Tetrastigma is an evergreen wild grape that will decorate the house and quickly occupy a large area. Its bright leaves and flexible vines fascinate with beauty. The plant belongs to the Grape family and lives in southeast Asia and Australia. In our country it is used as a room flower. The tetrastigm plant is easy to care for and will be a wonderful decoration of the room or a background for brighter flowers.
Description
Tetrastigma has a branched rhizome and long, creeping shoots. In just a year, the liana can grow by 60-100 cm. In the culture, the branches grow by 3 m, and in the natural environment you can see vines 50 m long. Young stems are covered with smooth dark green or bluish bark, but over the years they turn into curved, lignified branches.
Young shoots are covered with regular leaves on petioles 5 cm long. The diameter of one leaf can reach 35 cm. Each leaf consists of 3-7 lobes. These lobes have their own shorter petiole. The elongated lobes have serrated sides and a pointed end. Dense, protruding veins are located on a leathery dark green sheet plate. On the back of the leaf, you can see short reddish-brown villi. Of the many tiny glands from the bottom of the leaf, the juice of the plant constantly stands out and crystallizes.
The smallest tubular flowers are located in small axillary inflorescences on hard, short peduncles. Petals and bracts are yellow or greenish. In the center of the bud is a dissected stigma with four lobes. It was for him that tetrastigma got its name. Translated from Greek, tetra means four, and stigma means stigma. But at a houseplant, flowers almost never form, so it’s unlikely to be able to admire them personally.
Plant species
There are only 9 species in the tetrastigma genus, but only 2 of them can be found in the culture. The most popular among flower growers and available for sale is tetrastigma Wuanier. The plant has a thick, rough stem with several branches. On the surface of the petioles and young shoots there is a reddish pile. Leathery or denser leaves are bright green. They have an uneven edge and are divided by 3-5 rhomboid lobes. The top of the sheet has a glossy surface. Leaves are opposite. In the places of internodes near the petioles there are spiral-shaped antennae, with which the liana is attached to vertical supports.
During flowering, loose umbellate inflorescences are formed in the axils of the leaves on short hard peduncles. White-green buds consist of an outstanding core and small hard petals. In place of the flower, a rounded multi-seeded berry is tied.
Tetrastigma lanceolate - Another species that can rarely be found in culture. The plant has darker leaves. They have a lanceolate shape and are sometimes compared to small fish. The lobes are bent back in an arc along the central vein. The leaf plate is denser, fleshy.
Breeding methods
The tetrastigm flower is propagated exclusively in a vegetative way. It is necessary to cut off the apical shoot or cut several cuttings from a young vine. Each section should have 1-2 adult leaves. Cuttings are cut so that under the stalk there are 1-2 cm of a bare stem. The cut site is treated with a solution to stimulate the formation of rhizomes and planted in fertile, light soil. The petiole must remain above the ground, otherwise the seedling will die.
Rooting takes place in a bright place at an air temperature of + 22 ... + 25 ° C. During the first week, it is necessary to keep the cuttings under the hood to prevent drying. The greenhouse is daily ventilated and sprayed with soil. Over time, the seedlings accustom to the open air and begin to water abundantly.
The adult lignified vine can be propagated by layering. Without separating the shoot from the main plant, it is dug into the soil in the same or neighboring pot. The vine is watered for 6-9 months. During this time, the shoot acquires its own massive rhizome. Closer to the mother plant, the branch is cut with a sharp knife and the cut is processed with crushed charcoal. The layering will actively grow from the first days of independent life.
Tetrastigma transplant
A tetrastigma transplant is performed annually in early spring. The transplant procedure, if necessary, is combined with pruning. Small plants are trying to completely renew the earthen lump in order to prevent acidification and development of root rot. Large tetrastigma in large tubs only replace the top of the soil with a new substrate.
Pots for indoor grapes are selected sustainable, one size larger than the previous one. It is important to make large holes in the bottom and lay out a thick layer of drainage material. The soil is made from:
- soddy soil;
- sheet soil;
- compost
- river sand;
- peat.
Earth should have a slightly acidic reaction (pH 6). After transplantation, tetrastigma is kept in a bright place and watered abundantly.
Home Care
Caring for tetrastigma at home is very simple. This undemanding plant is actively developing as if by itself. It is best to place the vine in a room with bright, diffused light. It can grow in partial shade, but in this case the leaves can be smaller. On the southern windowsill at noon, you need to shade the shoots to protect them from burns.
The optimum air temperature for the liana is + 20 ... + 27 ° C. In the summer heat, they try to take the grapes out to the street or to air the room more often. Drafts are permissible, but in very limited quantities. In winter, shoots should be protected from frosty air when airing. Since autumn, a slight cooling is allowed, but a decrease to + 13 ° C and below is fatal to tetrastigma.
It is often necessary to water a tropical beauty so that the soil dries out no more than 1-2 cm. Excess water should immediately leave the ground, you should also regularly empty the sump. Tetrastigma can withstand dry air, but occasional spraying, especially on hot days, will be helpful.
From April to the end of September, feeding is performed twice a month. Mineral fertilizer for ornamental deciduous plants is introduced into the soil in a diluted form.
Tetrastigma normally perceives pruning. Pinching the tips, you can achieve the formation of several lateral shoots, but the vine will not scrub much. It is recommended to create a support or put a pot near the wall, on which the stems can spread. If the vines fall randomly on top of each other, then in the thicker formed, due to the lack of light and air, the leaves will begin to fall off. Also, one should not often touch young leaves, tetrastigma can drop them together with young stems.
On the shoots of tetrastigma, you can find signs of infection with a nematode, spider mite or aphids. To quickly get rid of parasites, it is necessary to treat the growth with an insecticide.
