Akalifa is a potted flower belonging to the Euphorbia family. Natural habitats are tropical forests in southeast Asia, the islands of the Pacific Ocean.
The genus includes about 250 species. The plant is so famous that one of the characters in the popular computer game Skyrim bears his name, Akalifa.
General description
The appearance of the flower is very similar to nettle. The shape of the leaves is ovoid, the tips are pointed, the color is light green.
Inflorescences are original, resembling fluffy tails, not without reason the plant is called the "fox tail" or "cat tail". The size is small - from 30 to 70 cm.
Types and varieties for growing at home
There are a number of varieties of acalifa, which can be grown indoors. Below you can find photos of the plant, from which you can make excellent bouquets.
| View | Description |
| Wilkes | Shrub a meter high. The stem is copper-red in color and has villi. In the dyne, the leaves are 20 cm wide - 15 cm. The leaves are bronze, there is spotting of copper or light pink color. |
| Bristle-haired (hispida) | It has bright green foliage, inflorescences of the bristly-haired fox tail in length - 35-40 cm and painted in raspberry and scarlet. |
| Indian | Shrub up to half a meter high, branching weak. The leaves reach a length of 4-6 cm, at their bases of 5 veins. Flowering is short - from July to March. |
| South | It reaches a height of half a meter, has ribbed shoots, which are covered with sparse, but hard to the touch hairs, strongly branch. The foliage is thin and 4-5 cm long. It blooms in July and August. Has axillary inflorescences. |
| Haitian | Foliage heart-shaped, length from 3 to 4 cm, light green color. Inflorescences from 4 to 10 cm in size. The apartment is usually grown as an ampel plant, that is, in a cache-pot. |
| Godsef | A hybrid with foliage in the form of a wide oval, up to twenty centimeters long. The color is copper red or golden. |
| Californian | Foliage is salad-colored, has large denticles along the edges. The color of the inflorescences is saturated pink. |
Home Care Rules
Home care for the fox tail varies depending on the season of the year.
| Season | Lighting | Humidity level | Temperature mode |
| Spring | Needs a bright but diffused light. It is preferable to install a pot with a plant in the room, on the eastern or western windows. When placed on the south side, you will have to protect it from direct sunlight. | More than 70%. If possible, the plant should be sprayed as often as possible. A container with akalifa is best placed in a tray with wet pebbles. | The plant prefers to grow warm, so the temperature should be + 20-25 degrees. |
| Summer | Bright lighting, without exposure to direct sunlight. | ||
| Autumn | Humidity from 70%. Akalif is not recommended to be placed next to heaters. It is recommended to humidify the air with all possible methods. | The optimum temperature is +18 degrees. At +15 degrees, the plant will die. | |
| Winter | Lighting should be intense, you may have to use artificial devices. With a lack of light, variegated varieties of Akalifa will lose their color. |
Capacity, soil, transplant, pruning
For growing akalifa, a clay or plastic wide pot is suitable. Light and porous soil is placed in this tank, the approximate composition is as follows:
| River sand, peat, leaf and turf land | In equal proportions |
| Peat, soddy soil, river sand and humus | In equal quantity |
Young plants need replanting in the spring. For adult Akalifs, the capacity for growing and the earth is changed every three to four years. The transplant is performed according to the following plan:
- the pot is disinfected, a drainage layer is placed in the tank, consisting of expanded clay, small gravel, crumb of polystyrene foam and brick;
- the height of the drainage layer is two to three centimeters;
- protective gloves are put on, since the juice of the plant is poisonous;
- the fox tail is carefully removed from the old pot, an earthen lump is surely preserved,
damaged areas of the roots are removed; - the plant is installed in the center of the new tank, while filling the soil, the pot needs to be slightly shaken and the soil compacted;
- then watered, placed in a permanent place and sprayed.
To increase the splendor of the bush, in the growing season, you need to pinch the shoots on the upper two buds two to three times.
Watering
It is necessary to maintain a constant soil moisture, so the frequency of irrigation depends on the temperature. As a rule, it is enough to water the Akalifa every three days. Water should be heated to +30 degrees.
Fertilizer
During the growing season (from March to September), Akalif is fed every two weeks with any fertilizer suitable for home plants, the solution is prepared according to the instructions. The use of natural fertilizers is prohibited, as they can cause burns to the root system.
Breeding
Akalifa can be propagated in two ways:
- by seeds;
- cuttings.
Since the seed propagation method requires a lot of time, it is preferable to perform cuttings, for this shoots are used with a length of about 10 cm. Akalifa breeding by layering is not carried out.
Growing errors and pests
When growing a fox tail, inexperienced growers can make a number of mistakes, the negative of which is enhanced by the action of pests:
| Growing Mistakes / Causes | Pests / Potential Damage |
| Pulling stems, reducing the size of foliage - insufficient lighting. | Small dots of beige color - aphids - form on the foliage. |
| Yellow and brown leaves, drying of the tips - frequent drying of the earth in the container. | On the leaves there is a barely noticeable spotting of irregular shape - whiteflies. |
| The formation of a wrinkled surface on the foliage is non-compliance with the irrigation regime. | A thin and barely noticeable thread is present on the petioles and the stem, whitish spots - a spider mite - form on the underside of the foliage. |
| The appearance on the foliage of brown wet spots is excessive watering and low air temperature. | The plant is covered with small dirty white lumps that resemble fluff and cotton wool - a mealybug. |
| Drying and falling of leaves - the plant is not sufficiently fertilized, it lacks nutrients. | Yellow and red spots on the foliage - scale insect. |
Pest control is carried out using special insecticides.
Mr. Dachnik explains: poison or medicine?
Astrologers and people following the teachings of Feng Shui find this plant very useful, noting that Akalifa has a good effect on the cardiovascular system.
In addition, the flower fills the house with positive energy, improving the mood of its owners. Previously, it was fashionable to give a flower to a companion or partner in life, because he added strength of mind to a person.
Despite the fact that akalifa looks like nettle, it will be an excellent decoration for the interior, in addition, it can be used for landscaping a summer cottage.
The main thing is to carefully care for the plant and wear rubber gloves when removing weed, as there is a chance of poisonous juice getting on the skin and causing allergies.
