Mimosa bashful - growing as a houseplant. Shy Mimosa - caring for the touchy Mimosa bashful perennial

Originally from the southern subtropical regions of America. The natural habitat is its homeland and Brazil. This genus includes over 500 species. One of them is the "shameful" mimosa, or, as it is called, "touchy", which is grown at home. This plant got its name for the ability of the leaves to fold and fall down at the slightest mechanical impact, as if embarrassed by something.

Description of the species

Mimosa bashful at home is an annual, beautifully flowering herbaceous shrub. This is evergreen 30-40 cm high. Branched stems, very light. They are covered with spines resembling fine hairs. Numerous leaflets of light green doubly pinnate leaves are always twisted and lowered at night, and during the day - only when exposed to them. After a certain time, at rest, the leaves unfold.

A delicate plant is shy mimosa. The flowers are pink or they are collected in small fluffy spherical heads. They bloom for 2-3 days and fall off. The fruits are formed on the ovaries during self-pollination of the plant and look like beans. They are not eaten, their poison can be poisoned. The flowering period is long in time: it begins in summer and ends in autumn. Sometimes mimosa is confused with which represents the Mimosa family, but is not a plant with that name. The main difference is that its flowers are yellow.

cultivation

Mimosa shy at home prefers lighted places. She does not like wind, drafts and foreign smells, especially tobacco smoke. In a smoky room, its leaves curl up and fall off. The best temperature for her in summer time it is considered 20-25 degrees, and in winter 16 is enough. The shrub loves moisture, but in moderation. In spring and summer, it should be watered regularly and plentifully, in extreme heat, sprinkling should be carried out. And in winter, when the plant is resting, it is enough to monitor the condition of the soil and prevent it from drying out. Water as needed. Waterlogging can lead to loss of decorative effect. On loose fertilized soil, bashful mimosa grows better. Growing from seeds makes it possible to get many shrubs at the same time.

The plant must be pollinated in order to bear fruit. You can do this process yourself. It is enough to transfer the pollen with a brush or a soft swab. After that, a pod begins to form. When it is ripe and dry, it is plucked and placed in a paper bag. In it, the pod will be stored all winter, until the onset of spring. It is important to remember that this plant is difficult to preserve in winter, it dies.

Transfer

Mimosa bashful at home grows like an annual, it does not need to be transplanted. If necessary, this is done in the following cases:

• When the shrub is left for the winter and grown as a perennial.
• If the "touchy" gets sick, or the soil starts to rot.

Transplantation should be done by transshipment. In a larger pot, the plant is placed along with a clod of earth. First, the bottom of the pot is covered with pebbles, which will serve as drainage. The soil is prepared in advance. The earth is mixed with sand, peat and decayed foliage. It is better to transplant a shrub early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun sets.

reproduction

Mimosa bashful from seeds may well grow, but they need to be planted only in March and April. Their shape resembles beans or peas squeezed from the sides, the skin of which is very dense and has a glossy sheen. To germinate, you need to take a pot, pour soil into it and lay out the seeds without sprinkling it with earth. You can press down a little for better contact with the soil. Then poured hot water future bashful mimosa. The seeds will start to crackle, this is normal. Cover the pot with a lid on top. So it will maintain the necessary humidity. After a while, the beans will sprout. Shameful mimosa will give friendly sprouts. Growing from seed is tricky, but worth it.

Sprouted beans are planted in well loosened soil. Seedlings will appear within a week. When they grow to the size of a few leaves, they can be transplanted into individual pots with good drainage and sterile soil. To kill bacteria, it is enough to spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

When and how to feed mimosa?

Impatiens, like any plant, needs nutrients. She receives them during feeding. It is carried out when the shrub is actively growing. In spring and until mid-summer, roomy mimosa bashful is fed with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. These fertilizers are mixed in equal proportions and applied to the soil twice a month. In the second half of summer and before the beginning of autumn, buds form. Therefore, phosphorus and potassium are needed in large quantities. To make the soil more nutritious, it should be applied to it. You can make top dressing with complex mixtures for home flowers. Shoot growth stops in autumn. At this time, the introduction of any fertilizer stops. If this is not done, the shy mimosa will not rest and may weaken. cultivation houseplant will not bring pleasure, as the shrub will lose its decorative effect.

Beneficial features

"Touchless" is known for its useful properties. It has long been used in many European countries in medicine. Non-traditional methods of treatment are not complete without the use of healing properties this plant.

• Leaf tincture treats sore throat, reduces fever.
• A decoction of the bark - dysentery and headache.
• Ointments treat burns and heal wounds.
• Mimosa preparations purify the blood.
• Help in the treatment of the heart and nervous system.
• Cleans up the liver and gallbladder.

What is sick and who damages mimosa?

• If the shrub experiences excess moisture, its leaves will turn yellow and begin to curl during the day.
• When a plant grows in a room where tobacco smoke is always present, it sheds foliage.

• Falling leaves are also associated with irregular watering.
• With a lack of lighting and low air temperature, the bashful mimosa feels uncomfortable. Flowers under such conditions will never appear.
• If the "touchy" grows slowly and does not bloom, you need to pay attention to the soil: it is obviously depleted. In this case, you need to urgently feed the plant and create the necessary conditions for growth.
• If a bashful mimosa is infected with a spider mite at home, its leaves begin to turn pale. After a while they turn yellow and dry up. Numerous green or yellow dots and cobwebs appear on them. This means that the room is too dry and the air is hot.
• At the first sign of an aphid infestation, the leaves of the plant curl and turn yellow. Small black or green bugs appear on the shoots. This is the aphid. It feeds on cell juice and inhibits growth.

To control pests, they must be collected by hand, and then washed off with soapy water or wiped with leaves on both sides. In case of severe damage, spraying with chemicals is used. Most importantly, in order for the plant to be comfortable in your home, you need to create favorable conditions for its growth. Then it will be possible to avoid many negative consequences.

The shy mimosa plant reacts very quickly to any touch or. As a result of experiments, it was found that the plant remembers stimuli and somehow adapts to them. If you drip water on the mimosa with the same frequency, it will stop curdling. After some time, we will again act on the plant in a similar way. The result will exceed all expectations: the "touchy" will behave completely calmly.

An interesting fact is the mimosa festival in France. This holiday was first held in the province of Pierre-Rich at the beginning of the twentieth century. At present, it has not lost its significance. Mimosa thickets cover numerous hills. Thousands of flowers emit a pleasant rich aroma. Mimosa flowers in France signify the end of winter and the beginning of spring. In honor of the holiday of flowers, parades are held throughout the country.

A very original plant, which has earned the love of flower growers with its beauty and as if with living, moving leaves, is bashful mimosa. As early as 1729, the astronomer de Meyron suggested that the movements of the leaves of a plant have something in common with the rhythm of the life of the human body.

Mimosa belongs to herbaceous plants. This culture is both medicinal and decorative. It reaches a height of 70 cm, has complex leaves, very sensitive to touch - they fold, creating the illusion that the plant is ashamed. For this amazing feature, the flower is called bashful.

On the stems of the flower are thorns, bent down. Flowers are like small balls of tender, color pink. Mimosa blooms are very graceful. Mimosa fruit is a bean.

Features of growing shy mimosa

Mimosa pudica is enough unpretentious plant despite its exotic origin. Caring for a flower at home is not as complicated as it might seem to an inexperienced grower at first glance.

The main feature when growing a flower is that it does not tolerate cigarette smoke at all, and can immediately shed its leaves.

The plant loves heat very much and from early spring to late autumn it grows well only at a temperature of +24 ºС. AT winter period the flower needs a decrease in temperature to +16 ºС.

Plant care at home

Growing a plant does not cause much trouble, however, this green "pet" still requires the implementation of certain care rules.

Optimal growing conditions

The bashful mimosa flower loves bright light very much. It is great if the flowerpot will stand on the south window, as this plant prefers direct sunlight. But on hot days, when the sun is too active, it is better to shade the flower at noon. It is necessary to take into account the fact that in winter this light-loving plant does not like artificial illumination.

The culture does not tolerate drafts and wind at all, so you can not open a window in a room.

Watering and spraying

The mimosa bush is very fond of moisture, but it must be watered carefully. In the summer, the flower is watered abundantly, but the drained water from the pan must be drained. In cold weather, watering is reduced, but they make sure that the earthen ball does not dry out too much in the flowerpot. Due to waterlogging of the soil in the cold season, the flower can get sick and lose its decorative effect.

In the summer, in the evening or in the morning, the flower is sprayed. Do not carry out this procedure in direct sunlight.

