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Dichondra is an evergreen herbaceous plant of the Convolvulaceae family. Its name translates as “two grains”: this refers to the fruits of the plant, which have the appearance of a capsule with two chambers. In its natural environment it grows in the tropics and subtropics of America, East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Planting and caring for dichondra in a temperate climate has its own characteristics.
Description of dichondra
The plant is a tropical vine. In temperate climates it grows up to 1.5-2 m in length.
Dichondra has creeping thin stems of silver or emerald color. They often have round petiolar leaves covered with small fluff. Their size in diameter reaches 5-25 mm.Dichondra is valued precisely for its beautiful lush foliage, while its flowers are inconspicuous and are of no decorative interest.
On the ground, the liana forms a thick carpet; its creeping shoots quickly take root thanks to the surface roots that form in the internodes.
Creepers with silver and emerald leaves look organic in one flowerpot
Dichondra blooms from May to August. Its flowers are small - about 2-3 mm in diameter. Their color can be light yellow, purple, light green.
In temperate climates, growing and caring for ampelous dichondra has its own specifics, since it is cultivated as an annual. In warm regions it is grown as a perennial plant.
Types and varieties of dichondra
There are a total of 15 species of this tropical plant. There are 2 ornamental varieties grown in Russia:
- emerald waterfall;
- silver waterfall.
They differ in leaf color and stem length.
A silver waterfall looks great in combination with other flowers and plants
The emerald variety is endowed with a branched stem and small leaves of a round shape and a rich green color. Most often it is grown in flowerpots, as well as on lawns. The plant loves partial shade.
Silver Falls has long stems and silvery leaves. Prefers to grow in the sun, is not afraid of drought, and quickly recovers after the soil in the pot dries out. It cannot grow in partial shade; with a lack of light, the appearance of the plant deteriorates.
Dichondra in landscape design + photo
Dichondra is used in landscape design for ampel design - that is, hanging pots with vines are placed under the eaves of the roof to decorate the walls of the building, and also as a ground cover plant.
The tropical liana looks impressive as a ground cover crop
The plant is used for landscaping lawns, garden plots, terraces, verandas, gazebos, as well as for creating compositions on the banks of a pond or by the pool. Landscape designers often use dichondra in patios instead of lawn grass to fill the space between tiles that line paths.
Dichondra combines harmoniously with fuchsia, petunia, begonia, and lobelia. She creates a spectacular backdrop for them.
How can dichondra be propagated?
Dichondra is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering. The first method is painstaking and time consuming. Therefore, dichondra cuttings and propagation by layering are more often practiced. The advantage of these two vegetative methods is not only their simplicity, but also that they make it possible to preserve all the characteristics of the parent bush.
How to propagate dichondra from cuttings
To propagate dichondra ampelous by cuttings, you can use shoots obtained after autumn pruning. They are placed in a moistened substrate to a depth of 3 cm, then watered with a growth stimulator. Next, they need to be covered using plastic bottles, glass jars, non-woven material, placed on a windowsill or placed in any bright, warm place. When the first buds appear, the shelter is removed. In spring or early summer, when suitable weather arrives, they are planted in the ground in a permanent place.
The cutting method makes it possible to obtain good material for further propagation
How to grow dichondra from seeds
Lianas from seeds in temperate climates are grown by seedlings; in the southern regions they can be immediately planted on the site. It is necessary to sow dichondra into seedlings for subsequent movement into the ground in the winter, since the seedlings grow rather slowly and may not have time to gain strength and become stronger by the time they are planted in open ground.
Reproduction of dichondra by layering
This is the simplest and most reliable way. It consists in the fact that the layering is pressed to the moist soil at the locations of the internodes - new roots will begin to form at these points. They will appear in about 7-14 days, after another month they are separated from the bush and planted in a new place. Layerings take root very quickly and take root well - thanks to their superficial roots.
Optimal conditions for growing dichondra
Dichondra is a tropical heat-loving plant, and it requires appropriate conditions. The air temperature at which the vine will grow normally should be 18-25 degrees. If the thermometer drops below 10, the plant withers and dies. Too high temperatures - about 30 degrees - lead to yellowing and drying, so in hot weather dichondra must be watered frequently, while avoiding waterlogging of the soil.
