Among ornamental foliage plants with unusual leaves, Roicissus has long won the title of classics. We have this curly liana common under the name “birch” and is considered a plant almost boring. Meanwhile, a talented indoor steeplejack is able to surprise not only with unpretentiousness and rapid growth. Roicissus loves coolness, but at the same time it adapts well to ordinary room conditions. Its leaves with an ideal shape change depending on the type of plant, they do not always resemble birch leaves and delight not with variegation, but with impeccable contours. And the roicissus itself is an ideal plant for decorating a corridor, hall, foyer, and a bright hallway.
Роициссус (Rhoicissus). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com eteindien
Rocissus species
An indoor plant, under the name of birch or indoor grapes, which has spread literally everywhere in our country, is actively used for landscaping offices, schools, and in modern interiors, and in classic collections of indoor plants. Simple, unassuming, shade-tolerant, versatile in use, it captivates with a combination of beautiful, but not variegated greenery and surprising ease of formation. It is often called the “grandmother’s” plant, familiar from childhood, but Roicissus have something to surprise.
Roicissus (Rhoicissus) Is a genus of flowering plants of the grape family.
Roicissus are evergreen creeping and climbing shrubs with very long shoots ranging from 60 cm to several meters long. They are among the most popular indoor vines. But the range of Roicissus is not limited only to the species that has received such a simple popular nickname. Moreover, birches are not the most attractive of Roicissus. In the genus of these beauties that have long become cultured, there are 15 plant species. Of these, only 3-4 species are grown as a room culture.
Birch, or rhombic roicissus (Rhoicissus rhomboidea). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Konrad Kalbarczyk
Birch, or roicissus rhombic (rhoicissus rhomboidea) Is a climbing evergreen liana, light, flexible, with elongated internodes of thin shoots, reaching 1,5 m in length. The complex leaves, consisting of three rhombic lobes on long stalks, sit alternately. The dark, rich green color on the upper side of the leaves is combined with a dull green, lighter color on the lower side. The veins on the leaf stand out brightly, ending in a tooth along the edge of the leaf. The greenery of the plant, including the shoots, is usually covered with reddish pubescence. Roicissus has a thin tendril. A birch is used both as an ampelous plant, and as a pot plant, and as a liana on a support, and to create green walls, screens, screens.
Roicissus cape (rhoicissus capensis) Is an ornamental-deciduous, climbing plant, suitable for growing on supports, and for the role of ampelous culture. A fast-growing, unpretentious and hardy plant conquers with rather large and ideally symmetrical leaves, resembling grape leaves in shape, but only distantly. They are not divided into leaflets-lobes, but whole, flaunt with large, curly grooves, reaching 20 cm in diameter. The height of the plants always depends on the support and the form of cultivation, but even on the trellis, the Cape Roicissus will not exceed 2 meters. This look is more effective, suitable for large compositions.
The Cape Roicissus has very beautiful varieties with improved characteristics. For example, the luxurious leaves of the Evergreen Grapewine variety with deep indentations and impeccable shape conquer with a rich, bright green color.
Roicissus finger (rhoicissus digitata) is fundamentally different from their “colleagues”. His leaves really resemble fingers in shape. This elegant, somewhat prim plant looks better on curly supports.
One of the key trump cards of the Rocissus, which made the birch tree so popular, is its simplicity and simplicity of requirements. For all Rocissus, the care is the same, and even the more decorative and rare species are grown according to the same laws. The plant needs systemic watering, but otherwise the selection of conditions and care for Rocissus is not at all difficult. Well adapting to different temperature conditions, dry air, shading tolerant, birch and its gathering are really very easy to care for.
Rocissus home care
Lighting for “birch”
The luxurious foliage of the Rocissus, like the vast majority of indoor vines with classical status, is sensitive to sunlight. Direct light, especially at noon, leaves unsightly burns on the leaves. But the rest of the “birch” provides complete freedom in choosing locations for illumination. After all, all species of this plant and varietal specimens perfectly adapt to both light areas and partial shade of varying intensity. Due to its plasticity, rocissus is equally well suited for insertion into the interior, and for placement on or near window sills. This is a plant for northern and partially northern windows or locations in the interior of light rooms. It is better to look for the optimal place empirically, experimenting with darkening: the rocissus quickly reacts to changes and itself will signal a comfortable location with an intense color, the release of larger and densely spaced leaves, and rapid growth.
Rhoicissus digitata. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Floradania
Comfortable temperature
The Roicissus, especially the Cape Roicissus, are lovers of cool places. That is why they are most often used for hallways, corridors, those light rooms that are heated less intensively than living rooms. The lower the temperatures, the better the roicissus will look and grow. In summer, he will gratefully respond to the temperature range from 18 to 22 degrees, in winter he prefers to grow in temperatures of about 15 degrees Celsius, or even lower (but not less than +5 degrees). But these are just preferences. If it is impossible to provide coolness for the “birch”, you should not give up growing Roicissus altogether. It adapts to warm conditions even in winter, despite the required more intensive care and some correction of procedures, it will only slightly lose its decorative effect. And you can not be afraid of falling foliage: Roicissus is recovering quite well.
Roicissus tolerates drafts well, but only warm ones: in the cold season, the plant must be protected from streams of contrasting air.
In the summer, any rocissus, even varietal, will not refuse to take out to fresh air. With the help of a luxurious liana, you can decorate balconies, terraces, and gardens. It is better to place the “birch” outdoors in partial shade or shade. Actually, the love of summer “vacations” allows us to consider Roicissus equally as an indoor and garden culture.
