Nettle is a houseplant whose botanical name sounds like "coleus." The plant is quite unpretentious in care and pleases with its variegated leaves with an unusual color.
Nettle, or coleus, houseplant
Coleus for its similarity to nettle and croton received the popular names "nettle", "home nettle" and "poor croton". But unlike the croton, the price of the coleus is much lower, which makes it a more profitable option.
Coleus is popularly called nettle
Coleus - a home flower, belongs to the family Yasnotkovye. A dwarf plant usually grows no more than 50 centimeters in height, which is at home on the windowsill, in the natural environment. Like all representatives of this family, nettle immediately attracts attention to its beautiful appearance.
Depending on the variety, the flower has a different color and shape of the foliage. The big plus of decorative coleus is that it can be grown as an ampel plant in hanging flower pots.
It is interesting! The closest relatives of Coleus are oregano, basil and mint. Despite the similarity and proximity to herbs, nettle does not have a pronounced aroma, moreover, the plant does not smell at all.
Varieties of nettles are known, characterized by purple, red, pale cream, burgundy, green and pinkish leaves.
Most often, the leaves have a beautiful pattern of several colors, which gives the bush an exotic look. Nettle flower nettle is able to bloom small white flowers, however, the plant is valued because of its exotic foliage, an unusual shade.
Note! Nettle leaves have the ability to produce phytonicides that destroy microbes and bacteria in the air. Therefore, most often they are grown in children's rooms.
Briefly about the history of the appearance
Nettle home flower native to the rainforests of Africa or Asia. In its homeland, coleus was mainly eaten, and not for decorative purposes.
Nettles growing at home, of course, cannot be eaten, as indoor varieties are hybrids designed specifically as decorative species.
An exotic tropical plant was first brought to Europe in the 19th century from an island called Java. After this, the coleus began to spread throughout the mainland as a houseplant.
Is it possible to keep in the house
There is a superstition among the people that the nettle-nettle flower is unhappy, brings misfortune. It is believed that to keep such a plant in the house means to arbitrarily bring discord into the marriage. By the way, guided by signs, Coleus was nicknamed the "husbandman".
In addition to marriage, the plant can be harmful in all areas of human life. A flower with a red color of leaves is especially feared - it is believed that it can introduce material difficulties to the family.
Esotericists, on the contrary, believe that the presence of a flower in the house has a beneficial effect on its inhabitants. Despite superstitions and various myths, according to Feng Shui Coleus, on the contrary, it is necessary to keep at home. The flower attracts luck and has a positive effect on relationships in the family and beyond. A flower pot is recommended to be placed in the northeast side of the apartment, where the zone of knowledge and wisdom is concentrated.
Proper care needed flower
Place in the interior
A home plant similar to nettle - coleus, is grown mainly at home, less often in the garden. Due to its beautiful appearance, the plant is able to decorate any interior.
The main thing is to provide containers with coleus a good and spacious place for growth. Especially beautiful and harmonious look compositions from several different varieties of nettles. A small young flower will fit well into the decor in the kitchen or in the hallway. Older plants are best placed in the bedroom or living room.
Coleus fits well with a group of ornamental plants on a balcony or windowsill. A good neighborhood will be: violet, geranium, calathea or chlorophytum.
Rules for caring for coleus at home
Nettle nettle plant does not require special care, the main thing is to follow all the rules of growing and not to make mistakes.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is temperature and lighting. The main condition for the healthy growth of Coleus is to prevent direct sunlight from entering its leaves.
Important! Ultraviolet light destroys their structure, they begin to dry out and fall off.
- On hot and dry summer days, it is recommended to clean the flower pot in dim places.
- In winter, nettles, on the contrary, may not have enough lighting, so you need to create it artificially using lamps.
Coleus easily tolerates heat if regularly watered. The flower comes from the hot tropics, so with high humidity it can feel good for a long time at temperatures above 25 degrees. In other seasons, it is important that the temperature does not fall below 15 degrees.
The plant is sensitive to low temperatures, as it does not differ in frost resistance. A stunting, darkened leaves and shoots will let you know about the cooling of coleus.
Homemade nettle is a very hygrophilous plant that requires regular and proper watering. In summer dry periods, nettle is watered frequently and abundantly. It is recommended that after each watering, soil loosening is carried out to avoid stagnation of moisture, which leads to rotting of the root system and the appearance of fungus or mold.
Loosen the soil carefully, otherwise the roots can be damaged. Winter watering should also be plentiful, in this the coleus differs from other ornamental deciduous plants, watering of which is noticeably reduced in winter.
Important! Irrigation water should be soft and not cold. Rain or river water is well suited. But the tap water will have to be defended and softened.
Spraying the ground part of the plant with spray water will bring additional benefits. This procedure helps to increase humidity, which is so necessary for Coleus for healthy growth. In addition, spraying cleans the leaves of the flower of accumulated dust and dirt.
If the air humidity is low, it is necessary to increase it by artificially simple and uncomplicated methods:
- place a container of water next to the plant pot;
- put a wet rag on the heating pipe.
Such methods help out well in the winter, when due to heating the air in the room becomes dry.
Of great importance is the substrate in which the flower was planted, transplanted or propagated. It should include all mineral and organic substances necessary for ornamental deciduous plants, possess the necessary friability and acidity.
The classic substrate for nettles: compost soil, humus and sod land in equal proportions.
In the first years of growth, every spring it is necessary to transplant a flower into a new, more suitable size pot. The root system of the flower grows, it becomes crowded in a small capacity.
To care for the flower correctly means to feed the coleus on time.
- The first top dressing is carried out in the spring before flowering begins. The plant is fed with a special complex mineral preparation for ornamental deciduous crops, which contains: phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, manganese and iron.
- The second top dressing is carried out in the summer immediately after flowering.
- In autumn, top dressing is carried out with mineral and organic preparations.
Important! It is not recommended to feed the flower with a nitrogen-containing preparation during flowering or immediately before it.
During this period, nitrogen is a contraindication, as it delays the appearance and opening of buds.
Coleus can be grown as an ampel plant
Common varieties for growing a house
The most common varieties of coleus in the world are Blume and Vershaffelt. In the 19th century, English breeders were passionate about creating hybrids of exotic plants. It was then that these two varieties of coleus were bred, which after their presentation to the public were bought for a lot of money.
Coleus Blumei
The most popular variety of coleus has ribbed stems and egg-shaped leaf plates. The leaves are pointed at the ends and have denticles along the edges. The leaves have different colors, they can be pink, red, dark lilac and dark red with a green wavy wide border at the edges.
Coleus Vershaffelt (Coleusvershaffeltii)
The description of the coleus Vershaffelt is similar to Blume. However, the vershaffelt has a larger leaf plate. The color of the variety is much brighter than Blume, and the surface of the leaves is velvet to the touch, as it has many thin villi.
Coleus or nettle is an exotic tropical plant that has gained unprecedented popularity among gardeners and florists around the world. Compliance with the rules of care helps to grow a beautiful flower with lush motley foliage, even for beginners.
