Common features, origin and home territories, tips for growing wild, succulent breeding, difficulties, interesting facts, species. Dyckia, or Dyckia as it is sometimes called, is part of the Bromeliaceae family, which is often referred to as Pineapple. This includes monocotyledonous flowering plants, included in the order of Malignaceae. These samples of the planet's flora were chosen for their growth by the lands of the tropical and subtropical regions of America and West Africa. The total number of species reaches 3000 units. Dikkia, on the other hand, loves to settle in rocky areas (he is a lithophyte) of South American regions.
This genus of plants owes its name to the prince, Count Joseph Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dick (1773-1861) from Germany, who studied botany, was a collector from the ruling house of Salm and the owner of the Dick castle.
It is a succulent plant that has the ability to accumulate liquid in its leaves and stems. Possesses a herbaceous form of growth. And since it "settles" in places with low soil moisture, frequent watering is not required. It features a rhizome immersed in the substrate and a short stem, which is crowned with a leaf rosette. It is composed of elongated, elongated leaf plates, which in their outlines resemble aloe leaves, but do not have the bitterness inherent in the latter. They have narrow triangular contours, a strong narrowing goes to the top. Plant height can reach 35 cm with a leaf swing of up to half a meter in some varieties. The color of the foliage on the upper side of a dark green color scheme, usually with a back cover with scales, due to which the shade acquires a silver-gray tone. Along the edge, the leaves are provided with rather sharp spines that can injure the skin. Numerous babies - young rosette formations - form over time near the mother's rosette of wildness.
The flowering stem can grow up to parameters of 25–90 cm, it is crowned with a branched paniculate inflorescence, which is collected from a small number of flowers. The shape of the bud is ring-shaped or funnel-shaped, the color of the petals is bright, yellow, orange, golden-orange or orange-red. The flowering process occurs in the spring and summer.
The growth rate of wildflower is rather low, but since it is not difficult to care for, it is also suitable for a novice florist, the rules are the same as for breeding cacti. The leaf rosette grows over a 3-5 year period, then it will be necessary to rejuvenate the succulent by separating and planting daughter formations. The biggest difference with many representatives of the bromeliad genus is that when the flowering process ends and the peduncle dries up, the leaf rosette does not die off, but continues to grow.
Tips for growing wild
- Lighting and location selection. In an environment of natural growth, this succulent often settles in the open sun, therefore, indoors, it will be necessary to provide it with a sufficient level of illumination. You can safely put the wild pot on the sills of windows facing south, southeast or southwest. Although it is noted that the plant can exist in partial shade, but then its growth will slow down even more.
- Content temperature. When growing wild in summer, thermometer readings are maintained in the range of 22-29 units, and although in winter the plant in its natural growing environment can survive zero temperatures, in room conditions it is possible to lower the thermometer mark within 10-15 degrees. Such indicators are the most comfortable for a succulent, although of the entire bromeliad family, this is the most frost-resistant specimen. With the arrival of spring warmth, you can take the wild pot out into the fresh air - a balcony, garden or terrace will do.
- Air humidity with the content of this succulent, it should be in the redistribution of 60%, since in the wild, wild animals often settle near mountain rivers and are content with drops of moisture that the wind constantly brings. Therefore, in the spring and summer months, it will be necessary to carry out daily spraying, and on especially hot days, twice a day. The main thing is to try so that drops of water do not fall on the inflorescences of the plant, since the decorativeness of the flowers will fall. A small amount of liquid is also poured into the outlet, but if the wild is kept in winter at low heat values, then it is better to drain the water from the outlet so as not to provoke the onset of putrefactive processes. It is recommended to cover the surface of the substrate in the flowerpot with moistened sphagnum moss, it will help maintain high humidity.
- Watering. In the spring and summer period, it is necessary to abundantly moisten the substrate in the pot with water heated to room temperature (20-23 degrees). Between waterings, the soil in the flowerpot should dry out by about 1/3. Water is poured under the root collar of the wild. The frequency of watering in the warm season is once a week. With the arrival of autumn, watering decreases and becomes moderate, but care must be taken that the soil in the container does not dry out completely. Since the plant has its own moisture reserve in the leaf plates, it can withstand a short period of drought, only the surface of the leaves will begin to wrinkle, and growth will stop. Only soft water at room temperature is used for watering. It is recommended to use rain or river water. In winter, clean snow can be melted and heated to the desired temperature.
- Fertilizers for wild plants, they are introduced from the beginning of vegetative activity, which occurs in spring days and until autumn, once every 3-4 weeks. Top dressing is used suitable for cacti or succulent plants, but the dose is reduced by 4 times by diluting the top dressing in water intended for irrigation. If the plant does not receive enough nutrients, then it will grow even more slowly and no children will be formed.
- Wildlife transplant is carried out quite rarely, about once every two to three years. Expanding, the root system becomes quite large, and the root processes are thick, when they fill the entire space of the flowerpot, it becomes unstable and there is a possibility of overturning. The pot is selected wider than deep, since the root system of the plant is superficial. It is important that a good drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the container (about a third of the volume of a pot of medium-sized pebbles or expanded clay) and holes are made to drain excess moisture, since stagnation will lead to decay of the root system.
- Rest period. Although the succulent plant can continue to grow throughout the year, it is best to store it in a cool dry place during the fall and winter period.
The substrate can be used ready-made, for example, soil mixtures for cacti or succulents. It is important that the soil is well-drained, you can use independently mixed soil, but coarse gravel, river sand must be added to it, but in addition to this, you will need to use humus, as well as crushed pine bark or perlite for aeration. The main composition should contain the following components:
- leafy soil, humus, coarse sand (in proportions 2: 1: 0, 5);
- garden soil, high-moor peat, chopped sphagnum moss (in a ratio of 2: 1: 0.5), one part of peat and coarse-grain sand are also added.
Dickia self-breeding tips
The easiest way to propagate this prickly beauty is with the help of children - small daughter formations that eventually appear in an adult specimen. When the length of these children reaches 5 cm, then they can be separated. When working, it is worth wearing gloves so as not to get hurt and use a sharpened knife, which is pre-disinfected. The baby is cut off from the mother's bush, but since sometimes this operation is quite complicated, it is combined with a transplant, in which an adult wild boar is taken out of the pot. When separating the baby, it is desirable to keep a larger number of its root processes. If there are no roots, you will have to use a root formation stimulator when planting a daughter outlet, and after planting, put the plant under a glass container or wrap it in polyethylene. Before disembarking, the children should be dried a little so that liquid does not ooze out of them. Then planting is carried out in the main substrate, where rooting will be carried out. The soil is taken from sand and peat. The container with seedlings is placed in a warm and shaded place. It is required not to forget about regular ventilation and moistening of the soil in the pot.
Wildlife takes a long time to take root. When the roots of a young plant fill the whole pot. Then you can transplant into a larger container with a suitable substrate for further growth. Flowering will have to be expected only after 2–3 years after the planting process.
Some experienced growers propagate wilds by sowing seed. For this, a mini-greenhouse is used, in which the heat indicators will be around 25 degrees. A slightly moistened sandy-peat substrate is also used, poured into a container. Seeds are evenly distributed on its surface and lightly powdered with the same soil. The container with crops is placed in a warm and shaded place. It will be necessary to carry out regular ventilation and moistening of the soil as it dries (every 2-3 days).
You can wait for sprouts after 2-3 weeks. When young seedlings have 2-3 leaf blades, and this time will be approximately in 3-4 months, then the plants are dived in separate pots, at the bottom of which there will be drainage, and on top of the required substrate. Flowering will come after 3-4 years, after sowing.
Pest and disease control in wild cultivation
Due to its dense leaf surface, the plant is rarely affected by pests and diseases. However, if you break the rules of growth, then troubles occur in the form of attacks of harmful insects, such as scale insects, spider mites or mealybugs. It will be necessary to carry out treatment with insecticidal preparations (for example, Ferovit or Aktara).
