Mosaic plants impress with their beautiful leaves in different colors and their interesting and eye-catching pattern. There are numerous varieties, with very different leaf colors, from green to yellow to pink and red to almost white. The plants encourage you to buy them because of their good looks, but they are not very easy to care for and often only survive for a few weeks. When it comes to maintenance, you need a lot of finesse. Nevertheless, you should try it. New breeds are usually more robust. You can find out what needs to be considered in our text.
Table of Contents
Characteristics
- Acanthus family, hogweed
- Fittonia albivenis is the new name, formerly Fittonia Verschaffeltii
- Also called silver netting
- The plant owes its name to the unusual arrangement of the leaf veins
- Origin: tropical forests of South America, mainly Colombia to Bolivia
- rainforest plant
- Usually lying down, as ground cover
- Some also hanging – ideal for hanging baskets
- Green, yellow, red, pink or almost white leaves
- Underside of leaves always green
- Flowering from May to June
- Inconspicuous throat flowers
sorts
- F. ‘Argyroneura’ – Leaves light green, silver-veined
- F. ‘Pearcei’ – red-veined, significantly more leaves and more dense,
- F. ‘Minima’ – dwarf form for bottle gardens and mini greenhouses, light green with silvery white veining
- F. gigäntea – grows upright, up to 60 cm tall, large glossy green leaves with red veins
- F. ‘White Anne’ – Medium green leaves with heavy white veining, very even
- F. ‘Pink Forest Flame’ – green leaves with broad white veins, pink leaf tint at leaf tips
- F. ‘White Star’ – dark green leaves with white veining, lighter green when budding
- F. ‘Bianco verde’ – balanced marbled in green and white, very nice green
- F. ‘Josnan’ – bright, a rich red
- F. ‘Janita’ – Soft pink colored leaves
The care of the mosaic plant
The care of the mosaic plant is not easy because it requires a very high level of humidity. In order for these plants to survive, you need a green thumb.
The plants thrive best in flat containers or in a damp terrarium. With regard to the location, it should be noted that although it has to be bright so that the leaf markings appear clearly, the plants do not tolerate any sun, with the exception of a little morning or evening sun. Mosaic plants need high temperatures and a lot of humidity and usually thrive best in the bathroom without exposure to the sun or with a curtain.
The plant substrate must be loose and permeable. Drainage makes sense to prevent waterlogging. You have to be careful when watering. It’s always best to do a finger test. The soil may dry out on the surface, but never dry out. Too wet is even worse. Is fertilized during the growth period, every 14 days with liquid fertilizer. You can cut, but you don’t have to. Hibernation is bright and warm. Propagation is not a problem, neither by top cuttings nor by sinkers. Illnesses usually occur as a result of caregiving errors. Pests also appear from time to time.
location
Mosaic plants do well in a bright bathroom that doesn’t get direct midday sun. Brightness and humidity are right here. Many species thrive in warm, humid flower windows, showcases, greenhouses or warm ground beds in conservatories.
- Partial shade so that the markings and colors of the leaves stand out clearly.
- Some morning or evening sun is possible
- Too much sun will dry up the delicate leaves
- Warm – if possible around 24°C
- High humidity
- No temperatures below 18°C (take care when airing in winter!)
- No drafts – otherwise there is a risk of leaf fall
plant substrate
The mosaic plant is less delicate when it comes to the plant substrate. Standard soil or high-quality indoor plant soil is often sufficient here. However, the substrate can also be mixed together yourself.
- Uniform soil T – high clay content, coarse peat structure, humus, contains fertilizer
- TKS2 – medium-coarse soil especially for further cultivation in the greenhouse, high peat quality – therefore excellent water holding power, contains natural fertilizer guano
- Potting soil, high-quality indoor plant soil
- Mix in the styrofoam
- You can also mix the substrate yourself, from peat soil, humus soil and a little sand.
