Perseus American (avocado) belongs to the family of Laurel. This plant is tropical. But it is unpretentious, so it is easy to grow at home on the windowsill. Evergreen tree can be a wonderful decoration of the apartment.
Description
In nature, the tree grows large, sprawling and reaches a height of 20 m. It has very high demands for heat, so at home it grows as a houseplant. In a pot, the height of an avocado does not exceed 1.5-2 m. The leaves of the plant are large, oblong, lanceolate. Their edges are smooth, without denticles. Leaf color is green. They grow thickly on the branches, forming a dense beautiful bush. 
At home, Perseus American rarely blooms. But under proper conditions, the tree can be covered with flowers. Most often this occurs in greenhouses, greenhouses and winter gardens.
Unpretentious and useful plants such as: aloe, kalanchoe, fatty, indoor boxwood, ripsalis, achimenes, calla, crocus, lithops and echeveria are grown in room conditions.
Growing conditions
Growing avocados at home, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for the tree.
Temperature
The plant is very fond of heat, so in warm seasons it is recommended to grow it at a temperature of + 25 ... +30 ° C. In winter, the best temperature is + 18 ... +20 ° С.
Important! By reducing the temperature to + 10 ... +12 ° C, avocados can shed their leaves.
Air humidity
Perseus loves high humidity. In the heating season in the room where the tree grows, it is recommended to put a humidifier. Spraying of leaves is required regularly. To always maintain the desired humidity, you can install a pot with a plant on a tray with expanded clay. However, he should not get to the water. 
Lighting
Perseus feels well in a bright room where the lighting is diffused. It is recommended to avoid direct rays, as young plants can get burned. In winter, the tree needs additional lighting.
The soil
The choice of soil for the Perseus should be taken carefully. Land from the site can not be taken - it is inhabited by pests. The substrate is recommended to choose a fertile and well-retaining moisture.
It is possible to make the soil for a tree from the earth, sand and humus (2: 1: 1). Or from the same parts of the earth, peat, sand and humus. Perseus does not like sour soil, so it should be added a little alkali. With the help of wet moss and expanded clay, you can increase the ventilation of the soil and increase the humidity.
Care
In order for an evergreen tree to decorate your apartment as long as possible, you need to properly care for it. 
Watering
In the summer and spring, perseus should be watered regularly. The main thing is to prevent the substrate from drying out. In cold seasons, a plant needs only 1 irrigation in 2-3 days.
Did you know? In the world there are more than 400 types of avocados. Fruits can be small, the size of a plum and large, which reach a mass of 1 kg.
Top dressing
Fertilize trees need from March to August. Use for this you need mineral, organic and universal fertilizers for ornamental plants. They are recommended to alternate with each other. Every month should be fed avocados 2-3 times. Fertilizers are added to the substrate and sprayed on the leaves.
Pruning
Cut the avocado should be in the spring. This procedure is not only sanitary, but also allows you to form a crown tree.
In order for the Perseus to be a beautiful shape, it is necessary to pinch the tip when 7-8 leaves appear. Due to this, lateral shoots grow better. They also need to pinch when they grow 5-6 leaves. 
The best potted trees include: coffee, fig, olive and lemon trees, as well as cypress, dracaena and date palm trees.
Transfer
Young plants must be replanted every spring. Mature trees require transplanting once every 2-3 years. In the ground you need to add sand or expanded clay. If a complete tree transplant is impossible to make, then you can do this: you need to remove the top layer of soil, and rinse the rest of the mass with boiled water so that extra salts can be washed out. Pot for American Persei need to choose, given the rapid growth rate of the tree.
Breeding
The cuttings of Persei do not root well; therefore, this method of reproduction often ends in failure. Avocados are grown most often from the bone, but it must be mature.
Did you know? The appearance of the avocado fruit, its taste and chemical composition is more like a vegetable. But it is a real fruit with a large bone inside.
The bone should be fixed with three sticks at an angle of 120 ° and located above the tank so that the blunt end of the bone slightly touches the water, but does not get wet. At the same time you need to constantly monitor the water level. After about 30 days, a sprout should appear from a crack in the bone. After enough roots grow, the bone should be transplanted into the ground. 
You can use another way. Place a bone on a constantly wet surface (moss or cotton). After cracking it is planted in the ground. About 1-2 weeks should sprout.
Diseases and pests
Avocados can be affected by pests such as the spider mite, the scythe. To deal with them should increase the humidity in the room. It is recommended to remove pests manually using a soap solution. If this method of struggle did not help, then you need to use insecticides. Powdery mildew should be controlled with fungicides.
Due to improper care, avocados can hurt. If there was little watering, or, conversely, too much water, and the water was cold, then the leaves may become brown, dry out and fall off. Insufficient moisture is also detrimental to the tree. In this case, the leaves first acquire a brown color at the ends, and later become completely that color. If the plant does not have enough light, then the leaves fade. You can solve the problem by moving the pot closer to the window or provide additional lighting. 
Important! When transferring a tree from a dark place to a bright one, do not forget that it is necessary to accustom avocados to the light gradually.
Growing avocados at home is not difficult. The main thing is to provide the plant with the necessary conditions. With proper care, the American Perseus will grow rapidly, decorating your apartment.
