Soft "shoes" Calceolaria

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Bright abundant flowering of funny shoes-flowers will decorate the windowsill, which is the first to meet the sun's rays. Together with decorative leafy plants, colorful shoes will create an elegant border for the garden path, and also add intrigue to the flower arrangement on the shore of the reservoir

Genus Calceolaria

The genus got its name from the Latin word "calceolatus" - "slipper" for the original shape of its flowers, which is compared to slippers, slippers or even soft indoor slippers. One-colored or variegated flowers of Calceolaria are composed of two lips, one of which, the upper one, is small, and the lower one protrudes forward in the form of a delicate semi-oval bladder.

Plants can be perennial or annual; herbaceous, semi-shrub or shrub. The variety is surprising and the pubescent pale green leaves of the plant, having the shape of an oval-oblong, lanceolate or deeply cut.

Variety of plant species

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Calceolaria tender (Calceolaria tenella) is a dwarf plant (8-10 cm high) with large oval light green leaves with pronounced venation and delicate golden-yellow flower shoes with red dots.

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Calceolaria Darwin (Calceolaria darvinii) - a miniature plant 10-15 centimeters high with flowers, on the yellow field of which chestnut spots are scattered.

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Whole-leaf calceolaria (Calceolaria integrifolia) or Calceolaria rugosa (Calceolaria rugosa) - tall (up to 120 cm high), perennial, fairly stable species. Suitable for outdoor cultivation in warm climates. When grown in pots in colder areas, they hide it indoors when the first cold weather comes. With good care, it pleases gardeners with its abundant flowering all summer.

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Calceolaria thin (Calceolaria gracilis) - medium-sized annual (30-40 cm high) suitable for both flower beds and as a pot culture. Lemon yellow flowers and deeply cut leaves adorn the plant.

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Calceolaria multi-root (Calceolaria polyrrhiza) is a perennial creeping plant with yellow flowers. Many hybrids have been bred with a rich color gamut of bright flowers and all kinds of decorative leaves that are equally good for flower beds and flower pots.

Growing

To grow plants strong and blooming profusely, the place of residence must be bright. But the light is needed diffused, and not the direct rays of the scorching summer sun. Therefore, in the summer, they are transferred to the shade.

The hot temperature Calceolaria tolerate without problems, but the lower limit should not fall beyond plus 10 degrees.

The soil for them needs fertile, loose, with moderate moisture. During active growing season, once every 7 days add 10 grams of fertilizer to 10 liters of water for irrigation. Watering should not be too carried away, but in hot weather, you should give the plants water.

Propagated by sowing seeds. Due to the very small size of the seeds, they are mixed with talc before sowing and, scattered over the soil surface, are not sprinkled on top.

They are attacked by fungi, aphids, whiteflies, nematodes.

Usage

Perennial species of Calceolaria are popular with lovers of rock gardens and rocky gardens.

Resistant plant species such as Calceolaria multi-root and Calceolaria wrinkled can be grown outdoors in mild climates. The planting site for them is chosen taking into account the protection of plants from the wind, facing south, with moderately moist, loose soil.

In cold areas, the plant is grown as a pot culture, if possible, taking them out in the summer to free space, protected from the wind.

To maintain the appearance, remove yellowed leaves and wilted flower stalks with flowers. To form a more harmonious and compact appearance, Calceolaria wrinkled are pruned in the spring.