| Life form | Bush |
| Family | Acanthaceae |
| Origin | Burma |
| Ease of cultivation | Easy to grow with little difficulty |
| The size | Can reach 60 cm in height and width. Small plants look more attractive, so it is desirable to regularly prune and renew the plant. |
| Growth rate | High, for one season shoots are extended by 10-15 cm. |
| Lifespan | They live a long time, but it is desirable to rejuvenate the plant from the cuttings. |
| Temperature | In summer: preferably not higher than 75,2 ° F; in winter, so that the plant blossoms, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about + 64,4 ° F. If the temperature is below + 60,8 ° F, the growth of the strobilanthes stops. |
| Humidity | Not less than 40-60%, it is better to place the plant in a pallet with wet gravel or spray 2 times a day, and use all methods of increasing humidity. However, strobilanthes can adapt to normal room humidity. |
| Lighting | He likes bright diffused light, does not tolerate direct sunlight, an eastern window approaches, can grow on the north. |
| The soil | An easy fertile soil is suitable. 1 part of humus, 1 part of leaf, 1 part of coarse sand or perlite and 1 part humus or peat ground (pH 5.5-6.5). Always use a pot with a hole, there must be good drainage. |
| Watering | Requires abundant watering, at least 3-4 times a day in the summer, in the winter more moderately – once a week. The soil should be moderately moist and dry a little between waterings. In winter, watering should be significantly reduced, but the soil should never dry completely. |
| Fertilizer | Once every 3-4 weeks, with liquid fertilizer. |
| Reproduction | In spring cut cuttings 5-8 cm long with two knots and put them in moist sand with peat under a polyethylene film. It is desirable to pre-cut the cuttings with a rootstock. At a temperature of 68-82,4 ° F in 2-3 weeks, the roots will appear. Plant several rooted cuttings in a small pot and, as it grows, pinch the top twice for better branching. |
| Bloom | In the room conditions bloom very rarely with small blue-violet flowers, collected in spicate inflorescences. |
| Transfer | Transplant as the pot is braided with roots. |
| Features of care | The main difficulty is the formation of an attractive appearance of the plant. Strobilanthes should be cut regularly, but the plant does not branch well even with regular pinching. If you want the plant to blossom, with the onset of May, its pinching should be stopped. Every 2-3 years, strobilanthes need to be updated, because With age, the plant is strongly stretched, and the leaves lose color. Cultivated plants for sale are treated with retardants, in this case they bloom even at high temperatures. In the winter it is not necessary to place strobilanthes near radiators of heating. It is often necessary to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. Strobilanthes can be grown in the base of plants with a bare bottom of the trunk, for example, a croton. |
| Difficulties | It is affected by a spider mite, mealybug, aphids, whitefly. The bright color of the leaves pales, they melt, the plant is strongly stretched under insufficient illumination. The color of the leaves also pales in winter, which is normal. In the spring new colored leaves will begin to appear. The ends of leaves dry up, on the leaves appear areas of dry brown tissue in bright light and dry air. When sprayed with cold water in the sun, spots are formed on the leaves. |
| Air cleaning | – |
| Toxicity | – |
