Soleirolia – care
Soleirolia is a completely unpretentious ground cover plant, it can create a special atmosphere in your home.
In nature, soleirolia is found on rocks in humid and shady places on the islands of Corsica. The only species is Soleirolia soleirolii. But breeders have bred several new varieties of Soleirolia not only with green, but with silver and even golden leaves. All of them form compact tubercles no more than 5 cm in height.
Soleirolia is a perennial herbaceous plant with very small leaves that spread like a carpet . The stems of soleirolia grow very strongly, hanging from the pot and forming a green ball. The leaves are small, rounded, heart-shaped at the base, green. The flowers are very small, solitary.
People call soleirolia – children’s tears, apparently because of the shape of the leaves, similar to tears.
Very often, soleirolia is used in winter gardens, terrariums and dark green mini gardens. In the room, this plant is grown as an ampelous plant, planted in tall vases or in hanging pots, and it is also placed on tables, stands, planted in large pots with other plants. Soleirolia is also used in the landscape for greening joints between stones both on the wall and on the ground.
Important: When planting soleironia with other plants in the same pot, you need to know that it can drown out low-growing plants.
How to care for soleirolia
Caring for soleironia is quite simple if you create conditions for it as close to natural as possible. What are these conditions, we will consider in this article…
Light brightness for soleirolia
Soleirolia can grow anywhere, both in the shade and in the light, you just need to make sure that the leaves are not exposed to direct sunlight. Sunburn, which manifests itself in the form of brown spots on the leaves, indicates that the plant needs to be shaded from the sun.
How to water soleirolia
Soleirolia should be watered often in the spring and summer, and moderately in winter so that the water does not stagnate. Water for irrigation should be soft.
See also:ORCHIDS – ORCHID CARE
Air temperature for soleirolia
The air temperature for soleirolia should be moderate +15 ° C, but not higher than +25 ° C in the spring and summer, and not lower than +8 ° C in winter.
Air humidity for soleirolia
Soleirolia requires high humidity. It is sprayed several times a day with warm soft water if the temperature is above +20 ° C. If the temperature is below +20 ° C, then you can spray less often – after 2-3 days.
Top dressing of soleirolia
If soleirolia is transplanted annually, then it can not be fed. And if the transplant is irregular, then you need to feed with complex fertilizer for ornamental deciduous plants (from March to September, every 2 weeks).
Soleirolia transplantation
Soleirolia should be transplanted annually in the spring. Choose wide pots rather than deep. The soil should be loose and permeable ( 1 part clay soil, 1 part leafy soil and 1 part sand.) When transplanting, the earth is not compacted and, not compacted, it should not lose airiness.
Reproduction of soleirolia
Soleirolia multiplies by division in spring when transplanting. After the separated part of the bush with roots is planted in a pot with drainage, it is not watered for the first 2 days and kept in a cool place.
Possible difficulties in growing soleirolia
The sudden death of the plant is overdrying of the soil.
The roots rot – stagnation of water in the pan.
Brown dry spots on the leaves – direct sunlight.
Loss of decorative appearance – needs rejuvenation (transplanted, cut, propagated by cuttings).
It is rarely damaged by pests.
