Among coniferous Araucaria is not the only plant that normally moves indoors. Needles Araucaria paperback, depending on the type it is rectangular, shilovidnyj or needle shape and painted in light or bright green color.

 

Homeland of plants belonging to the family Araukariyevyh (Araucariaceae), Norfolk Island is located in the Pacific Ocean. In total there are 5 kinds of species. Botanists distinguish riznolystu Araucaria (A. heterophitta), Araucaria Bidvilla (A. bidwilli), Brazilian Araucaria (A. brasiliana), Chilean Araucaria (A. arausana ) and high Araucaria (A. excelsa).

Lighting. Despite the fact that Araucaria likes bright light, out of direct sunlight a plant is desirable to hide. In the summer you can take out into the fresh air in a place protected from rain and sun. Optimum placement - the light falling on plants from two sides. If the light comes only from one side, to ensure equal growth should return Araucaria weekly at 90 degrees.

Temperature. Cool monkey necessary maintenance. The optimum temperature in summer - about 20 °С. In winter, the temperature should be around 10 °С, but should not rise above 15 °С.

Watering. Watering Araucaria pooled water throughout the year. In summer, you can not bring to the drying earthen clod (may cause trouble ), so watering should be plentiful, but you need to make sure that excess water in the pot is not delayed. In winter, watering less, especially if the plant is kept at low temperatures.

Humidity. Araucaria advisable to spray water at room temperature (after water has to settle for at least a day). Sprayed in summer and winter, especially if the plant overwinters in a room with central heating.

Feeding. Spring and summer Araucaria twice a month fed a very weak solution of fertilizer with low levels of calcium. It is worth every four weeks to fertilize a plant extract that cows.

Transplanting. When roots completely fill the pot, the plant should be repotted. This is done in the early to mid-spring or summer. Araucaria is not particularly tolerates transplant because transplant should those plants are well grown. Adult specimens are transplanted every three or four years in a wide pot with a mixture of 2 parts sand and sod land and one part peat  of wooden and sheet. Another option - a substrate composed of equal parts compost, sand, peat moss, hardwood, softwood and turf land. At the bottom of the pot necessarily be qualitative drainage that will not allow excessive water to stagnate in a pot. This plant grows very well in hydroponics.

Propagation. To fit the upper branch cuttings of plants that half oderev yanily. They cut a few inches below the whorls in the early to mid-spring. Cut off the cuttings need during the day to lie in the shade, then resinous sap brushes with space cut into the handle and prypudryuyut dribnotovchenym charcoal. It is worthwhile to finish cuts root stimulator. Plant cuttings in individual containers of sand or a mixture of equal parts of sand and peat, then the capacity of the cut stalks covered with a plastic bottle or glass jar. Pots of cuttings regularly airs, sprayed and maintain the temperature at 25 °С. At this temperature, the cuttings vkorenyatsya a couple of months, but if the temperature is lower, then rooting may take up to five months - you need to be patient. When vkorenyatsya cuttings and roots completely fill the pot, a young monkey transplanted to larger pot with soil for an adult monkey.

Pests. Damage is applied as plant pests of conifers and familiar to us mealybug and aphids.

- if damage to the upper part of the plant, its further development may be wrong or stop at all;

- when growing araucaria apartment, particular attention should be paid to humidity (should not be dry), lighting (should be much brighter the ambient light), temperature (should not be too low in winter);

- needles fall off and shoots wither and turn yellow if the monkey is not enough moisture and light;

- the branches droop from over-watering or under very high temperature;

- the plant slows development and growth if calcium in the substrate too much;

- young stems are thin, if not fertilize monkey.