Representatives of the genus are wood creepers (evergreen and climbing). The airborne accessory sucker roots help them to climb up the pedestal. On the side of the stem that faces the ground or the support, a large number of roots resembling dense brushes are formed. The older the stems become, the thicker they become and turn into thick, stubby trunks. Leaves are different: regular, whole or three to five lobed. Flowers of two sexes, small, 5-membered, greenish-yellow, inflorescences umbellate, solitary or collected in a brush, begin to blossom since September. Hedera is a plant with berry fruit, with a high content of saponins and other glycosides, which have wide application in medicine. The plant is a good autumn honey.
Hedera (ivy) is the most famous indoor and garden plant with decorative leaves. If you want to grow ivy as a vine, then it can quickly fill the space between the shoots. Flowering in ivy in the culture occurs rarely, at the age of ten to twelve. Flowers are small, not beautiful, collected in umbellate inflorescences, with a bad smell. When flowering ends, extremely poisonous berries appear. In this regard, if on your plant buds appear, you do not need to leave them.
How to care for a hedera
Indoor herder plants are more inclined to scattered light. They tolerate the sun badly, although (especially the variegated forms) like it more, when they are placed in a well-lit place. Do not need to change the location relative to the light source. Despite the fact that green ivy varieties are shade-tolerant, it is better to place them in a bright place. If there is not enough light, variegated forms can lose their original color.
In winter it is necessary to place in the brightest place, lack of light and high temperature of air will provoke stretching of the plant. With the help of fluorescent lights create additional lighting. Place them over the plant, raising it to a distance of 50 to 60 cm, not less than 8 hours a day.
In the spring and summer, a moderated t ° of air, from 18 to 25 ° C, night at least 15 ° C is needed. In the summer, ivy can be placed on the street, but it must be protected from the sun, drafts and precipitation. In autumn and winter, it is best to keep at t ° from 12 to 15 ° C. If the temperature is higher, you should regularly spray. Variegated ivy is more thermophilic. In winter, you should not allow the ivy leaves to touch the windowpane, otherwise they will cool down.
Spring and summer should be watered abundantly, as the upper layer dries up, someone water after drying the earth's coma, but a long (1-2 days) drying causes damage to the plant. In autumn and winter, water carefully (especially if the plant is kept at t ° from 12 to 15C), very moderately, 2-3 days after the top layer of the substrate dries.
When watering, one must remember that excessive moistening of the substrate can contribute to the fact that the roots rot and the plant will die.
Leaves in large quantities evaporate the moisture well, the plant will like it if it is sprayed daily - the leaves will become bright, the veins will appear more clearly, the stem will begin to branch and a fringe from the roots will form. The primitive roots can take root in places other than the pot, and they can not be eliminated so as not to damage the escape. Water for spraying should be filtered, soft and well-spaced. Sometimes the plant is washed or wiped with a damp cloth. A special wax for making shine use is not advisable.
During the vegetative period in spring and summer, house plants need to be fed every ten days, alternately changing mineral and organic fertilizers. In winter, this procedure is done once a month. Frequent top dressing can lead to the fact that the leaves will increase greatly and the plant will cease to be attractive. Some growers recommend instead of feeding in the soil to make foliar top dressing.
Ivy is held on the support with the help of roots, so it can not cling to a wire, thread or a smooth wooden frame. A piece of wood with bark, which has cracks and irregularities, is the best and natural support for ivy. In order that hedera could fix itself on the support, it must sometimes be sprayed (if the air is dry, the additional roots of ivy will grow poorly).
Sometimes the tips of the stems need to be plucked, while leaving the lateral shoots. Trim the shoots off. Shoots that were cut off are used as cuttings.
Every 2 years in spring the herder plant needs to be transplanted into a larger bowl. Adult plants should not be transplanted. A young plant must be transplanted once a year, adults every two to three years. If several young plants are planted in a bowl at once, the composition will become more magnificent.
Hedera - plants that love light soil, the most suitable mixture of peat and humus or from equal parts of leaf, humus, turf, turf and sand, or a ready-made substrate. Drainage should be good - for ivy you need a moist, but not too waterlogged, sour soil.
Precautionary measures
At the time of flowering heder exudes an extremely unpleasant smell (similar to the smell of rotting meat), thereby attracting flies and other insects for pollination. Experts advise the emerging buds to remove. Ivy berries are black and are very poisonous.
The leaves of ordinary ivy are also poisonous: on contact with them, there may be inflammation of the stomach and intestines, vomiting, contact dermatitis.
Difficulties that may arise
The leaves dry out, get brown and die with too high a temperature in the room, with low air humidity, with a lack of watering, or with irregular watering, and also with a spider mites.
When there is insufficient light, the leaves become shallow, and the stems are curved. If the plant lacks moisture, the leaves can turn yellow and fall off.
Lack of light leads to loss of mottled leaves. Hedera with different colors with a lack of light becomes a monochromatic green color. Ivy should not be too cramped. Can be damaged by a scab and spider mite.