Hathiora is a genus belonging to the family of cacti. Genus numbering 7 species of plants common in southeastern Brazil. Joseph Rose and Nathaniel Britton described this genus in 1923. And his name, he owes to Thomas Charyote - the English botanist, who lived in the 16th century. The name of the genus is an anagram of the name of Thomas Chariote.
Plants of the genus hathior are lithophytic and epiphytic cacti having segmented stems. This kind of cacti is similar to the genus Ripsalis, however, there are differences.
Care of the plant.
Lighting. House plants can grow in the penumbra, but it is desirable to grow them in diffuse bright light, as a lack of light will affect development and stems - plants will grow poorly and the edges of the stems will turn yellow. Scattered light is needed for effective and abundant flowering. All kinds of hatiory grow well on windows overlooking the west or east sides. On the northern window of the châtior there will not be much blossom. On the window facing the south side, you need to build a hiding place, especially at noon hours.
Temperature regime. For the summer, these indoor plants can be carried to fresh air, into place without getting rays of the sun. In summer, it is preferable to keep the plant at a temperature of 18-22 degrees. Beginning in autumn, the plant should be kept at 14-16 degrees, but you need to ensure that it is not below twelve degrees.
Watering. In the flowering period, as well as in summer, watering should be abundant. For irrigation, soft water is taken, preferably dormant, watered, as the top soil layer dries. With the onset of autumn until March, watering should be moderate. If the plant is kept in a cool room, then watering should be done carefully. After the plant has faded, there comes a period of rest, during which watering is somewhat shortened. The plant does not tolerate waterlogging of the substrate or its drying, at a low temperature of the content, these factors are dangerous for hathiory.
Air humidity. In summer, in order to successfully develop the plants of the hathor, it is advised to increase the humidity of the air. For this, you can use a pallet with raw peat or pebbles. Place the pot on the pallet, but only so that it does not touch the water. Dryness of air leads to the fact that the buds begin to crumble.
Top dressing. Feeding during growth and during flowering should be carried out a month time 2. For fertilizing, a mineral fertilizer without calcium is taken. Mineral fertilizers must be diluted half-way, fertilizer should also be with an average content of such an element as nitrogen. Cacti do not tolerate excess nitrogen, and this is understandable, because from its overabundance the root system begins to rot. Nitrogen in fertilizer should be about 9, potassium - 24, phosphorus - 18. Top dressing stops when the plant begins a period of rest.
Transfer. This type of cactus is transplanted exclusively after flowering, large specimens are transplanted every 5 years, adults every 2 years as needed, young specimens every year.
In order for the hathor to develop well it must be planted in an air-permeable and light substrate with pH = 5-6 - a weakly acid reaction. Suitable substrate: 6 parts of deciduous land, 4 parts humus, 2 parts sand and peat land, 1 part sod land. Hathiora grows well in peat organic soil. If the soil is not so nutritious, then the flowering will be weak or even it will not be at all.
Reproduction of plants .
Hathiora are plants that reproduce by grafting and stem cuttings. In the latter case, the procedure is carried out immediately after flowering. To do this, the stem is cut from the plant, on which there should be a minimum of 2 segments. After cutting the cut must be sprinkled with charcoal and dried. The stem is rooted in a moist mixture consisting of the same amount of peat and sand.
Reproduction in the vaccine is as follows: a hatior is planted on the stem of a spiny resection. You can vaccinate throughout the summer. To do this, in perksia it is necessary to remove the upper branched part with leaves, while the left exposed stalk at the top should be split. For the scion, it is necessary to cut off the shoot with the presence of 2-3 segments, sharpen with a wedge and insert it on the cut of the rootstock into a cleft. The graft is fixed with a long spine, a needle, a spine, and is wrapped with a plaster or an ordinary thread. It is not necessary to cover the container with the cuttings of the rootstock, 18-20 degree temperature is needed for the fusion, and then after 2 weeks the graft will begin to grow. After that, the bandage is removed, the leaves and shoots that form below the graft are removed in a timely manner. Usually, the grafted plant blooms profusely.
Probable difficulties.
The plant can become infected with bacterial and fungal infections. The disease is accompanied by the decay of a small part of the plant, a slippery and damp spot forms on this place, then the remaining parts begin to rot. In this case, antibacterial drugs will not be effective. If possible, the infected part of the plant should be removed. In some cases, even with the infected base of the stem, it is possible to grow a new plant, for this it is sufficient, above the stem to break the stalk and root it into a moist mixture.
Most often the plant is affected by such fungal diseases as phytophthora and fusariosis.
Infection with fusariosis often occurs through the wounds that are formed on the surface of the stems because of insect bites. In this case, fungicides are used, which included the active components of benomyl and chlorothalonil. Before use, read the instructions carefully and follow it carefully.
Infection with phytophthora, as a rule, occurs through contaminated soil. The disease affects mainly the root neck. Wilted plant is an obvious sign of the disease. At the same time, the soil remains moist. The cactus can be gray or pale in color. In this case, fungicides are used against fungal diseases.
Hatioru amazed: whitefly, scutellum, spider mite, mealybug.