For irrigation and spraying use only well-settled or distilled water.

It is quite enough to water the flower every other day in the summer. The growth period of mimosa begins in March, at which time watering is also increased. Continue this until October, until the plant begins to enter the dormant phase, preparing for winter. A hint for watering is dryish soil, which you definitely need to touch with your fingers.

Top dressing and fertilizer

The approach to choosing a nutrient composition for fertilizing shy mimosa should be standard. Begin to fertilize the plant in the spring, fertilizing every two weeks. Continue the procedures in the same mode until late autumn. The rate of fertilizer, which is indicated in the instructions, for watering mimosa is diluted with water twice.

As top dressing, ordinary fertilizers for flowering are used. Organo-mineral compositions are excellent. There is no need to look for any special fertilizers.

Pruning and crown shaping

This flower constantly needs to be updated. The plant is a fast-growing plant and should be replaced annually with bushes that have been grown from seed. If the culture is grown as a bonsai or they want to save it for the next year, then only radical pruning can help.

It is carried out immediately after wintering, although this procedure is also acceptable after flowering. All strongly elongated branches are cut to stumps, focusing on the desired crown shape. Old branches need to be shortened so that the young shoots form a decorative "cap".

When forming a bonsai, such pruning is carried out several times a year, limited to lignified shoots. In fact, the formation of the bashful mimosa crown is a constant cutting of the bush to the desired size.

A very important stage is sanitary pruning. When the shoots begin to dry out, they are removed, and this should be done as quickly as possible, until the plant drops its leaves in protest.

Transplant rules

Growing mimosa for several years implies that the plant will be transplanted. At least this applies to old flowers and bonsai. The procedure is carried out in early spring. But it is advisable not to touch the flowers growing in a permanent place without the need.

For cultivation, use the usual universal soil with neutral indicators for acidity and alkalinity. The main thing is that it must be well permeable to air and water. When preparing the soil mixture for transplanting on their own, they mix the turf, leafy soil and peat in equal parts and add some sand.

The plant is not even transplanted, but very carefully transferred together with a lump into another flowerpot. Remove only the most polluted upper layer soil mixtures. Be sure to make a sufficiently high drainage in the pot.

The mimosa rhizome is very difficult to tolerate contacts, and pruning during transplantation is generally contraindicated for it.

Protection against diseases and pests

If you provide for the bashful mimosa proper care and create for her suitable conditions then the plant will not get sick. With good lighting and sufficient humidity, the flower can even be called persistent. But sometimes problems can still arise, as pests appear - aphids and spider mites. They begin to fight insects immediately, treating flowers with insecticides and collecting pests by hand.

Growing problems:

• Due to high humidity, the leaves may be permanently closed.
• At low temperatures, the plant will not bloom.
• In poor lighting, mimosa will also not bloom.
• In the shade of a mimosa, shoots can stretch too much.
• In a polluted environment, the flower will simply shed its leaves.
• Mimosa will react the same way to the drying of the earth.

If the flower begins to lag sharply in growth, and its leaves take on the most bizarre forms, then the culture has been struck by a disease. Usually the shy mimosa plant gets sick due to insect pests. Therefore, the first step is to inspect it for the presence of uninvited guests.

• If the mimosa leaves begin to stretch too much, this is the first signal that the pot is in a poorly lit place. A simple solution to the problem is to move the flowerpot to the south side window.
• It happens that mimosa leaves do not open. If the plant constantly receives too much water, then this will certainly affect its appearance. Also, this problem can occur if the room is too cold, which is often the case in winter.
• The plant may become yellowish and sluggish leaves due to lack of water. It is very important to properly observe the watering regime - the flower does not like either stagnant moisture or drying out. You can humidify the air around the flowerpot in the heat by spraying it from a spray bottle.

Reproduction from seeds

To collect seeds, you must first pollinate the flowers. In nature, this is done by insects or the wind. At home, the procedure is carried out manually with a soft brush. Pollen is simply transferred from one flower to another.

The easiest way to grow mimosa is from seeds that you can take from other gardeners or buy. The fruits of the flower are a pod with several peas.

