Often in the collection of florists you can find such an unusual plant as fatsia. Home care requires special attention. The name of the plant is of Japanese origin. This is due to the fact that the flower is common in Japan, as well as on the island of Taiwan. It is there that there is a fashion for small trees - bonsai. It is quite trouble-free for a plant such as fatsia. Home care rarely provides flowering.
How fatsia blooms
Small, umbrella-shaped inflorescences are greenish-yellow without any decorative value. The flowers exude a delicate fragrant aroma. The berries of this plant are dark blue, not suitable for consumption. Although it does not require a complex care for such a flower as fatsia, it is unlikely that it will be possible to take a photo of a flowering plant at home, since it rarely blooms at home.
Appearance
Fatsia is a woody plant. It has rather large shiny leaves that stand horizontally on long petioles. The leaves are green, large (up to thirty-five centimeters), have a dissected pointed shape.
Fatsia, leaving
At home, this plant adapts to any conditions. The cool temperature of its content will be preferable. She loves bright, diffused light and Fresh air, therefore, it is recommended to place the flower on an east, west or south window shaded from direct sunlight.
Ventilate the room in which the fatsia is located should be regularly. In winter, the temperature of the content should range from six to ten degrees. For the variegated form of fatsia, it is necessary to maintain a warm climate even in winter. average temperature during this period is 16 degrees.
The plant develops quickly. If we talk about such a flower as fatsia, home care leaves only positive reviews. Indeed, special content criteria are not required for it. If you buy small plant, then under optimal conditions in two to three years it will reach one and a half meters in height. In nature, this evergreen beauty reaches four meters. Free placement of Fatsia next to other plants is recommended for rapid development. Those who do not like bulky flowers should put the fatsia in the shade. In this case, it will grow very slowly and delight the owner with its compact appearance for a long time.
Watering
You need to be very careful with watering this plant. In order for the leaves of the Fatsia not to fall off, home care involves the observance of some rules. First of all, it should be remembered that the plant cannot be poured. From this, the leaves will become soft and lethargic, they may turn yellow. Even a single overdrying of the soil can lead to lifeless leaf drooping. In this case, you can straighten them by tying them on special struts to their previous horizontal position. From insufficient watering or dry air, the leaves wrinkle, and their tips turn yellow. In this regard, from spring to autumn, the plant should be watered abundantly and sprayed frequently. In winter, during the dormant period, watering should be moderate.
Possible difficulties
In order for fatsia to develop well, home care must prevent the disease. The most common pests that cause disturbances in plant development are scale insects, aphids. When signs of pests appear, plants are treated with fungicides. The most effective drug from most of them is Actellic. To achieve a greater effect, processing is carried out up to three times.
The most unpleasant disease affecting fatsia is botrytis, or gray rot. It occurs when kept in a damp and cool place. At the same time, the stem of the infected plant acquires a brown color, begins to rot and becomes covered gray tint... In the end, the diseased flower rots entirely.
To prevent fatsia from dying, home care should include a set of timely measures to eliminate gray rot. To do this, you need to carefully remove the damaged parts of the trunk, and put the plant itself in a well-ventilated place with low air humidity.
If the plant has shriveled leaves, you should pay attention to the humidity of the air. When dry, daily spraying will help. If the plant is located in direct sunlight, the reason for the wrinkling of the leaves is sunburn... It is recommended to shade the fatsia in the summer.
If the leaves turn white, stains appear on them, and the tips become brown and brittle, the reason is insufficient watering. As a rule, mature plants need a regular supply of water to the root system. In this regard, one must not forget to water large specimens more often. In order to transform fatsia in the heat of summer, home care should include a weekly shower.
The leaves of the fatsia became soft, lethargic - the overmoistening of the earthen coma is to blame. Brittle leaves are the result of dry air.
Transfer
Annually in spring time young specimens are transplanted into fresh soil. The mixture for plants is prepared on the basis of the following proportions: sod land - 2 parts, humus - 1, peat - 1, sand - 1 part. A third of the pot must be filled with drainage from broken shards or expanded clay. Older specimens of fatsia are transplanted every three years. The largest specimens do not need to be transplanted. For them, it is enough just to change the topsoil to a fresh one.
Thus, fatsia can rightfully be called one of the most unpretentious houseplants. The only thing she can suffer from is improper watering. For this reason, not every apartment of flower lovers can meet this exotic guest.
The genus Fatsia includes, only one species, Japanese Fatsia and is part of the Aralian family. This plant is widely used in decorating shop windows, walls, pillars, when grown in tubs, and is also used in interior decoration at home. In addition, potted plants are used in the design of baskets.
Observing the rules of caring for the plant and regular feeding, fatsia develops quickly enough and after 1.5-2 years it will reach 1 meter in height. The plant forms a very beautiful crown when using a free arrangement of specimens.
