Tetrastigma Vuagnier - Indoor Grape

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Tetrastigma voineriana Baltet - growing in an apartment

Luxurious plant for vertical landscaping of spacious hallways and winter gardens, as well as walls and windows in apartments

The sign of the zodiac Sagittarius (November 23 - December 21) corresponds to: shefflera radiant (umbrella tree, octopus tree), sacred ficus, cinnabar clivia, citrus (lemon), three-leafed sanseveria (mother-in-law's tongue), indoor bonsai, royal strelitzia and indoor grapes (tetrastigma Vuanye).

The homeland of an attractive plant registered in our apartments - indoor grapes - is considered the tropics of Indochina (Vietnam and Laos), where this evergreen giant liana (up to 50 m long) climbs high up tree trunks. It has a powerful, over time lignified trunk with many complex palm-like leaves (dark green above, below - lighter, with a shiny surface, densely pubescent with brown hairs), alternately located on long (up to 20 cm) thick petioles, with jagged edges …

Gardener's guide

Plant nurseries Stores of goods for summer cottages Landscape design studios

Large leaves reach up to 30 cm in diameter and consist of 5 diamond-shaped or oval leaves (up to 15 cm each). Young (just grown) shoots have long "antennae" with which they cling to the support (young shoots and antennae are also densely pubescent).

This plant has small greenish inconspicuous flowers, collected in axillary multiflorous corymbose inflorescences, but under indoor conditions it practically does not bloom. We add that the scientific name of indoor grapes is Tetrastigma voineriana Baltet (Tetrastigma voineriana Baltet), and attributed it to the genus Cissus, but for a specific four-lobed stigma it was identified in a separate row - tetrastigma ("tetra" - "four", "stigma" - "stigma").

To grow this luxurious plant in an apartment, first of all, a spacious, bright room (preferably with a high ceiling) is required, since with good agricultural technology (timely watering with top dressing), only one shoot can form a huge tent of greenery with a diameter of several meters. In order for such a plant to develop favorably, it is placed in a sufficiently large tub with a high-quality nutrient substrate.

However, it happens that for several months it sometimes does not develop and does not give growth, but in the spring it forms long shoots in just a few days, literally becoming covered with leaves before our eyes and forming many antennae. When you start indoor grapes, it will not hurt to think over in the first months how you will have to form a plant in an apartment and how much it will be necessary to limit its excessive growth.

Of course, periodic rejuvenating haircuts or growing in a cramped pot, and even removing part of the root system during transplantation, are quite suitable for this purpose. But experts categorically do not advise to reduce the plant's nutrition, since from such treatment the leaves become smaller, less attractive, the number of leaf lobes decreases, which also negatively affects its appearance.

Since indoor grapes tolerate a large amount of nutrients, it is necessary to feed them with a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers. Drafts are extremely unfavorable for this plant. Tetrastigma Vuanye is propagated in the spring or summer by ripe (lignified) stem cuttings, which take root within 4-5 weeks. But if you maintain a sufficiently high temperature in the apartment (20 … 25 ° C), then you can graft this culture almost all year round.

For grafting, it is enough to take a piece of the stem with one leaf containing the axillary bud, which, when planted in the nutrient mixture, must always be above the soil. After the formation of the root system, the cutting is transferred to a soil substrate, which must be very fertile, consist of equal parts of sand, turf and humus soil. When transplanting at the bottom of the pot, be sure to make a drainage layer of pebbles or pieces of brick.

Notice board

Kittens for sale Puppies for sale Horses for sale

This remarkable plant is most suitable for vertical landscaping of walls, windows and glass roofs, especially buildings with high ceilings, spacious hallways and conservatories. But at the same time it should be borne in mind that indoor grapes, breaking out into the open, are able to "conquer" large spaces over time. Also, the plant must be provided with some kind of support or used as an ampelous species.

For indoor floriculture, the plant is interesting for its unpretentiousness to the temperature regime, although keeping in a cool room is preferable for it. In winter, indoor grapes need a temperature of at least 12 ° C. It can be placed near a window of any orientation except north. Bright (but diffused) lighting is optimal. It is quite tolerant of low air humidity.

From spring to autumn, the plant is often watered, and in winter only as the top layer of the soil coma is dried. If the rules for keeping indoor grapes are not followed, the foliage of a different nature may be damaged. The causes of these phenomena may be: direct sunlight, too dry air, insufficient watering, poor ventilation or too low air temperature.

As a result of such exposure, the leaves can burn, shrivel, fade, become stained or mildewed. For example, falling leaves or the appearance of brown spots on them indicates that the air temperature is too low. Blackening of the edges of the leaves indicates a deficiency in mineral nutrition. Of the pests, aphids and spider mites harm more than others.