1. When the shell is completely dry, the pods are placed in the refrigerator for the whole winter.
2. In March, they begin landing, before which planting material soak in water for half an hour. For sowing, ordinary universal soil is quite suitable. Garden soil is not suitable, as it contains a lot of germs.
3. Sow in small containers, at the bottom of which drainage is arranged. Expanded clay can be used in this capacity.
4. The soil mixture is well shed, and then peas are laid out on its surface.
5. Sprinkle 1 cm of soil on top of them.
6. The containers are covered with foil to make a mini-greenhouse.
7. Seeds are transferred to a warm place where the air temperature is about +30 ºС. Watered only through a sprayer.

After 20 days, the first shoots will appear. Then the bowls are exposed to the light, but not under the direct sun. The temperature in the room should not be lower than +24 ºС.

When three leaves appear, the seedlings are transplanted into separate containers using universal soil. When picking, you need to protect the delicate roots. Further care for young plants is no different from caring for adult specimens.

Upon contact, the leaves alternately fold inward - this is how the flower is protected from predators. After two or three minutes, they straighten out again. This ability of a flower also helps it to shed pests - various insects.

However, many plants, which are called seismonastic, have a similar self-defense mechanism. Leaf tissues lose turgor, and during touching, a sharp release of potassium occurs, which causes an outflow of water from the cells. This leads to compression - the leaves immediately curl up, and the petiole drops slightly.

It is important to place the pot so that small children cannot reach the mimosa. A flower moving its leaves often becomes an interesting toy, but the plant spends a lot of energy on such a movement, and when exhausted, it can even die.

Finally, it must be said that it is undesirable for people suffering from allergies to keep this plant at home. Mimosa pollen can cause a very violent reaction in an allergic organism.

Although it may seem that growing a bashful mimosa at home is very difficult and painstaking, in fact, it is not. Even a novice florist can handle the cultivation of this flower, with a certain amount of diligence and respect for this reverent creation of nature.

bashful mimosa

Mimosa. The name is familiar to everyone, even men, because in our country it is given for one of the most beautiful holidays. Yellow twigs delight every woman of the fair sex. But, you know, there is a mimosa flower that is not related to Women's Day at all, it is not a shrub with yellow beads that grows somewhere in the south. No, this plant can be freely grown at home. But do not rush to conclusions, the flower has one secret.

Bashful mimosa - who called you that?

In the world of plants, we meet different names, they are sometimes so unique and even funny that the question immediately arises, who came up with such a name and why. Mimosa bashful, which you see in the photo, is a flower that got its “nickname” for a reason. In fact, it has unique sensitive leaves, which, by the way, are very similar to a fern. They close themselves from touch, hide even from the breath on them, like a timid beauty from the eyes of others.

But the name was given not simply, among the people, but back in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, when he created his work on describing plant species. He gave the prefix “pudica” to Mimosa, which means “hiding” or “shy” in translation. This flower is known in many countries around the planet, it can grow at home and on the street, where it reaches one and a half meters. different peoples bashful mimosa is called differently - shameful, modest, touchy, sleeping grass and even a mole. The latter name is typical for countries such as Spain, Portugal and Brazil.

It is interesting! In the Caribbean and the Dominican Republic, mimosa is called "morivivi". The translation sounds beautiful and life-affirming - "I'm dead, I'm alive."

Meet the bashful touchy

The flower is very popular for its unusual properties among lovers of indoor plants. As you understand, it is now growing in many countries, mainly with a warm climate. Someone considers mimosa even a malicious weed. In nature, it reaches more than one and a half meters in length, while at home, as a rule, it grows up to 35-50 cm. The species belongs to semi-shrubs.

Outwardly, it is quite decorative. Children also like mimosa, because they can clearly see that the plant is alive and can move. But sometimes they flirt, constantly touching the tender leaves, and the flower begins to suffer. If you want to plant a touchy mimosa, then consider this fact. The plant blooms with a purple inflorescence that resembles a soft ball with needles or a pompom. It can be more stuffed or loose, the shade varies from lavender to soft pink. After flowering, a pod is formed, in which there are seeds.

On a note! Seeds can be bought at many garden stores, they are not uncommon, and then grown at home - the process does not differ in complex agricultural technology.

