Radermacher is an evergreen tree from the Bignoniaceae family. The birthplace of the plant is Southeast Asia. It forms a spreading crown with many brilliant leaves of a juicy dark green hue. Only one plant, thanks to the emerald cascades, is able to green the room, diversify the environment and clean the air. A radermacher with ornamental lace foliage is often called a "snake tree", "emerald tree", "Chinese chrysalis" or "indoor ash." Caring for it is relatively simple, but for the formation of a bright cascade, certain requirements must be met.
Botanical characteristics
Radermacher in nature is a tall, sprawling tree, often with several trunks. Its height reaches 30-40 m. The diameter of the trunk can reach 1 m. The home plant is smaller, it is a lush, sprawling shrub up to 2 m high. Horizontal lignified shoots grow along the main vertical trunk. They are covered with gray-green smooth bark.
On young branches, cirrus long leaves grow close together. On the petioles are oval or ovoid leaves. The length of the whole leaf reaches 20-70 cm, with a width of 15-25 cm. Individual leaflets are 2-4 cm long. They have long, pointed ends and smooth or palmate sides.
The radermacher blooms over the age of 15. In summer, single bells appear in the axils of the leaves or directly on the trunk. Sometimes they gather in loose racemose inflorescences. Each bud has a very short peduncle. The length of the calyx reaches 7 cm. The color is cream, white or yellow-orange. During flowering, the tree is enveloped in the aroma of cloves, cinnamon or jasmine. Unfortunately, at home it is very difficult to achieve the appearance of flowers, but the amazingly beautiful foliage deserves the radermacher to settle in the house.
After pollination, dry seed boxes ripen. They contain small brown seeds with lionfish.
Types of radermacher
The genus includes 17 species. Most of them are large, spreading trees, not suitable for indoor cultivation. In the houses you can find, mainly, only the Chinese radermacher.
Chinese Radermacher (titmouse). Shrubs with a height of 1.5-2 m have a dense spreading crown. On powerful branches there are long (45-50 cm) cirrus-dissected leaves. Openwork glossy leaves of a dark green color have a lanceolate shape and serrated edges. Very interesting is the decorative grade of the Rädermacher titmus Caprim. On one plant are small carved leaves of light green and dark green. This makes the mosaic crown very elegant.
Raddermacher woody. An upright, single-stemmed 5-10 m tall tree grows in dry Indian forests. The crown during flowering is very decorative. Paniculate inflorescences open right on the cracked old bark of the trunk and thick branches, between bright green leaves up to 100 cm long. They consist of funnel-shaped buds. The edges of the flowers are strongly bent and covered with a wide wavy border. The petals are snow-white, and the pharynx is cast in creamy yellow hues.
Radermacher is fiery red. A tall tree with a carved crown is covered with oval leaves up to 7 cm long. Flower buds of the plant appear on old lignified shoots (trunk, large branches). Root inflorescences consist of orange-red tubular flowers. The edges of the petals open outward. During flowering, the tree is wrapped in a pleasant jasmine scent.
Plant propagation
At home, the radermacher is often propagated by vegetative methods. To root the cuttings, healthy complex leaves with a cuttings and a heel are cut in May-June. The slice must be treated with Kornevin. Then the stem is rooted in fertile sand-peat soil, carefully moistened and covered with a bag. They contain seedlings in a moderately warm room with intense diffused light. Plants should be ventilated daily and sprayed with water.
To root a lignified shoot, use the method of air layering. In this case, the bark is damaged, making cuts and scratches on it. The damaged area is wrapped with wet moss and polyethylene. Moss should always be well moistened. After a few weeks, strong roots will appear, then the winding can be removed, the branch cut and planted separately.
Seed breeding is rarely used by radermacher because of the difficulty of buying seeds. Fresh seeds are planted to a depth of 5-10 mm in well-moistened sand and peat soil. The container is covered with foil and placed in a warm room with diffused light. Shoots appear within 8-12 days. After another 20-25 days, the young radermacher dive into individual pots.
Location and Landing
Lighting. Radermacher loves good lighting, but if direct sunlight hits the leaves, burns quickly appear. It is allowed to grow in the back of the room or on the windowsills of the eastern and western sides. Shoots develop more intensively from the light source, so the plant periodically turns around its axis.