- The loose texture is important, because this is the only way to prevent waterlogging.
plant
There is not much to consider when planting. Bowls are cheaper than deep vessels. Drainage is recommended. Be very careful with the roots. They must not be damaged.
- Plant in rather shallow trays – shallow roots
- Drainage
- Cover the drainage hole with potsherds, alternatively with expanded clay
- Repot in spring, but only rarely
watering and fertilizing
The mosaic plant requires consistently slightly moist soil. If there is too little water, the leaves will wither and dry up, if there is too much water, they lose their beautiful color and fall off. Root rot can occur.
- Water regularly and evenly. The plant develops its roots very close to the surface of the earth, so it needs to be watered more often, but only a little.
- Allow the surface of the soil to dry between waterings
- No waterlogging, but no dry balls either
- Use water that is low in lime and at room temperature
- Spray more often with water in summer
- Fertilize every 14 days from March to September with liquid fertilizer, but only in half the dosage
- Ensure high humidity, so spray regularly
To cut
The mosaic plant does not have to be cut, but it can be. Shoots that are too long can easily be cut off. They can be used immediately for propagation. It is also advisable to regularly remove the shoot tips to encourage the formation of side shoots. This is the only way to achieve beautiful, bushy growth.
hibernate
Mosaic plants are overwintered warm. Temperatures should not fall below 16°C. Room temperature is possible. A higher humidity is important again, although the plants usually get along with a slightly lower level in winter.
- Keep warm even in winter
- Cope better with drier air during this time
- Nevertheless, they should be sprayed daily.
- Don’t put it over a heater, that dries out too much, both the soil and the air.
- Always keep the soil slightly moist
multiply
Propagation is by head cuttings. However, the long, often creeping shoots simply root where they touch the ground. Once the roots are sufficiently large, these shoots can be cut off and planted separately.
- Head cuttings in spring
- Cut shoot tips about 10 cm long
- Stick in a moist soil-sand mixture
- Keep the vessel warm, around 21°C
- A heatable propagation bed is also beneficial
- When transplanting, put 3 to 6 of the seedlings together in a container.
- Frequent pinching makes the plants bushier
diseases and pests
The deadliest thing for mosaic plants is stagnant water. However, they don’t do well with ball dryness either. Overall, these plants are quite delicate and often don’t survive long.
- Pest infestation occurs when the air is too dry, especially the spider mite
- Aphids on young shoot tips
- Woodlice, especially in greenhouses and conservatory beds
- Brown leaf edges – too low humidity
- Sudden leaf fall – draft or a location that is too cool
- Wrinkled, limp leaves – too much or too little water
- Spider mites – recognizable by fine light-colored speckles on the leaf surface, which almost look like a deficiency symptom. If the damage is severe, the leaves will dry up. When the common spider mite is infested, small webs can also be seen, especially if you spray water over the leaves with a fine atomizer. In the case of a light infestation, it is sometimes sufficient to give the plants a vigorous shower, if possible several times within a few days. Then put a bag over the jar and tie it shut. This increases the humidity to such an extent that the pests die. However, the eggs are not reliably killed, so it makes sense to repeat this method after about 10 days. Alternatively, predatory mites help. These can be ordered from garden retailers and online.
- Whitefly – Whiteflies also have speckles on their leaves. In addition, adult animals fly up when touching the leaves, usually in large numbers. The plant loses vitality, affected leaves die. The adult flies can easily be counteracted with yellow stickers. The insects are attracted by the color and stick. Otherwise, systemically acting agents, which are absorbed by the plants, help. The poison gets into the pests when sucking and they die. Ichneumon wasps, which can be ordered from specialist garden shops like predatory mites, help biologically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the mosaic plant lose its beautiful color and leaf markings?
This is usually because the plant is too dark. If only the edges of the leaves turn brown, the humidity is too low.
Mosaic plants are often also offered for aquariums. Are they also suitable for this?
No, they are indoor plants and not aquatic plants. They last a few weeks under water, but then they shrink and literally dissolve.
