Coral cactus - hatiora. Features of cultivation and care, flower varieties

Features of an indoor flower

Hatiora is a unique plant that has neither leaves nor branches. It consists of individual segments of a flat, cylindrical or bottle shape. They are connected to each other by air membranes.

Grows in the form of a bush. The shoots are erect, but over time they begin to droop under their own weight. Additional support may be required.

It blooms with small flowers that look like bells with many small petals. Flowers appear only at the tips of the upper young shoots. On some varieties, translucent oblong berries appear after flowering.

The plant belongs to the cactus family, but it does not have spines . Instead, a fluffy white coating is visible on the shoots. Hatiora shoots are very fragile and break off easily. Therefore, you should not fiddle with it again.

Types of Trap Organs

Predators catch their victims using trap organs, which, depending on the species, are of several types:

• pitcher leaves. This design has a lid and the inside is filled with water (Nepenthes, Darlingtonia);
• leaves-traps. The modified leaf consists of two valves with teeth on the edges. When the insect is inside, the valves close (Venus flytrap);
• Velcro leaves. On the leaf plates there are special hairs that secrete a sticky secretion that attracts insects (sundew, butterwort);
• suction traps. Water along with the victim is sucked under pressure into a special bubble (pemphigus);
• crab claw traps. Victims easily fall into them, but cannot get out because of the hairs growing forward in a spiral (genlisea).

Care

Caring for the plant at home is quite simple, so even a novice gardener can handle it. Hatiora is completely unpretentious and not capricious. It is enough to follow simple rules when growing it, and it will delight you with its lush flowering for a long time.

Illumination

If hatiora grows in an apartment, then it is better to keep it on windows facing east or west. The plant loves bright diffused light , the main thing is to protect it from direct sunlight.
It also feels good on the south side, but here it must be specially shaded or placed at some distance from the window. Tender shoots can get burned if hathiora is kept in full sun.

If there is not enough light, the shoots may stretch, and subsequently the plant will bloom poorly.

Temperature

Hatiora is a heat-loving plant, like all succulents. During the period of active growth and flowering, the preferred temperature is +20 – +26°C. In summer, the ideal option would be to take it out onto the balcony or open terrace. Differences between day and night temperatures are even useful for her, if they do not exceed 5-6°C. In winter, when the flower is dormant, the temperature should be lowered to +10°C.

Air humidity

Increased air humidity will have a beneficial effect on the plant, especially during the growing season. Dry air in apartments can affect the intensity of flowering. Therefore, you need to take measures for additional hydration.

The flower should be regularly sprayed or washed in the shower with warm water . In particularly hot weather, place a home humidifier next to the pot. You can immerse the plant along with the flowerpot in a container filled with wet expanded clay or small pebbles.

Trimming

Hatiora is distinguished by its widely growing crown. To create a beautiful shape, the plant should be pruned periodically. The best time for this is early spring, after the plant has finished blooming. To do this, excess parts of the shoots are removed manually. This must be done carefully by twisting at the junction of the segments. This way the flower will be less injured.

Watering

Hatiora requires watering only during the period of active growth and flowering . Water with warm and well-settled water. In this case, you need to ensure that the soil has time to dry well between waterings.

Do not allow water to stagnate. This can lead to rotting of the roots or the appearance of brown spots on the branches.

To avoid this, you need to drain the water from the pan immediately after watering. Wrinkled plant segments will indicate insufficient watering.

In winter, watering is kept to a minimum. It is enough to water the plant once every 3-4 weeks. At this time, hatiore has enough water contained in the stems. In winter, buds are formed for future flowers, and if the correct watering regime is followed, the plant will bloom very actively and profusely.

Fertilizer

They begin to fertilize hatiora from the beginning of spring until the end of flowering . They do this 2 times a month. Mineral fertilizer for succulents is chosen as a top dressing.

