Among plants that are recently grown at home, Clusius is gaining more and more popularity. This small tree or bush with glossy green leaves can decorate any interior. How to grow it correctly is described in this article.

Botanical description of the plant

Clusia (Clusia, the tree of autographs) is a plant from the Clusian family, or Gummigutovye. It got its name from the 17th-century French botanist Charles Plumier, who dedicated it to the outstanding scientist Carl Clusius. The plant is described as follows:

1. Life form - may be a tree or shrub, often grows on other plants. Clusia does not feed on the plant to which it is attached, but can strangle it if it grows very much. Often male and female reproductive organs are located on different plants.
2. On the stems there are many branches and a large number of leaves.
3. The leaves are green, covered with thick, lint-free skin, smooth, growing opposite each other on short petioles. Shape - in the form of an ellipse or lancet, the edges are even, the tip is pointed. Depending on the type of plant, the length of the leaves can reach 20 cm, and the width is 8 cm. Any scratches and other marks on the leaves are scarred and stored for a long time.
4. The root system is highly developed, takes up a lot of space, old roots become wooden. Several plants can grow from one root system.
5. It blooms year-round at night, during the day the petals close. The flowers consist of several pieces (up to 10) of dense petals of white color with smeared plaque, the middle is pink or yellow, the size is about 5 cm. The aroma of flowering is hardly perceptible.
6. The fruit is a box up to 8 cm in size, round in shape, greenish in color, with seeds and pulp inside, in ripened form - dark brown. When ripe, the box opens, forming juicy fleshy slices, and becomes like an asterisk. Clusius fruit is not suitable for consumption.

Did you know? The resinous juice of Clusia was used in the construction of ships - with it, parts were fastened together.

Views

Clusius genus includes the following species:

1. Clusia pink (Rosea princesses) - it is grown most often. A characteristic feature are flowers with white petals at the edges and pink in the middle. The middle is painted in a bright yellow color.
2. Clusius lanceolate - the leaves resemble lancets in shape. The flowers on the edges are white, and at the base are painted dark red.
3. Large clusia (balsamic apple) - grows up to 3 m in length and 1.2 m in diameter. The petals of the flowers are pink at the base.
4. Large-flowered clusia (grandiflora) - a climbing plant with flowers up to 20 cm in size, in the form of a funnel of white color with a pale pink tinge.

According to various estimates, from 150 to 300 species of this plant are known.

Necessary microclimate

Conditions in the room where clusia is contained play an important role in its cultivation. Like other plants, this is primarily the location of the flower, as well as air temperature and humidity level.

Location

You need to place the plant in a bright place, but at the same time limit access to direct sunlight. In winter, for illusion, additional lighting must be installed.

The air around the tree should be fresh, so the room must be ventilated, while protecting the flower from drafts.

Temperature mode

For a beautiful view and normal life, the plant needs a temperature of 25 ° C during the day and 20 ° C at night, and the minimum acceptable level for a short period of time is + 13 ° C.

Air humidity

To bring the conditions of the tree closer to natural, it must be moistened (sprayed). In dry weather, this procedure is carried out twice a day. You can also wipe the leaves with a damp cloth from dust or bathe the plant in the shower (the pot with the soil mixture should be wrapped with polyethylene). Room humidity should be at least 75%.

Home Care

At home, the autograph tree needs proper watering, top dressing and pruning.

Watering

Rules for watering clusias:

1. Water the plant when the soil mixture dries slightly.
2. If water has collected in the pan, it must be drained.
3. The amount of water for irrigation should be small - it is better to water the flower more often.
4. Water must be warm.
5. In winter, watering is less common.
6. The recommended watering method is sprinkling with a watering can.

Important! For a long absence, it is better to equip drip irrigation for clusia.

Fertilizer application

Clusia should be fed as follows:

1. Frequency of application: in summer - 2 times a month, in winter - 1 time per month.
2. Fertilizers of a universal type for indoor plants are suitable.
3. The concentration of purchased fertilizers should be reduced by half.
4. Feeding should be combined with watering.

Is it possible to crop

Pruning is necessary for clot formation to form a beautiful crown. To this end, pinch the tops, remove dried branches and leaves. Only young shoots need to be cut, because after trimming the old appearance of the plant, the thick edges of the slices can spoil. The procedure is best carried out in April and repeated in late June or early July.

How to transplant

Clot transplantation rules:

1. Transplant when the plant roots no longer fit in the old pot. The approximate frequency is once every 2–4 years.
2. The best time for a transplant is immediately after the end of the cold season, in the middle or at the end of March.
3. Buy a wide and shallow ceramic pot with drainage holes. The diameter of the new tank is about 4 cm larger than the old one.
4. The mixture for transplantation should consist of peat (1 part), leaf and turf soil (2 parts each), vermiculite (1 part), sand (½ part).
5. A drainage layer is required.
6. Use the transshipment method.
7. In the process of transplanting, lay 4 cm thick drainage on the bottom of the pot, pour a little soil mixture, water the tree and, together with the old soil, transfer it to a new pot, add soil mixture above and around. Water the transplanted plant.

Important! When carrying out transplantation or other manipulations with clusion, protect your hands with gloves - the juice released from the damaged parts can seriously damage the skin.

Propagation by apical cuttings

Known methods of propagation of clusia:

• lower bends;
• by seeds;
• apical cuttings.

However, the first 2 methods are almost never used by gardeners. The process of propagation by apical cuttings looks like this:

1. From the upper parts of the shoots, prepare cuttings 10–20 cm long.
2. Treat prepared cuttings with root growth stimulants.
3. Fill a small pot with a mixture of peat and sand. You can simply pour water into a small container.
4. Place the handle there, make a cap of glass or polyethylene, put in a bright warm place. Professional flower growers use special greenhouses to withstand cuttings.
5. Ventilate and water young plants regularly.
6. When new leaves appear (after about 1 month), the cap can be removed.

Growing difficulties

At home, clusia can be exposed to various pathogens:

1. Root rot - occurs if you overdo it with watering. In this case, the tree needs to be transplanted, cutting off the damaged roots and removing the old earth. To heal the slices, they need to be treated with wood ash. Fungicide treatment is also required.
2. Fungus - white coating on the surface of the soil, which appears if the excess watering is combined with exposure to cold air. The affected part of the soil must be removed, the remaining mixture loosened, treated with fungicides, after a few days add new soil.
3. Curvature - caused by lack of lighting. It is necessary to provide the plant with access to light.
4. Dark spots on the leaves - appear when exposed to direct sunlight. Damaged leaves need to be cut, and the tree should be protected from the sun.
5. Yellowing, falling leaves - lack of moisture. Water and spray the plant more often.

Of insects, harm to clotfish can cause:

1. Spider mite - a thin white web appears on the back of the leaves.
2. Mealybug - cotton lumps on the foliage.
3. Shield - dark growths.
4. Aphid - almost transparent insects.

It is best to remove them manually by wetting a rag in a soapy solution. Then it is worth treating the plant with insecticides.

Home value

Both the fruits and other parts of the clusia contain toxic substances, so be careful that children and pets do not harm themselves. The advantage of this plant is that it purifies the air, enriching it with oxygen. It is also used in folk medicine in order to get rid of corns and corns.

This tree is used to decorate the room, it can be grown like bonsai (in a dwarf version using small pots). You can give the plant originality if you scratch the leaves with a thin needle - such inscriptions hold on them for a very long time.

Did you know? The Taoist doctrine of energy flows feng shui claims that clusia promotes the concentration of positive qi energy by scaring away negative flows. This energy is female, so those who live in the house will be hardworking, kind, wise, peace-loving, insightful.

So, we can make sure that even such an unusual plant in our homes as clusia does not require titanic efforts to care for it. If you can provide him with proper watering, temperature conditions and adequate lighting, you will get an exotic decoration. Just do not forget to limit access to it for children and pets so that they are not convinced of its toxic properties by example.