An overview of the general appearance of the plant, recommendations for cultivation, soil selection, watering and independent reproduction, possible difficulties in cultivation. The Rhoeo plant belongs to the Commelinaceae family, it includes two subfamilies, 47 genera and about 400 species of representatives of the green world. The genus Reo was previously distinguished separately, and only this plant was included in it, then the standards changed, and it entered the genus Tradescantia. This variegated bush bears its name in honor of the nymph Reo, and therefore it is customary to use it in the feminine gender (for example, Reo multicolored). But there is also a synonym for this name - "Moses' Boat", under which it is often referred to by flower growers. The homeland of growth is considered to be the American regions with a subtropical climate, as well as the areas of Mexico, the Antilles, Florida forests, where tropical climatic conditions prevail.
Rheo in nature has always been distinguished by leaves of two colors and is called Rhoeo spathacea, as well as Reo variegated or Rhoeo discolor.
The plant has a herbaceous form of growth and can develop for many seasons. Differs in the presence of rhizomes - this is the primary root, which began to grow from a seed or a piece of cutting during rooting. Although Tradescantia is the closest relative of the plant, they are completely different in appearance. The stem of the rheo is quite fleshy, powerful and grows upright. It can stretch to a height of 30 to 40 cm. The plant is quite branchy and therefore its shape can be arbitrary. If the light falls on the rheo from the side, then the stems begin to reach for the stream of illumination and can hang under heavy and large leaf plates. Over time, the lower leaves of the rheo die off and fly off, leaving scaly debris, so the trunk of the plant becomes like a palm tree.
The leaf plates are located close to each other on the stem, and are shaped like elongated belts or knives. In length, they can reach up to 30 cm with a width of 5–7 cm. Deprived of petioles, they practically sit on the stem or trunk. Leaves sometimes fold into rosettes. Their color is deep emerald on top and takes on a red-violet color on the back. The stripes are almost invisible. All components of the rheo (both stems and leaves) are pubescent with red-orange fine hairiness.
Inflorescences are placed on short peduncles, and they are collected from small white buds. Two or three bracts, painted purple, form a "boat-cover" and rheo flowers are hidden under them. The flowering process is very short-lived and can occur in any month of the year. But if the conditions repeat the growing conditions in the natural environment, then the plant can bloom all year round. Yet it is cultivated for its highly decorative leaves.
Plant varieties:
- Reo striped, distinguished by beautiful light stripes on the upper side of the sheet;
- Rheo pink, this type has stripes with a pale pink tint;
- Rhoeo spathacea Vittata, the variety has a rich yellow tinge of stripes on the back of the leaf blades;
- Rhoeo discolor Compacta, a compact bushy and highly branching plant of this species;
- Rhoeo discolor Stipe in Pink, it has a silvery leaf background, with beautiful white-pink stripes and a bright pink back.
Rheo is actively used in folk medicine in those areas in which the plant grows. There is evidence that due to the fact that the juice irritates the skin, the Mexican beauties use it instead of blush. Also, if it is necessary to stop the bleeding from the gums, then the Cuban residents use the juice of the leaves. A decoction of them comes in handy for diseases of the respiratory tract.
You should not forget about these features of rheo when growing it in rooms where small children or pets live. Plant sap on the skin can cause dermatitis - an acute inflammation of the skin.
In ancient times, this plant gave the ability to express itself beautifully and quickly, gives strength to creativity, cleanses the owner of bad and unkind feelings. Especially in the old days, reo brought new ideas and trends to people of creative professions. The plant protects the house and its owner from stress and depletion of the biofield.
And since rheo is a symbol of the constellation Aquarius, and it is responsible for the vascular system, it helps to dissolve blood clots in the vessels, keeps the heart from impure forces and any diseases.
