Alternanthera care at home, transplantation, reproduction. Alternanthera brasiliensis - Alternanthera brasiliana, Alternanthera dentata Alternanthera green

Characteristic features of the plant, tips for growing alternatera in a home aquarium and garden, recommendations for propagation, control of possible pests and diseases, facts for gardeners, types.

The content of the article:

Alternanthera belongs to the large Amaranthaceae family, which is sometimes called Shchiritsa. This includes representatives of the flora, in the embryo of which two cotyledons are formed. Almost all species included in the genus grow in lands where there is a tropical or subtropical climate. These include areas of America, Asia, the Australian continent and Africa, but such plants can be found even in the Galapagos. In their natural environment, they prefer to settle in coastal areas, near waterways, which often experience floods or floods.

Family name	Amaranthaceae or Shchiritaceae
Life cycle	Annual or perennial
Features of growth	Herbaceous or subshrub
Reproduction	Seed and vegetative (cuttings or division of rhizomes)
Open ground planting period	Seedlings are planted in early June
Substrate	Neutral, medium moisture
Illumination	Open area with bright lighting
Humidity indicators	Moisture-loving
Special requirements	There are some difficulties
Plant height	0.1–0.25 m
Color of flowers	White, pinkish, green
Type of flowers, inflorescences	Globular
Flowering time	May June
Decorative time	Spring-summer
Place of application	Aquariums, flowerpots, carpet beds, borders, floral designs or portraits, flower beds, pool landscaping
USDA zone	4, 5, 6

Sometimes you can hear people call the alternanthera the Alternate Anther. But the plant gets its scientific name from the combination of the Latin words “alternus” and “anthera”, which translates as “variable” and “stamen”. The result is the phrase “variable stamens” and, in all likelihood, this indicates the alternation of sterile and fruitful stamen formations.

All Alternanthera growing in nature have a herbaceous or semi-shrub form and do not exceed 10–25 cm in height. The shoots are distinguished by good branching and through them the formation of wide bushes occurs. The development speed of such bushes is quite high and they have the ability to reproduce quickly. Often, because of these properties, alternanthera is usually used as a ground cover crop. These representatives of the flora can be grown both in an aquatic environment (aquariums) and as a potted crop. At the same time, the anther is also able to extract nutrients from both water and soil. It is usually grown as an annual or perennial plant.

Alternanthera has gained popularity among gardeners and aquarists because of its brightly colored foliage. The shape of the leaf blades is lanceolate. The coloring can take on shades of reddish-brown, orange, yellow or yellowish-green. It happens that there is a pattern of whitish spots on the surface of the leaves. All color combinations depend on the species.

When flowering, small and inconspicuous flowers are formed, which do not represent any decorative value. They gather inexpressive dense inflorescences, crowning the tops of the branches. The flowers are filmy, their color takes on a white, greenish or purple tint.

