Baby Moses in a baby basket. Reo flower: photo and care. Fertilizers and fertilizers
If you are more attracted to greenery rather than flowers in indoor plants, feel free to choose reo: this crop blooms really modestly, but its leaves are very beautiful.
True, the concept of “green” can be applied to them with some stretch.
Painted in two primary colors (for example, green on the front side and purple on the back), they are dotted with many stripes of other, additional shades, which makes the plant especially elegant.
Description of features
The rheo flower (in Latin called Rhoeo Hance) belongs to the species “Tradescantia variegated”. Sometimes they write “reo”, they often call it reo bedspread, because its already modest, inconspicuous flowers managed to hide under the leaves-bracts, as if under a blanket.
Such botanical feature caused the people who studied the plant to associate it with a mythological boat that floated down the Nile, in which lay a baby. It was discovered and saved by an Egyptian princess, and the plant was named reo (by the way, Reo is the name of a forest nymph) and began to be called “Moses’ boat” or “Moses in a basket.”
In its homeland, in the tropical zone, the plant does not know periods of rest. This, however, does not mean that there the reo rolls around like cheese in butter: in dry times, it has to fight for life, using the moisture previously accumulated in the succulent leaves.
At home it is amazing property plants help him stay fresh all year round. And the leaves are truly unique: their length ranges from 25 to 30 cm, width – 5 cm, and thickness – 0.5 cm. Thanks to these parameters, even a single plant, if it is also well-formed, makes a rich, lush bouquet.
Reo variegated (bedspread)
Reo – perennial crop, quite easy to care for. In home floriculture, this species is used more often than others. The leaves are dense, shiny, violet-purple on the “underside” and dark green, with longitudinal white stripes on the “front” side.
The flowers (by the way, they can appear at any time of the year) are white and quite spectacular, even despite their miniature size. The “trunk” of the rheo is voluminous enough that, like the “crown,” it contributes to the accumulation of fluid reserves.
The reo palette can also include colors that are unusual for leaves, such as pink or pink (Stripe in Pink variety), burgundy (Compacta).
Reo yellow
Reo yellow is not so often used in indoor floriculture, perhaps because yellow colors create the illusion of fading autumn foliage, and we want fresh, spring colors.
Nevertheless, this type of reo looks very original.
For example, the Vittata variety (as pictured) impresses with its combination of dark purple and intense yellow color.
In the spathacea Vittata variety, the beautiful sandy shade has completely replaced the purple colors.
There are also varieties with a beige color.
Care
Although reo is not a capricious flower, it very responsive to good care. If you take care of it according to all the rules, reo can become a real decoration for your home flower collection.
Light and temperature
Reo required good lighting, but direct sunlight can be harmful to it. The best choice– windows facing west and east.
If you place the reo plant on a southern windowsill, your green pet will need light shading. On northern windows, lighting may be required, because if the flower does not have enough light, its stems will begin to stretch.
ATTENTION: lack of light has a negative impact on decorative properties reo.
This the plant should not be exposed to sudden temperature changes. We must try to maintain the air temperature around 20 degrees in summer and at least 15 in winter.
Watering
The amount of watering is adjusted depending on the season:
- from spring to autumn - intense,
- in winter – moderate.
The same approach can be applied to spraying.- such water procedures are extremely pleasant to the plant, however, in the cold season they should be carried out less frequently, but not completely eliminated, since due to the operation of heating radiators, the air humidity in the room is quite low.
Reo is a moisture-loving crop, so the soil in the pot should always remain moist.
And so that the roots do not suffer from excess moisture, you need to ensure high-quality drainage in advance.
A good option for increasing humidity levels is to place pots on trays filled with wet moss or pebbles.
By regularly adding water to the tray, you will be able to maintain the moisture level required by the plant. There must be water room temperature, composition – soft. After half an hour or an hour, the water needs to be poured out of the pan.
Fertilizers and fertilizers
Reo needs fertilizers and fertilizing from the first month of spring to August inclusive. They need to be done once every two weeks. In autumn, the number of fertilizing is reduced, in winter - they are stopped completely.
The fact is that in a state of relative dormancy, the plant consumes less nutrients and they begin to accumulate in the soil, which can subsequently have a negative effect on the flower.
It is advisable to use complex mineral fertilizers, as well as organic fertilizers, strictly in accordance with the volumes specified in the instructions.