Recommendations for growing rheo indoors
- Lighting. Reo is very fond of good lighting, but direct sunlight can negatively affect it, leading to yellowing of the leaf plates. Therefore, you should arrange shading with curtains or curtains made of light translucent materials. Window sills are best suited, into which solar streams fall only in the morning and in the evening (east, west, south-east, south-west, south - only with protection). It is not worth putting on the northern exposure window, since the flower will not have enough light and from this the leaf plates will lose their attractiveness, and the shoots will be very elongated. As for the autumn-winter time, then for the reo you will have to arrange additional lighting using fluorescent lamps or phytolamps. The duration of daylight hours for normal growth should be within 8-10 hours a day. Since the lack of lighting will lead to the above results. Also, rearranging it from place to place has a very negative effect on the flower, it is especially harmful when the plant blooms.
- Temperature rheo content. Most of all, the plant does not like temperature extremes and drafts. For excellent growth of the bush, it is necessary to adhere to normal room indicators - in the summer, the limits are indicated at 20-23 degrees, but with the arrival of autumn, it is possible that the heat will drop to 15 degrees. But this rule is adhered to if there is very little light in the room and the plant will not be illuminated. However, if the heat indicators do not drop in the winter months, and the air humidity decreases due to heating devices and central heating batteries, then the reo will begin to shed the leaves that grow from the bottom of the shoots and the plant will lose its attractive appearance.
- Air humidity. Like all representatives of the genus Tradescantia, rheo prefers high humidity in the air. But spraying becomes a necessity if the moisture content has dropped to 55% and the temperature of the content rises above the permissible level. Water for spraying is soft, settled and at room temperature (approximately 20-23 degrees). At other times, to reduce dryness, you can put the pot with the plant in deep trays filled with moistened expanded clay, chopped sphagnum moss or pebbles. The main thing is that the bottom of the flowerpot does not touch the water in the pan, as this can provoke rotting of the root system of the rheo.
- Watering the plant. When moistening the plant, it is necessary to focus on the state of the soil in the pot; it must be constantly moist in the middle of the flowerpot. In the spring-summer period, as soon as the top layer of the soil has dried, the rheo is watered abundantly. With a decrease in temperature and light, as well as with an increase in the level of humidity, humidification decreases to moderate. That is, when the upper layer of the substrate dries up, they wait 2-3 days and only after that they moisten the soil. In order for the leaves not to acquire a brown color, it is necessary to take soft water for irrigation, at room temperature. Such water should be free of harmful lime impurities and salts. You can get it by boiling, filtering and then settling tap water for several days.
- Fertilizers for rheo, it is necessary to carry out from the beginning of spring to the end of August. A fertilizer with a complex of minerals, suitable for ornamental foliage plants, is added to the water with which the plant will be watered, following the manufacturer's instructions. If the plant has been transplanted, then feeding should be introduced only after 1–1, 5 months after that. You can also use a universal fertilizer for ornamental indoor plants. Rheo responds well to the introduction of organic matter. It is recommended to alternate the application of such dressings with mineral fertilizers. But it is important to remember that an excess of fertilizers is much worse for a plant than a lack of them!
- Soil selection and recommendations for replanting. Rheo has a very high growth rate and therefore you will have to change the capacity and substrate almost every year. But with the growth of the bush, it is advised only to change the upper layer of the substrate, and the change of the pot is carried out by the transshipment method (without destroying the earthen lump) and no more than once every 2-3 years (depending on how the plant is growing by this time). A more spacious container is chosen, but not very deep, since the root system has a superficial type of growth. It should be stable and wide. A drainage layer of crushed polystyrene or fine-grained expanded clay is laid at the bottom of the pot. The main thing is that the material does not clog the holes for the outflow of excess moisture.
As for the substrate, this plant does not have high addictions when growing. It is necessary that the soil has friability, good air and water permeability and has slightly acidic or neutral acidity. You can take a universal soil for indoor plants or make up a soil mixture yourself, based on the following recommendations:
- garden land, peat land, leaf humus, river sand (all parts are equal);
- turf and leafy soil, humus soil, fine gravel (in equal volumes);
- clay-sod soil, leafy soil, humus, peat and coarse sand (the same proportions).
Tips for breeding rheo at home
You can get a young plant using cuttings, dividing a bush, seeds, or using side shoots.
