Mikania

Family: Asteraceae. Native range - Central and South America. About 200 species occur in the wild.

As a houseplant, mainly one species is cultivated - Mikania trenata. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, initially with erect, then decumbent stems. Grown as a trailing plant in hanging baskets or twines around a support. Leaves are palmately compound, of five segments, each with a rhombic outline. The upper leaflet is larger, about 5 cm long, the middle ones about 2.5–3 cm long, the lower ones only 1.5–2 cm. The leaflets are notched at the edges on thin brown petioles, dark green in color, reddish along the veins, slightly pubescent. The underside of the leaves is purple.

Temperature: Mikania prefers moderate temperatures - in summer about 18-20°C, in winter around 14-15°C, but not below 12°C.

Light: Bright diffused light with some direct sun in the morning or evening.

Watering: Fairly abundant in summer - the soil should remain slightly moist at all times, but not overly wet. In winter moderate - the soil should be allowed to dry well between waterings, but not dry out completely.

Humidity: Mikania requires very humid air, but does not tolerate spraying, like most plants with pubescent leaves. Spraying is permissible only in summer during very hot weather with the finest mister using warm water. At other times it is better to keep the plant on wide trays with moist expanded clay (or gravel).

Repotting: Young plants are repotted annually; adults every couple of years. Soil - a mix of 1 part turf soil, 2 parts leaf mold, 1 part peat and 1 part sand.

Propagation: By apical cuttings in spring. Rooting with the help of rooting hormones and soil heating.