Tips for keeping Alternanthera in a pot or home aquarium

• Lighting and choice of planting site. Only under the influence of bright lighting will all the beauty of the foliage shades be revealed. The more sunlight illuminates the bush, the richer the color the foliage will become. With a lack of light, the leaf plates will gradually acquire the usual green color, and, ultimately, it will simply become pale. The duration of daylight should be at least 12 hours, so when growing in an aquarium, lights are needed.
• Water indicators for aquarium keeping. If you decide to grow the plant in an aquarium, then an acidity in the pH range of 6.2–6.8 is suitable for it, while the water hardness should be from 2 to 12 dKH.
• Content temperature alternantera in summer should be in the range of 24–28 degrees, and with the arrival of winter not lower than 15 units.
• Humidity. Very high humidity parameters are most suitable, and only under such conditions is Alternanthera flowering possible, although its flowers do not have any decorative value, but the plant feels fine in dry indoor air.
• Watering When keeping alternanthera in a pot, regular planting is required throughout the growing season. But it is important to remember, for some varieties, that excess moisture is harmful.
• Trimming. If you regularly trim the shoots, they begin to bush very much.
• Fertilizers. It is recommended to support the plant with mineral fertilizers during the growing season, which should be applied once every 15–30 days. When growing in an aquarium, divalent iron salts are added to the water once every two weeks.
• Alternanthera wintering. Because of her love for warm climates, she will not tolerate winter in our latitudes, therefore, when heat indicators approach 15 degrees, the bushes are dug up and planted in containers. During the autumn-winter period, they are kept in a room with good lighting, where the temperature is in the range of 15–17 degrees.
• General tips for keeping an aquarium. It is necessary to change the water frequently - every week up to 20% of the container volume. The plant does not like to be overgrown with algae and loves crystal clear water, so a powerful filter is used.
• Replanting and tips for choosing soil. This tropical plant can be grown as a potted plant. Since its growth rate is low, it should be replanted infrequently, only if the container has become small for the root system and the size of the bush itself. It is recommended to use a soil mixture of leaf and turf soil, with the addition of humus and coarse sand - all parts of the components are taken equal. When kept in a pot, you need to lay a drainage layer on the bottom to avoid stagnation of moisture. You will also need to make holes in the bottom of the container to drain excess moisture. When growing Alternanthera as an aquarium plant, soil does not play a special role, so special compositions of substrates for aquarium flora should be used. They should contain coarse sand, which has a positive effect on the growth of bushes. In an aquarium tank, it is recommended to place Alternanthera on shelves arranged on the sides so that the stems have the opportunity to rise above the surface of the water.
• Application of anther. Since the plant is small in size, it is customary to grow it not only in aquariums; such bushes decorate alpine slides and mixborders, are planted as border landscaping, and also create carpet flower beds, flower portraits and drawings. Because of its love for moist soils, it can be planted in the coastal zone of artificial and natural reservoirs.

You can get a new plant by seed and vegetative methods (cuttings and dividing the old bush).

The first method is quite difficult, since Alternanthera often does not produce flowers, so in floriculture it is recommended to use the second. In this case, preference is given to cuttings. It is customary to cut the blanks for this in the autumn. Then the cuttings are planted in nutritious and heated soil, which can be a sand-peat mixture. The container with cuttings is covered with transparent plastic film and placed in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. The twig blanks are buried down to the first leaf blade, and the length of the cutting should be at least 8–10 cm and 8 leaves. Care will consist of airing and moistening the soil. When young leaves appear, the cover can be removed and the young alternanthera can be accustomed to indoor conditions.

After signs of increased growth appear, the tips of the shoots need to be pinched, which will help them begin to branch, forming new shoots on the sides. Cuttings can take root in 8–10 days. When May comes and the return frosts pass, these plants are transplanted to a prepared place in the garden. To get more lush bushes, it is recommended to place 2-3 young seedlings in one planting hole. If Alternanthera is planned to be grown as a potted crop, then a small pot is selected.

When propagating a plant in an aquarium, the cuttings are simply left to float on the surface of the water. Soon it will develop root shoots and such seedlings can be planted in the substrate.

With the arrival of spring, you can divide the overgrown bush. Usually on autumn days, when heat indicators begin to decrease, the bush of the mother specimen is transplanted into a pot and kept in greenhouses or a prepared room. In such a place it is necessary to create good lighting and heat indicators are maintained at about 15 degrees. In winter, watering is carried out moderately, waiting until the substrate dries on top. With the onset of May days, the alternanthera is pulled out of the flowerpot, its elongated root shoots are pruned, and then division is carried out. It is necessary that each division has a sufficient number of roots and shoots. Then the plant is planted in a permanent place in the garden, pond or pot.

Control of possible pests and diseases of alternanthera

The plant is quite resistant and is not susceptible to diseases or pest attacks. But still, with frequent violations of maintenance conditions, it can be affected by gray mold, especially if this representative of the flora is grown as a potted crop. This problem occurs when the soil moisture is high. To cure, it is recommended to remove all affected parts of Alternanthera, and then treat the bush with fungicidal agents. It can be copper sulfate or similar preparations with a similar effect.

Among the harmful insects that cause harm to the alternatera, spider mites, aphids or whiteflies are distinguished. If signs of damage are detected (whitish specks on the back of leaves or white midges, cobwebs on leaves and twigs, or small greenish bugs), it is recommended to treat with insecticidal preparations with repeated spraying after a week.

Facts for gardeners about Alternanthera, photo of the plant

Since there is information that some varieties have poisonous properties, it is important to clarify this aspect before purchasing.

Types of alternanthera

1. Alternanthera reineckii. Its native distribution area is in South America. The branches of this shrub are about 25 cm long. The shoots have sessile foliage, but sometimes the leaves are crowned with short petioles. The color mainly includes various shades of red. The root system is delicate. It can be grown in aquarium conditions, where the plant is attached to the walls of the container, then the stems can spread along the surface of the water, but if they are completely immersed under water, the growth rate will slow down significantly. In cultivation there is a dwarf-sized variety, Alternanthera mini, which is distinguished by even smaller bushes and foliage.
2. Alternanthera sessilis. This shrub can reach a height of up to 30 cm. The variety is relatively undemanding and has gained popularity among aquarists due to the pink-green coloring of the foliage, but can be grown in humid greenhouse conditions. If completely submerged in water, the growth rate is not reduced as much as that of Alternanthera reineckii.
3. Sweet Alternanthera (Alternanthera amoena) or as it is also called Alternanthera charming. The length of the shoots is not so long and their maximum size reaches 10–20 cm. This species is distinguished by the fact that in the lower part of the branches there is abundant branching. Moreover, while the plant is young, the shoots are covered with pubescence and have grooves. The foliage is colored in greenish-red tones, sometimes giving way to an orange tint. The shape of the leaf plate is oblong-oval or in the form of a narrowed ellipse. During flowering, filmy small flowers are formed, collected in compacted apical inflorescences. The color of the flowers is whitish. The native growing areas are in Brazil.
4. Alternanthera versicolor mainly growing in natural conditions in Brazilian territories. It can grow as a subshrub or have a herbaceous form. A perennial that approaches 15 cm in height. Due to the strong branching of the shoots, the shape of the plant resembles dense bushes with spreading outlines. When the stems are young, their surface is covered with slight pubescence.
   The leaf blades have a blunt-pointed oblong-spatulate shape, with a narrowing towards the petiole. Its length is quite short. The surface of the leaves is covered with wrinkles. The name of the variety indicates the unusual color of its foliage, which mixes different shades of pink, yellow, red and greenish. This species has a large number of garden variations.
5. Alternanthera lilacina or as it is also called Alternanthera lilacina. Naturally, the eye cannot help but stop at the decoratively colored foliage, which is varied on the upper and lower sides. So the top of the leaf is red or greenish, and the back side is dark burgundy. The shape of the leaf plate is oblong. The shoots have straight-growing outlines. If the plant is grown as an aquarium culture, then the length of its shoots can approach half a meter. If the owner provides fairly humid growing conditions, then the formation of whitish flowers is possible.
6. Alternanthera red round It is also distinguished by rather long shoots, on which leaf plates are located in opposite order. They are attached to the branches by means of short petioles. On average, the length of a bush is 20 cm. The growth rate of this species is very low, but if all growing rules are followed, the plant will delight you with flowering. However, such flowers do not have beauty.
7. Alternanthera bettzickiana takes the form of a subshrub or has a herbaceous form. This perennial plant can reach a height of 15 cm with its vertically growing shoots. At the very base, the branches have pubescence. Since they are distinguished by strong branching, they can form spreading thickets. There is a sharp point at the tops of the leaf blades. The leaf shape is spatulate with a slight bend in the central part. The color takes on shades of olive green, while on the surface of the foliage there is a pattern of specks of whitish, white-yellow and reddish shades. Flower capitate inflorescences originate in leaf axils that grow on the tips of the shoots. This species has a large number of forms, the leaves of which are cast in rich shades of green, red or yellow.

Video about the alternator:

Name: Alternanthera
Family: Amaranthaceae
Origin: Australia, Asia, Africa
Humidity: Moderate
Location: Sunny
Soil: Organic
Pests and diseases: Aphids, spider mites, mold.
Required work: Watering, transplanting, fertilizing
Height: up to 25cm
Planting seedlings: Doesn't matter
Planting in the ground: Spring
Flowering: Occurs rarely, randomly
Suitable for cutting

Alternanthera - translated from Latin as “changeable”

Alternanthera is a simple perennial plant, according to many flower lovers, with colorful foliage and practicality in growth. Belongs to the amaranth family.

Landing of Alternanthera

With the right approach to choosing different types of this perennial, the appearance of the flowerbed will be creative and enriched.
Having decided to transplant a flower or shoot, it is important to treat the soil with hot water or fry it.
When planting alternanthera in open ground, you should maintain a distance between bushes of 8 cm or more, as this plant grows quickly, and also avoid clay, infertile soil and sunless places. Positive for the plant is moist and mineral-rich soil.
To replant indoors, the soil must be mixed in equal parts with humus, sand and rotten leaves.

Care

Alternanthera is not picky and as a houseplant it amazes with the beauty and lush shape of its crown, and in the open ground in flower beds and gardens it pleases the eye with a variety of colors.

Growing at home

The home flower must be placed on the sunny side of the house. If dust gets on the leaves, irrigate the flower with warm water so that the soil is not flooded.

Watering

It is advisable to water the perennial with non-cold water, taking into account the humidity and temperature of the room. If it's hot outside, watering is more intense. On other days, watering is moderate. If the plant does not get enough sunlight, this will be reflected in the appearance of the foliage.

Reproduction

One way is to divide a large bush into small ones.
The second method is propagation by shoots. For this you need undamaged “babies”:

• the cuttings are cut behind the place where the leaves sprout, while unnecessary vegetation is removed,
• the sprout is lowered into the soil up to the boundaries of the first vegetation
• compact the soil after planting
• When planting in winter, cuttings are grown using the greenhouse method.

The presence of seedlings proves the effectiveness of the method of propagation by shoots.

Pests and diseases

When watering intensively, the plant suffers from gray mold

Treatment methods:

• moderate watering;
• pruning diseased branches;
• soil replacement;
• compliance with temperature conditions.

Spider mite infestation

Treatment methods:

• pruning diseased branches;
• wiping flowerpots and window sills;
• plant disinfection.

Aphid invasion

Treatment methods:

• disinfection with chemicals. (insecticide).

Types and varieties

These shrubs have a varied appearance, namely: the originality of the leaves and their rich range of colors.

• Alternanthera Sweetheart (A.AMOENA)

  Homeland Brazil. Plant from 10 cm and above. Leaves and branches are down. The predominant color is green-red.

• Alternanthera Betzik (A.BETTZICKIANA)

  The plant can be a subshrub up to 15 cm. It has a varied shape of leaves narrowed at the ends. The predominant color is olive, yellow with white spots.

Alternanthera- a plant from the amaranth family, there are about 200 species in the genus, widespread in the tropics and subtropics of America.

Some are edible, most are weeds, but a few species are known as popular garden and potted plants with ornamental leaves. The following types are most widespread.

Altemanthera dentata- a strongly branched plant up to 40-50 cm tall with ovate or lanceolate leaves 8-9 cm long and 5 cm wide.

Small white flowers are collected in a capitate inflorescence with a diameter of 2-2.5 cm.

It is distinguished by wider leaves, broadly ovate or spatulate in shape.

The plant is bushy, the stems are sometimes creeping. The flower heads are white or yellowish, located singly or 2-3 in the leaf axils.

Numerous garden forms with varied leaf colors are known in culture: Brazilian Red Hots- leaves are green with pink and purple spots; Grenadine- leaves are purple with bright pink splashes; Ruspberry Rum- leaves are very dark with pink tips; Little Ruby- leaves are pink-red; Mai Tai- green leaves with cherry and cream spots; Party Time- leaves are green with red spots; Red Carpet- the color of the leaves combines green, bronze, red and golden colors; Snowball- leaves are slightly corrugated, green with a creamy edge; Yellow- leaves are yellow.

Alternanteras are heat-loving plants; they can be grown in open ground only in the warm season, as they freeze slightly during the lightest frosts. However, during the summer months they can beautify the garden area as border or container plants. Lush foliage in a variety of colors will add a splash of color to a flower bed or garden container when combined with other plants. In the southern regions, alternanthera is used to create attractive carpet flower beds.

In winter, plants are kept in pots in a bright room at a temperature of 12-15 ° C and moderate watering. In the spring they are taken from cuttings using a mixture of peat and sand for planting. Rooted cuttings are planted in open ground in early June, and at the end of summer, before the onset of the first autumn frosts, they are again put away in pots indoors. The soil for planting needs to be light and fertile; heavy clay soils are not suitable.

During the period of active growth from February to the end of August, plants require regular feeding once every two to three weeks with complex fertilizer for indoor flowers. In indoor culture, Alternanthera lends itself well to shaping; with the help of regular pruning and pinching shoots, it can be easily given the desired shape.

In order for the alternanthera leaves to be colored as intensely as possible, the plant should be planted in the sunniest part of the garden. Alternanthera needs warmth; it does not tolerate frost. It prefers calcareous, nutritious soils, but can also grow on neutral soil. Moderate humidity is required.

To decorate a site, alternanthera is most often used as an annual decorative foliage plant, without bothering with the hassle of transplanting it into a greenhouse for the winter.

Alternanthera is the star of carpet floriculture. Its low growth, excellent tolerance to haircuts, and most importantly, a huge variety of colors allow this plant to be used for carpet beds. borders. alpine slides. floral drawings, figured compositions. With the help of a competent haircut, you can give the alternanthera an ovoid, spherical, comb-like shape.

Alternanthera sessile is used to decorate small bodies of water. In summer it is planted on the bottom in shallow places or along marshy banks.

Alternanthera is very thermophilic, so in winter mother plants are transferred from the street to bright greenhouses with a temperature of +12 - +16. Plants that overwinter outside in relatively warm climates still need shelter. Alternanthera is replanted back into the ground only after spring frosts. If night frosts are possible in summer, the plant also needs to be covered.

Alternanthera requires moderate regular watering all year round. It is not allowed to water with cold water. It is not necessary to spray the plant.

The main care activity that an alternanter requires is regular, literally weekly haircuts. Thanks to this procedure, the plant bushes strongly, develops many additional leaves and becomes fully decorative.

Alternanthera sessile is placed in containers at the bottom of the reservoir to a depth of 50 cm. It is necessary to limit its spreading and take it away for the winter in time. Overwinters in a cool room.

Alternanthera propagates by dividing old plants and cuttings. When propagated by division, long roots can be cut off without harming the plant. The planted plants should initially be in a bright and warm place. When propagated by cuttings, the planted alternanthera is first kept under a transparent bag in a very warm place. When young leaves appear on the plant, the bag can be removed.

Diseases and pests

Alternanthera is resistant to diseases and pests. Potential problems include gray mold, aphids, spider mites and whiteflies.

Varieties and forms of Betzick's alternanthera

‘Aurea’ (‘Golden’) is a plant with large yellowish leaves. ‘Juvel’ is a large-leaved, tall alternanthera with carmine-red leaves. ‘Kuntzii’ (‘Kuntzi’) is a plant with densely spaced yellow leaves, dull green at the base. ‘Paronychioides’ (‘Barbed’) is a low-growing alternanthera with curly pinkish-red leaves.

Varieties and forms of alternanthera serratus

‘Purple Knight’ (‘Purple Knight’) is a tall (up to 50 cm) alternanthera with dark purple leaves. ‘Royal Tapestry’ is an alternanthera with leaves of red, copper red, purple and burgundy.

Varieties and forms of Alternanthera charming

‘Amabilis’ (‘Excellent’) is a plant with olive green leaves with red spots. ‘Rosea’ (‘Pink’) is a low-growing alternanthera with pinkish-red leaves with an orange tint. ‘Ficoidea’ (‘Fig’) is a plant with pink-purple-green leaves. ‘Metallica’ (‘Metallica’) is a tall, large-leaved alternanthera with dark brown leaves with a purple tint.

‘Aurea’ (‘Golden’) - alternanthera with golden-yellow leaves. ‘Tricolor’ (‘Tricolor’) is a plant with green-pinkish-red leaves.

Sources:
florets.ru,

A perennial decorative - deciduous herbaceous plant or subshrub with beautiful leaves, painted in various shades, including plain or variegated. Also used as an aquarium plant, a pond plant, a house plant and a garden plant (depending on the species). The small flowers of the alternanthera do not have a decorative function as such. In nature, the plant is found in tropical and subtropical climates. Strongly branching stems give it the appearance of a small shrub. To maintain the bright color of the leaves, the alternanthera needs the most sunny location, since the color of the leaves fades in the shade. The plant is not frost-resistant, so in regions with a cold climate it is taken for storage in a room with an air temperature in the range of +14 – +16 C°. If you do not have this opportunity, you can grow alternanthera as an annual. As it grows, it forms thick carpets, and at the same time tolerates shaping haircuts well, which is necessary for good thickening. In regions with a warm climate, alternanthera can remain in the garden for the winter, but with good shelter, since the plant is afraid of even short-term frosts. Due to the bright, varied color of the leaves and low growth, Alternanthera is used in creating figured flower beds or floral designs, used for rock gardens, borders, alpine slides, as a ground cover plant, and also for decorating the banks of reservoirs (mainly Alternanthera sessile) and aquariums.

Aquatic species of alternanthera. Some Alternanthera species are aquatic plants and are therefore used for planting in aquariums or ponds. For example: sessile alternanthera (alternanthera sessilis), alternanthera reineckii.

Indoor alternantera. Most often, the following varieties are used for growing indoors: Anabillis, Sessilis, Rosea. Growing indoor alternanthera is not difficult and the plant in indoor culture is considered quite unpretentious.

Growing alternanthera. The plant requires constant moderate watering. To preserve the plant until the next season, it must be taken indoors for the winter, and in areas with a warm climate it must be well covered. For sufficient thickening, alternanthera regularly requires formative cutting (shortening of shoots). Alternanthera sessile is mainly used to decorate the banks of reservoirs. To do this, place the pot with the plant at a depth of no more than 50 cm. It is recommended to take the indoor alternanthera out into the garden in the open air in the summer. The main thing is to have time to bring it back before the autumn frosts. In winter the optimal temperature is +14 - +16 C°, and in summer +18 - +28 C°. The pot with the plant is placed on the brightest window with direct sunlight. The earth should not dry out. In the period from February to August, it is necessary to apply complex mineral and organic fertilizers with a frequency of 1 - 2 times a month. Potted alternanthera is replanted every 2 years in the spring. The ideal soil mixture for a plant is a combination of turf, leaf, humus soil and sand in equal proportions. A mixture of garden soil with peat and sand is also suitable.

Height: 10 - 50 cm (depending on type).
Location: maximum light.
Foliage color: olive-green, yellow-red, different on different sides of the leaf, green-red-orange, pink.
Temperature: does not tolerate even short-term frosts.
Reproduction: division and cuttings.