With the help of seeds, getting a new rheo bush is quite problematic, since it depends on the time of their ripening. If during this period the weather conditions were sunny, warm weather with sufficient humidity, then the material for planting will turn out to be good. The time of the reo landing should be in the month of April. Seed material is soaked in warm water for a day before planting. A little growth stimulant (for example, "Kornevin") can be added to the water. After that, there is a planting in a common pot with a regular substrate. The seeds do not need to be buried, only slightly powdered with soil. Then the container with the crops is wrapped in plastic wrap or a bag, this will create the conditions for a mini-greenhouse. The pot is placed under diffused lighting, the germination temperature should fluctuate between 20-23 degrees. It is necessary to ventilate the seedlings regularly for 20-25 minutes and spray the substrate with water. Seedlings usually appear after 2-6 weeks. As soon as a couple of leaves open up in the sprouts, the polyethylene is removed, and the care becomes the same as in adult plants.
Propagation by lateral shoots is much more profitable because the resulting young plants will have all the signs of the parental rheo. These shoots appear at the very roots of the plant if you regularly pinch the tops of the shoots. In its natural environment, this plant reproduces in this way, conquering more and more nearby territories. Also, this method is quite simple. It is necessary to cut off the lateral stems of the bush with a well-sharpened knife. The twigs should be placed in a vessel with settled and soft water, after removing the lower leaves so that they do not rot. There, within a short time, the cuttings will have root shoots, and they can be planted in pots with prepared soil for further growth. Root shoots should reach 1.5–2 cm in length before planting, then the plant will begin its growth without any problems. Rooting can be carried out in a mixture of sand and peat, taken in equal parts. Rooting temperature should be within 20 degrees.
For reproduction by apical cuttings, the upper part of the shoot is separated from the mother plant, which is already completely devoid of leaf plates from below. The stalk is also placed in water or planted in a sand-peat mixture, and the roots are expected to appear or signs of the beginning of active growth of the seedling.
You can divide the bush by combining this procedure with a rheo transplant. It is necessary to remove the plant from the pot, gently shake off the substrate and using a well-sharpened knife, cut the root system into several parts. Just do not divide the bush too finely, division into 2-3 parts is enough. Places of cuts are sprinkled with crushed activated or charcoal - this will disinfect the cuts. Then the delenki are planted in pots with previously prepared drainage and soil. The plant for two weeks after the procedure begins to slow down in growth. At this time, moderation is needed in moistening the soil and creating a slight shading. Do not divide the rheo at high hot temperatures, you can lose the entire bush.
Potential rheo pests and growing problems
The plant is highly resistant to harmful insects, only if the conditions of detention are violated, then a shield can be damaged. On leaf plates, this pest is visible in the form of brown plaques, and a sticky coating can cover the leaves. In this case, the reo must be treated with a soap, oil or alcohol solution - wipe the sheet plates with a cotton swab dipped in the solution. After that, the pot of soil is wrapped in plastic wrap and a shower is arranged for the reo. If the leaves are very badly affected, then it is recommended to remove them. For successful consolidation and prevention, the rheo bush should be treated with modern insecticides.
Powdery mildew or gray mold lesions can also occur if the plant is frequently flooded. At the slightest symptoms of decay, all the affected parts are cut off from the rheo, and the bush itself should be transplanted into a new sterilized pot and substrate, the root system is examined beforehand, and the affected root processes are removed. The plant is treated with fungicide solutions.
Of the problems with growing rheo, one can single out:
- hitting the leaves of direct rays of the sun at lunchtime will lead to yellowing of the leaf plates;
- if the air humidity is low, then this is followed by the drying of the ends of the leaves, especially if the rheo is placed in the autumn-winter period near heating devices;
- if watering is too limited, then the leaf plates turn brown, their further deformation and complete drying out, the same phenomena can provoke soil moistening with too cold water;
- with a lack of illumination, the leaves of the reo lose their decorative color, and the shoots are stretched towards the light;
- if the temperature in the room where the plant is located has dropped too low, then the leaves become soft and begin to droop;
- if fertilizers are applied in small doses, which are not enough for normal growth, then the leaf plates begin to grow at a great distance from each other, the stems are stretched out and loses its decorative effect.
For more information on growing reo, see this video:
