Spathiphyllum flower: growing and care at home

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Spathiphyllum is a popular indoor plant that is planted at home. Spathiphyllum has beautiful leaves and very unusual and original flowers. This plant is very unpretentious to care for, so it is popular among both experienced flower growers and beginners.

To take care of spathiphyllum, there is no need to have any skills in caring for plants, it is enough just to study the basic rules for watering and maintaining a flower. We will tell you how to take care of spathiphyllum at home, as well as what diseases this plant most often suffers from.

general information

Spathiphyllum can be attributed to the Aroid family, the plant feels most comfortable in a tropical climate. The flower is very common in America as well as in East Asia. Today, there are 40 varieties of spathiphyllum, each variety differs in the shade of inflorescences and deciduous parts.

The plant is perennial, its average height is about thirty centimeters. But you can also find taller flowers, or purchase dwarf varieties.

The plant does not have a main stem, the deciduous part grows directly from the soil. The leaves have a rich dark shade, while they are wide and elongated. The flower is popular for the reason that it has unusual inflorescences. The ears grow on long peduncles, the color of the flower ranges from cream to light pink. A "blanket" of white is located around the flower; it becomes green with time of flowering. Often this plant is popularly called a flagleaf, since the white "veil" looks like a flag.

It so happens that the plant does not bloom at all, in order to achieve flowering, it is enough to properly care for the spathiphyllum at home. Flowering begins in spring and lasts until July, in rare cases it can bloom again, but already in the fall.

It is worth noting that the people also began to call the flower "female happiness". According to popular beliefs, it is believed that he helps bring happiness to the house, establishes family life, and helps to have children.

Popular types of plants for growing at home

Today there are about 40 different species of this plant, but only a few of them are kept at home. Below will be described those types of spathiphyllums that usually grow well at home and bloom beautifully with proper care.

The most common types of female happiness include:

1. Wallis Spathiphyllum … This is the most common type of "female happiness", it is he who is taken as a basis to develop new varieties of the plant. Its height is no more than forty-five centimeters, while the length of the inflorescences can be from four to ten centimeters. It is this variety that is the most unpretentious and easy to care for.
2. Spathiphyllum profusely flowering … This variety can be attributed to popular plants, it is in second place after the variety described above. The flowering period in this species is longer and more abundant, the inflorescences are small in size, and the leaves become darker every year. The flower reaches a size of no more than eight centimeters, while the peduncle can grow up to twenty centimeters in height.
3. Spathiphyllum Chopin … The bush is rather small, its height reaches a maximum of forty centimeters. The bush itself is very compact, while the flowers have a slight aroma during flowering.
4. Spathiphyllum Picasso … Only the leaves of this plant can reach a length of about thirty centimeters. This variety is considered unique precisely because of the deciduous part, while the inflorescences are simple, no more than eight centimeters long.
5. Alana's Spathiphyllum … Another large variety, its height can reach fifty centimeters in height. The leaves have a noticeable sharpness, while the green pigment is strongly pronounced.
6. Spathiphyllum Mauna Loa … This type of flower differs in that cut flowers retain their appearance and freshness for up to one month, so this variety is often used for decoration. The plant itself is large in size.
7. Spathiphyllum Domino … On the surface of the dark green leaves, you can see many small strokes of white, so this type of culture is very popular. The rest of the bush does not differ from other types of spathiphyllum.
8. Spathiphyllum Sensation … This variety can be called the leader among indoor plants in height, because the growth of a flower can reach one and a half meters. The inflorescences are also large in size, while they bloom for a long time.
9. Spathiphyllum Red … The variety is different in that it has a bright color, but such plants require more care.

Basic rules of care

It is very important to take proper care of the spathiphyllum in order to get a beautiful plant at home. Initially, this plant grew in tropical countries such as: Brazil, the Philippine Islands and Venezuela. The flower is easy to care for, you just need to follow some simple rules. With proper and timely care, spathiphyllum will bloom on time.

How to water: winter-summer

Like all plants, in summer and spring, any variety of spathiphyllum loves abundant watering, it is at this time that the plant begins to bloom, so it needs more nutrients and water. But between waterings, the land should dry out slightly, otherwise the soil will be waterlogged, which will negatively affect the flower.

If we talk about caring for spathiphyllum during winter and autumn, then at home the number of watering is reduced. Although the flower can stand without watering longer than in summer, it is still very important to water it, otherwise the plant will start to hurt and die.

It is very important not to put the culture on a cold windowsill in the winter season, and also not to water the flower too often, otherwise problems with the root system will arise.

Lighting rules

This houseplant grows well in diffused light, so a brighter area of the room should be allocated for the spathiphyllum. But it is worth considering that direct sunlight can seriously damage the plant, having a negative effect on its leaves. It is recommended to place the flower in a light shade, where the direct rays of the sun will not fall on it. In the summer, the plants must be shaded, this is one of the most important conditions.

Temperature regime

Home care for spathiphyllum involves observing the temperature regime, the growth and development of the flower will depend on it.

For "female happiness" the most optimal temperature is from sixteen to eighteen degrees. Of course, the plant can withstand a drop in room temperature to thirteen degrees, but then its growth will noticeably slow down. In summer, the temperature is considered to be 22-24 degrees, which is comfortable for the plant. The flower is quite capable of withstanding a temperature regime of 27 degrees, but subject to constant and abundant watering.

Air humidity

It is these plant varieties that love high air humidity, so foliage can be sprayed at any time of the year. Many gardeners recommend additionally placing the pot on a pallet with some water poured into it. The liquid will gradually evaporate, thereby creating a special microclimate for "female happiness".

Fertilizer and feeding

When spring comes, flower growers recommend feeding spathiphyllum with a mineral supplement. One liter of water uses one and a half grams of fertilizer. With the onset of summer, it is also recommended to use mineral lures, the same fertilizer is used when "female happiness" is in bloom.

If the houseplant has not yet grown enough, then it should be fertilized once every two weeks, and only then complementary foods are introduced once a month. In winter, the number of complementary foods is reduced, while the concentration of fertilizers should be significantly lower.

Transplant rules

After acquiring spathiphyllum, it is recommended to transplant it into a new pot. As soon as about three weeks have passed, the transplant should be repeated, but in a more spacious pot. If the top layer of the earth is slightly dry, the flower is immediately watered, since it loves moisture very much.

Transplanting is an important part of spathiphyllum care at home, the plant responds well to such changes. A young plant should be transplanted once a year, but if the "female happiness" is five years old, then its transplant is necessary if the roots have completely filled the soil. Each time a pot is transplanted, a pot is used that is larger than the previous one.

Transplanting rules are equally important, they should be strictly followed. Fertile soil, which has a loose composition, is more suitable for a plant.

It is optimal to include in the substrate some leaves and sod of the earth, as well as sand and peat. The composition of the earth itself should not turn out to be too heavy, otherwise water will not pass through it, and will linger in the roots of the plant. Drainage plays an important role here, it makes it possible to drain excess water so that the root system does not start to rot.

Diseases affecting the plant

When caring for spathiphyllum at home, it is worth remembering that the plant can easily undergo various diseases, usually they develop due to improperly selected care.

For example, if you water it too much, brown spots may appear on the deciduous part, but this sign can also indicate pests. When the tips of the plant dry out, the number of waterings should be increased. Black tips indicate abundant watering, or lack of it.