Descriptive characteristics of the synadenium and the etymology of the name, plant care requirements, breeding steps, pests and diseases, interesting facts, species. Synadenium (Synadenium) is attributed by botanists to the extensive family Euphorbiaceae. Basically, its territories of natural distribution fall on the lands of East Africa, namely the valley of the Zambezi River. In this genus, there are up to 20 varieties, but in room culture, only the Grant Synadenium (Synadenium grantii) and its varietal variations, which have a high decorative effect, are used.
The plant bears its scientific name due to the combination of words in Latin: "syn" and "aden". The first is translated as "union, combination", and the second means "iron". All this is explained by the characteristic features of this representative of the flora, since there are small glandular hairs along the entire surface of the stem. But some gardeners, due to belonging to the family, call the synadenium "milkweed" or, more romantically, "the tree of love". The reason for the last term cannot be precisely named, but they say that the reason was the flowers: their shape and color.
Synadeniums are perennials, which in the natural conditions of their growth have a shrub form, reaching a height of one and a half meters, and often up to three meters. Its branches form a lush and spreading crown. The shoots have good branching and the roots go deep into the soil. The branches have rare lateral processes. They grow straight, with a strong thickening. All stems are covered with dark green skin.
Although the plant is not a relative of the desert rose-andenium, it is a succulent (that is, it can accumulate moisture in its parts, in the stems and leaves in order to survive dry periods). The leaf shape is obovate or oval. The leaf plates are painted in a juicy green color, but there are varieties that differ in leaves with a reddish, burgundy, yellow tint and decorative spotting, glossy. The leaf surface has pubescence, which distinguishes the plant from the milkweed. Leaves are attached to the shoots with short petioles. The length of the leaf is 25 cm and a width of about 12 cm. The arrangement of foliage on the shoots is opposite or alternate.
When the “tree of love” blooms, small flowers are formed, which show the similarity of synadenium to white-veined milkweed. The shape of the inflorescences is rather unusual, it is umbellate or corymbose outlines, made up of flowers with a red color with elongated stamens. Flowers do not have great value, but they add exoticism, although their contours resemble miniature bells or bowlers. The process of flowering in a plant in a room is very rare, and in nature this action occurs in the summer months. After flowering, berries are formed.
Sinadenium is a fairly easy-to-grow representative of the flora, which can be handled by a florist who does not even have deep knowledge. Due to the natural size, the owner will have to regularly shape the crown of the shrub by cutting off the branches. All this is because the “tree of love” has a fairly high growth rate and in a year its shoots grow up to 20–25 cm in length.
Home Synadenium Care
Lighting and choosing a place for the pot. The "tree of love" needs bright lighting, it can even tolerate some direct sunlight, so the pot with the synadenium can be placed on the sill of a window that faces the east or west side of the world.
Content temperature. To make the plant feel comfortable, it is recommended to maintain the heat indicators in the spring-summer period in the range of 20-22 degrees, the maximum value allowed for raising the thermometer in the room is 30 units. With the arrival of autumn, the temperature begins to gradually decrease and is brought to the limit of 10–12 degrees, but it is not lower than 5–6 units.
Air humidity when caring for the synadenium is not required with increased rates, therefore, spraying is not necessary. Even such procedures are often contraindicated, since when drops of water get on the leaves or stems, especially at low temperatures, it is possible that putrefactive processes begin. However, with the arrival of the heating season, the "tree of love" should still be removed away from central heating batteries or heating appliances.
General care of the synadenium. At the very beginning of the spring period, it is necessary to remove those shoots that are too stretched over the autumn-winter months. They are usually cut to half their length with a garden pruner. This procedure will help to form a lush crown, as the formation of new young lateral branches will go. If the “tree of love” has a drop of foliage, then it will not recover again, then it is better to cut off such branches.
