Cryptomeria japonica indoor plants. Cryptomeria. Temperature and humidity for growing

- an evergreen coniferous representative of the cypress family.

The crown of the tree is pyramidal in shape, the bark of the trunk is reddish in color, the leaves are soft light green needles.

Grown in gardens and parks, grows wild in China and Japan.

AT indoor floriculture grown in the form of bonsai - "plant on a tray."

Compositions in the interior indoor bonsai placed at eye level, like exquisite furnishings.

Cultivation of cryptomeria

Caring for cryptomeria is quite complicated, the plant requires daily attention. The miniature size of the plant is achieved by regularly cutting the roots and pinching the tops of the shoots.

Rigid wire is used to give an attractive shape to the branches. In order to limit the growth of the plant, cryptomeria is grown in small low pots - bowls round or rectangular shape with drainage holes.

Ideal for pots made of terracotta, which have good moisture exchange properties. Cryptomeria, like all bonsai, is a surprisingly hardy and long-lived plant.

Afraid of direct sunlight and drafts: outdoors should be shaded and sheltered from rain and wind; in the room - do not place near radiators and protect from drafts.

When placed near a light source, it is advisable to periodically rotate the plant in a circle for uniform illumination.

Since cryptomeria belongs to garden bonsai, it feels best outdoors in the temperature range of +10 - 18 C.

When placed indoors, it is advisable to periodically take the plant out into the open air, the usual indoor one is too warm and dry for it.

The soil is kept constantly moist, but not waterlogged. Watering plentiful, if necessary - daily or even twice a day.

The formation of a hard crust on the soil can harm the plant. Using a watering can with a nozzle - a sieve will allow you to water not only the soil, but also the crown of the plant. Use only warm water, ideally - rain.

Daily spraying of the leaves is an essential part of plant care, especially when grown indoors.

At proper care, and the use of special soil, this type of garden bonsai does not need frequent fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

At the same time, “treating” the soil with fertilizer after plant transplantation activates the vegetation. The easiest way is to purchase special fertilizer for bonsai and follow the instructions.

Transplantation - in the spring, once every two years. At the same time, the old soil is partially removed, and the roots are cut off by 1/3 of the length. The plant is planted in the same pot filled with new soil.

The plant usually goes on sale from the nursery at a fairly adult age of 4 years, with an already formed crown and root system. The cost of such a plant is quite high.

Growing cryptomeria at home from scratch will require a lot of time and patience. The stalk of the plant is rooted and planted in a pot of small diameter.

When the plant reaches the desired height: the top is pinched, the lower branches are removed and the ends of the upper side branches are cut off.

After 2 years, in the spring, a third of the length of the roots is cut off from the plant and transplanted “on permanent place residence."

The main pests are scale insects and spider mite. Less commonly, the plant is affected by thrips and whiteflies. In pest control, special chemicals, it is also possible to remove insects manually with a cotton swab or brush.

Poor drainage or improper watering promote root rot. Stagnant water in a pot is a nutrient medium for the reproduction of fungi that cause black rot - a disease of plant roots.

In case of damage by rot, the soil is replaced and treated with fungicides (for example, benamil or tiram).

The key to plant root health is balanced watering and optimum temperature cultivation.

Growth

AT natural conditions the height of cryptomeria can be 50-60 m, in a room - usually no more than 2 m. The branches of cryptomeria are covered with green needles 2-2.5 cm long. Round brown cones up to 2 cm in diameter appear as fruits. There are two varieties of cryptomeria: Elegans (characterized by the fact that it changes color to reddish in autumn period) and Compacta (which is a dwarf plant).

reproduction

Reproduction of room cryptomeria. Cryptomeria can propagate using cuttings. For this, a non-woody cutting is taken and planted in specially prepared soil. The soil for cryptomeria should contain equal parts of soddy and leafy soil, as well as some sand. Then the stalk is watered and covered with a film. It is necessary to constantly maintain the temperature at the level of 25-30 degrees. Before planting in the soil, the stalk can be lowered with water so that it releases roots.

In addition, indoor cryptomeria can propagate using seeds. In this case, the seeds are sown in a specially prepared box, lightly covered with earth and covered with glass to provide moisture. With sufficient moisture and maintaining an elevated temperature, the seeds germinate fairly quickly.

