Leea

The genus Leea includes more than 50 species. These are shrubs and trees with erect stems, glossy, sometimes rough, covered with lentils. The leaves are simple or pinnate, often, especially at the beginning of the vegetative cycle, they have a bronze or reddish hue. In the period from June to September (depending on environmental conditions and the degree of plant development), small flowers of various colors appear, depending on the species, usually poorly decorative. Inflorescences are axillary, dense or apical (cymose). Fruits - berries. The most well-known species in the culture is Leea bright red (Leea coccinea). Shrub up to 2 m tall, low-branching, with large, doubly pinnate leaves consisting of individual egg-shaped pointed leaves, leathery and glossy. Dense flat apical cymose corymbose inflorescences consist of very small pink (in buds they are scarlet-red) flowers with yellow stamens. Even small young plants bloom. Especially widespread is the Burgundy cultivar with reddish shoots and leaves. The pinnate leaves of the pleasant lea (L amabilis) consist of lanceolate pointed leaflets with a sparsely toothed edge. The upper side of the leaf plate is bronze-green glossy, a wide white stripe runs along the center, a purple - red one runs along the bottom, and the central stripe is green. In the variety 'Crimson' in the color of the entire plant there are purplish-red and bronze tones. Leea guineensis (L guineensis) grows up to 7.5 m in height in nature. Two-pinnate leaves consist of elliptical leaflets. Flowers (corollas in the upper part have a purplish-red color, and in the lower part they are colored in colors from yellow to orange) are collected in dense branched cymose inflorescences. Leea Manila (L. manillensis) is found in nature as a tree up to 6 m high. Pinnate leaves are composed of pointed leaflets of elliptical or I: prominent shape. Flowers in cymose inflorescences - on red pedicels, yellow petals, with a pink edge above and red below. Complex leaves of Lea elderberry (L sambucina) consist of broadly elliptical leaves with a bronze hue, often the veins have a pinkish color. The flowers are greenish-white.

The genus Leea includes more than 50 species. These are shrubs and trees with erect stems, glossy, sometimes rough, covered with lentils. The leaves are simple or pinnate, often, especially at the beginning of the vegetative cycle, they have a bronze or reddish hue. In the period from June to September (depending on environmental conditions and the degree of plant development), small flowers of various colors appear, depending on the species, usually poorly decorative. Inflorescences are axillary, dense or apical (cymose). Fruits - berries.

The most well-known species in the culture is Leea bright red (Leea coccinea). Shrub up to 2 m tall, low-branching, with large, doubly pinnate leaves consisting of individual egg-shaped pointed leaves, leathery and glossy. Dense flat apical cymose corymbose inflorescences consist of very small pink (in buds they are scarlet-red) flowers with yellow stamens. Even small young plants bloom. Especially widespread is the Burgundy cultivar with reddish shoots and leaves.

The pinnate leaves of the pleasant lea (L amabilis) consist of lanceolate pointed leaflets with a sparsely toothed edge. The upper side of the leaf plate is bronze-green glossy, a wide white stripe runs along the center, a purple - red one runs along the bottom, and the central stripe is green. In the variety 'Crimson' in the color of the entire plant there are purplish-red and bronze tones.

Leea guineensis (L guineensis) grows up to 7.5 m in height in nature. Two-pinnate leaves consist of elliptical leaflets. Flowers (corollas in the upper part have a purplish-red color, and in the lower part they are colored in colors from yellow to orange) are collected in dense branched cymose inflorescences.

Leea Manila (L. manillensis) is found in nature as a tree up to 6 m high. Pinnate leaves are composed of pointed leaflets of elliptical or I: prominent shape. Flowers in cymose inflorescences - on red pedicels, yellow petals, with a pink edge above and red below.

Complex leaves of Lea elderberry (L sambucina) consist of broadly elliptical leaves with a bronze hue, often the veins have a pinkish color. The flowers are greenish-white.

Cultivation

Leia is grown as a houseplant. The soil should be sufficiently loose, well-drained, neutral acidity, peat and fertile land with the addition of sand; it is filled with a complex mineral fertilizer at the rate of 2 g per bucket of soil. From spring to autumn, it is recommended to water it once a week with flower fertilizer; in winter, it is fed once every 20-30 days. Leia bright red is easy to grow hydroponically.

Location

Leia needs a very well-lit place, but (especially in summer) protected from direct sunlight.

Temperature

During the period of active growth and development, the room temperature is maintained, in winter the minimum allowable temperature is 16 °C.

Watering

It is necessary to constantly observe moderate soil humidity. Therefore, they are watered often and abundantly, especially in the summer. It is very important to maintain a certain humidity of the air, for which the plants are additionally sprayed with water or the pots are installed on a pallet filled with wet pebbles or expanded clay. In winter, increase the intervals between watering.

Transplant

Transplanted annually in the spring, each time in a larger pot. In the future, they are limited to updating the surface layer of the soil.

Care

Remove dry and damaged parts of the plant.

Reproduction

Cuttings with an internode and a leaf are used, placed for root formation in a peat-sand substrate, maintained at a temperature of about 20-24 °C and often sprayed with water. Rooted cuttings are transplanted into pots of 1-3, depending on the size of the container. It is recommended to treat semi-woody cuttings with growth stimulants.

Diseases

Under conditions of high humidity, gray rot of vegetable crops (Botrytis cinerea) can develop. They get rid of it by reducing the level of ambient humidity and treating it with preparations designed to combat gray rot. Aphids and worms cause damage to young bushes. Aphids are eliminated with the help of drugs designed to control these insects. Worms are removed with a cloth or cotton swab soaked in alcohol, and then treated with anticoccidal drugs.

Acquisition

Leia plants in containers can be found in gardening centers offering a wide range of products. Leia is available for sale all year round. Check the condition of the foliage. Pay attention to the fact that there are no worms. Plants branch weakly, so it is better to plant several cuttings in one pot.