Watering. In the summer, it is necessary to water abundantly once a week, but the soil in the pot between humidifications should dry out from above 1–2 cm deep. Since the plant stores moisture in its stems and leaves, the flooding of the substrate can negatively affect the succulent and, over time, this will lead to decay. In the spring and autumn months, watering is maintained with a frequency of once every two weeks, and when winter comes, the moisture is brought up to 1-2 times a month. The water drained into the stand is removed after 10-15 minutes. It is recommended to use only soft and warm water, with a temperature of about 20-24 degrees. You can use distilled water, river water or collect rainwater. However, the last two options are acceptable if there is confidence in the purity of the resulting liquid.
Fertilization of the synadenium is carried out when spring begins and lasts until autumn (early September). Since the "tree of love" is a succulent, it is recommended to use preparations for cacti to feed it. The agent must be in liquid form, then the drug can be easily diluted in water for irrigation and so to carry out top dressing. When the plant has a dormant period, you should stop fertilizing it. Also, you should not increase the dosage indicated on the package, since an excess of fertilizer can lead to the onset of decay of the root system.
Transplantation and selection of substrate. When the "love tree" is still young, it is recommended to change the pot and the soil in it once a year or at least once every two years. Gradually, with the growth of the synadenium, such an operation is carried out only once every four years, and when the plant becomes large and grown in a tub, it is not transplanted, but only 3-5 cm from above are changed to a new substrate. Since the root system of this representative of the milkweed is deeply buried in the soil, it is recommended to select a stable and deep flowerpot when transplanting, which will not overturn under the ever increasing plant size. A pot of sufficient volume will provide the necessary space for roots. Small holes must be made in the bottom of the new container to drain excess moisture. Also, before pouring the soil into the pot, a layer of drainage material is laid - this will ensure that the soil will not become waterlogged. Drainage can be large expanded clay, tracing paper or pieces of brick or clay (ceramic shards) of the same size. The substrate for growing synadenium should be light and nutritious, with a weak or neutral acidity. Often, flower growers independently make up a soil mixture of the following components:
- sheet earth, coarse sand, brick (sifted from dust) crumb, crushed charcoal, peat (parts are taken in equal proportions);
- equal parts of turf, low-lying peat, humus soil and river sand.
When a plant is removed from an old pot, they try to carefully free its root system from parts of the earth so that the substrate does not become acidic and its subsequent impoverishment. It is recommended to remove parts of the root system with pruning shears, and sprinkle the sections with powdered activated carbon.
Diy synadenium breeding rules
You can get a young "tree of love" by sowing seeds or rooting cuttings.
Seed reproduction is considered more painstaking, but makes it possible to obtain a large number of "young". In spring, a light peat-sandy substrate is poured into a prepared box or pots. Seeds are covered by 5-10 mm. The container is covered with plastic wrap or a piece of glass is placed on top. The crops are placed in a bright place, the temperature during germination should be about 18 cm.
When caring for crops, it is recommended to remove condensation and, if necessary, the soil in the pot should be watered if it is dry. After 7-14 days, you can see the first shoots. When the height of the seedling reached 1 cm, then a pick (transplant) is carried out in separate pots. When the height of young synadeniums becomes 3 cm, a second pick is recommended. At this stage, the plant is already ready for independent indoor cultivation. In this case, the soil is used the same as for adult specimens.
When grafting, blanks are cut from the tops of the branches. In this case, the length of the cutting should be 12 cm, and it is also necessary that each workpiece has 4–5 healthy leaf plates. For disinfection, cuttings are processed with powdered activated charcoal or charcoal. The workpieces are left to dry for 1-2 days. This is necessary due to the fact that the plant is a succulent, and milky juice oozes from the cut part for some time. When a whitish film has already formed on the cut, the cutting is ready for rooting.
Planting is carried out in a substrate mixed of peat, coarse sand and charcoal. The cutting is deepened to 2-3 cm. Then the pot is placed in a bright place, but shaded from the direct rays of the sun. Temperature indicators are about 20 degrees during rooting. The cuttings will release root shoots in 2–3 weeks. Then you can transplant the plants in separate pots, with selected soil.
Often, the workpieces are placed in water so that they release the root processes. Then, when the roots reach a length of 1 cm, the cuttings are planted in pots with a peat-sand mixture with charcoal.
