Hypoestes: types, rules of care and methods of reproduction

Indoor plants decorate the interior of the room in an original way, emphasizing the style of a certain design. Today there is a huge selection of decorative flowers that can be easily grown at home, while hypoesthesia is especially popular with flower growers. It is interesting in color, easy to maintain and allows you to fill the room with an unusual atmosphere.

Hypoestes is a beautiful houseplant that was brought to our country from the distant island of Madagascar. This flower belongs to the Acanthus family, it looks like a branched shrub with unusual decorative foliage, which is characterized by a bright color and covered with "rainbow freckles". Plant height does not exceed 50 cm.

The leaves of the hypoesthesia are oval in shape, they can be both smooth and pointed edges. Their length is usually from 5 to 8 cm, width is no more than 4 cm. The main feature of the plant is the presence on the foliage of many points of various shades: red, white, pink, purple.

The flowering period occurs very quickly in the plant. When the flowers fall, they create a lot of debris around the pot. Therefore, experts recommend carrying out timely cleaning of hypoesthesia both during flowering and after it.

Since each type of hypoesthesia has its own flowering period, in order to decorate the interior with bright colors, it is necessary to place several varieties of flowers in the room. The buds of an ornamental plant are located on the top of the shrub, during blooming, they take on the appearance of tubular flowers formed in the axils. Hypoesthesia flowers are small in size and have a delicate lilac color, so they are often lost against the green background of bright foliage. Since many plant species die after flowering, many gardeners remove the buds on them before blooming.

As it grows, the stem at the bottom begins to be exposed, making the bush more lush. So that the plant does not lose its decorative effect, it must be pinched periodically, this will provide better branching. Hypoestes also has one rather interesting feature - in summer it can grow outdoors in the garden, turning lawns into elegant "carpets".

Making landscape design in a similar way, it is important to control the height of the "carpet" and trim it if necessary.

In addition, the flower will require additional moisture. The planting of a "spotted" handsome man is originally combined with arabis, herbal cloves, sedum and cmin. According to old beliefs, hypoesthesia is able to bring a good mood into the house and has a positive effect on the development of creative talents, therefore, this type of plant is especially recommended for families with small children.

Today, many types of hypoesthesia are known, all of them differ in varietal characteristics and conditions of care. The most popular plant varieties that are easy to grow at home include the following.

• "Blood Red". As a rule, this flower grows in a shady area in the tropical forests on the island of Madagascar. It is a branched dense shrub that reaches a maximum height of 50 cm.The leaves of this variety are whole-edged, ovoid, their width is up to 4 cm, length is from 5 to 8 cm.They are slightly wavy at the edges, on a dark green background of foliage small red spots and purple streaks.

• "Spikelet"... Such a flower is most often found in the tropical zones of the island, preferring humid and shady places. Outwardly, hypoestes has many similarities with the "blood-red" species, but this flower has purple-red leaves. Inflorescences are medium-sized, solitary and lavender.

• "Fiery". It is the most favorite variety among landscape designers. The shrub grows up to 80 cm long, its leaves are thin, large and covered with small dots. The flower stem and foliage are slightly pubescent.

• Splash Select. It is classified as a perennial plant, the decorativeness of which is given by spotted leaves. Under normal growing conditions, the flower reaches a height of no more than 45 cm, the foliage of this variety is oval in shape, it is smooth at the edges. This flower is not only beautiful, it is also unpretentious to care for. It is usually sown in the spring, after which the seedlings dive and transplant into permanent pots.

• "Confetti". This variety is well known both in domestic and foreign floriculture, it has several varieties, each of which differs in the color of the foliage. The color is white, crimson and burgundy.

• "Spray". A very beautiful variety of hypoesthesia, in which not only colored spots can be present on the leaves, but also edges, strokes. The height of the flowers does not exceed 25 cm, they are easy to care for, but require timely pruning.

