Oplismenus - motley cereal ostyanka

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One of the most spectacular indoor cereals, Oplismenus or Ostyanka, is a genuine exotic. This plant comes from the distant Green Continent and surprises with its growth form, and the beauty of variegated leaves, and character. An atypical representative of the cereal family - this plant is not for everyone. Oplismenus needs regular updating, quickly loses its decorative effect, and is sensitive to moisture. But it is so modern and impudent in appearance that quite rightly claims to be the indispensable room culture.

Content:

Oplismenus - ampel miracle cereal
Oplismenus care at home
Oplismenus rejuvenation, pruning and transplantation
Diseases and pests of Oplismenus
Oplismenus reproduction

We are just beginning to take a closer look at amazing oplismenusa. This plant is considered rare and exclusive; it is not found in every flower shop. But designers are increasingly introducing it when decorating modern interiors and landscaping cafes and restaurants; and the demand for Oplismenus is only growing. This is not surprising: creeping cereals are also very rare in landscape design, then what can we say about indoor or greenhouse culture.

Oplismenus are herbaceous perennials that came to us from Australia and New Zealand. In nature, they are found in a subtropical climate, and in rooms retain a love of moderate temperatures throughout the year. In our country, oplismenus is better known under the simple name of Ostyanka, which indicates the key features of the panicle structure - protruding bright spines of cereal.

Of the more than a dozen decorative species of ostyanka, one species is used predominantly in room culture - Oplismenus short-haired (Oplismenus hirtellus) This is a medium-sized herbaceous perennial, surprising with its creeping shoots. The length of the stems is up to 50 cm. It is very interesting to observe the plant: the vertical growth of young branches is replaced by a gradual lodging and hanging of the shoots as they are stretched. The branches are able to take root in the nodes, which allows the oplysinus to create a very dense cover on the soil or show off in ampels with an elegant dense cascade. From afar, ostyanka can be easily confused with tradescantia zebrina, especially when grown in hanging baskets.

Oplismenus leaves are typical for cereals, narrow-lanceolate, but their length is limited to only 10 cm. Basic bright green color for indoor ostyanka is considered a rarity. After all, this cereal is most often presented on sale as variegated - decorated with white, golden, cream stripes - leaves. These are varieties of oplismenus, obtained on the basis of the decorative form of ostyanka - variegates.

Cereal produces uplifting tall peduncles, crowned with an elegant lace panicle of an inflorescence, one-sided, rare and translucent. Greenish spikelets with red protruding spines look strikingly original. But flowering is at the expense of foliage and it is better to cut panicles before seed ripening begins. Usually, ostyanka blooms in the summer months.

Oplismenus is grown in two forms:

as a compact groundcover in conventional containers;
in ampelous culture - both in flowerpots on legs and in hanging baskets.

One of the main features of Ostyanka - the absence of a rest period - is conditional. The plant in ideal conditions develops throughout the year, constantly changing, and precisely because of this, it quickly loses its decorative effect, requiring frequent rejuvenation. But if there is no opportunity to maintain a stable temperature, in winter the plant is cool, the plant goes to the conditional stage of dormancy. So the activity of the development of oplismenus directly depends on the conditions of their detention.

Oplismenus are one of the surprisingly unpretentious and highly decorative plants, mesmerizing with the texture of greenery and its unusualness. This is a modern indoor plant that needs careful, but not complicated care and typical apartment conditions. The only difficulty in growing this cereal is its rapid degeneration, which makes it necessary to regularly conduct anti-aging procedures and renew the sod.

Lighting for ostyanka

Creeping grass pleasantly surprises with its adaptability. Ostyanka feel great in any light - and bright, and partial shade. They are even able to endure not too strong shading. True, the latter often leads to a partial or complete loss of bright stripes on the leaves. It is better to protect oplismenus greens when placed on window sills from direct sunlight. Ostyanka responds well to partial or full artificial lighting, without losing the shape of growth or color.

Since ostyanka looks best in partial shade, it is not necessary to place the plant on window sills: this cereal is perfect for landscaping the interior of the interior, areas near windows.

Comfortable temperature

Oplismenusi in room culture retain their love of coolness, but even in winter the temperature for them should not fall below 8 degrees. The minimum allowable temperatures should be clarified when buying, because some flower companies do not recommend growing ostyanka even at 15 degrees Celsius. The plant feels best of all within the temperature range from 18 to 22 degrees in both winter and summer. Hot temperatures will require additional measures to increase air humidity.

In summer, Ostyanka does not even need to be taken out to the balcony; it is better to leave the plant in the usual room conditions. Since, in the fresh air, the oplismenus will not be protected from temperature fluctuations and the difference in other indicators of conditions, such removal can become a significant stress for it. Oplismenusi are afraid of cold drafts, and rooms need to be ventilated very carefully.

Oplismenus irrigation and air humidity

This indoor cereal requires very careful watering. Waterlogging is dangerous enough for the plant, but the dwarf is not afraid of drought: it will stop the development, lead to stress, affect the state of the roots, but it is not harmful and the plant will quickly recover. A short drought only “slows down” the growth, and prolonged dryness can lead to dropping of leaves, which will require further stimulating pruning and increasing air humidity. Extremes are best avoided, but Ostyanka endures watering passes much less painfully than overflows, often resulting in rot death. In summer, watering of oplismenus can be quite plentiful, but it is necessary to control the degree of soil drying between water procedures, allowing the top layer to dry well. In winter, watering is carried out with a small amount of water and rarely.

Oplismenus will like to increase the humidity of the air, but it is not a vital measure if it is not grown in hot rooms. But in order to maintain the decorativeness of the leaves during the operation of central heating systems or in summer on hot days, it is better to carry out refreshing sprayings. If it is possible to provide stable options for air humidity at 60-70%, then the cereal will surprise with its brightness, growth rate and even greater endurance.

Nutrition for ostyanka

This is one of the rare indoor plants that are afraid of even standard top dressing and they display bright patterns on variegated leaves only with a moderate amount of nutrients in the soil. Top dressing for this cereal in the year after transplantation is better not to be carried out at all: the initial supply of nutrients is usually enough for the plant to develop normally, subject to the recommended frequency of transplants. Fertilizers are applied to Ostyanka in the first year only when visible signs of a lack of certain macro- and microelements appear.

For Ostyanka, from the second year of cultivation and after rejuvenation without transplantation, top dressing is carried out not just regularly, but without interruptions. The standard frequency of fertilizing is once every 2-3 weeks. Fertilizing for oplismenus is carried out throughout the year, using fertilizers for ornamental-deciduous plants or universal fertilizers. Fertilizer dosage is halved or triple compared with that recommended by the manufacturer in order to prevent excess nutrients.

The only significant drawback of Ostyanka is its rapid degeneration. To maintain a high decorative grain, plants are better to renew annually or at least once every 2 years. At the same time, transplanting cereals is not necessary: strong pruning itself causes active growth and renewal of bushes. Instead of trimming the Oplismenus, you can simply replace the plant with those grown from cuttings. Grain transplantation is carried out only when they want to divide the plant, increase the capacity or the area occupied by it.

Other pruning, including pinching or controlling the growth direction of the shoots, is not necessary for the oplismenus. But here's what definitely won’t please fans of Ostyanka, is the need to regularly manually remove dry leaves from the bushes. It is also better to do with panicles of inflorescences: as inflorescences appear, it is better to remove them, because the ripening of seeds can lead to a rapid loss of decorative turf.

Both transplantation with separation and pruning for rejuvenation should be carried out in early spring - in March, in extreme cases - in April.

Oplismenus prefers very light and loose substrates. The reaction of the soil can be either neutral or slightly acidic. For oplismenus, you can use special mixtures for cereals or universal substrates. If you make the earth mixture yourself, then you can combine equal parts of leaf, sod soil, peat and sand. Leafy soil can be replaced with humus.

At the bottom of the tanks for Ostyanka, a high layer of drainage is necessarily laid, eliminating the risk of any stagnation of water. For this cereal, pebbles, perlite, or expanded clay are preferred.

Capacities for growing oplysinus should be shallow, but wide.

The greatest danger for opsilmenus is rot and pests that live in the soil. But if the plant is weakened, neglected, rejuvenation has not been carried out on it, then it can suffer in the heat and dry air from aphids and spider mites. To combat any problems you need a combination of care changes and insecticides or fungicides.

Getting new bushes of cereals is very simple. Bushes can be divided during transplantation into large delenki or individual daughter plants (rooted shoots), or you can root the tops or segments of shoots in which there are at least two leaves.

Slices on cuttings are best done close under the knot. Cuttings are buried in the soil at half height. Rooting is carried out in any substrate under the hood, but you can use a much simpler method - rooting in water.

Both delenki and rooted cuttings start growing quickly and reach maximum decorativeness in a few months. Oplismenusi obtained from cuttings are not grouped, but are planted one by one in a pot: the cereal grows so quickly and actively that it creates a dense bush alone; and one should not immediately create difficulties with the lack of free soil. For growing young plants using a standard substrate.