Types and varieties
Or aralia japanese occurs in the wild along the coastal areas of Japan. The plant is an evergreen not branched shrub, reaching up to 2-4 meters in height, but in cultural cultivation reaches from 1 to 2 meters no more.
The leaves are leathery, glossy, green in color, although there are forms with white-variegated and yellow-variegated colors, they have a heart-round shape with 5-9 lobes, usually reaching up to 15-30 centimeters in diameter, located on long petioles. The flowers are white, very beautifully collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences.
This plant is quite ornamental, for this reason it is grown both at home and in greenhouses; industrial garden farms are mainly engaged in the cultivation of this species.
In literary works garden forms Fatsia can be found with the following names:
Dense stocky plants;
Fatsia japonica aureomarginata - yellow border on the leaves;
White border on the leaves;
Fatshedera Lise the form obtained from crossing hedera and fatsia is grown as an evergreen densely leafy shrub, reaching up to 5 meters in height. Leaves are leathery, dark green in color, 3-5 clawed.
Fatsia home care
When growing fatsia, it needs to provide a bright place, but not very sunny, the plant tolerates slight shading quite easily. But different forms treat lighting differently. For example, variegated forms require more lighting than plants with a uniform color of the leaf, these plants are more shade-tolerant.
They feel good when grown near windows of east and west orientation; at the southern windows, the plant must be darkened from direct sunlight. More shade-tolerant species are best grown near north-facing windows. Also, the plant is successfully grown at artificial lighting... IN summer period Fatsia can be taken out into fresh air, having previously protected from direct sunlight.
In the spring and summer, fatsia must be ensured optimal temperature air from 18 to 22 degrees. And in winter, the plants also tolerate average room temperature, but it is best to keep them in places with good lighting and a more comfortable temperature, about 10 degrees.
Watering fatsia
In the summer period of Fatsia, it is necessary to ensure abundant watering, as the top layer of the soil dries up, using soft and settled water. WITH autumn period watering is somewhat reduced, and in winter watering is reduced significantly, without bringing the soil to dryness, only if the plant is kept in cool conditions.
If fatsia or fatshedera are kept in winter at a higher temperature, it is not worthwhile to greatly reduce watering, it should only be 2-3 hours after the earthen coma is completely moistened, drain excess water from the pallet.
When watering, in no case do not allow water to stagnate in the pan or dry out the soil, this must be taken extremely seriously. When the earthen coma is dried out, at least once, the plant can lower the leaves, which are quite difficult to return to their previous position.
Even very abundant watering will not help in this situation. If, nevertheless, this happened, you should tie the leaves on the spacers in a horizontal position. After some time, the plant may return to its original appearance.
Leaflets large size need regular spraying with settled soft water, as well as wiping with a soft damp cloth or sponge. In winter, spraying should be reduced, depending on the temperature of the content. And in the summer of Fatsia, you can arrange a warm shower.
Fertilizer for Fatsia
IN spring-autumn period Fatsia needs to be fed organic or mineral fertilizer once a week.
In winter, the plant is stopped fertilizing, with a cool content, and in the case of a warmer content, the plant is fed no more than once a month.
Fatsia transplant
Fatsia needs a transplant in the spring or at the beginning of the summer period once every 2-3 years. In this case, it is necessary to replace the pot with a larger one in diameter. The plant can form several young trunks at once, due to its basal offspring.
The soil can be taken as normal, slightly acidic or neutral with a pH of 6-7. It can be composed of equal parts of leafy land, sod land, peat, sand and humus.
An alternative mixture could be 2 parts leafy soil, 1 part garden soil, 1 part turf land, ½ part sand and 1 part peat. Don't forget to lay a good drainage layer on the bottom of the pot. The plant can also be grown hydroponically.
Pruning Fatsia
The plant that forms the pruning can be tolerated quite calmly. When forming branched bushes, it is necessary to pinch the tops of the shoots in young plants.
Fatshedera The face needs regular pinning and trimming.
Reproduction of fatsia
Fatsia is easy enough to propagate by air layers and apical cuttings, as well as by seed propagation.
Usually cuttings occur in the spring with apical cuttings. Cuttings are cut with the presence of several buds, which are ready to start growing. They quickly take root in a wet mixture of sand and peat at temperatures ranging from 22 to 26 degrees.
After planting for rooting, they are covered with a plastic bag or glass jar. As soon as the plants take root, they should be planted in an earthen mixture, these cuttings form not tall, but densely leafy bushes.
Fatsia from seeds at home
Plants can also be propagated by seeds, which must be sown in boxes or pots to a depth of no more than 1 centimeter. The earthen mixture should have the following composition: sod land, leafy earth and sand in equal amounts.
