Do you want something exotic? Are you tired of dracaenas and violets? Then we go to you!
Reo - that's what you need! This exotic flower, from the Commelinaceae family, has an extraordinary appearance, curvaceous shape, is quite easy to care for and even blooms.
The indoor flower Reo multi-colored (from Latin Rhoeo discolor), also called Tradescantia spathacea (from Latin Tradescantia spathacea) is a perennial, single-stemmed plant. Develops on the stem a large number of leaves, very interesting in color. The leaves have 2 primary colors, and depending on the plant variety, they can be painted in additional shades. Most often the reverse side of the leaves (bottom) purple, and on the outside (top) they are green. This coloring gives the flower some exoticism. Reo's green mass is quite dense, which is facilitated by the large size of the foliage - 25-30 cm in length, 5-6 in width and 0.5 cm in thickness. Such volumes allow the plant to accumulate moisture in its structure and successfully endure dry days in its natural habitat. Due to the fact that the flower belongs to the Commeline family and in nature it grows in warm areas of the earth, it has practically no dormant periods. Therefore, under appropriate conditions and proper care, the Reo plant will grow all year round and delight you with its appearance.
Habitat and homeland
The natural habitat of this green-violet hero is the temperate tropics with average daily temperature 20-25 degrees above zero. The homeland is the warm tropical forests of North America, and the first mentions of this flower include the islands between South and North America, and the territory of what is now Mexico. In the wild, it prefers the humid tropics and forest edges; it can also be found along river banks; in addition, it grows on poor red soils. Such conditions hardened long years plant in the wild, therefore in room conditions it will feel, one might say, “at ease.”
There are several varieties or varieties:
How to care for a Reo flower
It is quite easy to provide care at home for the indoor Reo flower, and below are some simple practical recommendations.
For healthy growth It is recommended to replant the flower annually, replacing up to 30% of the old soil. If the purple beauty has gained a lot of size, just transfer her to new pot with an increase in its volume. Light soil mixtures are suitable for planting. The most easily accessible mixture will be a mixture of turf soil, peat soil and sand. You can collect turf soil in the garden, sand - on the bank of a river, at a construction site or, in extreme cases, in a sandbox, and buy a peat mixture in a store. A more complicated but correct path can be taken by adding leaf and humus soil to the resulting mixture. Mix all components in equal parts. Another soil component can be agroperlite. This rock, formed when lava from a volcano cools sharply. Of course, you don’t need to go to the volcano to get this miracle filler; you can also try to buy it in a store. The advantage of agroperlite, or its substitute - agrovermiculite, is their ability to accumulate and then release moisture, thereby maintaining favorable humidity for Reo roots.
The root system develops in diametrically opposite directions and is not very willing to go deep, so when choosing a pot, try to please the shape of the container to the plant, and this will only make it more magnificent. When selecting a pot and replanting, take care of drainage; any plant, even the healthiest one that loves watering, can rot if there is excess and stagnation of moisture. To do this, lay construction expanded clay in an even layer on the bottom of the pot. Another way is to use red brick fragments as drainage.
When choosing a location for Reo indoors, you need to take into account that the flower is light-loving, but you should not overdo it and leave it in direct sunlight. For maintenance, the western or eastern side of the apartment or house is recommended. The southwestern and southeastern ones are less suitable, and if you place multi-colored Tradescantia on a southern windowsill, be sure to shade it during the midday hours. The above is true for the time of year from April to September; on the contrary, in the cold season the plant is moved towards the south. Rhoeo does not tolerate drafts, so do not leave it near open windows.
There are no special recommendations for watering. In the wild, Reo plants grow under heavy rains that deplete the soil. Therefore, if you have organized proper drainage, then you don’t have to be afraid to flood the plant. However, it is not recommended to water your home Reo flower with large amounts of water. It is enough to moisten the soil while drying its upper part. This way, the nutrients will stay in the pot longer. Do not forget about spraying, after wiping the leaves with a damp cloth. All this together will create an optimal microclimate for the plant.
Depending on the nature of watering, you need to select the periods for applying fertilizers at the rate of once every 2-3 weeks. For these purposes, the usual complex fertilizer For indoor flowers from KhozTorg.
