Maranta is an unusual grassy perennial of the Marantov family. Its main value is large leaves with an amazing pattern. It is sometimes difficult to believe that this is a living plant. For specks that correspond to the number of biblical commandments, the arrowroot is called "praying or prayer grass", "pilgrim", "princess frog". Its homeland is moist Brazilian forests, where the plant occupies vast territories. Do not be afraid of an exotic look, at home care for an arrowroot is within the power of a grower, even with little experience.
Botanical characteristics
Maranta is a perennial herb with a branched rhizome. On thin roots oblong nodules form. They contain a large amount of starch and are used in food. The stem of a young plant has an erect character, but as it grows in length, it begins to sink to the ground. The annual growth is small, the height of the adult bush does not exceed 60 cm. Up to six new leaves are formed per year.
Petiole foliage of dark green or bluish color grows opposite in pairs. It has an oval shape with a rounded edge. There are also varieties with a heart-shaped pointed foliage. Embossed central and lateral veins are located on leaflets. In many varieties, they are summed up with thin contrasting lines of cream, light green or white. If saturated green shades prevail on the front side of the leaf plate, then pink, lemon or whitish colors dominate on the back side. The length of the sheet is 10-15 cm, and the width is 5-9 cm.
During the day, the leaves turn, which is called the "arrowhead prayer." In the evening, the leaves are unfolded, like a fan, and show their lower side, and by the morning they lower again and show a bright pattern.
Flowering occurs in the summer months. Rare paniculate inflorescences appear from the top of the stalk of the arrowroot. Small flower petals can be white, yellow, or pink. Of course, tiny flowers cannot compete with spectacular foliage. After pollination, compact seed bunches are formed in place of flowers.
Types of arrowroot
In total, there are about 25 species of arrowroot and several dozen decorative varieties.
The arrowroot is tricolor (tricolor). This plant is especially popular. Three colors are present on a leaf plate at once: a darker (often pink) middle, contrasting veins and light edges. It is in this species that 10 spots can be distinguished by the number of commandments. Some claim that the pattern resembles a ridge of fish.
The arrowroot is two-tone. The plant has oval leaves up to 15 cm long. The petiole and the underside of the leaf are pink and covered with soft pubescence. The surface of the sheet plate is smooth and green with brighter edges.
The arrowroot is white-veined. A grassy plant with a drooping stalk up to 30 cm long carries large heart-shaped leaves. On their front side, on a bluish-green background, thin white veins are visible. The back has a reddish color.
Reed arrowroot. This large (up to 130 cm high) plant has dense erect stems. The roots are densely covered with tubers. Elongated ovoid leaves with a pointed edge are painted in a dark blue color.
Breeding
The arrowroot can be propagated in several ways:
- Sowing seeds. Seedlings begin to grow in early spring. To do this, prepare a wide box with sandy peat moist soil. Seeds are distributed in the wells and slightly crushed with soil. Shoots appear within 5-15 days. The entire growing season should be maintained at a temperature of + 15 ... + 19 ° C. Plants with 2-3 leaves dive into separate pots.
- Division of the bush. An adult plant is dug up and freed from the ground. The root is carefully cut so that in each dividend there are several nodules and 2-3 leaves. The cut points are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and immediately planted in light, slightly moist soil.
- Rooting cuttings. From May to September, an 8-10 cm long shoot with 2-3 healthy leaves can be cut off from an adult arrowroot. Root it in water for 4-5 weeks. After the formation of a full-fledged rhizome, the cuttings are planted in peaty soil and kept in a warm and humid environment.
Plant care
To care for the arrowroot does not require much effort, at home it is important for her to choose the right place. All variegated plants need bright, diffused light. Without it, a beautiful drawing fades. However, direct sunlight Marante is contraindicated. In winter, bushes need to be illuminated to provide daylight hours of about 16 hours.
In too hot rooms, the arrowroot grows poorly. The optimum temperature for the flower is + 22 ... + 24 ° C. In winter, cooling is allowed up to + 15 ° C, but such conditions are not artificially created artificially. The plant does not need a resting period.
The humidity in the room with the arrowroot should be high. Ideally, it can reach up to 90%. It is recommended to spray the leaves several times a day, use humidifiers and place pots next to aquariums, trays with wet pebbles. For spraying, you should use purified water so that limescale does not spoil the appearance of the leaves.
You need to water the plant regularly, every 3-4 days. With decreasing temperature, this gap is increased. Excess moisture should leave the pot freely; the pan should also be emptied. Water for irrigation should be slightly warmer than air temperature. It should be well defended and slightly acidified with lemon juice.
Maranta needs regular feeding. In April-September, twice a month, mineral compositions for indoor plants with decorative foliage are applied to the soil. The dosage indicated on the package must not be exceeded. With an excessive amount of fertilizer, arrowroot can die.
A flower is transplanted in a year. The pot is picked up wide, but not too deep. Holes and drainage material (pebbles, shards, expanded clay) are mandatory at the bottom. The soil for arrowroot is made up of such components:
- sheet land (2 parts);
- leaf humus (1 part);
- coniferous land (1 part);
- river sand (1 part).
It is useful to add small pieces of charcoal to the soil mixture to prevent the development of rot.
At the end of winter, it is recommended to prune the arrowroot to form a lush, low bush. Without this, the stems in 3-4 years are greatly extended and exposed.
Diseases and Pests
With proper care, the arrowroot rarely suffers from plant diseases and parasites. In too cold rooms, with regular flooding of the soil, root rot may form on the roots. You can escape from it by transplantation with the removal of the affected areas of the plant. Rhizome and soil are treated with an antifungal drug.
If the room is too dry, the risk of infection with a spider mite increases. It is difficult to detect, but the smallest punctures on the leaves and a thin cobweb along the edge quickly become noticeable. Some gardeners prefer to use natural remedies in the form of a soap solution, but insecticides are more effective.