For seedlings to appear, it is necessary to keep the temperature of the soil and air at about 18 degrees. After the seedlings have grown stronger, they must be planted in 9-11 cm pots, one young plant at a time. The soil is made up of 1 part of humus land, 2 parts of sod land and 1 part of sand. It is also necessary to place young plants in a bright room.
Fatsia rejuvenation
With proper care of the plant, it is usually completely leafy, but it also happens that the trunk of the fatsia is completely bare, in this case, the plant can be rejuvenated with air layers. To do this, in the spring, it is necessary to make a shallow incision on the stem, then wrap it with wet moss soaked in nutrient solution or phytohormone, and cover it with polyethylene on top.
Moss must always be kept moist, moisturizing it as it dries. After a few months, roots will appear at the site of the cut. Two or three months later, after the appearance of the roots, the apex with the roots is cut off, below the formation of the roots and planted in a separate bowl.
The trunk that remains is not worth throwing away, it must be cut almost to the root and continue to water the hemp that remained from the plant, covering it with moistened moss. There is a chance that this stump, too, forms shoots capable of good growth.
After the base of the air layers, the remaining stem can not be cut off at the root, but try to graft ivy from the same family onto it, grafted into the bark or split. The grafted plant easily takes root on the trunk of the fatsia and, as it grows, you will have a tree original look with falling branches.
Possible difficulties
- The leaves droop and brown spots appear on them , this is due to the drying out of the earthen coma, it will be quite difficult to return the former shape of the leaf cover.
- Brittle leaves , occurs due to the fact that the room has low air humidity, and if also in combination with intense lighting, can lead to wrinkling.
- Leaves are soft and wither , occurs with an excess of moisture in the soil, and if this also occurs for a long period of time, the root system can rot.
- Damaged by: spider mites, mealybugs, whitefly and scale insects.
Do not forget that all parts of the Japanese fatsia plant contain toxic substances.
Fatsia (fatsia japonica) is an ornamental deciduous plant with large palm foliage. It is appreciated for the beauty of monochromatic or variegated leaves, which outwardly resemble chestnut ones. When kept indoors, the flower grows up to 1.5 m in height, in nature - up to 4 m.How to care for fatsia at home, read below.
Fatsia is prized for beautiful leaves.
The evergreen Fatsia belongs to the Araliev family. The homeland of the flower is Japan and Taiwan. In nature, the plant grows near water bodies, avoiding places with a scorching sun. At home, it rarely blooms, although the flowers are still small and inconspicuous.
The plant is kept for the sake of decorativeness of large glossy foliage. The diameter of the leaf plate can reach 30 cm, clawed, has a saturated green color, some varieties have a white or yellow border. Fatsia grows rapidly under the conditions of care. The plant sap contains toxic substances, so the flower is grown with care in rooms where there are children and pets.
Fatsia varieties
There are several varieties of Japanese fatsia:
- "Argentei marginatis" is a white-bordered variety.
- "Aurei marginatis" is a bushy species with a yellow border.
- Moseri is a compact plant with juicy green leaves.
- "Spider`s Web" is a variety that has green leaves with white spots.
- Annelise is a variety with golden yellow foliage.
- Tsumugi Shibori also has spotted leaves, but there are much more light spots than Spider's Web.
- Murakumo Nishiki is a variety with light yellow leaves.
Sort "Spider`s Web".
Fatshedera Lice is also distinguished - a hybrid of fatsia and ivy with rounded green leaves. The older the plant, the more the leaves are divided into paws. It reaches a height of 5 m.
Growing conditions
Fatsia is quite unpretentious, however variegated varieties are more demanding on lighting. With proper care, the plant will grow rapidly and delight with a lush crown.
Seat selection
The plant needs a place with good lighting, but not direct sunlight. Variegated varieties tolerate a lack of light worse than fatsia with solid leaves. The best option- western and eastern windows. Shade-tolerant green varieties can be placed on the northern ones.
In spring and summer, fatsia is kept at a temperature of 18-22 degrees, the plant loves fresh air. You can take the flower pot out to the balcony or outside. If desired, even drop off at open ground, but transplant back in the fall.
In winter, fatsia needs to lower the temperature to 10 ° C, and variegated - at least 16 degrees. If the plant hibernates in a warm room, this is not critical, but then you need to provide full lighting - use backlighting.
Humidity and watering
Japanese fatsia - moisture-loving plant... She needs constant spraying with soft warm water, wiping the leaves from dust. When watering, it is important to avoid both drying out of the soil and stagnation of moisture in the pan. Even with a one-time overdrying of the soil, the plant will drop the leaves and it will be difficult to return them to their previous state. Only the garter of the sheet plates to the spacers can help, but not always.