Perhaps this exotic flower You will like your care for it so much that it will bloom all year round. True, flowers are not why it is popular among amateur gardeners. The buds are a small boat of two bracts. 
Between them there is an inflorescence that is bisexual, which allows the seeds to ripen without the participation of insects. Very rarely an inflorescence appears in a single copy; most often it is a whole orchestra of “boats”.
About the benefits and harms of the Reo flower
In folk medicine, the hero of the article is not particularly popular, but the Reo flower can also be beneficial. There are several recipes that help with rheumatism, skin damage (wounds) or intestinal diseases and even bleeding. For rheumatism, heated leaves are applied as a compress to the joints. For open wounds, grind the washed leaves and apply this composition to the sore spot and bandage it. For intestinal problems, dysentery or intestinal bleeding, use a decoction of Reo flowers, boiled for 20 minutes.
...and also about signs and superstitions
Thanks to the dual nature of the plant, it endows the room, and with it people, with creative energy, and neutralizes aggression. It also aims at results and helps complete unfinished tasks. In some sources indoor flower Reo is endowed magical properties amulets against love spells and witchcraft. It is worth noting that under the influence of the sign of Aquarius, this indoor purple plant provides positive influence on the circulatory and cardiovascular system. The indoor flower is under the control of celestial bodies such as the Sun and Mars. The patronage of the Sun helps to endow the atmosphere in the house with nobility and high beautiful feelings. Under the influence of Mars, Reo absorbs vibrating aggressive hidden energy.
Reproduction is possible in two ways
Seeds
They do not reproduce very readily, it all depends on the time of their ripening: if the weather was sufficiently humid, warm, sunny, then the planting material will turn out just right. 
To obtain good and strong seedlings, the seeds must first be soaked for a day in water, preferably with a growth stimulator. Then sown in common potty. There is no need to deepen the seeds; you can only sprinkle them with a little soil, literally a couple of millimeters. After planting, it is worth covering the container with the planted seeds with a plastic bag, that is, creating greenhouse conditions. Planted seeds do not need to be placed in straight lines Sun rays– the optimal temperature will be 20-22 degrees. Now all that remains is to wait, because shoots appear in 2-6 weeks. Of course, during this time you should not forget about maintaining optimal humidity soil in your greenhouse. After germination of young Reo, they begin to regularly ventilate the greenhouse - daily for a third of an hour. As soon as a couple of leaves emerge from the young plants, the greenhouse conditions should be abandoned and you can care for them as for adult plants.
Reproduction by lateral shoots
A more preferable method, in contrast to propagation by seeds, since in 100% of cases all the varietal characteristics of the parents are transmitted to the young plants. IN natural conditions tropical forests this genus of plants grows precisely through lateral shoots, quite quickly developing new territories. This method of reproduction is not anything special and is very simple. Need young ones side shoots cut and leave for roots to germinate in settled water.
Quite quickly, the cuttings will form new young roots, and they will become ready for planting in the ground.
Diseases and pests
Reo is practically not susceptible to pests or diseases. May be affected powdery mildew or gray rot, if you fill it with “don’t play around.” At the slightest sign of rotting, you should trim all affected parts of the plant and replant it in fresh soil, also trimming the affected roots. If your pet begins to be overcome by insect pests, it is also necessary to begin urgent treatment, fortunately, a sufficient amount of medicine is now sold. Remember, the plant loves sunlight, and with its deficiency, the foliage begins to lose color, stretches, and begins to turn yellow. But brown and wrinkled leaves are a sign of unsuitable water - it may be at a low temperature or contain bleach.
Today we will talk about very interesting plant, whose second name is “Fire Tree,” about Delonix, who originally came to our homes from...
Reo motley is a species of flower from the Commeline family of the genus Transscantia. The tropical forests of Mexico and the Antilles are considered its homeland.
This is the most a common type of reo for growing at home.
Description
Reo motley I also call reo bedspread. It is a herbaceous rhizomatous plant. It has a fairly short, fleshy, straight stem. Lance-shaped leaves emerge from it.
They're close they are set close to each other and are about 30 cm long. They are dark green above and purple-violet below.
Flowers This species is white and quite small. They are collected in inflorescences on short stalks. A special feature of Reo variegated is that the flowers are hidden in a “blanket” of two petals.