Please note that the fertilizer contains potassium (for bright coloring of flowers) and phosphorus (stimulates flowering). But calcium and nitrogen are undesirable. It is better to apply fertilizer in liquid form, so it is better absorbed by the plant. In winter, when the plant is dormant, there is no need to feed it.

Transfer

Young plants should be replanted annually, older plants - once every 2-3 years. If the flower is very old, then it can be replanted every 5 years .
Hatiora easily tolerates the transplant. It belongs to epiphytic plants, in which the root system is rather poorly developed and the roots are close to the surface. Therefore, choose a shallow and wide pot. Replanting should only take place after the plant stops blooming.

Be sure to place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the pot, to which you can add a little crushed charcoal. The soil should be chosen specifically for succulents. The plant requires slightly acidic or neutral soil. It should be sufficiently loose and permeable.

Transplantation is carried out by transferring the plant from one pot to another . The difference in pot sizes should be small. During transplantation, you must carefully examine the root system and remove dried or rotten parts.

Reproduction methods

Hachiora is easy to propagate on your own. The procedure is best carried out in spring and summer, during active growth. There are several ways to do this:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• vaccinations.

Propagation by seeds is the most labor-intensive and ineffective method. It is used mainly by breeders.

Cuttings

To root the plant, it is enough to break off a small part of the shoot, consisting of 3-4 segments.
It should be broken off by twisting at the thinnest point, where the barrel segments connect. Sprinkle the broken area with crushed coal. Then place the cuttings in a shaded place for a couple of days so that they dry out and then root. If you take a large fragment of a plant for rooting in order to immediately get a large flower, then it should be dried for at least a week. Some gardeners do not dry the cuttings, but place them in water. When they sprout roots they are planted.

The rooting substrate should be taken from a sand-peat mixture . Place the flower in a warm and bright place, protected from bright sun and drafts. Water with caution.

Hatiora takes root quickly. Sometimes fragile segments of the trunk can break off chaotically and, once on the soil, germinate on their own.

Graft

Reproduction by vegetative means or by grafting is a more troublesome method. It requires special skills and practice. But as a result, it produces a profusely flowering plant. It is better to graft Hatiora in the summer. As a rootstock you can take perexia spinosa.

The shoot of the rootstock, where there is a branched part, is cut off . At the point of branching, the trunk splits.

1. Break off a stalk of 2-3 segments from the hatiora and sharpen its lower part.
2. Then install the cutting with the pointed end instead of splitting the rootstock and secure.
3. Once you are sure that the grafted plant has begun to grow, the fixing bandage can be removed.
4. Place the plant in a sheltered place at a temperature of about 20°C.

The grafted plant takes root within 2-3 weeks.

Diseases and pests

Hatiora is susceptible to fungal and bacterial diseases. To prevent diseases when replanting a plant, the root system is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Pests

In summer, hatiora can be attacked by pests that suck the juice from the stems . These include:

• whitefly (damaged shoots become covered with whitish spots and turn yellow);
• mealybug (white spots on the stem);
• spider mite (yellow dots on shoots);
• scale insects (sticky spots on shoots).

If you catch the pests at the initial stage and the damage to the plant is not too great, you can wash the flower under a warm shower with soapy water.

But if the disease is already advanced, then you will have to use insecticides. They need to spray the plant. After two weeks, the procedure is repeated. The infected plant must be removed away from all other indoor flowers.

Diseases

• Late blight appears due to improper watering or stagnation of water. The plant withers and turns pale. To solve the problem, spray the hathiora with a fungicide.
• Fusarium damages the root collar. It enters the plant through damage or pest bites. The affected area should be cleaned, then also treated with a fungicide.
• Bacterial infections affect young shoots. Individual segments acquire a brown tint, and wet spots with a rotten smell appear on them. In this case, the affected shoots are removed, and the plant is treated with anti-mold preparations. This will only help at the initial stage of the disease.

If the process has already started, then it is better to get rid of the diseased plant and grow a new one.

Why doesn't it bloom?

Hatiora does not bloom for several reasons:

• improper care and maintenance during the rest period;
• lack of nutrients;
• dry air;
• room too dark;
• cramped pot.