In the summer you need to water as the topsoil dries out, that is, often. From autumn, reduce the frequency, and in winter, when kept in the cold, minimize it, keeping the soil slightly moist. If Japanese fatsia winters in a warm place, watering is not reduced, just 1.5-2 hours after it, excess water is drained from the pan.
Soil and transplant
A slightly acidic or neutral substrate is suitable. You can buy ready-made soil for decorative deciduous plants or universal. When cooking on your own, mix in equal parts sod, leafy soil, humus, peat and sand. The flower is successfully grown in hydroponics.
A drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the pot. It should be 1/3 of the total. Transplantation of adult Japanese fatsia is carried out every 2-3 years, young plants - annually. The best time for this is spring. New pot should be an order of magnitude larger than the previous one.
Young plants are replanted annually.
Top dressing
Fertilizers are applied with the onset of spring and continue to do so until autumn. Complexes are used for decorative deciduous plants, preparing a solution in the proportion recommended by the manufacturer on the package. In a cool winter, Japanese fatsia is not fertilized. If the flower is kept warm in winter, then they continue to feed it, but not more often than once a month.
Pruning
It is not necessary to trim the fatsia. If you want the bush to branch better and be lush, pinch the shoots at young plant, delete unnecessary ones. This is done throughout the entire period of active growth.
Flowering period
At home, fatsia almost never blooms. In nature, small white flowers are collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. The plant blooms in late summer and autumn. The flowers have small petals and long stamens.
Small fruits are formed as they ripen of blue color not edible. The flowering period does not cause allergies, but the plant itself is poisonous, although not fatal. It is advisable to carry out all transplant work with gloves.
Fatsia bloom.
Growing difficulties
Fatsia problems are usually associated with care errors. Often it is affected by pests, less often diseases occur.
Fatsia pests
The plant especially often attacks spider mites, whiteflies, scale insects, aphids, thrips. Pests settle on the underside of the leaves, and sometimes on the upper side, and feed on sap. From this, the crown turns yellow, dries, falls off. On closer inspection, you can see the colonies of the pests themselves or traces of their vital activity. Fatsia leaves in such cases are washed with soapy water. Additionally, the plant is treated with "Aktellik" or other chemical as indicated in the instructions.
Diseases
More often the plant is affected by gray rot. It occurs due to waterlogging of the soil or being kept in a too cold room. A gray and mealy bloom appears on the lower part of the stem, the leaves darken and die. To help the plant, it is necessary to tear off any damaged leaves, rearrange it to another location, and limit watering. If the soil is too wet, transplant it into dry fresh one. In a neglected state, treatment with fungicides will help.
Other problems
Reproduction
Japanese fatsia reproduces by apical cuttings, air layers, seeds.
Cuttings
The stalk must be cut in the spring. It should have several buds ready to start growing. It is better to root in a substrate consisting of peat and sand. After deepening, the cutting is watered and covered with a transparent jar or bag, creating a mini-greenhouse.
Air layering
In this way, fatsia are rejuvenated, the trunk of which, for some reason, is exposed. In the upper part of the bare trunk, closer to the leaves, in spring, an incision is made with a disinfected knife. It is wrapped in sphagnum moss dipped in a solution of phytohormone or Kornevin, on top - with a film.
The moss is kept moist. After a month, roots appear at the incision site. When they are sufficiently grown, the top of the plant with roots is carefully separated from the bare trunk and planted in the ground. The remaining trunk is left in a pot, cut off almost to the root. It is watered in the same way as an adult fatsia. After a while, he can give young shoots.
Growing from seeds
Fresh seeds are sown into the ground to a depth of 1 cm. It is prepared from turf and leafy soil, sand, mixed in equal amounts. They are kept in a well-lit place at a temperature of 18 degrees. When the seedlings get stronger, they are transplanted in containers with a diameter of 9-11 cm into another mixture. It consists of 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of humus and 1 part of sand.
You can buy fatsia at a flower shop or greenhouse. The cost of a plant in a pot with a diameter of 12 cm is about 800 rubles. When buying, carefully inspect the leaves - there should be no traces of pests or diseases, damage, stains on them. Fatsia is unpretentious, so even with minimal care it will delight you with beautiful carved leaves. It can be started even by those who have just started growing indoor plants.
Luxurious, magnificent, royal, chic - all this can be said about Fatsia, which is one of the most beautiful houseplants. Large carved leaves of an unusual shape, glossy green or covered with a pattern, collected in a dense rosette, make fatsia a real decoration of any interior. Fastia looks especially harmonious in large rooms: halls, living rooms, lobbies. You will learn how to grow this beauty and how to care for her from our publication.
The genus Fatsia (lat. Fatsia) is not large and belongs to the Araliev family. The closest relatives of the exotic beauty are the shefflera, the scabbard, ivy and aralia. The original name of Fatsia - Japanese Aralia, also speaks of family ties, but later, in order to avoid confusion, Fatsia was called by its own name. The current name comes from the Japanese word "fatsi" meaning the number eight, which emphasizes the eight-lobed leaf structure.
In nature, fatsia is an evergreen shrub with few branches, in some places it takes the form of a small tree. Distributed mainly on the islands of Japan and Taiwan, on the territory of Russia it is found in the Far East.
In its homeland, in Japan, as well as in China, fatsia is widely used as a landscape decoration of a site and in folk medicine... A decoction of the plant treats rheumatism, colds, diabetes and many other diseases. And the stimulating effect of fatsia decoctions, used, for example, to increase blood pressure, is even higher than that of ginseng.
[!] Do not self-medicate - remember, fatsia, like many plants of the Araliaceae family, contains a small amount of toxic substances. Therefore, improper use of the plant can harm health.
As mentioned above, fatsia is a spreading shrub with several shoots and large leaves at their end. Leaves are dense, glossy, dissected into 7-10 segments. The lower, older leaves can be whole or have only 2-3 lobes. Small white flowers, collected in a panicle, are of no decorative value. After flowering, blue-black berries are formed on the shrub.
Under natural conditions, you can find only three types of fatsia (F. japonica, F.oligocarpella, F.polycarpa), and as a room culture, only one of them is grown.
Type of room fatsia, varieties
Botanists have adapted only one type of fatsia to domestic conditions: this is Japanese fatsia (lat.Fatsia Japonica). The plant is very impressive: large carved leaves adorn a branched bush.
The leaves of common Japanese fatsia are even, bright green in color. But, over time, breeders also bred variegated varieties, which, in addition, differ in size:
F. Japonica "Moseri" is a small neat shrub with glossy dense rich green leaves;
F. Japonica "Variegata" - leaf plates of this variety are decorated with light green spots, scattered in a chaotic manner;
F. Japonica variegata "Camouflage" - a brightly distinguished lighter core of the leaf and a dark green tint around the edges, the color resembles a camouflage pattern;
F. Japonica Moseri, Variegata, Camouflage F. Japonica "Annelise" - slightly changed, compared to the usual Japanese fatsia, the shape of the leaf is more elongated and elongated, the center and main veins are light green;
F. Japonica "Spider's Web" - large carved leaves are sprinkled with silver flour along the edges, the pattern of veins painted in dark green is well expressed.
F. Japonica Annelise, Spiders Web Sometimes one of the varieties is considered a hybrid of fatsia and ivy - fatshedera, but, from a botanical point of view, this is not entirely true: fatshedera is a separate plant.
Fatsia care at home
Room fatsia will not cause much trouble to its owner - the Japanese beauty is unpretentious. At the same time, fatsia is one of the most shade-tolerant plants that can be placed both on the windowsills of the northern orientation, and in the back of the room. The shrub takes cool fresh air well, so in summer the plant can be taken out to the loggia, veranda or garden plot. However, first things first ...
Temperature and lighting
Fatsia is a plant of a mild temperate climate with a change of seasons. Therefore, the comfortable temperature range for keeping a Japanese guest differs depending on the season.
In summer, the plant develops well at 18-24 ° C, in winter the temperature should be slightly lower. The best wintering place for Fatsia is pretty low temperature, not higher than 12 ° C, it is in this case that a full-fledged dormant period of the plant begins. Such conditions can be organized by taking out the flower pot to the glazed loggia or veranda of the house. However, if there is no cool winter room, fatsia will winter well in an ordinary room.
Fatsia does not tolerate only strong summer heat - air temperatures above 25 ° C can be detrimental to the plant.
Since Fatsia prefers coolness, the open scorching sun will damage the plant. Therefore, the best place to place japanese beauties there will be shaded spaces: east or west window sills, surfaces in the back of the room. However, the complete absence of light will have a bad effect on the flower - the fatsia can stop its growth.
Watering and humidity
As with other plants that stop developing in winter, watering the fatsia should differ depending on the season. During the dormant period, the frequency of watering should not exceed once a month; in the summer, the plant needs much more moisture. The regularity of summer watering is about one to two times a week.
[!] To more accurately determine if water is required, use a proven method. Pierce the soil in a bowl with a wooden stick, if the top third of the earth is dry, you can water.
[!] Be careful: even due to a single overdrying of the earthen coma, the Fatsia can drop the leaves. In the future, it will be very difficult to reanimate such a plant.
Water for irrigation should be soft, settled, room temperature... From too tough tap water ugly white streaks may appear on glossy leaves and stems. To avoid lower root decay, excess liquid must be drained from the pallet.
Air humidity, as well as watering, should be increased in the warm season. Fatsia will gratefully respond to spraying and showering during the hot summer months. Besides, high humidity will prevent the emergence spider mite, one of the most dangerous insect pests. In winter, you do not need to spray the shrub.
As for the air, one more important point- protect fatsia from drafts, especially at low winter temperatures. Cold gusts of air, and especially in conjunction with intensive watering, can damage the delicate leaves, subsequently they will not recover.
Soil, top dressing, transplanting
The soil most suitable for fatsia should have the following characteristics: water and air permeability, neutral acidity. You can independently make up a soil mixture by taking sod and leafy soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1. In addition, ready-made soils are well suited - universal on the basis of sod land with a small addition of sand.
In the warm season, especially in spring and early summer, fatsia needs to be fed. For this, the best fit universal fertilizers for decorative deciduous plants. The required feeding dose is calculated based on the manufacturer's recommendations.
Unfortunately, the Japanese Aralia is one of those plants that do not tolerate transplanting well. After moving to another container, fatsia usually gets sick and takes a long time to adapt to new conditions. However, from time to time, you still need to transplant the plant. You can find out if a transplant is required by the roots: if they appeared from the drainage hole, the time has come. On average, adult specimens are transplanted every two to three years.
[!] For planting fatsia, use only small pots (1-1.5 cm more than the volume of the earthen clod). Crockery "for growth" will not work, too much soil will negatively affect the health of the plant.
The least traumatic transplant method is transshipment. The shrub is removed from the old container and, together with the earthen clod, is moved to a new one, while adding fresh substrate. Don't forget about good layer drainage - at least one quarter of the entire height of the pot. However, this method of transplanting will not work if you have just bought a fatsia.
What to do after buying fatsia
After you bring the fatsia home from the store, it needs to be transplanted. The fact is that all store plants are sold in peat-based transport soil, unsuitable for long-term cultivation.
[!] Peat tends to stick to the roots and retain moisture. Because of this, the roots often rot despite the fact that the plant is not overflowed and, in general, the substrate seems dry.
So, the scheme for transplanting purchased fatsia:
- A little, within 1-2 days, dry the substrate;
- Remove the bushes from the store container and dry the soil again;
- Remove all peat;
- Peat adhering to the roots must also be cleaned. The procedure is carried out very carefully, trying not to damage the thin roots;
- Spray the roots freed from peat with any root formation stimulator and immunomodulator ("Zircon", "Kornevin") and transplant into a fresh substrate;
- Do not water the plant for 3-4 days after transplanting.
It must be borne in mind that even the most gentle method of transplanting will have a bad effect on fatsia and the plant will surely get sick.
Pruning
In order for the fatsia to always look spectacular and decorative, from time to time the plant needs to be pruned a little.
[!] After pruning, the fatsia usually becomes thicker: many new shoots appear.
For removal, old, overgrown shoots or branches thickening the shrub are selected. It is important not to be too zealous with pruning and to remove only a few, really interfering, stems. Otherwise, the Fatsia may die.
If the plant has grown too tall for the room it is in, pruning will help to adjust its size. For this, several main shoots of the shrub are removed, after which the fatsia begins to actively grow lateral shoots, while practically not developing in height.
Reproduction
Fatsia can be propagated in several ways: by seeds, cuttings and layering.
Seed propagation- one of the most time consuming and unreliable methods. Firstly, the seeds of Fatsia are difficult to collect, and secondly, they give extremely low germination, well, and thirdly, varietal characteristics are lost when propagated by seeds.
For those who are not afraid of difficulties, a little more about this method. The pre-harvested seeds are peeled from the pulp, dried a little and soaked for one day in water or a damp cloth. After that, the prepared seeds are sown in a mixture of sand and peat or turf and sand, deepening by about 0.5 cm. The dishes are rearranged in a warm place and wait for shoots. When the sprouts get stronger and the first pair of full-fledged leaves appear, the fatsia must be transplanted into a regular substrate, and in the future it must be looked after as an adult plant.
Propagation by cuttings usually held in the spring. For this, the apical cuttings with several buds are cut off, placed in a peat-sand mixture and, to simulate a greenhouse, are covered with a glass jar or a plastic bottle. From time to time, the rooting cutting should be ventilated by removing the jar and watered with water at room temperature. The dishes with the handle should be placed in a warm and light place.
Formation air layering- a method of reproduction that requires some skills in floriculture. An adult plant shoot is cut in a circle, and the cut sites are covered with sphagnum, which must be constantly moistened. Within two to three months, thin roots will appear at the cut site, after which the shoot can be cut slightly below the roots that have appeared and transplanted into a new container.
Diseases, pests and growing problems
The main pest that threatens fatsia is the spider mite. This insect is difficult to spot. after all, its size is too small, and the cobweb that it leaves is practically invisible. And only when the symptoms are clearly manifested on the leaves, growers begin to sound the alarm. If the cause of the flower's malaise is a spider mite, it is necessary to wash off the harmful invader, and treat the plant with modern insecticides.
