The leaves of the Reflector (Dieffenbachia 'Reflector') are colorful, particularly large, and have irregular yellow and green brocade spots, which is a foliage plant of the genus Daisy (also known as the genus Evergreen) in the family Tiannanxing, which is very suitable for indoor potting.
Above is the Reflective Emperor Evergreen
Tip: There is a kind of brocade plant with a higher appearance than the reflective emperor evergreen, but the price is many times more expensive than it, it is the following "camouflage coarse rib grass" (Aglaonema pictum tricolor)
The leaves of camouflage coarse ribbed grass have white, light green and dark green markings, which look like camouflage uniforms, and a seedling must be hundreds of pieces.
If you want to raise a relatively niche large and medium-sized indoor foliage plant, then you can consider reflective emperor evergreen, it is a very small plant, the price is not expensive, but the plant can grow very tall, the leaves are particularly large, and the spots on the leaves are particularly beautiful.
Reflective Emperor Evergreen is particularly easy to maintain, in the place of appropriate scattered light can grow vigorously, it does not like excessive exposure, after the cultivation of indoor potted plants, every day to ensure that there are more than 3 to 4 hours of soft light, it can maintain normal growth.
1. Cuttings breeding techniques
Propagation reflective emperor evergreen can choose the method of branch cuttings, just in the warm season, such as the temperature of 18 to 25 degrees, you can cut its branches into multiple segments, each section is about 7 to 12 cm long, not necessarily have leaves, there are bud points at the node.
The cut branches are placed in a ventilated and transparent place, dried the wound, and then inserted in loose and drained soil, or some hydroponic cuttings, soaked in water at the bottom of about three centimeters.
After that, the environment is kept warm and ventilated, and there is more than 2 to 3 hours of scattered light every day, and after about two or three weeks, it will take root and re-grow small buds at the bud point.
These reflective emperor evergreens can grow to 30 to 60 centimeters high in a year, and if they are in Liangguang, Yunnan, Hainan and other places, they will grow faster, and can even be planted directly outdoors.
If it is in a cold place in winter, the winter temperature is below 0 degrees, then we must pay attention to moving indoors in time, and in the warm season, you can raise it outdoors, it can keep the leaves emerald green all year round.
Tips:
Reflective Emperor Evergreen can also be propagated by the method of splitting the plant, it is easy to grow some side branches at the bottom of the rhizome (as shown below), and so these side branches grow to more than 12 cm, the leaves are relatively full, you can directly break the side branches when changing pots, and re-plant with smaller pots.
Above are small seedlings that split into branches
Second, maintenance precautions:
1. Lighting
Reflective Emperor Evergreen is suitable for raising in the semi-shade, in the indoor bright place can also maintain survival, but the growth will be particularly slow, if it can provide more than 3 hours of scattered light per day, it will grow better, to avoid long-term exposure, especially in the summer high temperature, pay attention to proper shading, otherwise the leaves will be sunburned.
Do not raise in excessive shade, otherwise the leaves are easy to retreat, if there is a side plant, when the young leaves just grow, there will be a situation of retreat, it is also normal, and then grow long.
2. Soil
The soil planted with reflective emperor evergreen should have good drainage, and can be mixed with common peat soil (coconut bran, garden soil or saprophyll soil) with coarse sand in a 4:1 ratio, and the soil is well ventilated and drained, which will be more beneficial to its growth.
In indoor maintenance, avoid cultivating with yellow soil, otherwise the soil will dry slowly after watering, which will lead to root rot.
3. Watering and humidity
Maintenance of potted reflective emperor evergreen should pay attention to control watering, if it is raised in the indoor shade without light, you must pay attention to wait for the soil to be completely dry, in order to replenish water, to avoid the soil has been wet.
If it is in the winter when the temperature is relatively low, pay more attention to control and watering, if the temperature is lower than 7 degrees, it is recommended to stop watering.
Compared with other tropical foliage plants, the reflective emperor evergreen will have a stronger ability to tolerate air dryness, but it is necessary to avoid air humidity below 40% for a long time, otherwise the state of the leaves will be worse.
4. Temperature
Reflective Emperor Evergreen likes a warm environment, the temperature grows best between 18 and 28 degrees, the temperature below 12 degrees will grow slowly, and the temperature below 4 degrees will have the risk of frostbite.
5. Fertilize
Conservation potted reflective emperor evergreen does not need frequent fertilization, only need to be in the peak growing season, such as temperature in 18 ~ 30 degrees, you can supplement the water-soluble fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks, the concentration is half lower than usual, in the cold winter to stop fertilization.
6. Disease and pest protection
Above is the case of dark spots on the leaves
Conservation potted plants reflective emperor evergreen rarely infected with pests and diseases poor maintenance is usually due to excessive soil humidity, resulting in root rot. If the environment is too bad, it is not recommended to cultivate with too large pots.
After the disease heals
In addition, it is necessary to avoid the breeding of various fungi, if it is just bought potted plant reflective emperor evergreen, it is recommended to sprinkle small white medicine (furazine) and small white medicine (thiofuranamide) in the pot soil in advance to prevent the breeding of diseases and insect pests. If you are infected with leaf spot disease, you can spray common bactericidals such as azoxystrobin, pentrazole, or triazolone.