The Jacobinia plant, either justice or djustica, is a member of the Acanthus family. This genus unites about 40 species, some of which are happily cultivated by flower growers of middle latitudes in indoor conditions. These plants come from Latin America.
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Features of Jacobinia
The height of the Jacobinia can reach about 150 cm. The stem growing upwards slightly woods after a while. The shape of green leaf plates is elliptical, and sometimes there are specks and droplets on their surface. There are 2 types of inflorescences in such a plant, thanks to which all species are divided into groups. So, in the first group, the formation of flowers is observed on the lateral shoots, and in the second, apical inflorescences grow.
Jacobinia care at home
Illumination
In order for Jacobinia to grow and develop within normal limits, it needs a lot of bright light, which must be necessarily scattered. In the summer noon, the bushes need to be shaded from the direct rays of the sun. But during wintering they need them. Such a flower grows well under artificial light.
Temperature regime
In the spring-summer period, justice will grow well and develop at an air temperature slightly above 20⁰С. In winter, such a plant can be placed in a cooler place (about 17 degrees).
Bloom
If a species is cultivated in which flowers are formed on the lateral shoots, then flowering can begin in winter as well. To achieve this, the flower must receive the required amount of light during the day, and it also needs coolness (no more than 12 degrees).
Air humidity and watering
Try to keep the humidity in the room at least 60%. To do this, the bush must be regularly moistened from a spray bottle, and moistened expanded clay or sphagnum can also be poured into the pan.
Water such a flower with exceptionally well-settled water. Watering is carried out only when the top layer of the substrate dries out. If wintering is cool, watering should be reduced. However, if in winter the plant is in a warm room, then the irrigation regime is left the same as in summer.
Fertilizer
In a period of intensive growth, justice must be fed. Such procedures are carried out once every 1.5 weeks and use organic matter or mineral fertilizers for this.
Substrate
The soil mixture should be slightly acidic. It can have the following composition: sand, humus, turf and leafy soil, taken in equal shares.
Transfer
Jacobinia is transplanted only if necessary, and such a procedure is carried out in the spring, or rather, in March. The bush is carefully pulled out of the old one and placed in a new pot with a larger volume, while trying not to injure the root system. Low-flowered justice is transplanted after flowering, and this time falls in winter.
Reproduction of Jacobinia at home
When grown in room conditions, justice is propagated by seed and cuttings. If it is grown from seeds, then the main thing is to remember that the crops should be in a warm place (about 22 ° C).
The type of inflorescences of your plant determines the time when it can be propagated by cuttings. If it has apical inflorescences, then reproduction is carried out in January-April. Cuttings root in warmth (at least 20⁰C). When their roots grow, they can be planted in individual containers, reaching 70 mm in diameter. In a larger pot with a diameter of 110 mm, you can plant 3 cuttings at once. To increase the decorativeness of the plant, it is necessary to pinch it.
In species in which flowers form on the lateral shoots, cuttings should be carried out in January – February. When the cuttings take root, they are planted in a pot that reaches 100 mm in diameter. At the same time, it is recommended to plant several plants in one container at once. While the cuttings are rooting, they need heat (about 20 degrees), but after they are planted in separate containers, they need to be rearranged to a cool place (no higher than 16 degrees). Young bushes need a lot of light, and they will also need obligatory pruning of branches.
Diseases and pests
Jacobinia is distinguished by a fairly high resistance to diseases and various harmful insects. However, if the room has an excessively low air humidity, then a spider mite can settle on the bush. In the affected flower, the foliage first turns yellow, and then dries up, and on their lower surface you can see the thinnest cobweb.
Also, due to the lack of moisture in the justice system, leaf plates can fly around. If during the winter there is not enough light for the bush, then its foliage will turn yellow. The oversaturation of the soil with nutrients can cause the lush growth of greenery and the complete absence of flowers.
Types of Jacobinia with photos and names
Jacobinia meat-red
Small branching straight stems are more than 100 centimeters high. The length of the leaf plates is about 20 centimeters, there is a slight pubescence on their surface. The round inflorescence consists of pink flowers.
Jacobinia yellow
This plant has the main features of the species. The color of its inflorescences is rich yellow.
Jacobinia small-flowered
A not very tall bush, as a rule, it does not reach more than 0.5 m in height. Its shoots are branching, and the shape of the leaf plates is oval. Such a plant blooms very magnificently and effectively, thanks to the two-color color of the flowers: at the base they are painted red, and above it changes to yellow.
Jacobinia Brandege
Such an evergreen plant is decorated with oblong leaf plates, the length of which is about 70 mm. In this species, spectacular scarlet bracts are formed, and oblong white flowers grow from them. When grown at home, if such a flower is properly looked after, then its height can reach 100 cm.
There are also varieties of Jacobinia variegated, their peculiarity is that mutated chlorophyll-free mutated cells grow near an ordinary cell, thanks to which the bushes look very unusual and decorative. However, these varieties also differ in that they are quite difficult to care for, and there may be difficulties with their reproduction. As a rule, they are called "variegated".
What a beautiful tree, with leaves a little reminiscent of hibiscus. Is Jacobinia not poisonous?