If the temperature in the room drops too much, then the leaf plates of the wild willow and become soft to the touch. If you often pour the substrate in a pot, then rotting of the roots and base of the stems occurs. In the event of a lack of nutrients in the succulent, daughter rosettes cease to form. If hard water is used for watering, the tips of the leaves will turn brown.
When the plant has been in a room with high humidity for a long time, a fungal disease may begin. Gray wet spots will appear on the leaves. This will require an urgent transplant into a new pot and disinfected soil with preliminary treatment with fungicidal preparations.
Interesting facts about the houseplant
Usually, in natural conditions, the Dyckia brevifolia species settles on rocky river banks, which is why the variety is very spectacular, since during floods the plant is able to survive in the ground, submerged in water, in a fast flowing current. Dikkia has the ability to close its "windows and doors" and live "suspended" deep below the surface of the water. Until now, this ability has no explanation, but it looks as if magic beyond the control of anyone is working. Therefore, the plant feels at ease in those places where there is a fast river with rocky banks. Small splashes of water bring moisture to the wild and it confidently clings to the stones with its roots. Lichens, algae and mosses are vital indicators for succulent growth.
It is important to remember that the plant has rather sharp thorns that can injure the skin, so it is recommended to carry out any operations with gloves.
Wild species
- Dyckia remotiflora is a succulent plant with dark colored leaf plates, reaching a length of 10–25 cm. The surface of the leaves is completely covered with gray scales, especially on the back side. The flowering stem can reach up to a height of 90 cm. It is crowned with flowers with petals of a dark orange color, up to 2 cm in length. The flowering process occurs in late autumn. In height, a succulent can be measured 30 cm with a leaf outlet width of up to half a meter. The native area of growth falls on the territory of southern Brazil and the land of Uruguay.
- Dyckia Fosteriana. It is a succulent plant with a flat rosette. The leaf plates are completely covered with grayish scaly. In height, this variety reaches 20 cm with a rosette width of only 13 cm. The flowers appear in a light orange hue.
- Dyckia high (Dyckia altissima) also found under the name Giant Wild. This succulent is medium in size and has a star-shaped rosette of leaves. Unlike many plants from the bromeliad family, it originates from a thick rhizome immersed in the ground, so the rosette is beautifully spread over the soil surface. It is formed from many elongated and curved sheet plates, reaching up to half a meter in length. The surface of the leaves is hard, along the edge there are numerous spines of brown color. The width of the leaves can be measured 2.5 cm. The upper side of the leaves is smooth, shaded with a dark green color, the bottom is furrowed, where the color changes to silver-gray. The flowering stem is high and can approach 90 cm; at its top, a few bright flowers are formed, which are collected in branched paniculate inflorescences. Their petals are colored orange and yellow. Corolla tubular with 3 plump petals. The flowering process occurs in the spring. The nectar attracts local insects, which pollinate the plant. Flowers are dioecious - either male or female. After the end of flowering (unlike many representatives of bromeliads), the rosette does not die off. The homeland of this species is Argentina. Can be grown in rock gardens, as the more compact size is the best choice when space is limited. Often confused with Hechtia. If the wild grows in an open, sunny place, then it is better when the soil for it is rough and porous. Propagated by dividing rhizomes or sowing seeds. Can withstand temperature drops, up to freezing point. Over time, the sockets connect to form a wide flat green carpet. The plant is easy to hybridize.
- Dyckia brevifolia possesses a small compact rosette, the diameter of which varies in the range of 25–35 cm. It is formed by numerous leaf plates, the surface of which is hard on top, the color is dark green. The length of the leaves is short, there are small thorns along the edge. On the reverse side, there are grooves and it is densely scaly. The flower stalk can stretch up to 60 cm. The shape of the flowers is bell-shaped, the petals are cast in a bright orange tone, and an inflorescence with the outlines of an ear is collected from the buds.
What a wild one looks like, see here:
