The espatifilo (scientist named Spathiplyllum Wallasii , from the family Araceae ), originated in tropical America.
It is characterized by being a very resistant plant, being able to live for many years with a minimum level of care. For this reason, it is considered one of the most cultivated houseplants today.
Another of its characteristics par excellence is that it is very aesthetic, especially in its flowering . And it combines soft colors of the inflorescence with the bright green hue that comes from the leaves.
A visual show!
If you are thinking of cultivating spatifilo , check out the guide we have prepared for you.
Espatifilo: care
Light and heat
The first thing we have to be clear about this plant is that it does not tolerate natural light too much, so it is a perfect plant to grow in the shade. Special attention should be paid to the temperature in summer, away from any direct light.
We must keep it in a shady place for it to develop.
As we have already commented, the espatifilo is a plant that has a tropical origin, so it will need a warm temperature to develop. Ideally, the temperature moves in a range between 20 and 24 ° C.
Caution: If the temperature falls below 15ºC, the plant could die.
land
As for the type of land, the spathiphyllym cares are not very complicated to comply with. All we will need is to make a mixture with sand, mulch and peat.
Keep in mind that the roots of the plant will not develop much, so we will not need to have a too large pot.
We recommend you plant it in a small vessel and wait for it to grow. When you do it you can transplant it to a slightly larger container or pot, but you will see that it does not need to be too large.
Irrigation
Unlike other more demanding plants, espatifilo does not need much care as far as irrigation is concerned. We will only have to water the plant with a frequency of 2-3 times a week.
When summer comes , and temperatures rise, things change. In this situation an interdiary irrigation is recommended.
At the same time it will be necessary to check if the temperature is not excessive: if it is, we will use a water spray and spray to prevent the plant from getting stressed.
In winter, the irrigation of the plant can extend to 10 days, even more.
Although there are many ways to water the plant, we recommend that you submerge the pot (preventing water from reaching the leaves). At the moment when the bubbles disappear, we take out the plant and place it in its rightful place.
Thanks to this procedure we can supply the long series of fibrous roots that the plant has; In another way, it is possible that the water did not reach all the recesses.
Other care to consider spatifilo
- Cleaning:Probably the most complicated point of cyclamen care . If the leaves are not clean, the stomata will become clogged and the plant will not be able to do photosynthesis. Cleaning the plant is not complicated: with a damp cloth it should be more than enough.
- Structure:If the flowers or leaves appear with a small size, or the ends of the latter dry out, it is indicative that the pot must be changed. Usually, this is something we will have to do once a year or so.
- Diseases:This plant is affected by pests such as aphids, fungi, whiteflies or mites. Aphids and mites can be counteracted with a mixture of garlic, vinegar, onion and alcohol. We introduce all these ingredients in a sprayer and spray.
To neutralize fungi, just spray with a mixture of water and cinnamon.
- Plant extension:If you would like to divide the plant to obtain new specimens, you will have to wait until the flowering process is over . It will be then when the plant will be large and ready to endure the process.
