Hello,
Today I received two plants I had ordered, sinicuichi (Heimia salicifolia) and sweet flag (Acorus calamus). They are looking great and I was just wondering what sort of soil conditions they need (drainage, etc). I had a sinicuichi plant last year and I assume it died from lack of well-draining soil, so I've got some proper soil ready for this one, but would like it if someone could confirm this for me. Any tips on soil for the sweet flag would also be appreciated.
EDIT: Erowid suggests well-draining soil for the sinicuichi and rich soil (I'm guessing that means regular potting soil) for the sweet flag, does that sound right?
Thanks :)
(Btw, sorry if this is the wrong board for these two plants -- Mods, feel free to move it if necessary.)
I use a 60/40 peat/perlite on my Hemia plants.
The sweet flag is a wetland plant, so I would say 70/30 peat/vermiculite.
I use potting soil with added perlite for heimia. Just about anything will do. I grow some of them right in the ground.
Awesome, much thanks for the help you two :)
edit: You, too. VVVVV
For Heimia, I live in ST Louis, and grow her right in the ground. I prepared the soil with 50/50 black potting soil and sand...but by now, (3 yrs) the roots should be in the normal red clay ground.
As for Acorus calamus, I have it in a small pot with peaty potting soil...it drains well, but i make sure the soil is always very wet. (have it in a dish with 1/4" of water standing). It's growing quite nicely.
hope that helps.
Gawrsh! I completely forgot about my other question:
What are the light requirements (direct light, indirect light, etc.) for these two plants?
Quote from: "ThirstyBulldog"Gawrsh! I completely forgot about my other question:
What are the light requirements (direct light, indirect light, etc.) for these two plants?
Heimia loves full sun. Calamus can probably appreciate sun to, but i keep mine in full shade, and they have been growing there for two years. Its a very hard plant to kill :)
Make sure to give your hemia lots of leg room. The more space, the bigger it will grow. The size of the pot will also limit the size of the plant.
why bother with a pot unless in the far north.
I've had a heimia alive in the ground for 8 years or more.
the lil bugger only gets 6-7ft tall, but it gets wide. Oddly enough for the 10billion seeds it generates annually only 1-2 a year pop up.
This is especially odd since, I can germinate the same seeds with very good success.
Nice! Thank you all for your advice :)
I've seen Heimia species do great in sandy soil, in heavy clay, in full sun, in partial shade ... Very easy plant and at least root hardy to zone 5 (you may lose some branches).