Experts warn: a plant can more easily tolerate a lack of fertilizer than an excess amount.
Transfer
Adult specimens do not require frequent replanting; it is enough to do it once every 3-4 years.. With “youth” this procedure is carried out every spring, usually using the transshipment method. Previously upper layer"old" soil, in which there are no longer any nutrients, deleted.
Each time the pot is taken a little larger than the previous one, and the shape is always chosen the same - with a large diameter and insignificant depth. The fact is that root system rheo grows more actively in width than in length. Drainage must be laid at the bottom. For more information about rheo transplantation, watch this video:
Reproduction
Nature itself has come up with a very convenient way of reproduction for rheos - by lateral shoots. In the tropics, this gives the plant the opportunity to easily and quickly expand its habitat.
At the same time, the varietal characteristics of the maternal rheo are completely preserved.
This rule is not violated in the process of home breeding.
However, flower growers like to experiment, which means you can try to increase the “plantations” of reo by sowing seeds.
Seeds
If the plant has received enough solar heat and moisture, the seeds ripen well.
Before planting, they are soaked in water with the addition of a growth-stimulating drug.
A day later they begin planting.
There is no need to press the seeds into the soil; just sprinkle a 2-mm layer of soil on top.
By using plastic bag They build a kind of greenhouse and patiently wait (moistening the soil from time to time) for two to six weeks for seedlings to appear.
All this time, it is advisable to maintain the temperature in the room at 20-22 degrees. The “greenhouse” is removed after the formation of two true leaves.
Diseases
If indoor plant looks not entirely healthy, try to understand the reasons and, if possible, eliminate them:
- small leaves - lack of nutrition and light;
- yellow spots – sunburn;
- growth retardation and loss of basal leaves - excess moisture;
- pale colors, thin long stems - lack of light;
- dried, brown tips of the leaves - too much dryness in the room;
- wrinkled leaves - cold or bleached water for irrigation;
- loss of springiness - low temperatures in room.
First aid to the victim must be provided, oddly enough, also with water - arrange a warm shower for the patient.
In this way it will be possible to wash away the pests. If the leaves are severely affected, they will have to be removed.
ADVICE: It is effective to transplant the rheo into another pot with new soil, while the roots affected by the disease should be cut off.
The benefits and harms of the reo flower
Rarely does anyone consider reo as a home healer, however ethnoscience recommends using the plant:
- for rheumatism (in the form of compresses);
- wounds on the skin (the leaf needs to be crushed, put on problem area and bandage);
- for intestinal diseases (consume orally a decoction that has been prepared for 20 minutes).
CAREFULLY: some people may be allergic to the sap of the plant - if it gets on the skin (during pruning leaves, pinching), it can cause redness and irritation.
Indoor flower Reo also has a number of useful mystical properties: endowing a person with creative energy, determination, and neutralizing aggression. Folk signs and superstitions say that this flower protects its owners from witchcraft and protects against love spells.
Unfortunately, if a person has taken poor care of the green pet itself and the plant gets sick, then it begins to emit negative energy into the atmosphere of the room, and therefore unwittingly harm people.
The belief that this plant is a talisman for small children is associated with its original appearance. The perianths of the reo look like boats, and white “babies”—flowers—peek out of them. That's whyRhoeo is often associated with the biblical stories of Moses and Jesus. Hence its popular names and belief in its positive energy.
Reo (Rhoeo) |
However, there is some truth: the Moses flower in a basket can really lift your spirits, because it is quite simple to maintain, and when good care It blooms readily and abundantly in the apartment, delighting with its interesting rook-bracts. What does this exotic creature need?
This plant is the closest relative of Tradescantia and golden mustache, because reo belongs to the Commelinaceae family. Accordingly, caring for him is practically no different from keeping such green friends.
The Jesus Cradle prefers bright, indirect light. This flower can exist in less intense light. He will survive, but his fate will be unenviable: the color of the leaves will fade, and flowering may not be expected.
According to my observations, for Commelinaceae, lighting plays a decisive role in growing. If they get the amount of sun they need, they will have a lush "show" appearance. But with insufficient insolation, their shoots fade and stretch out.
Rook of Moses Reo |
You also need to remember that this plant comes from the tropics. Therefore, it will respond gratefully to increased air humidity. However, it is one of the few natives of tropical forests that can tolerate dry conditions around it.
