Fittonia leaves have veins like a checkerboard, a unique and beautiful foliage plant
Fittonia belongs to the Acanthaceae family, genus Fittonia. Fittonia plants are short, grow creeping, have dainty leaves, and the leaf surface has fine white or red veins. Fittonia is very popular abroad and has been introduced and cultivated in China.
Fittonia is grown as an indoor potted plant and can be used to decorate and arrange studies, tea tables, windowsills and other places, and can also be grown as a hanging decoration. Its posture is light, and the plant is small and exquisite; among foliage plants it is a small potted plant. Because it is delicate and exquisite, with clear veins, elegant leaf color and even texture, it is deeply loved by people, and is currently a very popular small potted variety in Europe and America.
Fittonia
Fittonia is a perennial evergreen herb. The plant is low, about 5-20 cm tall. The nodes of the creeping stems easily root. It is trailing. The leaves are decussate, ovate or elliptical; the stems and branches, petioles and pedicels are all densely covered with downy hairs, with no stipules, and the netted veins are silvery white or red. The terminal spike inflorescence bears small yellow flowers. The flowering period is September to November.
Fittonia likes a high-temperature, humid and semi-shaded environment, and is particularly sensitive to temperature. The optimum growing temperature is 18-24°C. It prefers a humid environment, and during the growing period it needs relatively high air humidity. Especially in the high-temperature summer season, when water evaporation is great and the air is dry, in addition to watering to increase the moisture of the potting soil, misting the leaves and sprinkling water on the ground are even more necessary. For light, scattered light is best, and direct light should be avoided. In summer, a shade net is needed, and a shading rate of 50-60% is most suitable. In winter, sufficient sunlight is needed, with slight shading protection at noon; on rainy and snowy days, supplementary light should be added, so that the leaves grow robustly, the leaf color is emerald green, and the veins are clear. The soil should be sandy loam rich in humus.
Fittonia
Diseases: Common diseases of Fittonia include leaf rot and root rot. For leaf rot, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 25% carbendazim wettable powder for control; for root rot, soak the roots in a 1000-fold dilution of streptomycin to sterilize.
Pests: Pests of Fittonia include scale insects, red spider mites and snails. For scale insects and red spider mites, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate to kill them. Snails can be caught by hand or trapped and killed with metaldehyde.
Fittonia
Potted plant - Plant several cuttings in a colorful ceramic pot about 10 cm in diameter and 13 cm tall, decorate around the growing medium with colorful stones or moss, and place it on a desktop or desk, and it is especially elegant.
Hanging pot - Grow it in a hanging pot, and when the pot is full, place it indoors, and it will look full of spring vitality.
Combination - Fittonia is one of the main auxiliary materials for combination potted plants. Plant several shrubs of different colors or forms in a pot, and pair them with low-growing plants such as Fittonia, ivy and spider plant to form a vivid three-dimensional picture.