Venus Hair (Adiantum)

According to legend, this tender fern grew from the fallen hair of Venus. The adiantum (Venus hair) is really beautiful, elegant, refined and literally beckons to itself with lace leaves.

In some species, pinnately divided leaves are light green, others have yellow-green leaves, others have light-red leaves. Rhizome dark green, creeping. Thin stems with lace leaves (shoots) leave from it. The sizes of leaves in each species are different - from very tiny (5 cm) to very large (50 cm). In total, the genus Adiantum has 200 species.

In nature, the plant prefers to settle on limestone rocks, near the banks of water bodies. In the wild can meet in the Crimea and the Caucasus.

In indoor floriculture, the most common are: the adiantum is beautiful (tall, up to a meter), an adianum wedge-shaped and A. capillus-veneris (venene hair).

The latter owes its name not only to the legend, but also to the appearance: the petioles are shiny, dark brown, the leaves are remotely similar to curls. And the genus got its name from a combination of Greek "a" (negative particle) and "diant" (wetting), - the adianum does not retain water droplets (they slip off the leaves of the plant).

Venerein hair care requires careful, since the plant is very, very capricious. Firstly, it does not tolerate direct sunlight on the leaves, reacting with pallor and wilting. Secondly, it is very damaging to draft. Third, it does not tolerate tobacco smoke. In the fourth, it requires strict control of the temperature regime and high humidity.

The optimum temperature for the plant is + 15 ° C to + 20 ° C. Lowering the temperature will cause decay of the root and the appearance of rot on the stem, and a rise (and even in combination with dry air) quickly leads to drying of the tender leaves. Venus of hair is painful and dusty.

Watering is required regular (but not excessive). Spraying with water (twice a day) will increase humidity and remove dust. Reduce watering and spraying can only be in periods of rest (in winter): sprinkle enough once a day, and watering is replaced by dipping the pot (clay) in a tray of water.

Pruning is required only for old (or damaged) twigs. He does not like transplantation (transplanted only if overgrown and filled with roots of the entire pot).

Earth mixture choose light, loose, well-permeable water (stagnant water is unacceptable). Drainage is necessary. Potty for planting choose clay, with a hole at the bottom.

Propagates Venus hair and spores, and divides the bush.

Vegetative reproduction is preferable, because you get a ready, "adult" already bush. You share the rhizome carefully - the plant is fragile. Root neck during landing do not bury, otherwise the adianum will wither.

The spores are collected from the bottom of the leaf, sown in March (temperature +21 ° C). The drainage is filled in the nursery, then the decontaminated soil. Spores are dispersed evenly and watered with summer water. The seedling is covered by a glass and retracts to a dark place before emergence (usually for two months and longer). Do not let the earth dry up! For the death of a dispute, only one drying is sufficient. The box with the shoots is transferred to a lighted place and the glass is removed. Shoots thin out.

When fertilizing (spend in the summer, once a month) beware of overdoses.

Adianum is considered a domestic ginseng, because it has amazing healing properties. Its leaves contain tannic substances, essential oil, sugar. Tincture from this plant helps to restore the pancreas, spleen, reduces the severity of asthma attacks. Compresses from juice treat skin diseases. Venenin hair is able to influence the nervous system, restore blood supply to the extremities. Has a calming effect.