The genus received its name from the Greek words "spata" and "phillum", which are translated as "bedspreads" and "leaves", respectively. The name was given, because the cover of the spathiphyllum looks like an ordinary leaf, but has a white color and is devoid of petioles. Leaves oval or lanceolate, radical, have a strongly pronounced middle vein and thin lateral, located in parallel. The flowers are collected in the inflorescence - the cob, located on an elongated stem, is covered with a veil at the base.
Spathiphyllum - a houseplant is very common, which is undemanding in nursing. Valued by the beauty of the leaves and the flower. When purchasing spathiphyllum, remember that it requires constant spraying and abundant watering.
Care rules.
Lighting. Spathiphyllum normally grows both in partial shade and in diffused light. However, in the shadow of its leaves get a dark green color and a more elongated shape. At the same time flowering becomes rare or, at all, stops. In this case, the plant is clearly not sufficiently illuminated. When placing spathiphyllum on the southern window, protect it from direct sunlight burns. It is better to grow spathiphyllum on the northern windows, although on southern windows its flowering is more abundant and longer, and the inflorescence is much larger in size.
Temperature regime. Spathiphyllum is a plant that is thermophilic. Spring and summer prefer temperature in the range of 22-23 ° C, the lower limit is 18 ° C. In autumn and winter, the optimum temperature is not lower than 16 ° C, otherwise the development of the plant is inhibited. Critical is the temperature below 10 ° C: spathiphyllum rot and can die. The plant does not tolerate drafts.
Watering. Plant spathiphyllum is watered all year round: abundantly - in spring and summer and during flowering, it is possible with a pallet; moderately in winter. Between waterings, the upper part of the substrate should not dry out. Do not let the land overdry. On the other hand, the stagnation of water in the container is detrimental to the plant. For spraying and watering, use only a standing water, at least 12 hours. If the leaves spathiphyllum drooped, then it suffers from a lack of moisture. In contrast, with excessive watering on the leaves of the plant, dark spots may appear.
Air humidity. Spathiphyllums love high humidity. Since in natural conditions it grows in a humid climate, it requires frequent sprinkling with soft water, creating an aquarium atmosphere, sometimes a warm shower. It is recommended to put this indoor plant on a pallet filled with moist sand or moss. In dry air indoors the plants wither the tips of leaves, even if it is sprayed in a timely manner - 2 times a day. When spathiphyllum blossoms, spraying should be done carefully: water should not fall on the cob and coverlet. During the October-January period, the spathiphyllum has a rest period, but if the humidity of the air is sufficient for the plant, it will blossom in the winter.
Top dressing. In the period from March to September, the spathiphyllum needs to be fed with a full set of mineral fertilizers in a concentration of 1-1.5 grams per liter of water. In addition, special fertilizers are used for indoor plants without lime, for example, "Flower" or "Azaleas". It is also recommended to alternate fertilizing with mineral fertilizers with fresh mullein, diluted in proportions of 1:20 or 1:15. Before and after top dressing, plants should be watered with plenty of water at room temperature. If it bloomed in winter, then in 3-4 weeks it is necessary to feed it with the same fertilizers. If the leaves appear brown spots, this indicates that there are too many nutrients for spathiphyllum.
Transfer. If the roots of spathiphyllum fill the entire volume of the pot in which it grows, then the plant needs a transplant. It is recommended to spend it in the spring, with caution, since the roots are very sensitive to damage. For the transplant, one should choose the soil of a weakly acid reaction - pH 5.0-6.5. Excess moisture damages the plant, so make sure that the soil is loose, and excess water drains into the pan.
Spathiphyllums will feel good in ordinary humus, when adding a little brick chips or pieces of charcoal. For the transplant is also suitable mixture, combined from humus, leaf and sod land, river sand and peat in equal shares. Use and ready-made substrates for aroids, adding to it fragments of charcoal. Good drainage is mandatory. It is not necessary to transplant the spathiphyllum into a very large pot, as this inhibits flowering. Choose a capacity slightly larger than the previous one. It is recommended to disinfect the earth with a hot solution of potassium permanganate in a dark pink color. Transplanted plants need warmth, moderate watering, frequent sprinkling for rapid rooting. Spathiphyllum is well rooted in greenhouse conditions. To create such conditions, cover the plant with a transparent material and periodically ventilate the "greenhouse".
Reproduction. The spathiphyllums multiply vegetatively by dividing rhizomes and cuttings.
The procedure for breeding cuttings spend in the spring, rooting them in wet sand. It is recommended to create a miniteplike. After the formation of rootlets, the cuttings are planted in a land consisting of: 1 part of peat and 1 leaf, 0.5 part of sod land, 0.5 parts of sand.
The procedure for dividing the rhizome is best done in the spring during transplantation, the recommended temperature is 20-21C. The plant has a powerful underground rhizome, which is easily divided into parts, with each part carrying 2-3 leaves. The shortened stem forms new growth points, branches, young leaves appear. To ensure that the bush is not greatly overgrown, it is divided into parts so that each one has only one growth point and a site of rhizome. Rooted plants are planted in 12-16 cm pots in a substrate intended for aroids. It includes humus, unsealed sheet earth, sand and peat in a ratio of 1: 1: 0.5: 1. It is recommended to add pieces of broken bricks, coal, fragments of tree bark and dry mullein. Sometimes a mixture of another composition is used: coniferous, leafy earth, peat, humus and sand (2: 2: 2: 2: 1) or coniferous, leafy, humus, peat and sand (2: 4: 1: 1: 1) with fragments of charcoal.
Pests : spider mites, cannabis, aphids.