small hill rolled in, straightened them and covered with earth. Then the tree watered abundantly.

The benefits of the coffee tree propagation by cuttings include:

• maintaining all the properties of the parent tree;
• early flowering (even while rooting);
• full fruition early (already at the annual tree).

The disadvantage of this method can be considered just what grown from cuttings coffee tree care requires complicated by the necessity of forming the crown.

Coffee tree from seeds

For the cultivation of the coffee tree seeds are suitable only fully ripened fruits of coffee (you can rip directly from the tree). It is believed that the berries with two Bobkov germinate better. Coffee beans are very capricious and rapidly lose viability, so prepare them for planting should be immediate. For this seed was purified from "peel" (the outer shell) and first washed with water, then soaked for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

By the way, the soil for planting coffee beans also need to prepare in advance. It should be loose, slightly acidic and have time to settle (or present) before planting in two weeks. For planting bean is considered the most optimal soil mixture of two parts of humus, one part of sand and one part peat. Experienced growers recommend that prepared the ground steamed or calcined in the oven.

Each coffee seed planted in a separate pot to a depth of one centimeter. Grain put into the ground convex side up: so they are easier to grow. Pasazhennoe seed (as is the case with cuttings) watered and covered with a jar or plastic bottle.

For germination of seeds need temperatures not lower than nineteen and no more than twenty-four degrees. In such circumstances, about a month and a half, the first leaves appear, protected seed coat. Before they were freed from this shell, sprouts should be kept in a moist (very wet) environments. But after their full release can (and must) begin to teach this delicate coffee germ to normal room air. To this end, the bank is removed from the pot first, for a moment, and then gradually increase the time of airing.

Young green sprout necessarily drevesnet starts turning into a little more, but now the coffee tree. This process can be intimidating beginners "coffee plantation", so it looks like some disease. First, on a green stalk appear unsightly brown spots, and the stem looks like begins to dry up. He can actually dry up almost half. Then the spots gradually enlarge and coalesce, becoming a "bark" of the coffee tree trunk.

In the first year of cultivation only grows trunk, and the crown of the tree is not formed. And in the second year begin to grow skeletal branches of the crown. To make the tree splendor these branches must be trimmed slightly. And in the future has no crown for the formation of such a tree is not required. Incidentally, no problems with the formation of a crown can be attributed to one of the main advantages of the tree grown from seeds. And it is quite easy and cheap. The lack of reproduction by seed - it later fruiting.

Therefore, knowing how to grow a coffee tree from seed or cuttings, choose the way that you like. And let this experience will help growing and fruitful (literally). And there, staring, and his own grown coffee will be brewed. Well, in order to surprise the guests but to amuse own vanity.

Came to our house from northern Australia and the Pacific cores, croton has quickly become a very common and popular houseplants. Like many people from the hot tropics it is quite capricious. However, croton flower-care needs are not very onerous, so present in many collections of indoor plants. Let's take a closer look with the representative of the family Euphorbiaceae and learn how to care for it, and the conditions under which contain it.

Flower croton in nature and at home

Latin name Croton «Codieum». This evergreen plant Euphorbiaceae hard leathery leaves. In nature codiaeum presented in many different varieties, but the room croton - is usually codiaeum variegated, shrub with woody trunk and large leaves.

Under natural conditions, hot and humid tropical croton grows polutorametrovy shrubs and even two- and three-meter trees. Dimensions indoor croton more modest. Usually they do not exceed one meter, and more often at home croton reaches 30-70 cm.

Their decorative he owes bright leaves of different colors and shapes. Croton leaves are broad and narrow, straight, twisted and bizarre jagged edges. Leaf Color Croton is very diverse - from green to crimson. Young leaves at the top part of a plant, have a green or yellow color. However, with the growth they are colorful, changing color and covered with red, orange and pink spots.

All the beauty of croton lies precisely in its brightly-colored leaves. Therefore, inconspicuous yellowish-white flowers with which it blooms, usually terminated by the whole force to get him growing leaves.

Requirements for the content of Croton

As already mentioned, croton quite capricious and requires constant attention from its owner. However, favorable conditions for its content is quite possible to create a space of human habitation.