Temperature. Radermacher prefers moderately warm contents. The optimum temperature in summer for it is + 22 ... + 25 ° C. In extreme heat, you need to regularly ventilate the room or expose the bush to fresh air. You will need a canopy, as well as protection from drafts. In autumn, it is recommended to lower the temperature to + 16 ° C. Such a period of rest will allow the plant to gain strength. At the same time, the readings of the thermometer should not fall below + 11 ° C.
Landing. A plant transplant is recommended to be carried out in early March, before the start of the growing season. The first 5 years, the radermacher is transplanted annually, later the procedure is carried out every 2-4 years or simply replace the topsoil. A powerful rhizome needs a voluminous, deep pot. However, you should not pick up the capacity "for growth". In this case, it will be difficult to maintain the necessary level of soil moisture and acidity.
At the bottom of the pot, holes are made to drain the water and a thick layer of expanded clay or other drainage material is poured. The soil for the radermacher must have neutral or weak acidity, be breathable and nutritious. The soil should include the following components:
- leaf soil (2 parts);
- river sand (1 part);
- leaf humus (1 part);
- pieces of pine bark (0.5 parts).
When transplanting, the old earthen lump should be removed to avoid excessive acidification of the soil. The roots are washed, checked for rot and cut off damaged areas. Immediately after transplantation, the radermacher is watered and kept in partial shade.
Home Care
Radermacher is unpretentious, it is suitable for gardeners with little or medium experience.
Humidity. Plants adapt to normal indoor humidity. They gratefully respond to periodic sprayings. They are especially needed during the heating period, if the bush is near radiators. Well-purified water is used for spraying, otherwise ugly stains will appear on the foliage. Twice or thrice a year, the bushes are bathed in a warm shower.
Watering. Due to the thick crown, the radermacher quickly evaporates moisture, so it must be watered often and abundantly. The soil should dry 1-2 cm, no more. Water for irrigation needs soft, well-maintained. It is best to use filtered, boiled or rainwater.
Fertilizer. From the beginning of April to September, the radermacher is fertilized with mineral fertilizers three times a month. Suitable universal complexes or compositions for decorative foliage plants. The solution is poured into the soil. In winter, top dressing is carried out only if the flower is contained at a temperature above + 20 ° C.
Crown formation. Radermacher very quickly grows shoots. Pinching for the formation of lateral processes begins at a young age. Pruning is carried out in early spring. It is recommended to shorten even part of the lignified shoots, otherwise they quickly stretch and expose. To obtain a bush with dense vegetation along the entire length, several plants of various heights are often planted together.
Possible difficulties
The Radermacher may suffer from attacks of the red spider mite, aphids and mealybug. When parasites appear, plants are bathed under a plentiful warm shower, insects are collected and insecticide is treated (Actellik, Aktara, Karbofos).
If the irrigation regime is violated, the trunks and roots are damaged by rot (fusarium). The disease manifests itself as black spots, softening of tissues, as well as growth retardation. It is necessary to carry out a transplant with soil replacement and trimming of damaged areas. All sections are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and the plant is treated with fungicide.
The non-compliance with the growing conditions of the radermacher is signaled by the deterioration of their own appearance. In winter, with insufficient lighting and too warm content, the shoots are stretched and exposed. Some leaves may turn yellow and fall. In the spring, new leaves will appear in their place. Due to excessively dry air or insufficient watering, the leaves dry from the edge, lose turgor and fall off. Lack of light and fertilizer leads to tarnishing and reduction of the sheet plate.
Signs and superstitions
Radermacher is considered a plant that favorably affects the situation in the house. She saturates the life of the household with joyful events, fights boredom and sadness. Relations between the residents of the house are improving, becoming warmer and more supportive.
It is believed that the flower absorbs negative emotions and sets others on a favorable wave. Plants are shown in the homes of people practicing Eastern spiritual practices. It helps to establish a connection with a higher mind, and also protects the owner from damage and serious illnesses. Many believe that the deceased bush of the radermacher, who died for no apparent reason, took upon himself the evil directed at the owner.
