Roicissus flower or everyone’s favorite home “birch” is very popular in indoor crop production. Moreover, only leaves of a rhombic appearance are similar to birch ones, while in the Cape form of this plant, the foliage looks different. There are also differences in the care of rhombic and Cape rocissus – you will receive recommendations for growing each species in this material.
The plant roitsissus (Rhoicissus) belongs to the Grape family. Homeland – South Africa. Under natural conditions, it grows in subtropical and tropical zones. In the people, some types of roitsissus are called “birch”.
Roicissus is a climbing shrub with thin, flexible stems up to 1.5 m long. The leaves consist of several rhombic leaves, the underside is covered with fleecy pubescence, the upper side is emerald green, smooth. Undemanding plant.
Most popular:
Roitsissus Cape (R. capensis).
R. fingered (R. digitata).
R. rhombic (R. rhomboidea).
Caring for a rhombic rhocissus (with photo)
In indoor floriculture, the most popular rhombic rocissus (Rhoicissus rhomboides Planch.).
Appearance and structure: a climbing plant that requires an openwork inconspicuous support. Shoots reach 1.5 m in length. The shoots of roicissus are climbing, thin, branching; in the people, this plant is called “birch”. Without support, the shoots hang down, and if it is present, they climb up and to the sides.
Compound leaves on elongated petioles have a regular arrangement. The leaf is complex, consists of three rhombic-shaped pale green leaves (hence the name), the underside of which is light matte green with a reddish tinge. The veins protrude clearly and end at the edge of the leaf blade with a tooth.
There are small pubescent stipules. The stem, petioles, leaves, antennae, with good care, are abundantly covered with fleecy pubescence of a reddish tone, which increases the decorativeness of plants. It is attached to the support with a thin mustache.
Look at the photo – in a rhombic rocissus, the flowers are small, inconspicuous, five-membered, greenish, collected in racemose axillary inflorescences:
The fruits are berry-like, reddish, edible. Roicissus usually does not bloom indoors.
Reproduction: easily and quickly rooted in spring and summer with grassy cuttings in sand, expanded clay, vermiculite, perlite, ion-exchange substrate, peat.
In bowls, vases, double pots, it is used for vertical gardening. Requires frequent washing of leaves from dust.
In winter, they are kept at a temperature of 13 – 18 ° with moderate watering, in spring and summer, watering is plentiful, spraying. From the beginning of the growing season to a period of relative rest, when caring for at home, rhombic rocissus is fed once every 10 days with a complex fertilizer. Land mixture: 2 hours of sod and leaf and 1 hour of humus earth and sand. Shade-tolerant, optimal exposure is northern, western and eastern. In bright direct sunlight, the leaves fade, become light yellow, and with increased dryness of the air they dry out and fall off; from waterlogging, the leaves turn brown and also fall off. A weakened plant is affected by scale insects and spider mites. An exceptionally valuable plant for landscaping the walls of the winter garden (previously, it is advisable to make a wooden lattice on the wall – a support for the plant).
The photo “Care for rocissus at home” shows all the main agricultural practices:
Cape roicissus plant care
The Cape Roicissus differs from the rhombic one in the shape of the leaf: it is large, up to 20 cm wide, not divided into parts. The upper side of the leaves is dark green, smooth, shiny, the lower side is brown, pubescent.
As you can see in the photo, roicissus clings to the support with the help of antennae:
Roicissus needs a bright room. The plant loves bright diffused light, so it is best to install it near a south-facing window and shade it, otherwise burns will appear on the leaves.
Roicissus Cape can also grow in a semi-dark room.
In summer, it requires shading and spraying once a day. In the warm season, you should ventilate the room or take the plant to the balcony.
The temperature in winter is about 13-15 °C. Tolerates higher room temperatures.
The substrate is prepared from soddy, humus and leafy soil, sand (2:2:1:1).
Frequent watering with soft water is necessary, especially in summer. In spring, summer and autumn, the vine should be watered abundantly, but not waterlogged.
In winter, during the dormant period, watering should be moderate. In summer, the plant should be regularly sprayed with water at room temperature or put in the shower.
Roicissus is best transplanted in spring into a mixture consisting of two parts of turf, two parts of leaf, one part of humus soil and one part of sand.
In the warm season, regular top dressing. The plant needs support.
Diseases and pests are rarely affected. With poor drainage, mold can appear on the leaves. With a lack of moisture, the leaves become stained and curl up. Dry air leads to wrinkling of the tips of the leaves.
Apical cuttings at any time of the year with soil heating up to 20-22 ° C.
They need to be cut from the mother plant in spring or summer, placed in a container of water or wet sand to root, and then planted in the soil.
It can be grown as an ampelous or climbing plant. Liana can be used to decorate vertical surfaces, poles, trellises, but we should not forget that its stems are very flexible and need support. The plant looks great in a wall planter.
It can be grown in a vase with water, it helps to improve the energy of the room, make it lighter. Can grow in artificial light or away from a window, facilitates the perception of news and improves the body’s adaptation to new living conditions.