2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Chamelaucium (Latin Chamelaucium) - a spectacular decorative leafy plant from the Myrtle family. Other names are waxflower, waxwort, darwinia, and heraldon. For the first time the definition of this genus was given in 1819 by René Luis De Fontaine, a famous French botanist.
Description
Chamelautium is a surprisingly beautiful evergreen Australian shrub, the height and diameter of the crowns of which can reach one hundred and eighty centimeters. And the thin densely branching shoots of this handsome man are covered with small and rather narrow leaves.
Simple chamelautium flowers sit on long pedicels and are characterized by a regular shape. All flowers are very small and somewhat resemble apple blossom. Moreover, they can be either single or sitting in the axils of the upper leaves, two or three at a time. And the color of these flowers can be as varied as you like, ranging from white to rich red or purple. By the way, chamelautium flowers can boast of a rather strong and very pleasant sweet aroma!
In total, the chamelautium genus has fourteen species.
Where grows
The beautiful chamelautium is native to Western Australia and is most commonly found in arid Australian regions.
Usage
Chamelautium is very readily used for interior decoration, as its twigs can easily stand in water for more than a week. As part of bouquets and various decorative compositions, this handsome man can become an excellent addition to large flowers. Chamelautium goes especially well with lilies and roses. And in Australia, it has long been considered one of the most popular ornamental crops, and all this thanks to its luxurious long flowering!
If chamelautium is planned to be used in bouquets, it is recommended to put it in water at room temperature, having previously pruned it with pruning shears. It should be borne in mind that on the branches cut during the budding stage, flowers will not always bloom!
Among other things, chamelautium is also in great demand in folk medicine, and this handsome man is widely used for medicinal purposes in a number of European countries - this plant has pronounced antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and expectorant properties. And the healing effect of chamelautium allows it to compete very successfully with various antibiotics! And the essential oil of chamelautium is used in aromatherapy for various diseases of the respiratory system in the form of inhalation. If this plant is grown as an indoor flower, it will perfectly clean the air from a wide variety of pathogens!
Growing and caring
Chamelautium will thrive best in areas with good lighting and well-drained sandy soils. However, in areas with short-term high humidity, it also grows quite well. And this plant is perfect for growing in pots!
Reproduction of chamelautium can be carried out both by seeds and by cuttings or by grafting. It is important to take into account that the reproduction of this handsome man by the seed method can be an extremely difficult task, since the seeds of this plant are characterized by very low germination. And for propagation by cuttings, it is necessary to cut off only fresh shoots from five to seven centimeters long, which are immediately rooted in water and substrate - as a rule, the rooting process takes from three weeks to one and a half months.
