Fitonieare small potted plants with colorful leaves with dense, clear and contrasting veins. Their natural habitat is warm and humid tropical forests, therefore phytonia is not the easiest to grow. See howgrowing phytonia at home should look likeand what conditions it needs to be provided. We also present the most interestingphytonia varietiesand ways to reproduce it.
Fitonia - Fittonia
Photo. pixabay.com
Fitonia(Fittonia) belongs to the acanthus family (Acanthaceae). This perennial was first found in the jungles of Peru, but it can also be found in other South American countries: Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador.
Fitonia owes its nameto the sisters Sarah Mary and Elizabeth Fitton, who were involved in botany during the days of Queen Victoria. They published their observations in 1817 in a book called Conversations on Botany. This is where phytonia was first described.
What does phytonia look like?
The fitonia is small , depending on the variety, it can reach 10 to 50 cm in height. Most phytonia varieties have a creeping habit. Small, ovoid leaves of phytonia are arranged in pairs on delicate shoots. Decorative leaves vary in color from deep dark green, through olive green to almost white celadon. The maindistinguishing feature of the phytonia is the dense and distinct leaf innervationin contrasting colors. Under favorable conditions, indoor plants sometimes bloom, but the flowers do not have decorative value.
Due to the creeping shoots and small size,phytoniums can be combined with other speciescreating attractive compositions.Fitonia looks beautiful with potted ivy, triple ivy, ferns or a coin. Fitonie is an excellent plant for winter gardens. They will also be useful if we want to set up a garden in a jar.
Fitonia - Fittonia
Photo. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Fitonia - varieties
The most popular potted species grown in our homes isveined phytonia(also known as white-vein) under the Latin names Fittonia albivenis or Fittonia Verschaffeltii. Naturally occurringphytonia varietiesare not as varied in color as breeding hybrids, of which more and more arise. Most often, sellers do not provide the name of the phytonia species from which a given variety is derived, and use only the generic name of phytonia to which the name of the variety is added.
Fitonia 'Lemon'- grows up to 20 cm tall and is distinguished by elongated lemon yellow leaves with dense white veins.
Fitonia 'Zalm forest flame'- its lanceolate leaves have a distinct green margin and pink veins against a dark green background. The pink veins are wide and together with small flecks of green create an interesting mosaic. The cultivar 'Pink Special' is similar to it, but its innervation is slightly less intense.
Fitonia 'Red Angel'- this is one of the most beautiful varieties of phytonia - light and dark olive green leaf is broken with red innervation. The variety grows up to 20 cm in height.
Fitonia 'Snow Angel'- Delights with large, matt green leaves with a contrasting snow-white pattern of innervation.
Fitonia 'Mosaic Skeleton'- neon pink innervation is clearly visible on the light green background of the leaves. The plant grows up to 20 cm high and 30 cm wide.
Fitonia 'Anne White'- Distinguished by dark green leaves with white veins.
Fitonia 'Mosaic Pink Diamond'- dark-margin lancet leaves have a slightly wavy edge. There is pink innervation on the brown background.
Fitonia - Fittonia
Photo. pixabay.com
Fitonia - cultivation
Fitonia is a thermophilic plant , therefore the optimal temperature for its cultivation should be at least 18-25 ° C in summer and 20 ° C in winter. If the temperature drops below 18 ° C, the phytonia reacts by shedding its leaves. A prerequisite for plants to grow well in cooler temperatures is good acclimatization. This sensitive plant does not tolerate drafts and sudden changes in temperature, so in winter it should not be located near heat sources.
Like many indoor plants, , fitonia likes bright rooms , but direct sunlight causes the leaves to lose their color, thin and dry. It feels best on eastern and western window sills full of diffused light. In winter, when natural light is lacking, phytonia leaves lose their intense coloration. The rescue may be lighting plants with the use of specialized lamps or bulbs to illuminate plants.
Fitonia - watering
Fitonia has high water requirements. The plant does not undergo a dormant period, and its water demand depends on the season and weather conditions. From early spring to autumnwater the phytonia abundantly and regularly with warm, standing waterIn late autumn and winter, watering should be gradually reduced. The substrate in the pot should always be slightly moist, but avoid water stagnation, which causes the roots to rot. The plant reacts to short-term dryness by losing its firmness, the leaves lose their turgor, become flaccid and floppy. If the phytonia is watered in a timely manner, it quickly regains its firmness.Fitonia - sprinkling
When caring for phytonia, remember that it likes high air humidity. Therefore,phytonia should be sprinkled onregularly throughout the year, preferably with distilled or filtered water. If the air in the room is dry, it is recommended to spray even twice a day.The pot can also be placed on a stand with expanded clay or pebbles to increase the humidity around the plant. Under no circumstances should leaf polishing products be used.
Fitonia - Fittonia
Photo. pixabay.com
Fitonia fertilization
The plant should be fertilized regularly throughout the growing season. However, because phytonia is very sensitive to excess nutrients, we use half of the fertilizer dose recommended by the manufacturer. For the fertilization of phytonia, we recommend Target liquid fertilizer for green plants, which will ensure the he althy appearance of phytonia leaves.
Fitonia - transplanting
Fitonia grows quickly, so every spring we replant it into a larger pot. Since the root system is shallow, we use shallow but wide pots and containers with drainage at the bottom.The phytonia substrate should consist ofa mixture of humus, peat and sand, and must also be slightly acidic. For planting plants, we can also use turf or heather soil with the addition of sand. Phytonia does not tolerate alkaline or even neutral soils. Therefore, before planting phytonia in fresh soil, we recommend that you measure the pH of the soil. If necessary, you can acidify the soil with a home-made method, using e.g. vinegar or increase the content of acid peat in the soil mixture.
Fitonia - how to save
Fitonia is a very capricious plant and despite proper care, it can cause problems. Here are the most common problems in growing phytonia:
Wrinkled and drying phytonia leaves- the reason may be too dry air or too much sunlight. To save the phytonia, move the pot with the plant to a semi-shaded place and increase the air humidity, e.g. by sprinkling the leaves daily.
Phytonia leaves fall- the reason is too cool place or too dry air. The problem often occurs in winter. Remember that the plant can be harmed not only by cool air, but also by a too cold substrate (e.g. when the pots are placed on a cold window sill).
Phytonia leaves turn yellow- most often the cause is too abundant watering. Remove damaged leaves and stop watering until the soil is completely dry. Remember that when watering phytonia, it is best to put pots with phytonia in a tray or container with water and let the soil soak with moisture from below.
Fitonia - reproduction
Phytonia can be easily propagated by cuttings and plant division.
Phytonia propagation by cuttings- every 3 or 4 years it is good to rejuvenate the phytonia. This treatment can be combined with plant propagation. In order to rejuvenate the plant, in spring or summer we cut off the most elongated shoots or only their tips and root 2-3 cuttings in pots filled with a substrate for seeding. The cuttings must be at least 5 cm long with 3 leaves. Cover the container with the seedlings with foil or glass to ensure sufficiently high humidity and a temperature of 22-24 ° C. After 4-6 weeks, plants should take root.
Division of plants- in spring or summer, gently take the plant out of the pot and divide it into several parts. We plant them in pots, which we cover with foil or glass, providing young plants with the best conditions for rooting. For a month, we regularly water the plants and ventilate them, after which we get rid of the covers.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
