Hatiora - a representative of the cactus family, is a native of Eastern Brazil. This is a small shrub no more than 40 centimeters in height, capable of growing up to 1 meter in the wild in its own homeland. A feature of its structure is that the branches depart from the very top of the shoots and are placed whorled - a group at the same height.
The name of the hator was derived from the anagram of the surname of the English mathematician Thomas Hariot, who compiled a mapping of the flora of South America. To date, several varieties of plants are known in indoor floriculture.
Description
Hatiora has unusual external exotic data for our latitudes: it can be mistaken for a bush, a herbaceous plant and a beautiful flower with bright flowers. It all consists of leafless branches, slightly drooping or assuming a steady upright position. The bare stalk eventually transforms into a stiff trunk.
The lack of deciduous cover is more than compensated by funnel-shaped flowers that appear along the entire length of the stem shoots and their unusual beauty colors: pink-purple, yellow, red.
In the natural habitat, the hator can grow on the bark of trees (epiphytic forms) or form in crevices of rocks (lithophytic forms). At home, the succulent is a decorative potted flower with small spines on the lateral areoles.
Varieties
There are three breeding varieties of Hatior adapted for indoor cultivation.
| View | Description |
| Hathior Hermina (Hariota herminiae lat.) | A stem or epiphytic plant with shoots of a straight or slightly curved shape with a height of not more than 30 cm. Its internal stroma is dense and elastic, cylindrical shoots are about 50 mm, and the lateral buds of the areola are covered with thorns and scattered along its entire length. The flowers are medium sized up to 3 centimeters in diameter with a lilac-pink bright color. |
| Hachior Solicorn or Salt-bearing (Hariota salicornioides Haw.) | The classic look of the plant. The common people have many interpretive names: "dancing bones", "drunkard", "shot glass" due to the peculiarity of the plant structure. Shoots consist of small (2-3 cm long) club-shaped or solyanka-shaped segments 0.5 cm thick. The shape of the plant is slightly broken. In the first phase of development, stem shoots have an upright position, however, as they grow up, they wilt. The root stem gradually becomes stiff. The solyanka-shaped Hatiora blooms with yellow, orange small (0.3-1 cm) flowers. The flowering period lasts 2 months. |
| Hatiora pink (Hariota rosea Lat.) | A compact bush of small flattened-faceted segments measuring 2.5 x 1 cm bordered by reddish scallops. Its branches have a deep dark green color and a very drooping shape. The flowers are bright pink, large, more than 3.5 cm blooming at the apex and at the joints, one of the differences of the Ripsalidopsis hatior. |
Features and rules for care
Care and care at home for the hatiora is not complicated. The main condition for its growth is the presence of a sufficient amount of space in a pot or flowerpot. In this connection, as the plant forms, he will need more spacious space.
The growing segments of the cactus are tender and fragile, requiring additional support over time.
Location and lighting
For good development, the plant needs warm, well-lit areas of windows facing east or west. Hatiora does not tolerate direct sunlight - this negatively affects her growth and color of flowers. On southern hot windows, the flower must be shaded for the midday heat.
Temperature
The optimum growth temperature for the hator is considered to be from +17 to + 23 ° C, regardless of the time of year. In the summer, the flower can be transferred to an open terrace or balcony, protecting it first from direct sunlight.
Humidity Watering
During the hot summer months, the hator needs regular quality watering. However, before moistening the plant, you should make sure that the soil in its pot is dry to prevent root decay from excessive moisture. It is better to water in the morning or evening hours.
Irrigation fluid - water should be at room temperature. Periodic irrigation of the flower with spray water is allowed.
In the autumn-winter period, the hator's flora enters the dormant phase - watering at this moment requires moderate.
Soil, top dressing
Like any houseplant, the hator needs additional nutrition and growth stimulation. The frequency and composition of fertilizer mixtures depends on the phase of development of the plant itself:
- In the phase of growth and budding, the flower requires nitrogen-based fertilizers. They are applied once every ten days.
- For the flowering period, fertilizing with potassium fertilizers is necessary.
In addition, plants of the cactus family respond favorably to organic fertilizers, such as peat, compost, bone meal, humus. They are purchased marked "for indoor flowers" in specialized stores.
The root system of Hachior, like all cactus families, is poorly developed and requires a well-drained pH-neutral light soil. The composition of the soil mixture should include deciduous or sod land, coarse sand, humus and crushed charcoal (ideally birch).
Transfer
The ideal time for transplanting is complete flowering, the choice depends on the growth volume of the plant itself. Young haters are transplanted annually in early autumn, after having previously cleared the roots of the old land.
Old flowers are transplanted once every five years, choosing for this purpose a spacious, but not too deep pot. A correctly performed transplant is easily tolerated by the hator.
Bloom
Hatio bloom begins at the end of spring and lasts until the end of summer. Very often growing in a house, it requires a certain crown formation - this is done for greater decorative effect.
Breeding
The hatiora propagates by means of stem-cuttings and sowing of seeds.
- Cuttings are an ideal way. Having selected a small segment of the stem, it is cut with a sharp knife, sprinkling activated carbon on the cut site. Leaving the stalk for certification for 3 days, it is then immersed shallow in lightly moistened soil.
- Reproduction by seeds is a laborious process requiring the observance of all constant conditions and certain knowledge.
Diseases and Pests
A plant with poor quality care can be attacked by parasitic pests such as:
- spider mite;
- mealybug;
- root worm;
- slugs;
- scale shield;
- root nematode.
The fight against them is carried out with the help of insecticidal preparations and spraying the plant with the infusion of garlic (20 g per 1 liter of water).
Excessive moisture and non-compliance with the temperature regime lead to fungal diseases:
- Viral spotting.
- Dry or wet rot.
- Late blight.
They fight them by treating fungicides or destroying parts of the diseased plant.
Mr. Dachnik warns: difficulties in the care of the hator
Hatiora plant is not capricious, but sometimes there are certain difficulties when growing it:
- poor growth and / or lack of buds are associated with low temperature conditions in the room or a lack of nutrients;
- weakening of leaf tugor and root decay is a sign of stagnation of moisture or drying out of the soil;
- the appearance of bright spots - the plant was subjected to excessive sun exposure;
- falling of flowers and buds - drafts or sudden movement of a plant.
Hatiora - "men's tears"
In addition to the extraordinary beauty, Hathior has gained a mass of signs and superstitions related to the personal life of her master or mistress. It is believed that keeping this plant at home for a woman means ahead of time to doom herself to loneliness, since the flower does not tolerate the presence of men.
In addition to mystical properties, people believed that the hator was extremely poisonous, although there was no scientific evidence for this fact.
Long blooming, but suddenly overgrown with buds, it symbolizes renewal and the beginning of change.