Care

Care for room cryptomeria. The plant prefers to be in the light, but not under direct sunbeams. AT winter time you can place cryptomeria by the window, since the sun ceases to be too bright, and cryptomeria needs lighting.

For cryptomeria, it is necessary to provide a low temperature. In summer it should be 14-15 degrees, in winter - 8-12 degrees. The plant needs Fresh air however drafts should be avoided.

Watering. For the plant, it is necessary to provide constantly moist soil, but in winter it is possible to allow a slight drying of the top layer. The plant should not be flooded, it is better to water in small portions more often. Cryptomeria likes to be sprayed with soft water, especially in hot weather.

top dressing carried out in the spring and summer with fertilizer for indoor plants. It will be enough to use a weak solution of fertilizer twice a month. You can apply other fertilizers, alternating them with organic ones.

Plant transplant. Until the tree reaches large sizes, transplantation can be done every year, each time slightly increasing the pot. big trees need to be transplanted every 4-5 years, but they need to be renewed annually upper layer soil. When transplanting cryptomeria, good drainage must be ensured. It is not advisable to use ceramic pots, since lime accumulates on their walls over time, which has a detrimental effect on the plant. It is also good to add to the soil coniferous land(it is formed with humus of the bark and needles).

It is an evergreen tree native to Japan. The Japanese consider cryptomeria theirs national tree. Therefore, in Japan, it is distributed everywhere: from mountain forests to alleys in cities and wide forest plantations.

Despite the fact that it is called Japanese, China is also considered its homeland, where the tree will also melt over vast areas.

The type of cryptomeria is the only one of its kind, and belongs to the Cypress family.

This tree is very ancient and impressive in size: by the age of 150 it can reach a height of about 60 meters with a trunk girth of about 2 m. The crown is dense, from dark to light green in color.

In winter, some forms of needles may be reddish or yellowish. On flexible shoots - awl-shaped short needles, with small, spherical, cones 2 cm in diameter. Cones - solitary, brownish, ripen in the first year.

Looking at this tree, it is hard to believe that it can be grown at home, for example, as a houseplant. However, it is currently out a large number of different garden forms, among which there are dwarf forms.

Due to the fact that cryptomeria is easily propagated by seeds, cuttings and grafts, and also gives rich shoots, it has become popular in areas with a mild climate, such as the Crimea and the Caucasus.

Here dwarf forms(no more than 2 m):

. "Wandai-sugi"

. "Araucarioides"

. Dacrydioides

. "Compressa" (round)

. "Globosa" (round)

. "Vilmoriniana"

. "elegans compacta"

Cryptomeria Care

In summer, cryptomeria feels great at a temperature of 20-25º C on a balcony with ajar windows or on an open terrace. She needs a light, not too sunny place.

During active growth cryptomeria must be accompanied abundant watering, without drying the earthen coma.

And winter for Japanese cryptomeria can become a difficult test if the necessary conditions are not created for it.

The temperature in the room where cryptomeria will grow in winter should be no more than + 12ºС.

Watering and humidity levels in winter should be practically the same as in summer.

Plus - regular spraying at least 2 times a day with water. Stagnant and dry air is unacceptable for conifers - they need a humidity of 60-80% and constant ventilation of the room.

And if cryptomeria will winter in a cold room, then watering should be reduced several times.

Reproduction and transplantation of cryptomeria

Some gardeners claim that cryptomeria reproduces easily by seeds - seedlings appear after 3 weeks. To do this, the seeds are sown in separate cups one by one with a mixture of peat and sand.

Yet, the most in a simple way propagation is cuttings. For propagation of cryptomeria, only non-lignified cuttings are suitable. They must be treated with a root stimulator and placed in water.

Then, as the roots of the cuttings appear, they must be planted in a mixture of sand, peat, leaf, sod land.

Young cryptomeria once a year in the first 5 years are carefully transplanted into large-diameter pots.

In the first days after transplantation, coniferous plants should be sprayed several times a day.

Top dressing of cryptomeria

AT room conditions coniferous trees will not grow to their natural sizes, but still their growth is best restrained. Therefore, from too large pots and very frequent fertilizers, discard.

Pests of cryptomeria

Like many other conifers, cryptomeria releases phytoncides, due to which some pests bypass it. However, when the air is too dry, spider mites may appear on cryptomeria, they are disposed of with a systemic insecticide.

To prevent this lesion, as well as the fall of the needles, daily spraying and an increase in air humidity are necessary.

Cryptomeria- graceful coniferous plant covered with soft needle-like needles. Used to decorate parks and gardens, to create bonsai.

In Japan and China, this is highly revered and favorite tree, in Russia it is almost unfamiliar.

If you want to plant cryptomeria, should be considered that in the garden she takes quite large space. In height, it reaches 60-70 cm, in diameter - more than 2 m.

Types of cryptomeria

There is only one type of cryptomeria in the world - Japanese (Cryptomeria Japonica). The original cryptomeria has a cylindrical trunk and a crown in the form of a narrowed pyramid.

The bark is chestnut in color with a reddish tinge. The needles are bent crescent-shaped, consists of 3 or 4 faces.

AT summer months has a dark green color that turns yellow in cold weather. The fruits are round cones growing singly.

Unlike all other plants, it is divided not by varieties, but by forms, of which there are more than 200.

The most common of them:

• Montrosa- tall plant (up to 2 m) with a straight trunk. The crown is in the form of a column, the branches are spaced and strongly branched at the ends.
• Spiralis- a low bush with long hanging branches. It got its name from the thick curved needles spiraling around the branch.
• Arauicarioides- an asymmetric shape, which can have two trunks. The spreading crown consists of long chaotically growing shoots. The needles are short, painted in green color with a very dark focus.
• Compressa – dwarf plant, covered with many small branches with rosettes of needles at the tips. In warm weather, the color is dark green, with a brilliant bluish tint, by winter it becomes brown with a red tint.
• elegans- can reach a height of 10 m. Shoots are spaced, densely growing. The needles are soft, long, greenish-blue, by winter they can acquire a purple or reddish hue. Cones are small, appear only on young plants. The form is unusually resistant to many adverse factors.

In indoor floriculture use slow growing forms of which bonsai. Most suitable for growing indoor cryptomeria:

• Banday-sugi- straight bushy plant with short numerous shoots. The needles are plump, greenish-blue, hard to the touch.
• Nanaalbospica- dwarf plant, original color. Needles on young shoots are absolutely White color, which becomes pale green with age.
• Vilmoriniana- the most ideal kind of cryptomeria. Her annual growth does not exceed 30 mm!

Care rules

Caring for cryptomeria is not difficult if you follow certain rules.

Site selection and temperature

Cryptomeria is enough light-loving conifer, which does not tolerate shade well. However, the direct rays of the sun also bring tangible harm. He loves fresh air, tolerates drafts and bad weather well.

Enough thermophilic plant, which suits the air temperature from 18 to 25º. When grown outdoors, it must be covered with special material and snow.

May perish, if opened early due to late spring frosts.

room cryptomeria artificially create rest period with content at low temperatures not exceeding 12-13º.

Watering

In the warm season, water moderately, preventing both excess and lack of moisture. The most correct is regular watering after the topsoil has dried.

Besides, in hot air constant spraying of the ground parts of the plant is necessary.

To increase air humidity for room cryptomeria , you can put the pot in a tray filled with moistened pebbles or place an open container of water next to it.

top dressing

From the beginning of spring it is recommended apply fertilizer with a reduced amount of nitrogen. By the end of spring, its amount begins to increase, and by the beginning of autumn it is reduced again.

In addition, during growing season carry out top dressing organic fertilizers except July and August.

After transplant trees do not fertilize for 2 months at all. The fertilizer application interval for young plants is 14 days, for mature plants - 30.

Transfer

Cryptomeria trees growing on the street not worth transplanting.

And for room cryptomeria, the procedure is carried out every 3-4 g in the spring. Optimal composition land- coarse sand, compost and leafy soil in equal quantities.

When landing on the street, worth remembering, which is best fertile, well-drained light earth not prone to excessive moisture.

reproduction

Pretty unreliable way propagation by seeds. Very little chance of germination. If you want to try, you need to fill suitable container with a mixture of sand and peat, moisten, plant seeds in the ground and cover with film or glass - the effect of a greenhouse.

Reproduction by layering– more efficient way. It is only suitable for outdoor plants. The lower thin branch is dug into the ground, after removing the needles and making several oblique cuts.

The soil must be kept moist. A positive result of the procedure will be the appearance of new shoots on the layering.

Another good way – cuttings. Most best time for this - August. cut off right amount suitable healthy branches from the mother plant.

They are cleaned of needles, especially in the part that will be in the ground. The cuttings are placed in root stimulator for 24 hours, then placed in a sand-peat mixture in a greenhouse.

Possible problems

The main problem with cryptomeria is drying of branches and needle fall, is caused by pathogenic fungi that attack patients with weakened cryptomeria.

damaged branches pruned and burned, plants are treated with solutions of fungicides containing copper (copper sulfate, copper sulphate).

The more you admire cryptomeria, the more you fall in love with it. This is, so far, a fairly rare tree in decorative landscaping. But if we remember that nature has no limit to perfection, then cryptomeria accurately proves this belief.

Japanese cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica) - evergreen tree pertaining to amazing family Cypress (Cupressaceae) and sometimes referred to as mysterious Japanese name“sugi”, enchants the soul with a dense, but at the same time model-slender crown, colorful brownish-red fibrous bark.

Under natural conditions, cryptomeria grow in Japan and China, reaching 40 m in height. Their crown is narrow pyramidal, the trunk is straight, cylindrical. The needles are triangular, light green, even rather emerald, arranged gracefully in a spiral on the shoots. It is slightly curved at the base, but this only emphasizes the naturalness and originality, adding even more expressiveness to the plant. The cones are solitary, spherical, up to 3 cm in diameter, ripen within a year and after the seeds have been shed, they remain on the tree for a long time.

In Japan, cryptomeria is a valuable garden and park plant; many cultivars and options. This coniferous plant is also popular in Germany, where about 20 different forms are also cultivated. Cryptomeria grow well on Black Sea coast. The cold northern climate does not allow growing cryptomeria easily and without problems, but with certain conditions it can decorate gardens.

Before deciding to land this exotic, it is important to understand that from right choice varieties depends on successful wintering. The heat-loving cryptomeria grown from the brought cutting will most likely not endure the winter. But many bred in Germany winter-hardy varieties can be successfully grown in the south of Russia, in Ukraine, Belarus, in the Baltic countries.

Suitable for harsh cold climates dwarf form"Globosa nana", which is grown in large ceramic pots, sheltering for the winter in a greenhouse or insulated loggia. This cryptomeria in parks reaches a maximum of 2-2.5 meters. The shoots are very dense and uniform, slightly raised. Branches are bent. The needles are short, thick, of unequal length, light green. Tolerates down to -12 degrees below zero.

A variety of "Vilmoriniana" is popular. For a year, it gives an increase of only 3-4 cm, so it is often grown as a houseplant in cool winter conditions. AT winter period its needles acquire a reddish-green color and serve as a wonderful decoration of the garden.

Cryptomeria in landscape design

In Japan, cryptomeria is treated with great respect, equating it with one of the national symbols. Some species are used to create bonsai. Decorative garden molds are widely used to create hedges, park gardening.

Dwarf forms serve as a garden decoration in summer, and in winter they move to cool halls or winter gardens. The mild southern climate allows the use of cryptomeria in coniferous mixborders.

Location. When choosing a landing site, it should be noted that this plant needs good lighting, but it burns out in the sun. And it burns out in the winter sun.

Temperature. Cryptomeria is thermophilic. Frost-resistant up to -12 degrees. When wintering indoors, keep in a cool place, preferably at a temperature of 10-12 degrees.

Watering. Moisture-loving plant. With a lack of moisture, the needles crumble. Does not tolerate standing water.

Air humidity. Wintering indoors requires certain humidity air. Cryptomeria, as a resident of subtropical regions, needs high humidity air, especially in winter. Therefore, the plant must be sprayed daily, with very dry indoor air at least 2 times a day.