A plant of dipladation was first discovered in South and Central America. A little later, in the Argentine tropics, a similar lianoid representative was found, which was taken for a different look and named - Mandeville. Subsequently, the two genera were combined, and the names remained equal. In our regions, liana is grown as a houseplant or used to decorate the landscape.

Botanical description of the plant

Diplomacy is a creeper with accelerated growth belonging to the family of coutra. Curly shoots grow numb and firmly fixed on supports as they grow older. Dark green leaf plates have a leathery structure. Located opposite.

Important! The stems and leaf plates of diplladation, when damaged, emit poisonous milky juice. Growing such plants at home, follow safety rules and work with them in gloves, preventing the juice from getting on exposed skin and mucous membranes.

The tuberous rhizome forms curly stems. Moisture and starch are collected in the tubers. Water is economically consumed by the plant as needed. In the wild, vines rise to a height of 2–5 m along the supports.During flowering, it forms 40–90 large cup-shaped flowers with a diameter of up to 15 cm. Their color depends on the variety. In some varieties, the buds exude a pleasant unobtrusive aroma. It enters the flowering phase in early June and leaves it in the fall, during the onset of shortened light days.

Common species

The most common types of diplomacy:

1. Sander - semi-evergreen shrub that reaches a height of 3 m. Dark green shiny leaves of dense structure are formed on the shoots. Pink flowers with yellow throat.
2. Mandeville loose - deciduous representative, reaching 4 m in height. On the warty shoots of the flower, egg-shaped green leaves are opposite. During flowering, forms bouquets of 5-10 flowers. The color of the flowers is white. The petals are corrugated at the edges.
3. Diplases yellow - a beautifully flowering lianoid representative, characterized by unpretentiousness in care. Leaf plates - shiny, green, rigid structure. Yellow flowers form brushes of 3-5 pieces.
4. Mandeville excellent - an evergreen plant reaching a height of 3 m. The leaves are dense, green. Red flowers are collected in bouquets of 5-7 pieces.

Necessary conditions and care

Diplomacy refers to heat-loving representatives. Demanding in care. In open ground conditions, it can grow only in the southern regions of our country.

Seat selection

Abundant flowering is possible only if there is a full-fledged source of diffused light, so the plant should be located in the southern, southeastern or eastern parts of the home near the windows. When located in the northern part of the apartment, it is necessary to install an additional light source. In hot summer days, the plant should be shaded.

Liana needs a constant supply of fresh air, but does not tolerate a draft. With the onset of sustainable heat, it must be rearranged to a balcony or loggia.

Temperature and humidity

The temperature in summer is from +20 ° C, in winter - +13 ... + 17 ° C. Lowering the temperature in winter to +10 ° C will lead to freezing.Diplomacy is demanding on air humidity. It should remain at around 70–80% in the summer, 50–60% in the winter. Optimum mode can be achieved using humidifiers, spraying, or by installing a bowl of water near the plant.

Watering and spraying

Watering the diplode in the warm season should be done at least 3 times a week. Spraying is carried out in between waterings.

In the resting phase, watering is reduced to 1 time per week, focusing on the temperature regime. The lower the room temperature, the less humidification takes place. At a minimum of +12 ° C, watering is carried out once every 10-14 days.

Important! It is necessary to water the liana when the earthen lump in the pot dries 1 cm deep. More frequent watering will lead to rotting of the roots. Acidified water before entering the soil insist 72 hours to completely get rid of the smell of citrus.

The water is used for standing, soft, room temperature. To ensure growth in 2 l of water, 10 drops of lemon juice are added. Water is brought directly into the ground.

Top dressing

Fertilizers are applied throughout the growing season, starting in April and ending in September, once every 2 weeks. You can use the complex for decorative flowering plants, alternating with fertilizer for vines.

At the beginning of the growing season, the plant needs nitrogenous fertilizers, and in the phase of bud formation - potassium-phosphorus.

Support

A mandatory nuance in the care of diplomacy is the presence of support. It should be 20-30 cm higher than the estimated height of the plant.

Pruning

When to cut diplladation depends on the place of cultivation. In greenhouses and open ground, a plant is cut in autumn and spring, at home - only in autumn. The procedure is necessary for the full formation of flower buds and is carried out before flowering or after falling flowers. They appear only on young shoots. All old stems that did not have time to branch are shortened by 2/3 of the length. Well-developed old stems shorten by 1/3 of the length of the fork.