Watering and air humidity
For Rocissus, the stability of the substrate characteristics is very important. For this vine, it is necessary to maintain uniform soil moisture, without excessive moisture, but also without completely drying out the substrate. It is better to carry out the procedures not according to a certain scheme, but by controlling the degree of drying of the upper layer of the soil: for Roicissus, the next watering is carried out as soon as the upper 1-2 centimeters of the soil dries out. It is advisable to drain the water from the pallet immediately after the procedure, preventing it from stagnating even for 5 minutes. It is advisable to loosen the soil after each watering (proceed carefully, without touching the roots). If you can’t do loosening after each procedure, then schedule it every 2-3 weeks.
In winter, the intensity of watering “birches” is reduced, but the degree of reduction depends directly on the air temperature. If the Roicissus hibernates in a cool place, watering is significantly limited, maintaining a light, stable substrate moisture. If the plant hibernates in a warm place, watering is almost not reduced, allowing it to dry out with the same 1-2 cm of soil between procedures.
Water quality also directly affects the attractiveness of the leaves. Roitsissus do not tolerate salting, hard water and only high-quality, settled, purified or soft water should be used for them. The water temperature must correspond to the air temperature, the use of cold water is strictly prohibited (even a single watering can cause leaves to fall).
Roitsissus perfectly tolerate dry air (as well as excessive humidity in the bathroom or kitchen), but they will gratefully respond to periodic spraying and will not give up a warm shower. Measures to increase air humidity become mandatory only during wintering in warm temperatures: the plant needs to compensate for both hotter conditions and the operation of heating systems. In addition to spraying birch trees, which should be done frequently and regularly, it is necessary to wipe the leaves with a damp sponge at least once a week. Rocissus do not need to install humidifier devices (both industrial and homemade).
Rhoicissus digitata. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Floradania
Top dressing for “birch”
Despite its status as a fast-growing plant, the Roicissus needs moderate feeding. Fertilizers are applied only from March to the end of October, they are completely stopped for the winter period. For this plant, it is better to use complex fertilizers for decorative deciduous plants containing microelements. The optimal frequency of feeding is once every 1-2 weeks.
Pruning rocissus and support
Roicissus plants tolerate clipping and shaping well, and their shoots can be shortened to thicken and restrict the desired plant size. Every year, at the very beginning of spring, you need to inspect the bushes. If there are bare, thinned, damaged shoots on the liana, then it is better to cut them out or shorten them to hemp.
Despite the sufficient plasticity and not so large dimensions, the roicissus requires the selection of reliable supports. For this liana, stable, inflexible, large versions of ladders and trellises are installed. Rocissus can be used to create green walls and screens; for a “solid” coverage, the plant must be guided by combining garter and pruning until the desired effect is achieved.
Birch transplant and substrate
It is preferable to replant adult Rocissus only if necessary, after the roots have completely “mastered” the earthen lump. Only in the first few years should the transplant be carried out annually, with a not very rapid filling of the earthen coma, even for young Roicissus, the soul should prefer a transplant “on demand” with an approximate frequency of 1 every 2-3 years.
“Birch” does not impose strict requirements for the timing of transplantation: it can be carried out not only at the very beginning of active growth, but also throughout the spring. For roicissus, the containers must be increased by at least 3-4 cm in diameter (since the culture is transplanted into pots for more than one year, the increase in volume should be sufficient for active growth for several years). A middle or high drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the container. The support is installed before planting the plant itself. In Rocissus, it is undesirable to destroy an earthen lump: it is better to reload it, and not transplant.
Rhoicissus digitata. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Floradania
After transplantation, the Rocissus needs special care: it is watered carefully, using a small amount of water, but carrying out the procedures as often as possible. But the main thing is to provide the plant with shading for adaptation. It is advisable to place Roicissus immediately after the transplantation in a shady or semi-shady place for 2-3 days and only after that transfer to the usual location. After transplanting, do not resume feeding for 4 weeks.
Any high-quality, loose, nutritious substrates from the number of universal soil mixtures are suitable for the “birch”. The optimum soil is considered, consisting of equal shares of foliage, turfy soil and humus and half of the coarse sand. The optimum pH is about 6,0.
Diseases and pests
Roicissus in indoor culture shows an enviable resistance to diseases, including fungal ones, but due to its tolerance to dry air, it often becomes a haven for spider mites or aphids. It is better to fight insects right away with insecticides, and the plant itself must be isolated from other indoor pets.
Common problems in growing Rocissus:
- the appearance of spots on the leaves when watering with cold water;
- falling leaves when watering with cold water;
- stretching shoots with insufficient soil nutrition and in dense shade.
Roicissus Cape (Rhoicissus capensis). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Abu Shawka
Rocissus breeding methods
- Seeds… Sowing at a shallow depth in the nutrient substrate and greenhouse conditions gives low germination. The plant is much easier to obtain from cuttings, the seeds are not tied under indoor conditions (Rocissus bloom only in exceptional cases), and are rarely found on sale.
- Cuttings… Roicissus, by the ease of rooting of cuttings, is no different from other indoor grape relatives. The tops of the shoots, if you cut them with 3-4 internodes, easily root both in water and in a peat-sandy substrate. The main thing is to provide them with stable humidity and heat, temperatures from 20 degrees. You can cut cuttings to obtain new plants literally at any time of the year, but it is better to choose a period of active growth.
- Separation of bushes, which can be carried out during transplantation.