Why does it turn yellow?

Affects yellowing:

• pests;
• excessive watering.

Video on how to plant and care for hibiscus

Types of hibiscus, when and how to plant it correctly. Flower propagation by seeds and cuttings. Pests and diseases of hibiscus, effective methods of controlling them. Join the viewing!

Hibiscus is a good solution for lovers of spectacular indoor plants and experimental gardeners who are not afraid of possible difficulties. By providing good care for the flower and placing it in an open, illuminated place, you will provide home comfort, enjoy long-term flowering and get a real “green doctor” for the air in your room! All the best on your journey of growing hibiscus!

Types with photos and names

Salicornosa (Hatiora salicornioides)

This is the most common type of hatior. It is distinguished by particularly thin and fragile shoots. Small segments reach no more than 2.5 centimeters in size and are shaped like bottles. The size of an adult plant is about 40 centimeters. It blooms with yellow, pink or orange flowers. After flowering, small berries appear on the shoots.

Pink (Hatiora rosea)

The shape of the segments is flat, slightly ribbed . On the sides there are rudimentary spines in the form of light hairs. This species is distinguished by large pink flowers.

Hermine (Hherminiae)

The segments are round in shape up to 5 centimeters in length. Grows in the form of an upright bush. During flowering it is covered with dark pink flowers.

Gartner

The size of the flat segments reaches 7 centimeters. They have small notches along the edges. It blooms with large flowers of red or crimson hue.

Graeseri

This is a hybrid species created by crossing two species of plants - Hatiora rosea and Hatiora Gartner. The shape of the shoots is flat. Burgundy-red flowers appear in spring .

Five-winged (Pentaptera)

The segments consist of five faces. It grows as a shrub with drooping shoots. Blooms with white small flowers.

Description

In nature you can find species reaching 3 m in height; low varieties are common in indoor floriculture.

On the triangular, erect stems of the plant there are whorls in the form of an umbrella. The long, thin leaves come in varying shades of green. Thanks to breeding work, variegated varieties are found in indoor floriculture.

Cyperus blooms with attractive flowers that peek out from the axils of the leaves.

Indoor cyperus is an unpretentious, hardy plant that is used to decorate poorly lit areas of the room.

Signs associated with the plant

Hatiora is often popularly called “Male Tears” . Some believe that it provokes quarrels in the family or causes divorce. Men do not stay in the house where hatiora grows. But not particularly superstitious flower growers have found a way out and recommend not placing a pot with a plant in the bedroom.

Another belief says that hatiora is a poisonous flower. But there was no scientific evidence for this.

Hatiora will not harm children or pets. In order not to worry about this, you should not place the flower in children's rooms and in places accessible to your pets.

Characteristics

• Type: Succulent.
• Flower/fruit color: Pink, yellow, red.
• Leaf color: Green.
• Sun requirement: High.
• Size: 30-50 centimeters.
• Flowering: February-March.
• Aroma: Delicate, refined.

Whatever hatiora you choose, already in winter you will get a real “waterfall” of cascading flowers. In the cold season, they will look especially unusual in the room, as if reminding you of the approach of spring. Simple care and undemanding conditions will give you confidence if you decide to place this unusual plant in your home.

Replanting Guzmania - when needed

The roots of the plant develop extremely slowly, and therefore it does not need regular replanting. But it’s still worth replanting Guzmania if:

1. You purchased a flower in a transport pot . You need to prepare a wide pot, up to 15 cm deep, and place drainage at the bottom. A suitable soil mixture is a combination of coarse sand, sphagnum, peat and turf soil. Handle the roots carefully when transplanting. Lightly cover the relocated plant with soil and then water it.
2. You separate the “baby” from the old bush . The replanting process is the same, but you will have to carefully separate the plant's root systems. The mother plant is not viable after flowering and is discarded.

Mosaic look. The transverse stripes on the leaves resemble a pike tail.