| Life form | Shrub, grassy |
| Family | Acanthaceae |
| Origin | Peru |
| Ease of cultivation | Lung |
| The size | At a height of 10 cm, up to 30 cm in width. |
| Growth rate | Approximately 8-10 cm per year. |
| Lifespan | Perennial plant (should be updated every 2-3 years). |
| Temperature | In the summer: preferably 69,8-80,6 ° F (high temperature requires high humidity); in winter – the minimum 64,4 ° F. |
| Humidity | High, daily spraying with warm water is required, it is better to place it in a tray with wet gravel. The plant will prefer the humid air of the kitchen or bathroom. In winter it is better to put it away from the radiators. |
| Lighting | Fittonia is a shade-tolerant plant and does not tolerate direct light. The eastern window is suitable. Can grow near a brightly lit window. |
| The soil | 1 part of sod land, 1 part of leaf land, 1/2 part of coarse sand or perlite and 1 part of peat. You can use a mixture of equal parts of peat and foliage. Always use a pot with an opening. |
| Watering | Requires abundant watering, at least once in 2 days in summer, in winter more moderately – once a week. |
| Fertilizer | Once every 2 weeks, liquid fertilizer, diluted three times the recommended dose. |
| Reproduction | In spring, cut cuttings 5-8 cm long and put them in moist sand under a plastic wrap. At a temperature of 69,8 ° F, roots will soon appear. Plant the plant in a small pot and, as it grows, pinch the top twice for better branching. Cuttings easily take root in the water. Easily propagated by seeds, which are sown in the spring in a tray with a peat-sand mixture. From above only slightly sprinkled with earth, cover with glass or a film, put in a dark place. After germination, transfer to light. When the shoots grow, arrange 3-4 cuttings per pot. Old plants can be multiplied by dividing the bush. |
| Bloom | Flowers are greenish, do not represent value, they should be removed. |
| Transfer | Transplant every year in the spring to replace the land with fresh. Ensure that there is good drainage. Use low pots, since the root system of fittonia is small. |
| Features of care | The plant should be cut regularly for branching. The tips of young shoots pinch. He does not like smoke, gas products, drafts. At the same time, it needs airing. The plant is suitable for “bottle gardens”, can be grown in a terrarium and as a soil cover plant. |
| Difficulties | Fittonia is affected by aphids, whitefly, spider mite, thrips, mealybug. The leaves wither and curl when the air is too dry or from the bright sun. If the plant has not been watered for a long time, the leaves may curl up to sag. (After watering, they will restore the form). Also, leaves wilt from the cold. Lower leaves turn yellow from excessivewatering. The cause of leaf loss and lack of growth can be cold. |
| Air cleaning | – |
| Toxicity | – |