Fatsia rarely gets sick - there are no diseases inherent only to this plant. All ailments of Fatsia are associated exclusively with improper care. A particularly common mistake of Japanese azalea owners is over-watering. It is because of this that root rot can appear, one of the most dangerous diseases, which, moreover, is very difficult to cure.
Fatsia leaves curl. The likely cause is the appearance of a spider mite. What to do: you need to carefully examine the plant and, if a cobweb and small insects are found, treat it with insecticides.
The leaves have become lethargic, soft and yellowed, the shoots lose their turgor. Symptoms indicate root rot caused by the bay of the plant. What to do: remove the fatsia from the bowl, carefully examine the root. If there are rotten areas, cut them off, sprinkle the cuts with root roots. Then completely replace the soil and plant the shrub again.
Fatsia leaf tips turn yellow- this, on the contrary, suggests that the flower does not have enough water. What to do: increase the intensity of watering.
The tips of the leaves turn brown and dry- in the case when watering is sufficient, such a symptom may indicate excessive dryness of the air. What to do: carry out procedures aimed at increasing air humidity.
Yellow spots on leaf plates- possibly a sunburn. What to do: shade the shrub.
Turn yellow and fall lower leaves fatsii... If the rest of the plant looks healthy, it's okay - the usual green mass renewal takes place.
The underside of the fatsia leaf is covered with a brownish washable fuzz- everything is in order, this is a feature of the structure of the sheet plate.
Fatsia is not growing. If such a phenomenon is observed in winter, this is the norm - the bush has a dormant period, if in summer, there may be a lack of lighting or nutrients. What to do: Move to a lighter place and fertilize.
Brownish-yellow rounded swollen dots on the leaf plate - signs of a scale insect. The pest is dangerous for fatsia, and, in addition, plants in the vicinity can become infected. What to do: Treat the shrub with insecticides.
The beauty fatsia is gorgeous and able to decorate any room. A little easy care- and this green miracle will give you all its natural beauty. (1 assessments, the average: 5.00 out of 5)
Japan is considered one of this decorative leafy plant, as indicated by the second part of its name: Japanese Fatsia (Fatsia japonica), or Japanese Aralia (Aralia japonica). And the genus Fatsia itself is named from the old Japanese "fatsi" - eight. This is exactly how many shares have the leaves of plants included in it.
Fatsia is evergreen shrub, belongs to the Araliaceae family, has only three species: Fatsia japonica, Fatsia polycarpa and Fatsia oligocarpella. Only Japanese fatsia has been cultivated for two centuries as a garden and indoor plant. Wild-growing representatives of the species sometimes reach a height of 6 m, garden fatsia grow up to 2 meters, indoor ones do not exceed one and a half.
In tropical and subtropical gardens and parks, especially in seaside, Japanese fatsia feels good and is their decoration. She is integral element japanese garden... In our latitudes, Japanese fatsia is grown as a large pot or tub plant in cool rooms and winter gardens... Although it is extremely difficult to achieve its flowering in indoor conditions, nevertheless, the plant is very decorative and elegant.
Fatsia is grown because of beautiful, rather large, palmate, shiny leaves with a leathery surface of a rich green color. In diameter, they reach 20-30 cm, and sometimes 50 cm at garden varieties... There are very original variegated varieties that are the most popular.
Fatsia japonica forms small white or yellowish-greenish flowers, collected in large, up to 30 cm, umbrella-type inflorescences. From the flowers in the fall, green fruits are tied, which by the end of winter turn dark blue, almost black. Their bunches flaunt against the backdrop of the luxurious foliage of the Fatsia.
Japanese fatsia: care and conditions of detention
Fatsia japonica successfully grows and develops both in well-lit 
places (southeast and southwestern windows), which is very important for variegated varieties, and in the shade (northern windows), therefore it belongs to shade-tolerant plants. Fatsia should be shaded from direct sunlight (on the south window), from which its leaves begin to wrinkle, burn marks appear on them. At the same time, it develops well under artificial lighting. Plants grow especially attractive when they are free.
The optimal temperature regime for the content of Japanese fatsia is + 18-20 ° C. In winter, the plant is kept at a temperature of + 10-14 ° C, variegated varieties at a temperature of at least +16 ° C. If the plant fails to create the optimal temperature in winter, and it is grown at a higher air temperature, it is necessary to carry out additional illumination with fluorescent lamps.
Japanese Fatsia needs humus-rich soil, but it grows and develops well on artificial substrates, as well as on hydroponics. Self-earthen mixture is prepared from turf, leafy soil and sand, taken in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. The acidity of the soil should be normal or slightly acidic (pH 6-7). Twice a month, the plant is fed with complex fertilizer. In winter, fertilizers are not applied in cool rooms.