These purple ones the petals close and form a boat shape. Reo variegated can bloom at any time of the year.
Home care
Reo motley- This is a fairly unpretentious plant for growing at home. Even a novice gardener can handle caring for it.
Watering and humidity
Very important for reo motley regular and abundant watering. The frequency of watering is increased from spring to autumn. In winter, the frequency is slightly reduced.
However this plant is very moisture-loving, so even in winter time The soil should be kept slightly moist. But you shouldn’t overwater the flower – waterlogging the roots is detrimental to it.
That is why care should be taken to ensure good drainage in advance. For irrigation, settled water at room temperature is best.
Reo motley It can easily survive for some time without spraying. In addition, he is not afraid of drafts and air conditioning. However, if you humidify the air and the plant regularly, it will respond very positively to this.
Summer reo can be sprayed daily, in winter it is better to reduce the frequency.
Lighting and temperature conditions
To accommodate For Reo motley, it is better to select well-lit windows. Although this is tropical plant, you should not place it in a south-facing window, as it only requires a few hours of active sun per day.
South side good only in the winter season. Ideal option for reo motley there will be western and eastern windows.
On north side there will not be enough lighting for the plant. As a result, the stems may become stretched and the leaves may be damaged.
For reo motley Moderate temperature is required. In summer it should stay at 20-21 degrees. In winter, you should not lower it below 16 degrees.
Planting and fertilization
To plant a flower The mixture is ideal for decorative foliage plants. When preparing soil at home, you need to take one part each of leaf soil, clay-turf soil, peat, humus and sand.
Also must be ensured The plant has good drainage, as it does not like the roots to be waterlogged. Reo variegated needs to be replanted every spring. The pot should be 2-4 centimeters larger than the previous one.
Consider that the roots of reo grow not in depth, but in breadth, so it is necessary to select a shallow but wide pot.
Feeding is necessary produce from March to August once every two weeks. In the fall, the frequency should be reduced, and in the winter, stopped altogether. Complex fertilizer is well suited mineral fertilizer for decorative foliage plants.
Reproduction
Reo motley propagates by lateral shoots. To do this, they are cut and placed in pots for rooting. Make sure that there are knots on the cut shoots. You can root them both in soil and in water.
For rooting in water, it is necessary to cut off the lower leaves so that they do not rot. You can also root in water, but you just need to cut off the lower leaves first to prevent them from rotting. Another type of propagation for the variegated rheo is dividing the bush.
Growing problems and pests
Reo motley- This is a fairly pest-resistant plant. The only insect that can attack it is.
From diseases powdery mildew or gray rot. Usually the cause is severe waterlogging. As a treatment, the flower is brought under warm shower and wash away pests. In case of severe damage, it is better to completely remove the affected leaves.
When growing You may also encounter the following problems:
- leaves are too small– lack of moisture or nutrients;
- pale leaf color– happens when there is insufficient lighting;
- the lower leaves fall off– this happens with excessive watering;
- the plant stretches out– there is not enough light for the flower;
- leaf tips become brown and dry - this happens due to too dry air in the room;
- leaves wrinkle, turn brown, become soft - most likely, you water the flower with cold and chlorinated water;
- leaves are located loose - lighting is too dim.
And for the most curious, we suggest you watch the video about reo
The Reo flower is ideal for beginner gardeners. First of all, Reo is easy to care for and therefore you won’t have to worry too much if, while gaining experience, you do something wrong. This is a low-demanding flower, like Cyperus or Sansevieria. But on the other hand, it is outwardly original and beautiful. Often this indoor plant is classified as one of the types of Tradescantia, although this is a controversial issue. Reo in reality close relative zebrin and tradescantia, they all belong to the commelinaceae family. But some botanists believe, and this would be more correct, that such a flower forms its own separate genus, Reo.
The Reo plant produces flowers almost all year round. He has massive decorative leaves It is dark purple in color and loves bright light. Why is the flower unremarkable? This plant will decorate any interior: be it a respectable office or just a living room. And to care for it you will need very little time, only an hour from an hour Reo needs to be watered, sometimes fed, and after a while divided and replanted.
How to choose optimal place . The plant loves light; a south window is the best place for it. But in the summer heat, Reo still needs to be shaded a little, otherwise the leaves will suffer from the sun's rays.
