The bad mother plant is one of those that most decorate the homes of our elders, and this is so for a very important reason: it is very, very easy to care for. With a little water and light, it lives for several years at home, and it can even do it outside if the climate is not very cold.
For this reason, If you don’t have much experience with plants or would like to start off on the right foot, the bad mother plant is your best option.since we are also going to tell you everything you must do to keep it perfect.
General data of the bad mother
The first thing you have to know is that it is a plant whose scientific name is Chlorophytum and in a common way it is known as a bad mother, bonds of love or tape in some parts of the world because of the appearance of the leaves of this plant.
Regarding the data that identify this species, we find that it belongs to the kingdom of the Plantae and is within the Asparagaceae family. It is worth mentioning that there are many variants of this genus of plants, but the vast majority have the same peculiarity in their leaves as they are elongated.
On the other hand, it is important to mention that you know that it is a plant whose origin is in southern Africa and currently has managed to have a worldwide expansionso it is not uncommon to find them in the United States, Europe and even in Latin America.
In fact, it is in Latin America where its popularity in homes is greater than in any other part of the world.
Identifying that it is a bad mother is quite simple thanks to the fact that has extremely long and thin leaves. These tend to arch and often have a kind of yellowish-white stripe right in the middle from start to finish.
Main known species
Currently there are around 250 different species of Chlorophytum. But among all of them, the ones that stand out the most are the following that we will mention.
Chlorophytum comosum
It is also known by the name of Chlorophytum capense. It is a variation whose leaves can reach a length of up to 30 cm. These usually develop in the form of rosettes with leaves, which ends up giving the characteristic shape to the plant.
A curious fact about this species is that once it produces white flowers, after a while the petals fall off. What you do not know is that when this happens and falls right on the ground, this will cause new and small seedlings to be created that will be and they can be used to multiply the plant more easily.
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Chlorophytum laxum
This species has its origin in two parts of the world, the first of them is in Ghana and the other in Northern Nigeria. It is a plant whose dimensions are much smaller than any other variation of this species and the color of the leaves has a bright green hue, although it still maintains that whitish color on the edges.
Chlorophytum undulatum
This is one of the variants that originated in southern Africa and has managed to reach more territory than is believed in other parts of the world. In this case, it is a species whose leaves are narrower and harder.
And as far as the flowers are concerned, these develop as if they were spikes and also maintain the white color as in the other variations, however, they can turn a dark red color on some occasions.
General care
The bad mother plant is one of those plants that, although it is necessary to water regularly to prevent it from drying out, does not tolerate waterlogging. In fact, it is often die from too much water, since in addition, since a plate is usually placed under it, the roots are in direct contact with the precious element, which will do a lot of damage.
For this reason, it is necessary to water 3-4 times a week during the warmer months and every 5 or 6 days the rest of the year, and always bearing in mind that the water is removed from the dish ten minutes after watering.
Fertilize it as it grows
All plants need ‘food’ while they are growing, including our protagonist. Even though can live relatively well on substrate nutrients aloneit will do much more and better if it is paid in spring and summer.
For this reason it is highly recommended to use an organic compost that is of rapid effectiveness, such as guano in liquid form. By following the instructions specified on the product packaging, you will be able to have a beautiful and very healthy plant. Now, we also recommend using a fertilizer for green plants from time to time, such as this.
Change the pot
Although it is the last thing we usually agree on, it is very important to do so. The bad mother plant is true that it is small and that it does not take up too much space, but over time your root system fills the entire potthus expending all the nutrients that are in it until there comes a time when growth stops.
To avoid this, it should be transplanted at least every 3 springs.
Should the bad mother be pruned or not?
You may feel the need to prune the plant when it has reached a considerable size. Nevertheless, this is one of those species that does not require pruning nor should you do it.
You just have to wait for the leaves to dry on their own and then you just have to remove them very carefully and without damaging them. What’s more, the last thing that we just mentioned is of the utmost importance that you do it, since if you don’t, the plant will begin to attract pests and diseases that quickly damage it.
Multiplication
The good thing about this species is that can be multiplied in different waysYou can either opt for multiplication by seeds or by rooting parts of the plant. Moreover, this last method is the most used, but what few know about this plant is that it has an additional form of multiplication which is by division.
Multiplication by sheets
To opt for this type of multiplication, you have to use the bad stem leaves that develop right in the center of the rosette. It is easy to identify them because it tends to have a fairly fleshy, white stem.
In the case of using this method, know that just cut the stems and then plant them in a separate potor even on the same ground directly. Of course, it has to be placed in a place where it has enough shade and until the plant has developed enough to move it.
Multiplication by division
This is a method that is essentially quite simple to use. The good thing is that the plant itself tends to grow quite fast and using this method is the most viable option for many.
All you have to do is take the plant carefully and remove it from the pot or remove it from the ground if you have it in that place. Then very carefully you separate it until you have two halves of the same plant. You can proceed to plant them in separate pots or not. It is up to your free choice.
Multiplication by seeds
This is no longer news to anyone, since it is a method known to everyone in any part of the world. However, if you are going to opt for this method, know that you have to do it only in early spring.
Enjoy your tape.