Diseases and pests of synadenium when grown in rooms
Due to the increased toxicity, the "tree of love" is characterized by increased immunity. Only with too frequent waterlogging of the soil does root decay begin, in this case it is recommended to transplant. The plant needs to be removed from the pot, cut off the affected root shoots with special flower tools (preferably shears), then treated with fungicidal preparations and planted in a disinfected pot with sterile soil.
If the lighting is weak, then the shoots of the "tree of love" begin to stretch strongly, so it is recommended to rearrange it in a brighter place. When the temperature in the room is too low, and the substrate is often poured, the foliage in the lower part begins to fall off. Under the same conditions, rotting of the stem of the synadenium begins. Foliage dumping is accompanied by a lack of phosphorus in the substrate - it is necessary to feed with suitable preparations. If the soil in the pot dries out too much, the stem shrinks and the leaf plates wilt - it is recommended to even out the watering regime.
Heavy and incorrectly selected soil, as a regularity during watering, will cause waterlogging of the root system and then decay begins. In this process, the defeat of the mealybug begins. Then treatments with acaricidal preparations are necessary. Occasionally, but attacks of scale insects, whiteflies and spiderwebs can begin - spraying with insecticides should be carried out immediately.
Interesting facts about the synadenium flower
Important! Like all representatives of the euphorbia in the synadenium, when the stems or leaf plates are broken, milky sap begins to ooze. This liquid is highly toxic. If it gets on the skin, such juice immediately causes irritation, but if it gets on the mucous membranes (mouth, eyes, etc.), then a very strong poisoning occurs, which can be fatal. Therefore, it is not recommended to put the plant in children's rooms, as the boys can encroach on the fruits of the "tree of love", and also so that there is no access to pets.
When working with synadenium (transplant, pruning or otherwise), protective gloves should be used, and after that, it is worth washing your hands with soap and water.
Types of synadenium
Grant's synadenium (Synadenium grantii). The plant was named after a British explorer who was involved in research in eastern Africa - James Augustus Grant. In 1875, the scientist gave the first description to this representative of the Euphorbia family.
Interestingly, during the Mau Mau uprising that took place in 1952, it was the poisonous sap of the plant (latex) that was used to destroy cattle in cases of biological warfare. This plant is often used for cultivation when hedging is needed and as a traditional grave marker used among the peoples of central Kenya.
It is an evergreen shrub or a small tree (can reach 3, 5 (10) meters). The main stem is usually 12–15 cm in size and differs in branching from the base itself. If part of the plant is old, then it is covered with a pale grayish bark. Young branches are round, cylindrical in cross section, can take on rubber green, purple green or wine colors. They differ in fleshiness, the thickness can be 8-20 mm, but over time they can lignify and thicken.
The leaf plates are alternating, thinly fleshy, their shape is obovate, lobed. The top of the foliage is dull, but it also happens with a sharp point. The length of the leaves approaches 14–20 cm with a width of up to 2.5–7 cm. The leaf plates are sessile with a gradual narrowing. Short, thick petiole about 8 mm, slightly overgrown with fine hairs on its surface. Surface with slight waviness.
Inflorescences are placed either at the ends of branches or in the leaf axils. Their length reaches 7–15 cm (including those with a peduncle of approximately 3–5 cm), with a width of 5–10 cm. In the upper part of the inflorescence, pubescent with hairs, in the lower part, they are bare. Bracts are 1-3 cm long, reddish-green, sub-square, very obtuse or rounded, whole or finely pubescent.
Flowers are medium-sized and non-decorative, bisexual or completely male. The shape can be funnel-shaped or saucer-shaped. In diameter, the flower reaches 6.5 mm in opening, with a depth of 2 mm. Cyathia take on a brownish-red color, in a small cup with a rim of nectar glands, which are 1 mm wide. These parts are deeply furrowed, crimson-pubescent. The perianths are slightly larger than the truncated or 3-lobed rim. Flowering occurs in natural conditions in winter or early spring.
The fruits are pubescent, reddish, 7x8 mm in size; inside there are ovoid seeds, with small tubercles on the surface.
More about synadenium in the following video:
