Amorphophallus is a beautiful, unusual houseplant that annually pleases the households with beautiful flowering and at the same time has its own "sleep" period when it loses its leaves. The plant has one more feature - it is an unconventional smell for flowers, namely the smell of rotten meat. Sometimes it is so strong that amorphophallus must be taken out of the room. In nature, a flower is pollinated by flies, and such an unpleasant odor allows them to attract them.
Care
First of all, care of the flower amorphophallus at home begins with the definition of the place for the flower. The most favorable conditions for its growth - it's a bright scattered color, but it should avoid direct sunlight. Regarding temperature, in the period of activity the flower needs moderate temperature, and in a calm state the plant requires cooler air - 10-13 ° C.
An important condition for good care of a flower is a primer. It must be prepared in advance. For this, mix in equal parts several types of soils:
- clayey-sod;
- humus;
- leaf;
- peat;
- sand.
Such a substrate will give the plant the necessary substances for growth and create natural conditions. In addition, amorphophallus is more suitable for a humid climate, and a mixture of these soils is capable of retaining moisture for a long time.
One of the features of the houseplant amorphophallus is a peculiar structure of the leaves, because of which they do not allow moisture to pass, so spraying it, trying to refresh and create a natural habitat - a humid climate, is useless. Therefore, a lot of attention is given to the soil. But do not forget to wipe the leaves for hygienic purposes, since dust and dirt also have a bad effect on the plant.
The rest period
It is very important to take care of the plant properly, not only during the period of activity, but also during rest. At the end of autumn, the leaves of amorphophallus begin to fade and fall off. Some think that this is due to abundant watering and the plant just withered, but in fact, so the flower is preparing for the winter.
After the amorphophallus loses its leaves, it is necessary to remove the tubers from the pot and rinse it in a solution of potassium permanganate, dry it a little and leave it in a dry warm place until it sprouts. The second, more simple, option is to leave the tubers in the pot in a dry place and not disturb them during the winter, even with watering. After 1.5 months after germination feed the tubers with organic fertilizers and continue to water in the standard mode.