The name comes from the "nidus" (Latin word), which in translation means a nest. This name is suitable for this type of plant, since the inflorescences are located inside the rosette. Genus nidularium - herbaceous perennial stiffless epiphytic plants. The leaves are located in a dense rosette of a goblet, linear prickly-toothed, rigid. The stalk of this species of plants is shortened, the inflorescence grows in the center of the rosette in the form of a head. Flowers are sessile, large, densely located; stipules of red color.
Nidularium can grow in compositions and in the form of a single plant. It feels good in damp and warm rooms, so it can be grown in room conditions.
Care of the plant.
Indoor flowers of nidularium grow well in the presence of bright scattered light, do not suffer direct sun rays. Also nidularium grows well in the penumbra or in full shade, indoors under low light, but it does not bloom. The ideal place for normal life of the plant is the eastern or western window. In summer, the plant needs to be shaded between 11:00 pm and 5:00 pm, especially if it is located on the southern window. On the window of the northern exposure, the plant can also grow well, but only if there is proper care. In this case, the plant may not bloom, and the color of the leaves will be paler.
In autumn and winter, the plant needs good lighting, shading for this period should be removed (if it was). Good lighting is created by fluorescent lights. The lamps are placed at a distance of 30-50 cm above the plant, it is preferable to illuminate the day for 8 hours a day.
In spring, as well as in summer, the temperature of the air should be in the room of 20-25 degrees, only in such conditions the plant will feel good. In winter, rest, the plant should be placed in a cool room (about 15-18 o ). Cold conditions are acceptable only for a short period.
During the vegetation (March-October), the nidularium flowers should be watered abundantly. Pour preferably in the morning - the water is poured into the funnels of the sockets. In winter, watering should be reduced to moderate watering, the funnels do not need water poured (if the temperature in the room, below 20 degrees), it is advised to spray the plant. Water the plant with soft and dewatered water, which is 3 degrees above room temperature. If the plant is kept in winter at 20 о С and above, then in the sockets it is necessary to pour a small amount of warm water, exclusively in the morning.
Nidularium - flowers, which like other bromeliads, like increased humidity. The ideal place to grow is a wethouse or a terrarium. Sprinkle the plant several times a day. To increase the humidity on a pallet with raw pebbles, expanded clay or moss, put the pot with a plant, the bottom of which should not come into contact with water. Periodically advised to wipe with a damp cloth plant leaves, use at the same time the wax is not recommended.
Fertilizing should be done from the end of spring to September a month once. Top dressing is made with fertilizer designed specifically for bromeliads. It is allowed to use other fertilizers for indoor plants, but with a 50% dose. To feed it is necessary after watering, for this purpose the fertilizer is placed in a rosette of leaves, which has a funnel-like shape.
The nitrogen content in the fertilizer should be minimal, as an overabundance leads to the death of the nidularium. Transplant the plant can be every 2 years and then as necessary. When diving, the neck of the plant does not need to be buried, otherwise the plant will start to rot and as a result will die. Earth is better to take porous. The pot must be equipped with 1/3 of the height with good drainage.
Substrate for epiphytic species: crushed bark of pine (3 parts), chopped sphagnum (1 part), peat (1 part), sheet earth (1 part), humus (0.5 part). In this composition, you need to add small pieces of charcoal and perlite.
Earth composition for terrestrial species: leafy earth (2 parts), humus and peat (1 part) and 0.5 parts of sand. In such a composition add sod land, charcoal, sphagnum, bark of coniferous trees. It is better to plant in a wide bowl or not deep pots.
Reproduction of plants.
These indoor flowers multiply by offspring, seeds less often. Seeds should be sown in a mixture of peat and sand or in small sphagnum. Seeds before planting should be washed in a pinkish solution of potassium permanganate, after drying. After the dish is placed in a room with a temperature of 22-24 degrees. Sown seeds should be sprayed regularly, and the premises should be ventilated. Shoots are shown at least 10 days later, and after 2 months, shoots should be transplanted into a substrate consisting of sod land (the second part), two parts of leaf land, peat (4 parts). Seedlings are planted after they have got stronger, approximately in half a year. The young plants begin to bloom for 3-4 years.
This type of plant is easier to reproduce by offspring. After flowering, the plant begins to die, while at the same time the buds of renewal are formed at the base, which many offspring are allowed to shoot. After a couple of months they form a weak root system and 3 leaves. After that, they must be carefully separated and dived together with the roots and dipped into a container containing sphagnum or earth composition consisting of 3 parts of leaf land, one part of sand, and another pine bark (1 part). You can buy a ready-made substrate for bromide. The capacity is put in a warm room, where the air temperature is 26-28 degrees. The container is covered with polyethylene or glass container. After the plant is well rooted and strengthened, care should be started as an adult specimen.
Probable difficulties.
On the leaves appeared a heel of pale brown color. The cause is a sunburn - just rearrange the plant in a place where the sun's rays do not fall. The tips of the leaves turn brown. The reason is dry air. In this case, spraying is necessary, especially on summer hot days. Other reasons: hard water or in a funnel there is no water. The death of a plant. If the plant has not yet blossomed, then the reason is the overmoistening of the substrate. And if the plant has already blossomed - the decay and dying out of the rosette.
It is affected: a mealybug, a scab.