Ardizia belongs to the Mirsinov family. According to various sources, the genus has 500-800 species. The homeland of the plant is the tropics and subtropics. "Ardesia" in Greek means "arrow". This name is due to the shape of the corolla. It is also popularly called the "coral tree."
Description and features ardiziya
Ardizia is an evergreen plant with leathery, shiny, smooth elliptical leaves arranged in a sequential order along the stem. Plates with solid, oblique teeth along the perimeter or with gusseted edges.
Small, bisexual flowers are collected in panicled or umbrella-shaped inflorescences, often snow-white, less often pinkish or beige. Each bud has 5 petals and as many stamens.
At the end of winter, on the spot of flowers, the formation of a single-seeded drupe begins. It can be scarlet, yellowish or snow-white. Ripening occurs within a few months. Fruiting can be year-round.
A distinctive feature of ardisia is swelling around the perimeter of the leaf, which novice flower growers sometimes mistake for the disease. In fact, nitrogen-fixing bacteria are active in these formations. They help the bush absorb nitrogen. It is impossible to damage these swellings, otherwise the plant will die. Microorganisms also live in the root system, so when transplanting plants, you need to be careful not to damage them.
Varieties of Ardisia
Varieties of flower suitable for growing a house:
| View | Features | Leaves | Flowers / fruits |
| Gorodchataya (Krenata) | Growing slowly. In height reaches 2 m. | Glossy, leathery, with wavy edges, dark green. | Pinkish or snow-white, with a pleasant smell. Gives coral red drupes. Fruiting can be year round. |
| Curly | Up to 0.6-0.8 m. | White, in large quantities. At the same time as flowers on the bush, last year's coral fruits can be. | |
| Low | 0.3-0.4 m. | Small, pink, collected in panicle, drooping inflorescences. First, reddish-brown, blackening as they mature. | |
| Solanacea | Tree, reaching 1.5-6 m, with a light red trunk. | Leathery, pale green, narrower than previous varieties. | Pale lilac or pinkish, unremarkable. Initially, pale red, darken over time, begin to shine. |
| Elliptical | In countries with a warm climate cultivated as a garden ornamental plant. Used in medicine as an antimicrobial agent. | Long, deep green, elliptical. | Pink. First red, after ripening violet. |
Coral Tree Care
With proper maintenance, the plant perfectly survives in the apartment. Care for ardisia at home by season:
| Factor | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location / Lighting | Well ventilated area. The southwest or southeast side of the room, away from ultraviolet rays. | |
| Bright, scattered. | Additional illumination by phytolamps or daylight devices. | |
| Temperature | + 20 ... +22 ° С. | + 15 ... +18 ° С. |
| Humidity | 50-60%. Spray daily with warm water. After the appearance of buds and fruits, stop irrigation. To create moist air, put a basin with wet expanded clay or moss next to the pot. | |
| Watering | To produce settled water at room temperature. It is better to use melt or rain. | |
| Regular, plentiful (every 2-3 days). | If necessary, the soil should always be slightly moist. | |
| Top dressing | 2 times a month with universal fertilizer for decorative and deciduous plants. | Not necessary. |
Transplantation, formation
Pruning is done every spring so that the bush does not lose its decorative effect. Remove weak and sick shoots, shorten too long branches.
Young specimens (up to 3 years old) are transplanted every year in spring by transshipment. Further, this is done only if necessary: if the root system is closely in a pot or the soil is struck by a disease. In other cases, an annual replacement of the topsoil is sufficient.
Flowering and fruiting
Flowers begin to form in late spring and early summer. At this time, the soil must always be wet. Drying of the soil against the background of drafts and low light levels can cause petals to fall.
Since the flowers are bisexual, they can be pollinated artificially, with a soft brush. From September to December, drupe fruits ripen on the bush. They are not eaten, but they are not poisonous.
Ardisia reproduction
The plant is bred with seeds or cuttings. The first method is preferable:
- You can buy seed in the store or wait for the fruit to ripen on the existing bush.
- At the beginning of the year, select large and ripe berries, remove a seed from them.
- The seeds just collected from the plant do not need to be soaked. Purchased in the store, it is advisable to place in a heteroauxin solution for an hour (having previously filed the hard shell).
- Plant in a light, moderately moist substrate to a depth of 1 cm.
- Cover with polyethylene to create greenhouse conditions, keep at +20 ° C.
- As it grows, transplant into more spacious pots with expanded clay drainage.
- The formation of the bush will take 2-3 years.
Propagation by cuttingsPropagation by cuttings step by step:
- Cut off the apical shoot. To process a wound with crushed coal.
- Place the cuttings for 1-2 hours in a growth accelerator (for example, Kornevin).
- Plant in separate small containers with loose peat substrate for indoor plants.
- Cover with foil, put in a well-lit room with a temperature of + 24 ... +28 ° C.
Possible problems, diseases and pests of ardisia
With errors in care, the plant can become sick, lose its decorative appearance:
| Problem | Cause | Repair methods |
| Yellowing greens. |
|
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| Aphid. |
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| Shield. | |
| Mealybug. | |
| Spider mite. | |
| Lack of lighting. |
|
| Fall of foliage. |
|
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| The ends of the leaves are brown, dry. | Low humidity. |
|
| Softness and twisting of plates. |
| Normalize the conditions of detention. |
Mr. summer resident informs: ardiziya - magic of a coral tree
It is believed that the plant has the following magical properties:
- gives men strength and courage, and girls beauty and women's health;
- improves mental state, protects from the evil eye;
- creates a good atmosphere in the house, protects against negative energy.
