Pterises are fern houseplants, although they have greenery of a not quite standard form for this family. The flowers are easy to care for, which is why they are popular in home breeding. Read more about the features of pteris ferns below.

Plant description

A species of fern that belongs to the pteris family (Pteris). The natural habitat is the tropics and subtropics, and they are most widely represented in New Zealand (almost 250 species), Japan, Australia, Tasmania, Southeast Asia and the USA. This terrestrial, herbaceous plant can grow up to 2–2.5 m in height in the wild.

The roots of pteris are small, superficial. Creeping rhizome is covered with scales, small brown hairs. Leaf plates have good elasticity, peeling, can have a small hairline.Their shape is dissected or cirrus and they grow directly from the ground. The bunch of leaves has a dense structure. Species can be found which, having a creeping rhizome, grow vertically in rocky areas and on rocky cliffs. The appearance of pteris is attractive due to the leaves of the plant, which have different lengths and contours. The color of the leaves, as a rule, is bright green, but there are species with cirrus coloration.

Did you know? Translated from Greek pteris means “wing”, since the leaves of the plant are similar to the wings of a bird. Another plant can be found under the name "bracken" because of the roots formed by a bunch and resembling this bird.

On the reverse side of the leaves are soruses, they look like a continuous line along the edge. It is not possible to breed all types in an artificial environment, but only a few that adapt to the conditions of city apartments, greenhouses. The main thing for breeding pteris is a high level of humidity, which is not always possible to ensure in an artificial habitat.

Species of pteris

Pteris are diverse, and among almost three hundred species represented in the natural environment, they are divided into groups according to such external characteristics:

• variegata - plants that have a light gray stalk along the petiole on a leaf plate;
• cristata - species with teeth on top of the leaf plate;
• tenuifolia - narrow-leaved plants, with a dissected form at the end.

For decorative purposes, only several species of pteris can be bred, among which the most famous are:

Cretan (Pteris cretica)

This pteris can be found more often on the windowsill in an apartment or office green corner. Its leaves are on average 25–30 cm, but can grow up to 50 cm, while the width of the leaf plate is 10–20 cm. It is pinnately dissected with segments of 2–6 pieces. The color of the leaves is light green. They do not have hairs. The leaves are dense, but at the same time fragile and can be easily injured. The growth of shoots occurs parallel to each other, providing constant updating and beautiful appearance of the plant. Petiole light brown in color, 20-30 cm high, straight, slightly bent back.

Important! Pterisy is not recommended to be placed near heating appliances in the heating season, as they negatively react to hot and dry air.

Popular varieties of Cretan pteris include:

In the natural environment it grows in the coastal zone, near rivers. You can meet the species of this plant in wooded and rocky regions, on hilly slopes. It grows in the Caucasus, the Crimean peninsula, in Japan. In artificial conditions, it requires cool or moderately warm rooms.

Longleaf (Pteris longifolia)

The foliage of this pteris has a feathery appearance, since each leaf has 20–30 pairs of feathers forming a lush crown. The leaves are painted dark green. Petiole is shorter than that of a leaf plate. It can be 40–50 cm long with a width of 8–25 cm. The petiole itself is long in shape and covered with narrow, oblong leaves, the surface of which is shiny.The rhizome is creeping, as a rule, it is painted in brown color of light tones and is covered with beige and orange scales. In nature, long-leaved grows in a forest area, on cliffs and rocky slopes. It is common in southeast Asia. With artificial breeding, the plant can be grown separately and in a group composition.

Xiphoid (Pteris ensif ormis)

This pteris is easily confused with Cretan, but its foliage has a darker, saturated color. In length, they reach 20-30 cm. The upper part of the leaf is cirrus.

The most popular varieties are:

The xiphoid is widespread in the countries of Asia, Polynesia and Australia.

Trembling (Pteris tremula)

The leaves of this pteris are dissected, pinnate and reach a meter in length, each of them grows on a straight petiole, which is quite fragile. The bush is large and fast-growing. The color of the leaves is light green.

Growing conditions

Since pteris grows in a warm climatic zone with high humidity in the natural environment, they need moist air - the main condition when growing these plants at home. You can arrange a small floral corner by placing a fern next to other moisture-loving indoor crops, and control the level of humidity.

Lighting, temperature and humidity

These main parameters are responsible for the growth and development of plants in indoor conditions:

1. Lighting. Plain pteris is comfortable in the shade or partial shade, variegated species need to get more light. Be sure to observe the shading condition and avoid direct sunlight. The east and west sides are perfect for this. In summer, plants can be taken out to the open balcony or to the garden, not forgetting the need to equip sun protection. In winter, the lack of natural light and short daylight hours can be compensated by installing a fluorescent lamp or phytolamp at a distance of half a meter or a little more. Indoor fern needs at least 8 light hours to grow.
2. Temperature condition. When it is warm outside, the room should have +20 ... + 22 ° C, if these standards are exceeded, it is necessary to increase the air humidity. In the cool season, the minimum value may be +10 ... + 13 ° C. It should be noted that the variegated forms of pteris do not withstand temperature drops below + 16 ° C. Room forms do not tolerate drafts, but do not forget about the access of fresh air and the need for ventilation, especially in the heating season.
3. Humidity. As characteristic of ferns, pteris love high humidity, they should be irrigated with soft and warm water regularly. For these purposes, it is either upheld or softened by filtration. If the air in the room is overdried due to the use of an air conditioner or heaters, then spraying is performed 1-2 times a day. You can put a flowerpot next to the aquarium or indoor fountain. A pallet with wet pebbles, moss or expanded clay is also used, however, the flowerpot must be installed so that its lower part does not have constant contact with water.

