2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Rarely does a Russian window sill pass by an evergreen with velvety heart-shaped leaves and a rich palette of colors of 5-petal flowers that form dense inflorescences-brushes. A compact plant does not require large containers and close attention of the grower, decorating the house with elegant flowers all year round
Rod Saintpaulia
The original species of plants of the genus
Saintpaulia (Saintpaulia) The Almighty settled in a unique place on the planet, in the Usambara mountain range, located in East Africa. The proximity of the ocean and the low altitude of the mountains created a unique microclimate in this place, which allowed many plants, which cannot be found elsewhere on the planet, to take root here. As a result, the ridge called "East Usambara" became one of three ridges that have become a real tropical nature reserve with great biological diversity.
In these African tropics, among the unique plants, more than 120 years ago, Saintpaulia was found, in the name of which the name of its discoverer, the German baron with the surname Senpol, was immortalized. Many people call the plant “
Usambara violet ”, Trying not to forget about her place of birth. And, more often, amateur flower growers call their favorite plant simply "Violet", although there is a completely different species with a similar name.
Usambara violet
Usambara violet (Saintpaulia jonantha), which is a rosette of velvety heart-shaped leaves with relatively long petioles, and blue flowers with five petals and a yellow core, migrated to Europe, gave birth to a huge variety of Saintpaulia varieties that exist today.
The shape of the flowers delights with its variety. They can be simple 5-petal, or lush terry; The edges of the petals can be straight or fringed. And so many colors are not there: white, pink, red, purple and even two-tone.
Bred "mini-saintpaulias" which are placed in miniature pots, touching and delighting with the natural abilities and flight of human creativity.
Growing
A tropical miniature beauty in our harsh conditions can only live indoors. Fortunately, its size does not require a lot of space, and therefore several flower pots can be placed on the windowsill, the diameter of which is 10-12 cm. The windowsill should not be in direct sunlight, but must provide good lighting. If necessary, arrange additional lighting.
Soil for Saintpaulia is prepared from a mixture of garden soil with sand, leaf humus and peat.
In the mountains, the plant likes to be located near mountain waterfalls, from which the air is constantly saturated with sprayed moisture, and therefore the soil is always moist, but without stagnant water running down the slopes into the valley. So at home, the soil should be moist, but without an excess of stagnant water. That is, there should be good drainage in the pots. In order to avoid decay of leaves, you should protect them from getting water on them when watering.
Although Saintpaulia is an evergreen plant, it needs to arrange a 40-day "vacation" once a year, reducing the number of waterings to once a week and moving the plant to a room with a temperature of plus 15 degrees. Such conditions will not allow flower buds to be tied, and the plant, returning from "vacation", will give abundant flowering.
To maintain the appearance of Saintpaulia, do not wipe the leaves with damp tampons, as is done with glossy leaves, for example, Ficus rubbery, but get a soft brush, which, if necessary, can be shaken off the dust from the leaves. If the leaf is damaged, then it is removed along with the petiole, and wilted flowers - along with the peduncle.
Reproduction
Perhaps, Saintpaulia is the easiest plant to propagate, since any leaf of it can become the beginning of a new plant. To do this, its petiole is buried in the ground and, having created favorable conditions (temperature 20 degrees and humidity without excess), wait for the appearance of new leaves, after which the "parent" is removed.
Enemies
Unfortunately, not only people love beauty. Mealybugs and aphids can attack the plant.
Excess moisture provokes fungal diseases.
Direct sunlight burns the leaves.
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Velvet
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Amur Velvet
Amur velvet belongs to a family called rue. In Latin, the name of this plant sounds like this: Phellodendron amurense Rupr. Description of Amur Velvet Amur velvet is a tree that can reach about thirty meters in height and one meter in diameter.
Chinese Velvet
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Japanese Velvet
Japanese velvet (lat.Phellodendron japonicum) - decorative culture; a representative of the Velvet genus of the Rutovye family. Comes from the island of Honshu (the largest island in Japan). It is used in ornamental gardening, unlike its close relative, Amur velvet, is a rare species.
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