Watering process. The flower likes constantly moist soil, so it’s not scary if someone mistakenly waters it again. Handsome Reo grows remarkably well when the ground is always wet during the warm season. But in winter period You need to be careful with watering, you need to reduce it a little, but there should not be drying out. It is advisable to water with settled water; rain water is even better for this. In winter, the flower must be watered warm water. And yet, the flower really doesn’t like it when water gets into the places on the stem where the leaves are attached (the internode), you need to try to prevent this from happening.
Well, it’s understandable that if a plant tolerates moisture well, it will develop well if it is regularly sprayed. Summer shower- this is a wonderful way to keep a flower in good shape and clean.
Plant nutrition. During the summer season, from May to August, it is good to use complex feeding, a classic mineral fertilizer for decorative foliage. In rare cases, you can use organic matter: a tincture of egg shells and onion peels.
Reo flower propagation. The only and probably the most correct way is to divide the bush. If you care for it correctly, Reo grows very quickly. This makes it possible to obtain new plants at any time of the year. As an option, root the cuttings on the sides; they are there all the time, appearing at the base. So there should be no problems with reproduction. Light, small flowers appear throughout the year, although they do not have any important decorative value, but that’s up to anyone. The flower has no seeds.
Transplanting a plant. A similar flower grows in a group; from time to time, children sprout from the soil. So Reo needs to be replanted every year. For these purposes, it is better to use a wide pot rather than a deep one. You can prepare the soil for planting yourself. To do this, you need to take: part of the clay-turf soil, the same amount of leaf and peat mixture, equal parts of sand and humus.
There must be drainage at the bottom. Although Reo is a moisture-loving plant, there is a possibility that the roots will rot from excess water or they may be damaged by root mites. If you can’t make the mixture yourself, you can purchase it already ready soil for decorative foliage flowers.
Signs of flower disease. The leaves turn brown at the tips and then dry out. There is a high probability, 99%, that the cause is dry air. This mainly happens in winter, when central heating is turned on in apartments. At this time, the flower must be sprayed very often or a bowl of water should be placed nearby. This will help not only Reo, but also all the plants that are nearby.
The edge of the leaf becomes brown, the leaf itself curls and eventually dries out from lack of moisture. This can also happen from watering cold water in winter. It is necessary to water only with warm water and then the flower will be in perfect order.
If the plant stretches strongly upward, there are few leaves, and they are sparsely located on the stem, then most likely there is not enough lighting. Another reason for this state of the flower is a lack of nutrients.
With abundant light, the variegated color of the leaves fades, and the stripes along the leaves are barely visible. We urgently need to move the flower to where there is a little less light. The stems of the plant turn brown and become soft due to excess moisture. This most often occurs in winter. In order not to lose the flower completely, to prevent it from dying, you need to cut off the healthy part and place it in water or soil for rooting. Don’t be afraid to replant Reo in winter; if the flower is in danger, it needs to be saved.
Having become familiar with these simple rules You can successfully grow such a beautiful indoor flower as Reo!
Reo (Rhoeo)- a genus of capillary plants of the family Commelinaceae. The genus contains one plant species - Reo blanket.The plant's homeland is the tropical rainforests of Mexico and the Antilles.
The origin of the name of the genus Reo is unknown, but this plant has another name, which has become widespread among flower growers - “Moses’ Boat”.
By appearance Rheo is a bit reminiscent of dracaena or tank plants from the bromeliad family. As an ornamental foliage plant, it is widely cultivated in the tropics of both hemispheres and easily runs wild. It is also widely cultivated in rooms, especially in Lately. Although when favorable conditions Reo flowering can continue throughout the year; it is grown for its beautifully colored, dense, shiny leaves. The plant is unpretentious, but needs regular watering.
Reo is used in folk medicine. In Mexico, the juice, which irritates the skin and causes it to redden, is used as blush. Cubans use the same juice to stop bleeding from the gums, and a decoction of the leaves for respiratory diseases.
Reo is a close relative of Tradescantia, although these plants are not at all similar in appearance.
