PEDILANTHUS: HOME CARE, BENEFITS AND HARMS, PHOTOS, TABLES

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Pedilanthus is a plant from the Molochaev family. The distribution area is the south and center of America, rarely seen in the north of this country.

The name is derived from a combination of Greek words such as “shoe” and “flower”.

Pedilanthus Description

The plant got its name due to the appearance of inflorescences, they resemble a female shoe with a pointed nose. Shoes of miniature size and their number on the pedilanthus is up to 50 pieces.

The stems of the flower are fleshy, have a cylindrical shape. Oval foliage of a dark olive or grayish color. Pedilanthus is up to 3 m high.

Types of pedilanthus for home

In nature, there are 15 species of plants and only 4 of them are suitable for growing indoors:

View	Description
Titimaloid	Shrub has a thickened and smooth stem. Motley green foliage with a white border around the edges. Closer to winter, forms small inflorescences, has bracts of red or pink color.
Large fruited	The leafless type of succulent, the stalk is round, has a gray-green hue. In the fall, red flowers in the shape of an umbrella appear. Bracts are bright red.
Finca	Tree plant with fleshy and stepped shoots. The foliage is bright green and smooth.
Koalkomanensky	A miniature tree resistant to dry weather. Foliage is motley. The flowers are large, have a light pink or peach color.

Pedilanthus care at home

When caring for pedilanthus at home, a number of nuances should be taken into account:

Factor	Advice
Location	East or west window, or on a stand, approximately 1-1.5 m away from the south window. The plant should be ventilated every day, but not stand in a draft. In the summer, it is allowed to take out into the open air.
Lighting	Bright, but diffused light, the flower does not tolerate the effects of direct rays of the sun. In winter, requires additional lighting.
Temperature	With active growth + 24 ... +27 ° С, in winter + 15 ... +17 ° С. The lower the temperature in the cold season, the more the plant will drop leaves. With severe differences, pedilanthus can get sick and even die.
Humidity	There is no clearly marked level of humidity, but it is better not to place the plant in a room with dry air. If in winter it is removed from heating appliances, then spraying can be abandoned. In the summer, moisten daily, but not too profusely, wipe the foliage.
Watering	In summer - 3-5 times a week, in winter - once every 7 days. Only soft water is used.

Transfer

The best time for transplanting is spring, but if the roots appear through the drainage layer, then it must be carried out immediately.

Transplant a flower according to the following rules:

Pot selection. Rhizomes of succulents grow quite slowly, so pedilanthus does not need a large capacity. The flowerpot should be selected a little more than the previous one.
The soil. The flower prefers a light substrate, which provides saturation of the plant with oxygen and is responsible for the outflow of water. You can use the land for succulents. If there is a desire to independently prepare the substrate, then in equal proportions mix sheet and turf soil, sand.
Drainage. ¼ The pots are always covered with brick chips or pebbles. The drainage system will prevent rhizome decay when adding excess water.
Directly transplant. Inspect the root system. If rotted areas appear, they are removed. In the absence of damage, perform the method of transshipment, without shaking off the old soil.

The plant does not require an annual transplant, it is enough to conduct it every 2-3 years, when the roots are no longer placed in the old pot.

Breeding

Pedilanthus reproduces in several ways:

Seeds They are germinated in a makeshift greenhouse, a little deepened into a mixture of sand and peat. Germination duration is about 15 days. When about 3-4 true leaflets form on the sprouts, they are moved into separate pots.
Cuttings. This method is more effective because growing up is faster. To begin with, cuttings with a length of 10 cm are cut, then they are dried on the table for several days. All leaves are removed from below. Cuttings are rooted in water or moist sand. If the first leaves appear, then the plant has taken root. It is transplanted into a separate pot.

Difficulties in caring for pedilanthus

When growing pedilanthus, a number of difficulties may arise:

Symptom	Cause	Elimination
Stretching the shoots.	Lack of light.	The shoots are carefully pruned, the flower is moved to a more lighted place.
Dropping foliage.	Deficiency or lack of moisture, sudden changes in temperature.	In winter, watering is completely stopped, and the plant is transferred to the insulated balcony to lower the temperature. In the summer it is transplanted and protected from drafts.
Drooping leaves.	Not enough moisture.	Do not allow drying of the soil.
Lack of flowering.	Poor lighting, improper wintering.	Reduce the temperature and frequency of watering, stop feeding. The plant is moved to a place with better lighting.
Change the color of the foliage.	High nitrogen content in the soil.	Replace the mineral fertilizer, pedilanthus transplanted into new land.

Diseases, pests

Disease / pest	Manifestations	Fight
Root rot	Blackening of the root system and stems, dark brown spots are formed on the foliage. The plant slows down growth.	At an early stage, the pedilanthus is transplanted into a new pot, all affected areas are cut off. Water and spray with Maxim and Gamair solutions. Use them at least 3 times. If a large part of the flower is affected by rot, it is destroyed.
Spider mite	The inner part of the foliage is covered with small dots of white color and is braided with cobwebs. Subsequently, the foliage quickly turns yellow and dries.	The pot is disinfected, the leaves are wiped with foam from laundry soap. Apply acaricides: Sunmayt, Actellik. From home remedies use solutions of garlic and onions.
Aphid	Foliage is curled and deformed.	Affected leaves and shoots are pruned. The plant is treated with insecticides: Aktara, Spark, Akarin.
Whitefly	Foliage turns yellow and curls around the edges. If touched, whitish insects take off.	The flower is treated with a vacuum cleaner in the early morning. The leaves are wiped with a soap-alcohol solution. After spraying with Fury, Decis, Actellik.

Pedilanthus - a messenger of change: signs and superstitions, benefits and harms

There are certain benefits and harms from growing pedilanthus at home.

Benefit:

fills the air with oxygen;
acts as an antiseptic, since it contains essential oils;
absorbs toxins, thereby reducing their accumulation in the room;
used to create psychotropic and antimicrobial agents (juice).

Harm:

poisonous juice of pedilanthus and its contact with open skin can cause itching, burning and even inflammation;
the use of plant leaves provokes poisoning, which can lead to the death of pets.