Useful information

Pellea: an unpretentious indoor fern

Pelleia is one of the most unpretentious not only among ferns, but also other domestic plants. Natural adaptations to dry conditions allow it to tolerate dry indoor air normally. And growing in nature on limestone rocks makes the pellet insensitive to alkalization of the soil when irrigated with hard water. She does not need direct sunlight either. Pelley will endure a short overdrying, and systematic waterlogging of the soil leads to its rapid death.

This small openwork fern, the fringes of which consist of leaves similar to dark green glossy buttons, will decorate a living room and an office, suitable for a living picture or flower arrangement. Pelleia can be recommended even for novice growers.

At home, several species are grown, but more often than others, round-leaved pellets are found on sale (Pellaea rotundifolia).

Round-leaved pellet (Pellaea rotundifolia)

Illumination. Pellea prefers bright diffused light, does not tolerate direct sun. In winter, she should be given the brightest place. And in summer, protect from the scorching sun on south-facing windows with a light tulle or place it behind other plants, a little in the back of the room or to the side of a sunny window. On the server windows, place the plant close to the glass; in low light, the growth rate will be low, and the tips of the wai may begin to dry out. Pellea grows well under bright artificial light.

Watering. The soil between waterings should dry out to about the middle of the pot, it should not be brought to a loss of turgor or drying out of the leaves, although the pellet recovers well after drying out the earthy coma, if the drought has not been too long. Sprinkle on the leaves in this case and water the plant sparingly. A sign of waterlogging is blackening and falling leaves. Pour the pellet on top with lukewarm water. Excess water that has leaked into the sump after watering must be drained after 15 minutes. The pellet does not need special water softening.

Read more in the article Watering rules for indoor plants.

Air humidity. This fern tolerates dry air well, but regular spraying with the heaters turned on in winter and in hot summer weather will benefit it. To prevent white bloom from forming on the leaves, spray with boiled water.

Temperature. Pellea grows well in normal, comfortable conditions for humans, although it can tolerate temperatures as low as + 14 ° C.

Round-leaved pellet (Pellaea rotundifolia)

Soil and transplants. For pellets, ready-made universal peat soil with the addition of about 1/3 of the volume of perlite is suitable, this will ensure good drainage throughout the volume of the mixture, and will not allow water to stagnate in the pot. Pellets are transplanted by the method of careful transshipment, and only after the roots have well mastered the entire volume of the pot, this happens about once every 1-2 years. You can increase the pot by one size (2 cm in diameter), it is better to give preference to shallow pots of standard shape. When transplanting large specimens, you can carefully divide the fern into several parts.

Read more in the article Transplanting indoor plants.

Top dressing introduced from March to September, during active growth. As fertilizers, you can use ready-made universal mixtures for indoor plants in a half dosage.

Read more in the article Top dressing of indoor plants.

Reproduction produced by dividing adult plants during transplantation. To do this, a well-grown specimen is carefully divided by hand into several parts, each of which should have at least 2-3 growth points. Each cut is planted in a separate small pot with fresh soil added. Spray the leaves regularly for 1-2 weeks while the damaged roots heal.

In adult ferns, sporangia form in sporangia on the underside of the leaves, under the folded edge.You can try to collect and sow them, but it is rather difficult and time-consuming to grow an adult plant. In its development, a pellea, like any fern, goes through the stage of an outgrowth (gametophyte), a nondescript small plant growing from spores and producing sex cells, they must still meet and form an embryo, from which the usual fern will then grow. Although some pellets reproduce apomictically (without fertilization), getting a plant from spores is still quite problematic.

Pruning and shaping pellets are not carried out. Only dry fronds are removed.

Pests. The pellet is resistant to pests, even a spider mite practically does not overcome it. But it can be affected by mealybugs and scale insects.

About plant protection - in the article Houseplant pests and control measures.

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