Akalifa - home care and description

Akalifa is a very unusual plant. Fluffy crimson inflorescences against the background of rich greenery will not leave indifferent any grower. Along with the extraordinary attractiveness, Akalifa is very unpretentious, and the variety of varieties can satisfy even the most refined taste.

Akalifa - home care

This original flower is native to Latin America and belongs to the euphorbia family. In the wild, the plant can reach impressive sizes - some varieties grow up to 2 meters in height.

Description of the plant

The name "akalifa" translated from ancient Greek means "nettle". This is because the shape of the leaves of both plants is similar. The color of the leaf plate cannot be described unequivocally, since it can vary from light green to dark purple, depending on the variety of the flower.

Inflorescences in most varieties are fluffy and flowing, spike-shaped. They have a rich crimson or red hue. Varieties with variegated foliage do not bloom so effectively - their flowers are small and rather inconspicuous.

Variety of species

There are more than 400 species of akalifa, but not all are suitable for growing in indoor conditions. Most often, flower growers grow bristly-haired Akalifa, Wilkes and several other varieties. They can be conditionally divided into two groups:

• Varieties that feature abundant and continuous flowering. Against the background of lush greenery, fluffy spike-shaped inflorescences of a raspberry hue stand out. Some species can be grown as an ampelous plant.
• Varieties with an unusual color of the leaf plate. Thanks to the variegated foliage, they look spectacular and decorative. Inflorescences are small, red.

The variety of types of akalifa makes it possible to choose the most suitable variety for each purpose. Lovers of original greenery are more suitable varieties with variegated foliage, and those who prefer to grow flowering plants - varieties with bright inflorescences.

Akalifa as an ampelous plant

Some flower varieties have long, flowing shoots. This makes it possible to grow them as an ampelous crop.

Care

In order for the plant not to form lush greenery, but to please with abundant flowering, it needs to provide optimal conditions and proper care. This implies the fulfillment of certain recommendations and conditions.

Lighting	Intense and long lasting lighting. Light is needed diffused, not direct sunlight.
Watering	Regular and moderate in spring and summer. In winter, reduce the frequency of watering to a minimum.
Temperature	Recommended daily average values ​​are 20-24 degrees. In winter, the minimum is 17-19 degrees.
Top dressing	From spring to autumn, complex mineral fertilizers are applied with a frequency of 14-16 days. No additional feeding is needed in the winter.
Priming	Nutritious, loose, water and air permeable.
Spraying	It is carried out only when there are no inflorescences on the plant, directing the spray gun into the air, and not at the surface of the leaves. The optimal solution is to install a humidifier.

Only with proper care can the shoots reach the required length for the plant to look like ampelous. To form a more lush flower shape, you can pinch the ends of the lashes.

Reproduction

It will not be difficult to grow a new instance of a flower. Most often, the grafting method is used for this purpose. In order for the process to end with success, it is worth considering several important points:

• Cuttings of long-flowering varieties are cut in spring, and decorative deciduous varieties - all year round.
• The shoot tip is used as a cutting.
• Rooting is carried out in a mixture of sand and peat in a ratio of 1/1.
• During the rooting period, the temperature should be at least 22 degrees.
• It is imperative to regularly spray the plantings and air the greenhouse.

It is quite easy to grow a new plant from a cuttings. Already in 1-2 months it will be possible to see the growth of young akalifa, and soon wait for the first flowering.

Akalifa Hispida

A very original akalifa. The flower is distinguished by especially large inflorescences, the length of which can reach 50 cm. They adorn the plant almost all year round, hanging spectacularly against the background of lush green leaves. Another name for this variety is Akalifa Bristle-haired. This variety is the most common among flower growers, because the plant is unpretentious and at the same time blooms for a long time and abundantly.

Akalifa South

When looking at this variety, many gardeners recognize a familiar weed in the plant, which they often have to fight. The variety is not at all like its indoor counterparts - it has very small and inconspicuous inflorescences. Despite the fact that the plant is annual, the South Akalifa weed quickly spreads over the site as an unwanted guest. The weed is very aggressive and its seeds have an extremely high germination rate.

Akalif Wilkes

This species has several varieties. Some are shrubs up to 1.5 m high, while others can be grown as a compact shrub indoors. The peculiarity of the flower in the color of the leaves - it can be dark green, purple or even burgundy.

Akalifa Skyrim

This name can be found on the Internet quite often. Many people mistakenly believe that this is another type of plant, but this is not the case. In fact, this phrase appeared due to the popularity of the game "Skyrim", one of the characters of which is named Akalif.

Akalifa Viginsi

The representative of this species can be found only on the Galapagos Islands and that is quite rare - the plant is on the verge of extinction. Akalifa Viginsi is a large shrub with long fluffy crimson inflorescences. According to scientists, measures should be taken immediately to preserve the species, otherwise it will be possible to forget that once this beautiful flower grew on planet earth.

Akalifa is an ornamental houseplant, which is still exotic for many flower growers. There are a lot of species of this flower, and each of them is attractive in its own way.

Some varieties are distinguished by continuous and original flowering, like the akalifa hispida. Descriptions of other species indicate unusual leaf coloration. All varieties are united by one excellent quality - unpretentious care. This plant will not only decorate the house, but also give a sea of ​​positive emotions with its flowering.