Types of reo
. Synonym: Rhoeo discolor, Tradescantia spathacea . A perennial herbaceous rhizomatous plant with short internodes and sessile leaves. Lower leaves fall off as the plant grows, and the upper ones form a beautiful rosette at the top of the main shoot. They are linear in shape, or linear-lanceolate, up to 30 cm long and 4-7 cm wide. Leaf blades entire, yellow or dark green on top with a peculiar metallic tint, reddish or purple (sometimes even lilac) below. There are forms with striped leaves. The flowers are three-membered, small, white, crowded in the axils of the leaves into bunch-shaped inflorescences, which are almost hidden by convex bracts. Flowers peek out from these bracts, as if from a kind of blanket. The threads of all 6 stamens in the lower part are covered with long white hairs. Blooms throughout the year. Grows in humid conditions tropical forests, along forest edges, river banks, rocky places. Widely cultivated in the tropics of both hemispheres as an ornamental foliage plant, it easily grows wild.
Known garden form having longitudinal yellow stripes on the leaves.
Reo care
Lighting. Reo prefers in spring-summer period diffused light, without direct sunlight.
The optimal placement is windows with western or eastern orientation. On windows with a southern orientation, place the plant away from the window or create diffused light with translucent fabric or paper (gauze, tulle, tracing paper).
IN autumn-winter period The plant can tolerate sunlight, so it is placed in the brightest place. Reo can withstand partial shade, but with a lack of light, the color of the leaves fades.
Temperature. During the spring-summer period optimal temperature for rheo 20-24°C. In the autumn-winter period, the temperature should be within 17-20°C, not lower than 12°C. The plant does not tolerate drafts, especially in winter.
Watering. In the spring and summer, rheo is watered abundantly as the top layer of the substrate dries. Prolonged (a day or two) drying is very harmful. In the autumn-winter period, water moderately, one or two days after it dries out. upper layer substrate. When the plant is kept (in winter) at a temperature below 14°C, the soil is kept moderately moist.
Water with soft and well-settled water. Half an hour after watering, the water is poured out of the pan.
When watering, do not allow the substrate to dry out or become excessively waterlogged.
Air humidity. Reo carries over low humidity room air, while it is preferable for him high humidity air. It is advisable to spray every day with boiled or soft filtered water at room temperature, this is especially important in winter. If the air is too dry and warm, to increase air humidity, the pot with the plant can be placed in a tray with wet expanded clay or peat, but the bottom of the pot should not touch the water.
Features of cultivation. For plants grown as single bushes, side shoots are removed.
Fertilizer. From March to August, reo is fed with fertilizer for indoor decorative foliage plants every two weeks.
Transfer. Replanting is carried out in young plants annually in the second half of spring or early summer. Adult large plants are replanted every 3-5 years.
It is advisable to replant rheo in plastic pots, which retain soil moisture better than clay ones. In this case, the pots should be wide and low, since root system the plant grows in breadth.
The soil. The soil should be rich in humus, light and loose (pH 5.5-6.5). For example, the following substrate is suitable: 1 part clay-turf, 1 part leaf, 1 part humus, 1 part peat soil and 1 part sand. Good drainage is required - reo loves moist soil, but is extremely sensitive to stagnation of water and acidification of the soil.
Reproduction. Rheo is propagated by dividing the bush, apical cuttings, seeds or rooting lateral shoots cut at the base of the stem. To obtain side shoots, pinch the top of the main shoot. When transplanting old overgrown specimens, you can carefully divide the rhizome.
Cuttings take root well in sand within 2 weeks at a temperature of 22-24°C. After rooting, they are planted in pots.
Precautionary measures
Rheo can cause contact dermatitis.
Possible difficulties
As a result of sunburn leaves may turn yellow.
Brown dry tips of leaves occur when the indoor air is too dry, especially in winter, if the plant is located near central heating radiators.
The tips of the leaves turn brown, the leaves wrinkle and dry out at insufficient watering, or when watering with cold water.
With a lack of light the plant loses its magnificent leaf color and stretches out.
When the temperature is too low leaves become soft and droop.
The stems stretch out, the leaves are not arranged tightly, the plant loses its decorative appeal with an acute lack of light or lack of nutrients in the soil.
The indoor flower Reo can be seen on the window sills in the apartments of many home lovers. ornamental crops. This plant is actually very impressive and also not too whimsical.
general description
The Reo flower was once brought to Europe and Russia from the tropics of Africa. It is valued by lovers of indoor plants, primarily for its decorative foliage. Reo's flowers are also quite beautiful. The long, narrow leaves of this plant have green color, and below is purple. Sometimes striped varieties of Reo are also found on sale in specialized stores. The flowers of this plant are small, but have a pleasant snow-white color and a rather attractive shape. Reo can produce buds when proper care all year round.
Reo flower: signs and healing properties
Reo is popular among lovers of indoor flowers not only because of its excellent decorative qualities. This plant is also grown as a medicinal plant. A decoction of Reo flowers can be used for intestinal diseases and as a supportive remedy for dysentery. The leaves of this plant have wound healing properties. A decoction of them is also prepared to treat joints.
It is believed that it can help with cardiovascular diseases Reo (flower). Benefit in in this case lies even in the very smell of the plant. Of course, heart disease should not be treated with this flower alone. But simply planting it in your room for people experiencing heart problems is certainly worth it.
In Reo's homeland, locals sometimes use its juice (not concentrated and prepared in a special way) as a blush. Popular beliefs in Russia and Europe attribute to Reo the ability to collect all negative energy home, thereby protecting the people living in it.
It is also believed that if this flower is present in the apartment, its inhabitants:
- creative energy is activated;
- aggression is neutralized.
In addition, many believe that this plant can serve as a very good amulet for the family against damage and other witchcraft.
What kind of soil is needed
Reo is sold in specialized stores, like almost any other flowers, in shipping pots. Experienced indoor plant lovers do not recommend transferring it to another container immediately after purchase. Reo should be kept in an old pot for at least a few days. This will allow him to adapt to new conditions. Next, the Reo flower should be transferred to a pot larger diameter, filled with a suitable loose and light substrate.
If desired, you can prepare the soil for this ornamental plant yourself. To do this, you just need to mix the turf soil with sand. It is useful to add a little peat to the substrate. Of course, you need to put drainage made of expanded clay or broken shards at the bottom of the pot before filling it with soil.
Where to place
Reo is a tropical plant, and therefore very light-loving. Therefore, the pot with this flower should be placed on a south or east window. However, direct sunlight can cause burns to the flower. To prevent this from happening, it needs to be shaded with another plant or, for example, a light curtain.
The optimal room temperature for Reo is considered to be 20-24°C. In winter, the plant feels best at 15°C. Elevated temperature Reo tolerates it relatively well. Too much of a drop (less than 14°C) can, unfortunately, be disastrous for the flower.
Humidity in the tropics is known to be very high. Therefore, it is best to place the pot with Reo in a tray filled with water. Due to too dry air, the flower may lose some of its decorative qualities and will also develop worse.
How to water a plant
The indoor flower Reo does not tolerate drying out of the soil at all. Without enough moisture, it dies very quickly. However, of course, it’s also not worth creating a “swamp” in a pot with this plant. The soil under Reo should always remain moderately moist. Experienced gardeners advise watering this ornamental plant only with soft, boiled water cooled to room temperature. In any case, you will have to moisten the soil under Reo quite often. The fact is that this flower “drinks” water very intensively.
With a lack of moisture, this tropical plant begins to intensively shed its leaves. Excessive watering can be determined by delayed development. Also in this case, the Reo flower will most likely produce leaves that are too small.
Experienced gardeners recommend watering the plant using a watering can with a thin spout. It is extremely undesirable to allow water to get between the leaves and the stem. From time to time, the soil under the flower should be loosened. When watering, it is advisable to lightly spray the plant with a spray bottle (without forming puddles).
Feeding Reo
Reo is a flower (photos of it are presented on the page), among other things, that respond very well to fertilizers. It should be fed at warm season once every two to three weeks. There is no need to use any special fertilizers for this plant. Fans of ornamental crops most often feed Reo with the usual complex mixture intended for indoor flowers.
It is believed that it is sometimes useful to fertilize this plant with organic matter. However, too often experienced gardeners do not advise doing this. As organic fertilizer Onion tincture is best suited for Reo. It will also be useful to add a little eggshell to it.