According to the observations of many gardeners, it can growand on window sills near radiators in winter. This is one of the main advantages of reo. However high humidity air will contribute to its decorative appearance.
How reo blooms - photo |
However, if the top of the stem accidentally breaks off, you can root it in water or soil. After all, the Flower of Moses is easily propagated by cuttings.
This plant also loves warm temperature, regular feeding in spring and summer. Like all Commelinaceae, it is best to rejuvenate it in the spring. Although many gardeners prefer regular transplantation as needed.
Reo pleases with the original colors of the leaves - they are green on top and purple below. Moreover, the more light there is, the brighter and more spectacular the color will be. And there is also a variegated reo. Its leaves may be light yellow with white stripes or feature pink ribbon patterns.
The flowering form characteristic of rheo has connected this plant with biblical legends. Little Moses survived only because his mother put him in a basket and let him float down the Nile when the Pharaoh of Egypt ordered the death of all Jewish children. The pharaoh's daughter found the baby and adopted him, raising him along with the heirs to the throne. Later, the Lord called Moses to lead the people to the Promised Land from Egyptian captivity.
Rheo bractus belongs to the Commelinaceae family and is a close relative of Tradescantia. It grows upward, forming a dense rosette of lanceolate, hard, shiny leaves 30-40 cm long. The leaves are dark green on the upper side and dark purple on the lower side.
Reo is an unpretentious plant, place it in a bright place, but without direct lines. sun rays. In the shade, the trunk may bend, as well as the leaves may lose their bright purple color.
Reo loves abundant watering from spring to autumn, in winter watering is reduced, but the earthen coma is not allowed to dry out; it should be slightly moist.
Reo does not tolerate drafts and reacts poorly to increased dryness air. Regular spraying of the leaves is important, especially in winter; it is also advisable to place the plant on a tray with wet pebbles or expanded clay. The tips of the leaves turn brown and dry out when there is a lack of moisture due to insufficient watering, as well as due to watering the plant with cold water.
The plant is not demanding in terms of temperature; a wide temperature range is acceptable, but within reasonable limits.
Reo is easy to propagate by rooting side shoots cut at the base of the stem; roots form very quickly in water, after which reo is planted in a mixture of humus, peat, turf soil and sand, having first made good drainage in the pot. Young plants will easily take root even in winter period. Reo also reproduces well by seeds; the seeds are formed in a bivalve shell and often self-sow abundantly.
Reo also has medicinal properties. In the Dominican Republic, reo is used as a diuretic, antipyretic and wound healing agent. In Colombia it is a cough suppressant. In Mexico, the juice is used instead of blush because it irritates the skin and causes it to become red. Cubans use the juice to stop bleeding from the gums, and a decoction of the leaves for respiratory diseases.
Truth: God especially cares for the weak.
Goal: To teach children to seek protection from God.
Dogmatics: God is love (will protect in trouble).
Interest:
Guys, which of you has a little brother or sister? They don't know how to do a lot themselves. What do they need adult help with? (show pictures of babies from children's magazines or photographs). God gives fathers and mothers to look after the kids. God takes special care of little children because they are weak and helpless. Today you will hear a story about a baby who needed special care because bad person wanted to harm him.
Bible story:
- The Egyptian king is kind to God's people.
- Another king rises, God's people become slaves to the new king.
- The king orders all newborn boys to be killed.
- Birth of Moses.
- Moses in a basket in the reeds.
- The princess comes to the river bank.
- Moses is saved.
(The story of Moses can be told using a doll in a basket, a basin of water.)
Craft: “Moses in a Basket” or “Palms”.
Golden Verse:
“And God said, I will be with you” Exodus 3:12
Game "Echo". Divide the children into 3 groups. The first group says the first part of the golden verse, the second - the last, the third - the link. Change groups.
Review questions:
— The teacher attaches the core of a lily to the board, and the children, answering questions, glue the petals with tape.
- How did God's people live in Egypt?
- What did the new king order?
- How did mom hide Moses?
- Who found Moses in the basket?
- Where did the baby start to live?
Application:
— Draw large open palms on whatman paper. Children draw their portrait on separate sheets of paper using a mirror. Children glue their portrait on their palms.
Anthem: “Wonderful Palms”
In the palm of God, the bird is not afraid of evil,
Man feels so warm in the palm of God.
Everyone will find a place there: both small and large,
And no one feels cramped in the palm of that wonderful one.