How and when to plant dichondra correctly
The rules for planting dichondra in open ground and caring for it depend on the climate of the area. The plant can be planted only when summer-like warm weather sets in - the temperature stays at about 20 degrees or higher.
Deadlines
In areas with a temperate climate, dichondra should be planted in June. In the southern regions, planting time is mid-May.
Site selection and soil preparation
When planting outdoors, you must choose a place that is not windy. Silver waterfall prefers sunny areas, emerald variety must be placed in partial shade.
There are no special requirements for the soil. The only condition is that the land is drained. The plant will grow well in loamy soil with a pH level of 6.6 to 8.
How to plant dichondra in the ground
The liana grows quite slowly, and this must be taken into account when using it as a ground cover plant. When planting in the ground, you need to maintain a distance between the bushes - approximately 15 cm. The holes are dug to such a depth that a root with a lump of earth can freely fit into them. The seedlings are placed in planting holes by transfer method, then covered with soil, compacted and watered.
Essentially, dichondra is a weed, so it grows well and is not afraid of diseases and pests
Rules for growing dichondra
Proper planting and care of dichondra ampelous are very important. Only if the growing technology is followed, the plant will retain its decorative qualities for 5-6 years. She needs regular watering, fertilizing, weeding, and pruning.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Dichondra needs to be watered regularly as the soil dries out. This should be done in the evening so that there is no scorching sunlight, otherwise the plant may get burned. You need to water right to the roots. In addition, on hot days, daily moistening of the bushes is required in the morning or evening.
It is important to avoid stagnation of water and waterlogging of the soil, otherwise the roots will begin to rot.
Once every 2 weeks it is recommended to feed with mineral fertilizers with potassium and nitrogen. You can use complexes designed for indoor deciduous plants. After applying fertilizer, the vine must be irrigated with water so that it does not get burned.
Loosening and weeding
The root system of dichondra is close to the soil surface. In order not to harm it, weeding and loosening must be carried out very carefully and only by hand.
Pinching and trimming
After the formation of the eighth leaf, the dichondra is pinched so that branching and the formation of a lush crown begin.
Throughout the summer, as the shoots grow, they are pruned. Thanks to this, dichondra always looks lush. Shoots that are too long and out of the composition must be pruned. The last procedure is carried out in the fall, before preparing the vines for winter. Cuttings can be used for propagation.
Preparing dichondra for wintering
In temperate climates, dichondra is cultivated as an annual plant. If you need to save it until spring, you need to do the following:
- Before frost sets in, cut off the above-ground part.
- Dig up the dichondra rhizome. Work carefully to shake off the clod of earth.
- Transfer to a basement with a temperature not lower than + 10 degrees, cover with moistened peat or cover with a fairly thick layer of wet sand so that the roots do not dry out.
After such a wintering, new stems with roots should appear. They need to be cut off with a sharp knife and planted in individual pots. With the onset of warm weather, transfer the dichondra to open ground, while applying fertilizer. Or you can wait for optimal temperatures and immediately plant them in the soil without placing them in pots.
In the southern regions, dichondra is left to spend the winter in the garden: it is covered with earth, covered with a film, on top of which fallen leaves or pine needles are laid.
If ampelous dichondra grows in pots in the garden, when cold weather sets in, it is moved indoors: a closed veranda, balcony, loggia.
Pests and diseases
Dichondra is resistant to diseases and pests, and the fight against them most often comes down to preventive measures:
- Weed by hand in a timely manner, do not mulch the soil around the bush;
- do not overuse fertilizing, monitor the nitrogen level - it should not be too high;
- with a very dense crown, reduce the amount of watering so as not to cause the appearance of mold and fungi.
Important! Excessive moisture for dichondra is much more harmful than overdrying the earth clod.
Pests that sometimes attack the plant include nematodes, flea beetles, whiteflies and aphids.
Nematodes can cause the death of tropical vines. They appear at high humidity. It is not easy to combat them; as a rule, the plant must be destroyed and the soil must be treated with chemicals.
Other pests attack the vine less often. To destroy them, use acaricidal agents.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for dichondra is quite an exciting activity for amateur gardeners; there are no particular difficulties. The reward for your work will be a beautifully decorated site that is pleasing to the eye.