Type description:

• belongs to the mimosa family. Currently, scientists have discovered more than 400 different species;
• the native places of the touchy mimosa are South America, Asian countries and Africa. That is, the climate prefers a hot and humid flower;
• the semi-shrub has two-pinnate leaves, flowers of small diameter;
• inflorescences do not live long, there are a lot of them on the bushes, and they open every day;
• in a natural warm climate, the plant is perennial; in a more severe climate, mimosa does not survive in winter, therefore it is grown at home;
• the flower is unique in that, like a person, it has a life cycle. Every day, after a certain amount of time, the mimosa opens and closes;
• leaves can curl not only from touch, but also from a change in location and temperature in the room. Usually the flower opens again in about half an hour.

Here is such an unusual mimosa, in the photo you can see it in the interior. The flower beautifully decorates any room. If you just purchased it or gave it to you, then you can learn more about care below.

Such a fragile plant raises doubts that it requires complex care. But this is not so, millions of gardeners grow mimosa of this species in our country with its harsh climate. All you need to do is follow minimum requirements, you will learn more about them.

Where to place the flower

A native of a tropical climate, mimosa is very photophilous, even in direct sunlight it can feel good. The ideal place for a flower is the southern windows in conditions temperate climate, in warmer regions, eastern window sills are suitable. The most ideal place is on a pedestal next to a bright window, where there will be light partial shade from the curtains. If the flowers in the store were in artificial light or in a not very well-lit place, then you should not immediately put the pot where the sun's rays are bright. Mimosa-touchy takes some getting used to.

Important! Do not place flowers where pets can bother them, hurt them, in the children's play area.

Condition Requirements

The room should have well-moistened air - about 70%, because it often rains in the tropics. To moisturize it, you can buy a special device or use simple methods- a jar of water, air spray, trays under plant pots, where there will be wet expanded clay, perlite or moss. Mimosa begins its active life cycle in March and ends in October. At this time, the dormant period begins, it is better to lower the temperature to 16-18 degrees, placing it in a cooler room or on the north window. Since spring, it is better to maintain the temperature not lower than +22 degrees.

Important! When you put additional trays for air humidity, the bottom of the pot should not touch the water. Otherwise, the roots will start to rot.

Watering and fertilizing

The mimosa flower is moisture-loving, it is watered quite often from March to October. But an important condition is not to fill the pots, the soil must be moist, but not wet. During the flowering period, mimosa requires watering every other day, provided that the earth has already dried up in the upper part. In normal periods, it is enough to moisten the flowers 2-3 times a week. One more important rule irrigation is the quality of water - it should be soft or distilled. In the first case, simple settling during the day will help.

Mimosa loves feeding, does not make special demands on them. You can buy any mineral fertilizer in liquid form at a flower shop and apply it twice a month. This is provided that the soil in the pot was already nutritious. During the dormant period, watering and top dressing is reduced to a minimum. If you don’t know what quality the soil is in the pot, since you were given a touchy mimosa, the flower quickly began to lose its decorative effect or sits in one place for a long time, it would be best to transplant it. How to do this, read on.

Transplanting bashful mimosa

So, you were given a flower, but no one knows how nutritious the earth is in a pot and whether everything is in order with the root system. This directly affects the future growth and development of the plant, as it often happens that in stores we are surprised by chic flowering. different flowers, and after the purchase, they quickly wither and die. The best thing to do is replant. But this is only in extreme cases and by the method of transshipment of the root system, together with an earthen clod, into nutrient soil.

The soil of the touchy mimosa loves moderately fertile, well-drained and moist. Pick up a pot desired diameter so that the flower is free in it, wash it thoroughly. Next, prepare the soil - in equal parts, take peat, sand, leafy and soddy soil. Drainage is needed at the bottom - perlite, expanded clay, crushed stone to choose from. Transfer the plant to a new container, sprinkle with soil, pour settled water.

Advice! It is better to shed the soil before planting for 1-2 days with boiling water with manganese crystals, which will kill all the pathogenic flora, and the flowers will not hurt.

Secrets of growing mimosa

Many novice flower growers do not know how a flower is grown - is it perennial or annual. You can often hear the latter, but this is a mistake. The fact is that after flowering, mimosa often loses its decorative effect, then it is replaced with a new one, because it is very easy to grow a flower from seeds. The process is the same as when planting any seedlings - the seeds are placed in a universal store soil, watered, covered with a film. When the sprouts have risen, the shelter is removed and then the seedlings are transplanted into separate pots with nutrient soil. Further, all care is as described earlier.

But bashful mimosa can be grown for more than one year. The main thing is proper care, feeding and watering. If after flowering the leaves began to fade, fall off, the stems stretch, then you just need to carry out a cardinal pruning. After the flower needs to be fed with nitrogen fertilizer, which helps to increase the green mass and put in a sunny place. Further watering is required and as feeding grows. So, you save your flower.

Possible troubles

If you are confused by what your mimosa looks like, then the reasons may be different, but all problems are solvable.

• Dull, wrinkled leaves may indicate that there is a lot of dust, the air is polluted. It happens when the window is constantly open.
• If the air is dry and watering is irregular, then the leaves can begin to not only wither, but also turn yellow and even completely fall off.
• If water is in excess, then the mimosa will always keep the leaves closed.
• In a cold room, a flower will not bloom for a long time.
• If there is little light, then the plant will begin to stretch, lose its decorative effect. You need to change the place or add lamps for lighting.
• Mimosa can be bothered by spider mites, aphids. They are removed with insecticides or folk infusions.

You met with an interesting and unusual plant. Growing it is easy if you know some secrets, but you already know them.

Mimosa bashful is not the most popular houseplant. It is mainly bred by lovers of exotic flowers. Its low popularity is explained by the fact that the shy mimosa does not tolerate winter well, and often dies. Therefore, in the spring it is necessary to grow a new plant from seeds. Next, we will talk about caring for a shy mimosa at home.

Among the plants of the genus Mimosa (legume family), flower growers are attracted by the bashful Mimosa. South America is considered the birthplace of the plant, although at present it can be found in nature in the tropics of Asia and Africa. In the people it is called "sissy" or "shy mimosa".

Mimosa bashful refers to herbaceous shrubs. Under natural conditions, it grows up to one and a half meters. In an apartment, the height of the plant reaches 30-60 centimeters. The stem of the plant is straight, from it on long cuttings, in groups of three to five pieces, two-pinnate leaves depart. There are small thorns on the trunk, and the whole plant is covered with whitish hairs.

Shy mimosa blooms throughout the summer. Pinkish-lilac flowers are collected in spherical inflorescences and are located at the ends of young shoots. The diameter of the "heads" of flowers is about two centimeters. In nature, flowers are pollinated by wind and insects. To obtain seeds when grown indoors, artificial pollination must be carried out. If everything is done correctly, then over time the flower begins to fall, the stem thickens. The pod contains two to ten seeds. Dried pods are stored until spring in the refrigerator, put in a paper bag. The best place- a shelf on the refrigerator door. In the spring, the seeds are planted to get a new plant.

Peculiarities

Mimosa bashful is notable for the fact that it reacts to touch. It is worth touching its leaves with your hand, as they curl up, pressed against the trunk. After twenty to thirty minutes, if the plant is not disturbed, the leaves will return to their previous shape. Hence the name - shy mimosa.

But scientists in the eighteenth century noticed that the movement of the leaves of a plant depends on the following factors:

• from time of day;
• from external stimuli.

At night, the leaves fold, regardless of whether there is a light source or not. This feature of the flower was discovered by the astronomer Jean-Jacques de Meyran (Meran) from France. He placed the plant in a room without light, but the leaves fell only with the onset of darkness. He explained this by the fact that the rhythms of leaf movement are similar to the rhythms of human sleep. Such rhythms are called circadian and are of endogenous origin. Also, mimosa leaves fall under gusts of wind, when shaking. The plant can fold leaves along the central vein, or it can lower the leaf to the stem.

The ability of mimosa to fold leaves has the following explanation. When the leaf is touched, chemicals are released from the cells. This leads to a decrease in the amount of water in the cells and, accordingly, the folding of the leaves. In apartment conditions, frequent folding of leaves in response to touch leads to high costs internal forces of the plant, exhaustion.

As a result, mimosa begins to fade, and may die. Therefore, having planted a bashful mimosa at home, you should not disturb her often. In addition, the plant is very sensitive to tobacco smoke, because of which it dies.

The pollen of the plant can cause allergies, and its leaves are poisonous if ingested. Therefore, we advise you to put bashful mimosa in a place inaccessible to small children and pets.

Care rules

Mimosa bashful in the conditions of apartments is grown as an annual plant. In greenhouses, conditions close to natural are created for it: lighting, humidity and temperature. Therefore, in greenhouses, the flower grows for several years, which is difficult to achieve in an ordinary apartment. Let us consider in more detail what conditions are necessary for a shy mimosa.