This plant heat-loving, so a suitable temperature in the room - one of the conditions of Croton. From it depends directly on the health and condition of the plant. At too low a temperature croton roots can start to rot. The most optimal temperature for the contents of Croton - twenty, twenty-two degrees (but no less than seventeen!). In addition, the croton is very sensitive to temperature changes and drafts.

Next conditions of detention croton - lighting. This flower is love of light, so it should grow in a well lit area. In addition, lighting affects the color of leaves. With a lack of light leaves Croton lose their decorative effect and become prosaic green. Detrimental to the leaves and direct sunlight, which can cause them to burn. Therefore, from the direct sun flower should be pritenyat and light to bright summer after autumn-winter dormancy gradually accustom the plant.

Watering. In the summer and spring croton watered regularly and abundantly, preventing drying out the soil deeper than a centimeter. In winter and autumn reduce watering. This is due to the slow evaporation of water at lower temperatures. If in the cold water the croton as well as in summer, it will lead to root rot and death of the plant. Water for irrigation must be defended and warm as when watering with cold water can relieve croton leaves. By the way, croton leaves - an excellent indicator of the adequacy of irrigation. Once the plant lacks water, its leaves droop together. In this case, croton need to water and irrigate abundantly. But better, of course, such a signal not to wait.

High humidity - a prerequisite content croton. To maintain sufficient moisture the plant should be sprayed daily with water at room temperature, and to maintain the cleanliness leaves to wipe them with a damp cloth or sponge. In the summer and spring, it is necessary because of the high temperatures, and in the winter because of the dryness of the air. In addition, during the heating season, you can use special humidifiers or raise the humidity by placing a container of water near a flower pot.

Reproduction and transplant croton

For planting croton fit any clay or plastic pot with a mound at the bottom of the drainage layer. Using expanded clay for drainage, as well as a mixture of ceramic shards and charcoal. A suitable ground for young Croton - a mixture of one part sod land, two parts leaf soil and one part sand. For adults and the large plants in the soil mixture is added over turf ground.

Propagation croton apical cuttings (the main mode), air layering and seeds. For propagation by cuttings straight cut tip of the separated lignified shoots with two leaves and a bud. Slice the mother plant sprinkled with powdered charcoal. Sharing briefly placed in water to wash away the latex and then dried the cut. After that stalks planted in a pot, which is covered with a jar or plastic bottle, creating a microclimate for rooting cuttings. As a substrate for rooting using sand or a mixture of sand and peat. Within a month, get a mini-teplichku airs, sprayed and watered the young seedlings and then planted rooted cutting to a permanent place with a suitable soil.

Reproduction air layering is used when adult stem croton much laid bare. In this bare branch tip to the ground fixed and sprinkled the ground. Once it takes root, it is cut off from the parent plant and put in a new pot.

For reproduction croton seeds they planted in the same teplichku as cuttings. They do it in the winter, in January or February. Seeds are not buried in the ground, as they ascend in the light. Seeds germinate in three to four weeks.

Frequent transplantation for croton is not required, but still need to turn over on his need. However, no more than twice a year. But the growing instances of young (under three years) - every year and always! Croton transplanted in early spring in a small pot, as Croton does not like large dishes in the cramped space, better breaking new soil mixture. Transplanted plants abundantly pour need to continue to care for him in a familiar pattern.

Formation of crown croton

For a beautiful crown croton, adult specimens must be properly and regularly cut and pinch back the plants are young. First pinched carried out on the plant has reached a height of ten to fifteen centimeters. Follow-up - as it grows escape, every twenty centimeters.

Pruning is carried out with the growth of branches, removing unnecessary branches, forming a beautiful and flat crown. Places slice sprinkled with charcoal necessarily. Incidentally, cut shoots can be used as cuttings for propagation. All work on pruning and topping Croton spend gloves as a milky juice of this plant is poisonous!

Proper care will ensure you Croton Incredible plant, which is not only very beautiful, but it has very interesting properties. It is believed that the croton is able to awaken in man of eloquence, to restore order in his mind, to protect against disease, cause positive emotions, and enhance immunity. Do not believe? Then see for yourself, he settled in his house this unusual tropical flower croton.