Hypoesthesia deserves special attention. "Mix", it has its own varietal characteristics - the surface of the dark leaves is decorated with graceful patterns. The plant is very fond of moisture and warmth, therefore, before buying, you need to choose the right place to place the pot.

Despite the fact that hypoesthesia is easy to grow, it, like other types of indoor plants, must be properly cared for. This will provide the flower with rapid growth, leaf formation and flowering. Therefore, it is important for beginner flower growers to know the rules of caring for him, providing the following conditions before buying such a “handsome man” into the house.

• Lighting. A decorative flower loves diffused light, so it should not be placed on windowsills where the lighting is too bright. In addition, in summer it is recommended to shade the plant, hiding it from the sultry rays of the sun. In winter, the shrubs require additional lighting. If the hypoesthes does not receive enough light, it can lose its original coloration.
• Temperature. A houseplant needs room temperature to grow normally. In summer, it is advisable to take it out to cool places, with the onset of cold weather, it is important to ensure that the air temperature in the room does not drop below +17 C. In winter, you need to ensure that the temperature does not drop below + 17 C. Do not put pots next to the plant with heaters and close to the glass, since the temperature must be constant.
• Watering... Hypoestes must be watered as the soil dries up in the container, while it should not be allowed to dry completely, as this may cause the foliage to fall off. It is recommended to perform "water procedures" with warm and infused water. In summer, the frequency of watering is increased.
• Pruning. Since this plant is considered decorative, so that it does not lose its lush shape and beauty, it is necessary to regularly pinch it. Thanks to this, the sprouts will not stretch too much, and the crown will form correctly. In order for the foliage to add brightness to the color, it is recommended to feed the plant in spring and autumn.

Regardless of species characteristics, hypoesthesia can be propagated by seeds and cuttings. The latter option is used much less often than reproduction from seeds, but it has several advantages, the main one of which is the ability to plant the shoot immediately after preparing the soil and container. At first, the shoot should be placed in a jar of water, but then after a week the roots will appear, then the plant can be planted in a pot.

Many gardeners choose to sow hypoesthesia seeds as this is the most popular way to propagate it. This procedure is carried out in early spring, pre-preparing the sandy-peat soil. Planting material is placed in it, the container is covered with a glass jar or film, creating an optimal microclimate for the future plant and accelerating the climbing process. When sprouts appear, the container must be moved to a well-lit place.

Immediately after the purchase, hypoesthesia cannot be transplanted, since the plant must be given time to acclimatize, and after 2-3 years it can already be placed in a more spacious container. Experts do not recommend combining transplanting with pruning, as this will slow down the growth of the plant due to severe stress. At the same time, during transplantation, you should try to preserve part of the earthen coma.

The soil for planting can be either purchased ready-made or prepared independently by mixing peat, humus and leafy soil in equal proportions. Don't forget about good drainage as well.

It is best to plan a transplant every spring using the “transfer” method, during which the flower is simply moved into a spacious pot. This will preserve its decorative qualities and avoid various diseases. As a rule, a new pot is taken for transplanting, 3 cm larger than the old one. It is good if it is shallow and wide, with special drainage holes. Rhizomes need to be placed at the very surface of the soil, but if you want to get a bright mix, then you should combine several different varieties in one pot that differ in the color of the foliage.

After the earthen lump with rhizomes is placed in a new container, it is covered with prepared soil, the pot is gently shaken and additional earth is added. It is necessary to try to fill the container in such a way that there are no voids left.

Hypoestes is the most resistant indoor flower to pests and diseases. The main reason for his "illness" may be only the wrong care. If the soil is waterlogged, then the rhizomes will start to fester, the leaves will turn yellow and eventually fall off.

With a lack of moisture, the dried root system will also suffer, it will begin to die off, which will lead to shedding of the leaves. It is no less important in the care and lighting, if it is not enough, then the foliage will wrinkle, and the plant will lose its decorative appearance. As for pests, they, as a rule, settle on a flower only from neighboring affected plants.

For tips on hypoesthesia care, see the following video.