Lighting and temperature

Mimosa bashful needs good lighting. She will be comfortable on the windows facing south. In the summer midday hours, it is necessary to cover it from the scorching rays. You can also place a flower on windowsills facing east or west. But with the shortening of the day, it is recommended to organize artificial lighting so that the length of the daylight hours is twelve hours.

With a lack of light, the plant stretches, losing its decorative effect, compactness. But mimosa is accustomed to bright light gradually. This is especially true after the acquisition of the plant or after wintering, for young plants grown from seeds.

Mimosa develops well if the room temperature is in the range of twenty to twenty-four degrees. If the plant is left in the winter, then during the dormant period it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 16-18 degrees.

Watering and feeding

As with most plants, when watering mimosa, it is necessary to observe " golden mean". From March to October, the plant is watered abundantly, but as the earthen coma dries up. At the same time, the soil in the pot should not be allowed to dry out.

In winter, watering is reduced both in quantity and frequency. Excess moisture can lead to root rot. Water for irrigation is used settled, at room temperature.

From spring to winter, mimosa is fed with mineral fertilizers twice a month. You can take complex fertilizers for flowering plants and take the amount half as much as indicated in the instructions.

Humidity

Indoor humidity is very important for growing bashful mimosa. Indeed, under natural conditions, it grows in tropical forests with high humidity. The humidity level favorable for mimosa should not fall below 70%. Therefore, spraying is necessary.

You need to spray not the leaves, but the air around the plant with a fine spray. Then droplets of water will fall on the mimosa, simulating dew.

Another way to increase the humidity of the air is to install a humidifier, a container of water. You can put a pot of mimosa in a tray with wet expanded clay, but so that the bottom of the pot is not immersed in water.

Transplant and soil

Mimosa bashful has very fragile roots. Therefore, if the plant is already several years old, transplantation is carried out only if necessary, by transshipment. Drainage must be poured at the bottom of the pot. The bottom should have several holes to drain excess water.

The soil for mimosa is made up of the following ingredients, taken in equal parts:

• sod land;
• leaf land;
• peat;
• sand.

For looseness, perlite is added to the earthen mixture.

Topping

To give decorative mimosa, which has been growing for more than a year, it is recommended to pinch. The first time they pinch in April, when the growing season begins. Elongated shoots are shortened to lengthen the flowering period. After all, flowers are formed at the ends of young shoots.

After the end of flowering, re-pinching is carried out. It is necessary for the formation of lateral shoots in next year. You can not greatly shorten the shoots, otherwise the mimosa is difficult to endure the winter period. And the plant may die.

If bashful mimosa is grown as an annual plant, then pinching can be done. young plant to make it compact.

reproduction

Shy mimosa in apartment conditions is usually grown as an annual plant. Therefore, reproduction is most often carried out by seeds. Theoretically, the plant also propagates by cuttings, but the survival rate of cuttings is low. Only half of the cuttings take root and take root. Therefore, the easiest way to propagate is to sow seeds.

Mimosa bashful seeds are sold in flower shops. You can also independently carry out the pollination of your flower. To do this, you can transfer pollen from one flower to another with a brush, or gently rub one flower against another, shaking it. When the beans are tied, you will need to wait for them to ripen. Dry pods are collected, wrapped in paper, stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of about five degrees Celsius.

This is what the seeds look like

In the first half of spring, seeds are planted. First, seeds are extracted from the pods, which are similar in size to peas. Only they are slightly flattened and have a dark brown color. Before planting, the seeds are poured with hot water for half an hour to improve germination. Then the seeds are dried a little and proceed to planting.

Soil is prepared for sowing, which should be loose and nutritious. Usually it is an earth mixture with a sufficient peat content. It is preheated in the oven for half an hour for disinfection. A layer of expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the container.

Seeds are deepened into moist soil to a depth of not more than one centimeter. The container with seeds is covered with a film or glass, put in a warm, lit place. But the direct rays of the sun should not fall on the pot of seeds. The ambient temperature is recommended to be maintained in the range of 24-26 degrees. A slight decrease in temperature is allowed, but not below twenty degrees. We periodically remove the film to moisten the soil from the spray gun and ventilate.

