Welwitschia

Family. Welwitschiaceae.

Where does grow? Welwitschia grows naturally in Angola and Namibia, in Africa, in the desert.

Description. Welwitschia is a dioecious perennial amazing gymnosperm plant with a short stem, tap root and two leaves. The leaves are leathery, wide, belt-shaped, 2 meters long, lie on the ground, continuously develop throughout life and with age wear out and acquire an unkempt appearance. The stem is low, conical, thick, woody, unbranched. Representatives of the species are dioecious - divided into male and female specimens. Reproductive branched organs appear at the base of the leaves; females form blue-green cones, larger than male ones. Male cones are salmon-colored, small, oblong-conical. Grows very slowly.

Height. Grows up to 50 cm.

Care at home

Containment temperature

Regular room temperature will do throughout the year. In extreme heat, leaves curl and thereby reduce the evaporation of moisture from the surface. 

Reproduction

Seeds are sown in the warm season, in spring or summer, in a large and deep (at least 30 cm, preferably larger) pot. Be sure to place a layer of gravel at the bottom to ensure good drainage. The soil should be sandy and well drained, for example 2 parts sand: 1 part loam: 1 part compost (leaf humus) with a sufficient amount of bone meal. Moisten the soil thoroughly before sowing seeds. Keep the seedlings in a warm and sunny place and maintain even humidity.

Growing at home 

Welwitschias are quite easy to grow as potted plants.

Lighting

For indoor use, choose a brightly lit place. The bushes are very sensitive to sudden changes in light intensity. Never move the flower from the shade to direct sunlight - the leaves will burn, and the plant may never recover and die.

Soil

Loose, well-drained substrate with a high content of coarse sand.

Fertilizer

Welwitschia is responsive to feeding - it grows faster. During the growing season, feed once every 2-3 months.

Flowering time

From mid-summer to autumn. 

Spraying

Sprayed in the warm season.

Watering welwitschia

This plant should be watered regularly during the summer months, reducing watering to once a month during the winter.

Transfer

The bushes have a very sensitive root system. The roots do not like to be disturbed, so transplant the welwitschia only when necessary. 

Note

Welwitschia is a long-liver, in the wild it often reaches an age of 300 - 500 years, some specimens up to 2000 years. It is a very ancient species, dating back to the Jurassic period, when gymnosperms were the most dominant plants on Earth.

Pests and diseases

Young specimens are susceptible to fungal infections in the first year of life, which is also facilitated by soil with a high organic content. Old specimens accumulate organic matter around themselves, which enriches the soil and acts as mulch, helping to retain water in the upper layers of sand longer.

Susceptible to mealybugs.