When growing fatsia, you need to be especially careful about the water regime. From a lack of moisture, the beautiful leaves of Japanese fatsia become stained, their tips dry out, which affects their decorative effect. Strong drying of the earthen coma at least once causes the leaves of the plant to drop. Even increased watering does not help to return the leaves to their original position. In this case, only a garter on spacers can straighten them. Only with time can they take their usual position. At the same time, abundant watering can harm the plant, its leaves will begin to wither, turn yellow, and the roots will rot. For this reason, excess water from the sump must be drained.
Air humidity is no less important for fatsia. In warm rooms and in summer, Japanese fatsia is sprayed with warm water, the leaves are wiped with a damp cloth. With a decrease in air temperature, watering and spraying of fatsia is reduced.
The room in which Japanese fatsia is kept must be periodically ventilated. This is especially important in the warm season. Annual pruning will help the plant grow more tillering and is well tolerated.
With correct and timely care the trunk of the plant is covered with leaves almost to the base, and additional shoots are formed near its base. They can be used to cut cuttings.
If pests are found when growing on Fatsia indoor plants, resort to traditional methods of struggle.
Transfer
The plant is transplanted in the spring every year or every other year, when the pot in which it grows completely fills the roots. For transplanting, take a pot of larger volume, drainage from expanded clay or broken shards must be poured onto its bottom. Fatsia should be handled with care, as the plant produces a viscous sticky sap. If it comes into contact with the skin, a local allergic reaction may occur.
Fatsia: methods and technology of reproduction
Apical and stem cuttings of Japanese Fatsia root very easily in any soil or substrate in humid environment covered with glass or film. Cuttings are carried out in the fall. After the roots appear, young plants are transplanted into small containers with a mixture of river sand, leaf humus and garden soil. In the summer, they are provided with abundant, and in winter, very careful watering.
Seed propagation of fatsia is carried out in the spring. The seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm and kept at a temperature of about + 18 ° C. The formed seedlings are transplanted into separate pots, one in each. For sowing, soil is used from equal parts of sod, leafy soil and sand. When transplanting into soil, more soil is added. Young plants need regular feeding, pruning of shoots in spring for better tillering, as well as an annual transplant. They are watered abundantly from spring to autumn, in winter it is extremely rare.
Old specimens with a bare trunk are rejuvenated using air layers. With this method, the trunk of the plant in its upper part is carefully cut with a ring and tied with wet moss or peat, which is saturated with root formation stimulants (indolylbutyric acid, succinic acid, heteroauxin) and tied with polyethylene. As the moss or peat dries, it is moistened.
About sixty days after callus and root formation at the ring cut upper part the plants are pruned below root formation and planted in soil or sand. The remaining bare part of the trunk can be cut at a distance of three to four centimeters from the root collar, then divided into two parts along the trunk and placed horizontally in a container with wet sand, perlite or expanded clay. A layer of substrate of two to three centimeters is also poured on top. The substrate is sprayed constantly until young shoots from the buds and roots appear. The part of the trunk left after pruning the old plant will give two to three shoots that can be grown in this container.
Rarely enough, after pruning the air cut, the adult trunk is not cut off, but two or three cuttings of indoor ivy are grafted onto it by the bark or into the cleft. When the cuttings of this plant take root and begin to grow, they will give the Japanese Fatsia the shape of an ampelous plant.
Being a fast-growing plant, with any method of reproduction, fatsia, depending on the variety and variety, can grow up to 2 meters in height in two years.
Varieties of Japanese fatsia and use in landscaping
Despite the fact that varieties and varieties with green leaves are more resistant and viable, variegated representatives of the species are most popular. Today, the following types of fatsia are popular:
Fatsia japonica "Moseri" is a compact plant,
Fatsia japonica "Spider" s Web "- green leaves are painted like the skin of a snake or as if covered with white splashes
Fatsia japonica "Variegata" - the leaves are colored at the ends of the lobes in white or cream color;
Fatsia japonica "Annelise" - golden yellow foliage
Fatsia japonica "Murakumo Nishiki" - variegated pale yellow leaves
Fatsia japonica "Tsumugi Shibori" - resembles "Spider" s Web ", but the leaves appear almost white from a lot of white splashes
Indoors, Japanese fatsia are used for decorating and landscaping large halls of hotels, shopping malls, entertainment centers and offices of large companies. She is decorated with walls, columns, grown in large vases.
An intergeneric hybrid of Fatshedera was obtained from Japanese fatsia and common ivy, combining best qualities each of the plants. It is possible to distinguish between fatsia and fatshedera, first of all, by the number of leaf blades. Fatskhedera have no more than five, Fatsia 7-9.