Reo flower: care during the dormant period
This plant actively reproduces only in the warm season. From October to February it has a dormant period. The air temperature in the room at this time should be reduced, as already mentioned, to approximately 15°C. In a city apartment, of course, this will be difficult to do. However, you should not get upset and refuse to purchase Reo if it is impossible to create similar conditions for it in the cold season. In winter, this flower feels good even at temperatures of 17-20°C. The only thing is that in such a microclimate the plant will have to be sprayed more often. You cannot feed Reo in winter. Otherwise, the number of leaves may decrease, which will lead to loss of decorative qualities.
How to propagate
Flowers in specialized stores today, unfortunately, are quite expensive. Therefore, many lovers of decorative house plants would probably like to know whether it is possible to propagate Reo on their own. This procedure is actually not particularly complicated. This flower is most often propagated by simply dividing the bush. Can be used to produce new plants and cuttings. Reo is also sometimes grown from seeds.
Both lateral and apical shoots can be used as cuttings. The cut branches are simply placed in a glass of water. You can also root cuttings in wet sand or peat glass(within 2-3 weeks).
It is also easy to propagate this plant by seeds. Planting material in this case, they are pre-treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Next, the box or pot is filled with loose substrate. The earth is well shed. The next day, the treated seeds are laid on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of earth.
It is easy to propagate Reo by seeds. But experienced gardeners Still, it is recommended to grow this plant from cuttings. The fact is that when using seeds, varietal qualities are not transferred to flowers. Green Reos grown this way can be quite pale in color. Leaf striping is usually not transmitted to new plants when seeds are used.
What you need to know
If the wrong approach is used during propagation, the Reo flower can, unfortunately, cause harm to the owner. The fact is that its juice is very caustic and even slightly poisonous. A decoction of this plant, as already mentioned, can be used to treat certain diseases. However, the concentrated juice causes very severe irritation if it comes into contact with the skin. Therefore, you should only work with Reo cuttings while wearing gloves.
Transfer
Reo grows with good care quite intense. Young shoots constantly appear at the base of the bush. Therefore, experienced gardeners advise replanting this plant annually. It is believed that wide pots are best suited for Reo. This flower grows mainly not upward, but to the sides. When replanting, the substrate and drainage are poured into the pots, of course, with new ones.
Bush formation
Some indoor plant lovers believe that Reo is beautiful in its own right and there is no need to pinch it. Such gardeners usually simply remove the lower shoots that appear in the pot from the pot. In this case, you can get a fairly high single Reo. This plant looks quite impressive. However, most often flower growers prefer to form a Reo crown. Pinching the side shoots and tops stimulates the formation of new branches on the flower. And this, in turn, makes the bush not too tall, but very lush, dense and beautiful.
Plant diseases
The Reo flower, which is relatively easy to care for at home, is therefore a virtually problem-free plant. However, when growing it, lovers of indoor ornamental crops may still encounter some difficulties:
- Curling the tips of the leaves. This kind of trouble is usually associated with insufficient watering.
- Reducing the number of leaves and stretching the stem. This effect may occur due to a lack of microelements or lighting.
- Loss of color. This is usually caused by too much light.
- Softening of the stems with a change in their color to brown. This happens most often in the winter season when excessive watering.
What pests can affect
Most often, Reo owners have to fight the spider mite attacking it. This pest usually settles on a flower when insufficient humidity indoor air. Reo is also quite often affected by the scale insect.
To combat spider mites, amateurs ornamental plants Usually a simple soap solution is used:
- First, remove all affected leaves from the plant.
- Next, it is washed under running warm water.
- Treat the leaves with the soap solution itself.
To combat scale insects, gardeners in most cases use fungicides, according to the instructions from the manufacturer.
With excessive watering, the Reo flower, among other things, can develop gray rot or powdery mildew. In this case, as a medicine, as in case of tick infestation, simple laundry soap is usually used for treatment.
Instead of a conclusion
Thus, we found out what the Reo flower is (how to care, medicinal properties, signs, etc.). As you can see, this plant is relatively unpretentious. It is believed that it is suitable for growing in an apartment not only experienced flower growers, but also for beginners. But, of course, in any case, having planted this spectacular flower on your windowsill, you can’t forget about it for a long time. Without care, even this unpretentious plant, like any other plant, will simply die.