Did you know? Ferns are used not only as a decor, but also for medicinal purposes. In folk medicine, decoctions from these plants are used when boils, infections of the genitourinary system, poisoning and dysentery appear.

Soil and planting requirements

To grow pteris at home, the soil must have the following characteristics:

• neutral acidity or slightly acid reaction with 6.6–7.2 pH;
• light, loose, breathable;
• nutritious.

Such a substrate can be prepared with your own hands. To do this, in equal proportions take:

• turf;
• sheet earth;
• peat;
• sand;
• humus.

You can buy ready-made substrate for ferns in special gardening and flower shops. For planting, you need a pot of a suitable size, given that the fern rhizome is small, it is better to opt for shallow but wide flowerpots. This type of fern loves crowding.

At the bottom of the tank for planting, drainage is laid, for these purposes fit:

• expanded clay;
• pebbles;
• brick crumb.

The drainage layer must be at least 2–2.5 cm.

Important! Dividing the bush is not recommended for beginner growers, since only an attentive and experienced person can correctly detect and divide growth points.

Features of fern care at home

In order for the plant to be comfortable at home, he needs the right conditions and negligible care, since it is unpretentious. Leaf pruning is done at the very base if the petioles become dry. This procedure is performed in the spring, during a plant transplant, and repetition during the year is not required. Pteris reacts negatively to drafts and does not like to be exposed to cool air.The fern can be carried out in the summer, when it will feel great on the balcony. However, care should be taken to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on the leaves. Bathing a home plant can be done in the shower, directing a stream of water so that the water does not fall into the pot with soil. Such water procedures will help get rid of dust on the leaves and create optimal humidity conditions.

Frequency and irrigation rules

For irrigation, it is recommended to use only settled or filtered water, which is softer. It is produced often in the summer, in the winter in a moderate volume, controlling the dryness of the upper soil layer. It is important to remember that excessive moisture and water stagnation due to lack of drainage can cause rhizome decay. The pan should also not be filled with water, after watering excess water that spills out of the pot through the drainage holes should be drained.

Top dressing

For feeding pteris, it is recommended to use fertilizers in liquid form. It can be top dressing for ornamental and deciduous houseplants, ferns. Fertilize should be done twice a month in the spring and summer. For pteris, the dosage indicated on the packaging of such top dressings should be reduced by 2 times. In the remaining time, the plant does not need additional nutrition.

Transfer

It is recommended to deal with transplantation when the rhizome of the plant has grown enough and it does not have enough space in the old pot. Make the procedure in the spring. When replanting a plant, it is necessary to examine its appearance and, if necessary, remove leaves that:

• withered;
• have damage;
• acquired brown spots or completely changed color.

Such leaves are cut to the very bottom of the petiole. Next, you need to monitor the plant, making light loosening of the soil, which will support soil aeration.

Plant propagation

The plant propagates in the following ways:

• self-seeding;
• dividing the bush;
• disputes.

Samosev

This is the easiest and most natural way to increase the population of pteris, which occurs spontaneously. When growing a plant in a volumetric pot, over time, you can notice the emergence of new young shoots that appear as a result of falling spores in a moist and nutritious soil.

Disputes

Like all ferns, pteris have spores that are located on the back of the leaf along the edge. In the natural habitat, they independently dump them, at home, a person can collect them manually or purchase them. Spores are sown in early March at a room temperature of + 13 ° C, such a thermal regime will contribute to their germination. To do this, you can use the prepared substrate, consisting of sand and peat in equal proportions, which fill a flat and wide pot. The soil before planting is well moistened and spores are spread on its surface.Further, to maintain the necessary humidity, the container is covered with a film or glass. Until the emergence of seedlings, it is better to keep the pot in a cool and dark place, and then transfer to a more lighted room, but without direct access to the sun. Seedlings need to be aired and irrigated daily, and when they grow up, they perform a thinning procedure, and then transplant into separate containers for growing adults.

Dividing the bush

This method of reproduction is more complicated. It involves the division of growth points that are in the ground, so the procedure is performed, as a rule, in the spring when transplanting an overgrown plant. Large bushes can be divided into 2-3 small. Pruning is done with a sharp knife, and the cut is processed with chopped charcoal. Then the separated bushes are planted in the soil to prevent them from drying out. Pteris adaptation is quick enough.

Pteris Growing Problems

In the process of breeding this indoor plant, gardeners may experience such difficulties:

• pteris leaves are very fragile and can be damaged when touched or transplanted;
• leaf plates can change color and turn yellow, curl and stop growing as a result of high room temperature and low humidity;
• lethargy of leaves and their oppressed appearance may occur due to an excess of sunlight;
• the appearance of brown spots can occur as a result of too cool indoor air or irrigation with cold water;
• Excessive stretching of the bush may occur due to lack of sunlight.

Also, plants can fall under the negative influence of such pests:

To control pests, irrigation with insecticides is used, for example, they spray the plant with an aqueous solution of Actellik. Breeding pteris at home under the strength of a beginner grower. These plants are unpretentious in care, grow quickly and can be used in decoration of both residential and office premises.