The Fittonia, or mosaic plant, is low-growing and likes a shady location. All care tips can be found here at a glance.
Its colored leaf veins make the mosaic plant a real eye-catcher. Fittonia (Fittonia albivenis) even thrives in shade but is not a typical beginner plant. The compact pot plant is about ten centimeters high. In its tropical home, Fittonia appears as a large-scale ground cover. The dark green leaves are traversed by silvery to reddish leaf veins and form a pretty contrast on the flower window. The white, rather inconspicuous flowers, on the other hand, only rarely show up indoors.
Fittonia - Origin
The mosaic plant comes from South America. The distribution area extends from Peru to Colombia. As a ground cover, Fittonia occupies extensive areas there. The plants belong to the acanthus family. This can be recognized by the network-like running nerve tracts of the leaves. The distinctive feature of this plant is the expressive coloring of these leaf veins.
Our recommendation:
Fittonia - location and soil
Fittonia prefers partial shade to shade. A colorful plant has thus been found, which can also survive in a location that is not so bright and draws attention to its pretty leaf markings. Direct sunlight and especially the blazing midday sun should be avoided.
In summer, the room temperature should be around 24 degrees. The Fittonia wants a high humidity of 60 percent and more. This makes the plant ideal for designing a bottle garden, because the humidity in living rooms is often far below that. In winter, the location can be chosen a little cooler. The temperature should not fall below 18 degrees.
Our recommendation for your bottle garden:
» Tip: The room air can be a little drier in winter. Be careful when venting. Cold drafts are not tolerated.
Plant the Fittonia in quality potting soil. A pH value between 5 and 6.5 is ideal. The mosaic plant does not tolerate waterlogging and should therefore be cultivated in a substrate that is as permeable as possible. Watch out for oneSufficiently large water drainage hole and also bring in a drainage made of gravel or expanded clay in the bottom of the vessel.
Fittonia Care
The soil in the planter should never dry out completely, so the Fittonia must be watered regularly. If watering is forgotten, the leaves will wither quite quickly. If the stand is too wet, the leaf color is lost and there is a risk of leaf fall and root rot.
» Tip: Water the Fittonia with stale water at room temperature and spray the leaves more frequently to increase the humidity.
During the growth phase between March and September, the mosaic plant receives low-dose liquid fertilizer at 14-day intervals. In winter, a monthly supply of fertilizer is perfectly sufficient.
Repot Fittonia
If the mentioned care instructions are followed, Fittonia will grow vigorously. Therefore, an annual repotting is necessary.
Proceed as follows:
- Pot Fittonia
- Remove root ball from substrate
- Examine root ball
- If necessary, remove root balls from diseased or dead root parts
- Provide planter
- Put drainage in the bottom of the vessel
- Fill substrate
- Insert Fittonia
- Fill the substrate completely
- Press the earth
- Water Fittonia
» Tip: The mosaic plant does not develop deep roots and is therefore also ideal for shallow planters.
Pruning Fittonia
A cut is not absolutely necessary. If the shoots appear too long and misshapen, they can be shortened at any time. Regular pruning allows the houseplant to grow bushy and compact.
Propagate Fittonia
The multiplication of the mosaic plant practically happens by itself. When the long shoots come into contact with the ground, they form roots. The indoor gardener only has to wait a little while and can separate the rooted shoots from the mother plant and grow them in separate planters.
Top cuttings can also be cut. The cuttings are brought to a length of at least five centimeters and cultivated in potting soil immediately after cutting. It is important that the floor temperature does not fall below 20 degrees.
Diseases and Pests
The robust plants are hardly susceptible to diseases and pests. If the stand is too dry, however, pests have an easy time of it. aphids onthe shoot tips are observed as well as spider mites can occur. A shower from the plant sprayer and direct collection usually help against the pests.