Did you know? In lianas, the lignified main stem inside consists of water vessels, which are clearly visible on the cut. The stem is not only on the outside, but also on the inside similar in structure to a rope rope. In its ability to stretch and maintain the strength of the structure, the plant material is in no way inferior to the rope and is capable of supporting a weight of 100 kg.

Transfer

Transplantation is carried out by transshipment as necessary or annually in the spring. Young seedlings quickly develop and replant 2 times a year, adult plants aged 5-7 years change only the upper earthen lump.

The soil for planting can be mixed independently in the proportions of 1: 1: 1:

• peat;
• humus;
• coarse sand.

The mixture should have a medium acid reaction up to 6 pH. The pot is selected deep and wide with drainage holes at the bottom.

Step-by-step transplant instructions:

1. Fill a container of 2 cm with expanded clay.
2. Fill the pot halfway with a mixture of earth.
3. Install the backup.
4. Carefully remove the plant from the old pot with an earthen lump.
5. Place it in a new pot and fill the gaps with earth.
6. Water the plant.

Video: Transplantation

Features of winter care

In winter, the plant goes into a dormant phase, restores strength after rapid flowering. During this period, the main thing is to monitor the temperature regime and prevent the temperature from dropping to +10 ° C. If the air in the apartment is too dry, humidifiers must be used. Watering is carried out after the earthen coma is completely dry.

Breeding

Diplomatic propagation propagates:

• cuttings;
• by seeds;
• mustache.

Cuttings

Cuttings for propagation are harvested from mid-spring to mid-summer. The tops with 4 full sheets are cut from young shoots. In the spring, you can use the tops of young shoots, and in the summer - mature, numb. Before planting, the cuttings are placed in a Kornevin solution for 1 hour.At this time, small plastic cups are filled with a mixture of peat and sand with the addition of a small amount of moss. The soil is abundantly moistened and deepened by cuttings to the first pair of leaves. Each container is covered with a cut plastic bottle and placed in a room where the air temperature is maintained within +25 ° C.

Important! Keeping the temperature at +25 ° C throughout the year, the plant will bloom constantly. True, because of this, life expectancy is reduced by 5 years.

Watering is carried out as necessary with extreme caution. After 4 weeks, a transplant is carried out in a full pot. Good results are obtained by germinating petioles in water. When the roots reach a length of 2 cm, they are planted in a pot.

Seeds

Indoor plants do not form a seed box. Seeds are bought in specialized stores. Germination process is long and may take 2–4 months. Seeds are placed in soil mixed according to the method described above. The container is covered with polyethylene and kept in a room with a temperature of +22 ... + 27 ° C. Daily film is removed for 20-30 minutes to ventilate the ground and prevent mold. The soil must always be wet.With the advent of sprouts, polyethylene is removed and they wait until the plant forms 4 leaves. After that, dive into different pots.

Mustache

The easiest method is propagation by a mustache. Escape tilt and pin the mustache to the soil. When the shoot takes root, it is separated and transplanted into a separate container.

Growing difficulties

Diplomacy is demanding in care. The slightest flaws in agricultural technology can cause the development of a disease or the spread of pests.

Disease

The most common problems:

1. Rhizome rot - as a result of stagnation of water or the use of soil infected with fungus, the process of decomposition of plant cells begins. They correct the situation by urgent transplantation with the removal of an old earthen coma and damaged roots.
2. Rare, not plentiful flowering - provoked by a lack of light. The way out of the situation is to change the location or install phyto-lighting.
3. Foliage drying - The cause is overdried air or burns from direct sunlight. All damaged leaves need to be removed, adjust the humidity mode and shade the plant.

Pests

The most dangerous pests for diplladation:

Pests are first cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water. Then the soil is treated with Fitoverm or Actellik. In order to prevent the spread of pests, prophylactic treatment with one of these drugs is carried out 2-3 times a season.

Did you know? On the basis of poisonous vines in the Amazon make a drink called "creeper of the dead." Local tribes believe that the drink is able to transfer the soul to a parallel world. This opinion is easily explained by ignorance of the composition of the plant. Powerful psychotropic substances have a narcotic effect on the body, and at the same time clear it of parasites.

Diplomacy is a winding beautifully flowering plant. Care is required, so gardeners who decide to acquire a tropical beauty will have to work hard.