At good conditions seedlings may appear at the end of the first week. After the emergence of sprouts protective film take off. Maximum term emergence of shoots - two weeks. Seedlings with two true leaves can be planted in separate cups.

Plant two or three seedlings in one glass. For planting use the following mixture:

• sod land (2 hours);
• leaf ground (2 hours);
• sand (1 hour).

Transplanting into a larger pot is carried out when the roots fill the cups. The pot is recommended to take a diameter of eleven centimeters.

Growing problems

When growing mimosa, there may be some problems associated with care errors:

• If the leaves begin to fall off the plant, then this may be due to irregular watering.
• Yellowing of the leaves indicates waterlogging of the earthy coma. In addition to yellowing, unopened leaves also speak of excessive watering with the onset of the day.
• With a lack of light, the shoots stretch out, lose their elasticity.
• In low light and low temperatures, bashful mimosa may not bloom.

Pests

Shy mimosa is affected by the following pests:

• spider mite. It can be detected by small white dots on the leaves. Also, the leaves are covered with a thin cobweb, barely visible to the eye. The spider mite sucks the juice of the plants, and the mimosa leaves begin to fall off. If timely treatment is not carried out, the plant may die. It is necessary to treat with acaricides: Aktellik, Omayt. When processing, you must follow the instructions. If necessary, repeat the treatment after a week.
• Aphid. Small green insects are easy to spot on the petioles, in the axils of the leaves. To destroy them, the plant is treated with insecticides: Fitoverm and others of this class. These drugs belong to drugs with low toxicity (fourth class). They can be used in residential areas, strictly following the instructions.

Conclusion

Growing a bashful mimosa is not as difficult and troublesome as it might seem. If it is impossible to provide the plant with the necessary conditions during the dormant period and take care of it in the winter, it is easier to grow a new mimosa in the spring from seeds. It is only necessary to minimize touching the leaves for fun, otherwise the mimosa will die from exhaustion. People prone to allergies, especially to plant pollen, are not recommended to keep this flower at home.

Shy in a container with warm water from the tap and leave for one day. Then shoots will appear faster. Seeds are best left on hot battery so that heat is retained throughout the soaking time. Instead of warm water from the tap, you can mix parts of cold and hot boiled water.

Bury the soaked seeds in a flower pot, in a plastic or cardboard cup with soil to a depth of no more than 0.3 cm. It is important that the soil is bought in a special store, and not taken on the street. Otherwise, it may be infected and the plant may become sick. Cover the container plastic lid or film. But the coating should be removed as soon as the first leaves appear. When seedlings emerge, remove the greenhouse cover and place the plant in a well-lit and warm area. When planted, 13 out of 25 seeds usually germinate.

When growing bashful mimosa, make sure that the ground is not too dry or too wet. The plant likes moderate watering.
At temperatures between 21 and 32°C, the tropical plant germinates very quickly, in less than 7 days. But at lower temperatures, germination time can be up to 30 days.

When covering the flower pot with foil, do not place it in direct sunlight. At night, the plant sleeps with its leaves folded. Mimosa is a bashful pale pink, dandelion-like flowers. These flowers are rich in seeds.

It is better to water the plant with spring, distilled or rain water. Plants can be sensitive to tap water and chemicals it contains, such as chlorine.

You can build a special greenhouse for young plant sprouts. It can be made from a toy box or any other packaging. Look for a box that is made of cardboard and clear plastic. These materials retain heat well, and transparent plastic transmits sunlight like glass. In such a greenhouse, you can cut holes for ventilation on the sides of the box. If additional lighting is required, an energy-saving lamp can be mounted on top, which, in addition to light, will give off heat.

The first leaves of mimosa-shy do not respond to touch. You have to wait until the bindweed grows before you can observe this interesting phenomenon.

Impatiens - a houseplant, known as balsam, can please the grower with flowering all year round. It is unpretentious, easily propagated and loves light very much.

Instruction

The fall of the leaves is mainly promoted by hypothermia. If the increase in temperature in the habitat of the plant did not help, then check for pests on it. Also, the loss of leaves can be triggered by irregular watering of impatiens.

wilting leaves - clear sign plant dehydration. The only solution is frequent watering, but keeping a saucer of water under the plant pot is not necessary.

At weak flowering, unfortunately, whole line reasons: lack of light, lack of nutrition, low temperature or premature transplant. Try to determine the most likely cause of the disease and take action.