The flowering plant Asystasia (Asystasia), also called azistasia, is a member of the Acanthus family. According to various sources, this genus unites 20–70 species. In nature, such plants are found in Oceania and South Africa, and also in Asia, or rather, in regions with a tropical climate. Only 2 types of asystasia are cultivated by flower growers.
Features of asystasia
In middle latitudes, asystasia is cultivated only in indoor conditions. This flowering plant is an evergreen shrub. The height of the bush, with erect stems, reaches about 100 cm. Short-peted green leaf plates are pointed towards the apex and have a serrated edge. Every year, part of the stems die off, but at the same time, the renewal buds are preserved. After some time, a semi-lignified trunk forms at the bush, and it becomes a not very large tree with drooping branches.
This plant is grown by flower growers most often due to the fact that its flowering is quite impressive. Not very large axillary racemose inflorescences consist of flowers reaching 50 mm in diameter, outwardly they are similar to large bells, their petals are open and bent, they can be painted in cream, violet-gray, white or purple, which adorn the veins of a contrasting color. The length of the brushes varies from 12 to 20 centimeters.
Home care for azistasia
Azistasia has been relatively poorly studied to date. But it is known for sure that it grows and develops well in indoor conditions, but such a shrub needs to create suitable conditions. This plant is distinguished by its thermophilicity. He needs a bright light, which should be diffused, while a few direct rays of the sun will not harm the bush. In summer, the shrub should be kept in a warm place (from 20 to 25 degrees), and in winter it is moved to a cooler room (from 12 to 18 degrees).
Protect the bush from sudden changes in air temperature, as well as from drafts, because they can cause the leaf plates to fall off. A mild dormant period is observed in September – February.
Care instructions
During the period of intensive growth and flowering of azistasia, abundant watering should be provided, which is carried out immediately after the top layer of the soil mixture dries out. With the onset of the dormant period, watering should be reduced. Water the bushes with settled water at room temperature (it may be a little lukewarm). The humidity of the air for this crop does not really matter, therefore, it is not necessary to moisten the foliage from the sprayer.
To feed such a shrub, a complex mineral fertilizer is used for flowering indoor plants. As soon as a new growing season begins in the spring, you need to start feeding the asystasia. Fertilizers are applied 1 or 2 times every 4 weeks. In September, you should gradually stop feeding the plant.
During the growing season, the stems grow quite strongly at the bush. In order for the bush to be compact and neat, you need to make its formative pruning and pinching. The optimal time for pruning this plant has not yet been established, since it has been cultivated at home not so long ago and it is not yet fully known when exactly the budding of flower buds is observed in it. In this regard, you will have to experimentally choose the right time for trimming. The main task of pinching is to make the bush more lush.
Azistasia transplant
The transplant of this shrub is carried out only after its root system becomes quite crowded in an old flower pot. In an adult specimen, the root system is very well developed, in this regard, a deep and rather wide container should be chosen for planting. The diameter of the new flowerpot should be 20-30 mm larger than the old one.
A soil mixture suitable for planting this culture includes leaf and sod soil, as well as sand, which are taken in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. Make a thick drainage layer at the bottom of the pot. It is recommended to use the transshipment method during the transfer.
Reproduction of azistasia
For reproduction of such a shrub, cuttings of shoots remaining after the formation of a bush, or stem apical cuttings are used. Cuttings root quickly enough. For their rooting, it is recommended to use a glass of water or a light soil mixture, which includes sand and peat (1: 1), as well as a small amount of sphagnum. Cuttings planted for rooting are transferred to a very warm place, but they do not need to be covered with a film on top. A stalk with overgrown roots must be planted in a pot filled with substrate for an adult plant.
Diseases and pests
Asystasia has a fairly high resistance to diseases and various pests. But if the bush is in a room with low air humidity, then spider mites can settle on it, which are sucking arachnids, sucking plant sap from the shrub. The fact that the plant is affected by this pest is indicated by dots of whitish color that form on the leaf plates at the puncture sites. These pests multiply very quickly. If you find a thin cobweb on a bush, then this will be a sign that there are already a lot of ticks on it, and it will not be so easy to get rid of them. For the purpose of prevention, it is necessary to conduct a systematic examination of the bush, regularly arrange a shower for it, and also try to keep the room at normal humidity. At the first symptoms of the presence of ticks, the bushes must be sprayed with any acaricidal agent, for example: Fitoverm, Aktellik or Aktara.
If liquid stagnates in the substrate, then the root system can rot. If rot appears, then the bush needs to be transplanted as soon as possible. To do this, remove it from the pot, cut off rotten roots, process the roots with a fungicide solution. Then the plant is planted in fresh soil mixture, and the irrigation plan is adjusted.
Types and varieties of azistasia with photos and names
Since flower growers began to grow azistasia relatively recently, in some cases they are confused which plant they have: species or varietal. It was already mentioned above that only 2 types of asystasy are grown in culture.
Asystasia beautiful (Asystasia bella)
This evergreen dwarf shrub is native to South Africa. Ovate-oblong leaf plates, pointed towards the apex, finely toothed along the edge and have short petioles. The flowers can be colored pink, white or lilac and are decorated with purple veins. A popular form is reticular azistasia: there is a spectacular reticular pattern on the leaf plates, which practically repeats their venation.
Gangetic azistasia (Asystasia gangetica), or gangetic azistasia
In nature, this species is widespread in South Africa and tropical Asia. The flowers can be purple, but most often they are painted cream or white. The petals are decorated with veins that are darker in color than the flower itself. There is a small-flowered form, and also a form with variegated leaves – variegated azistasia: green leaf plates have a border and stripes of white color.
