"Key points for caring for 'Tears of the Angel'
Let's talk about the introduction of caring for 'Tears of the Angel' in the context of home gardening. What are the key points for caring for 'Tears of the Angel'? Here are the details:
Henan reader asks:
What are the key points for caring for 'Tears of the Angel'?
Henan Zhengzhou flower enthusiast Zhang Xiaofei answers:
'Tears of the Angel' is a large, hard-leaved succulent plant of the Lily family's Haworthia genus (also known as the Aloe genus), with no stems, triangular prism-shaped, succulent leaves arranged spirally in a rosette, green, with large and prominent white ceramic warts on the leaf surface, and more warts on the back of the leaves, which are dotted, longitudinally elongated, etc., some resembling flowing teardrops, from which the name 'Tears of the Angel' is derived. The flower stalk is thick and branched, with small grayish-white flowers with green stripes.
'Tears of the Angel' is a horticultural variety, native to South Africa, which prefers a warm, dry, and sunny environment, and is afraid of intense sun exposure and waterlogging, but is drought-tolerant. Its main growing season is in spring and autumn, requiring plenty of sunlight, as insufficient light can cause the plant to elongate and become loose. Watering should follow the principle of "do not water until dry, and when watering, water thoroughly," avoiding waterlogging in the pot to prevent root rot. Since it grows slowly, do not fertilize, but granular slow-release fertilizer can be placed on the soil surface for the plant to absorb slowly. In the high-temperature summer season, the plant's growth basically stops, and it can be kept in a well-ventilated area without direct sunlight, otherwise, strong direct light can burn the leaf surface, forming unsightly scars. Avoid rain and strictly control watering to prevent rot. In winter, keep it in a sunny indoor area, and if the lowest night temperature does not drop below 10°C, with a temperature difference of about 10°C between day and night, normal watering can continue, allowing the plant to keep growing. If such temperatures are not reached, control watering, allowing the plant to enter dormancy, which can tolerate low temperatures of 5°C to 10°C. For mature plants, replace the soil every autumn and check the roots, cutting off the decayed old roots and retaining the healthy new roots. The potting soil should be loose, breathable, well-draining, and have a relatively coarse particle size. Currently, red jade soil mixed with humus soil or leaf mold soil, peat soil is commonly used for cultivation in China, and a small amount of bone meal or other calcareous materials are added.
The propagation of 'Tears of the Angel' can be done through cutting, sowing, or using the flower stem for tissue culture. It is important to note that the natural germination rate of 'Tears of the Angel' is extremely low, so healthy plants should be chosen during the growing season for "decapitation," using a sharp, curved knife to cut off the top of the plant, leaving about three leaves at the base, applying mycillin or sulfur powder to the wound to prevent rot. Let the top part dry for a week or longer, and then proceed with cutting after the wound is dry. The lower part is left in the original pot and will produce some young shoots, which can be cut and planted when they are a bit larger. If propagating by sowing, seeds are obtained through artificial pollination and sown immediately after maturity. Since the seedlings have a high variability, good-quality young plants should be selected.
'Tears of the Angel', Haworthia genus
The above explanation of the key points for caring for 'Tears of the Angel' is hoped to bring a little help to your life!