An unusually beautiful flower at first glance seems completely artificial. Bright colors, the unusual shape of its flowers automatically attribute this beautiful plant to a number of exotics. The appearance of flowering makes one think that the indoor flower of the calceolaria is very demanding and picky in care. In fact, the process of leaving is fun and not at all complicated.
Venus slipper
That's exactly what they call the single-flowered calceolaria (calceolaria uniflora). An unusual lover of the mountains appeared in the eyes of nerds in South America, in Tierra del Fuego. From America, he was brought to England, and after the exotic beauty spread in homes throughout Europe.
The bush is very small, the specifics of the mountainous area did not allow it to grow more than 10 cm in height. The leaves are oval, green, collected in a socket.
Bright and unusual flowers of calceolaria
Flowers 2.5 cm long grow on long shoots. The inflorescence consists of two convex petals. The upper petal is very small and inconspicuous, and the lower one is elongated and rounded.
At the base of the petals, 2-3 stamens adorn the core. The color is yellow, with red spots and dots. Mountain exot blooms in July, about five weeks.
It's important to know! Surprisingly hardy (up to -23 ° C), embedded in it by nature.
Popular types of calceolaria for growing in the garden
Calceolaria is grown in the garden as an annual flower. After flowering, hot weather destroys the decorativeness of the bush, so every year gardeners update their flowering flower bed of these unusual flowers.
Garden varieties are diverse, have a different color and shape of inflorescences. Unlike the mountain monoflow calceolaria, garden can grow up to 50 cm in length, and grow in width by 25-35 cm.
The most common varieties of calceolaria:
- Calceolaria mexican (Calceolaria Mexicana). A bright resident of the Mexican mountains is thermophilic, grows up to 25 cm in height. Oval leaves covered with pile are placed on the branchy shoots. Two-lipped yellow flowers up to 5 cm in diameter are placed at the ends of the shoots. Loves shaded, damp places and wind protection. Abundant flowering occurs in May-June and lasts up to 3 weeks.
- Calceolaria wrinkled, or whole-leafed (Calceolaria Rugosa, Calceolaria Integrifolia). The Chilean beauty produces branched shoots up to 25 cm. The leaves are oval, pointed, with clear veins. Flowers in diameter up to 2.5 cm, pure yellow, densely dotted on the tops of the stems. Flowering lasts all summer until the colds.
Calceolaria single-flowered or venus slipper
- Calceolaria purpurea (Calceolaria purpurea). The bush grows up to 50 cm in height and is distinguished by its beautiful color of petals and shoots - dark purple. The leaves also have a purple tint, dark, with notches along the edges. Two-lip inflorescence - the lower petal is swollen and similar to a shell, and the upper purple ball lies on top of the second. Bright color does not allow to pass by such a spectacular bush in the garden.
- Calceolaria Tender (Calceolaria Tenella). Bush no more than 8 cm tall with small dark leaves collected in a socket. Flowers are painted in yellow-gold color with red dots or stripes.
- Calceolaria acinifolia (Calceolaria Crenatiflora). A miniature representative of Chile grows up to 10 cm in height. Ground-cover leaves, gnarled on the edge. Flowers up to 2.5 cm long, yellow with purple spots, two-lipped. Blossoms in July, single flowers or bundled in 2-5 pieces.
Hybrid varieties are distinguished by contrasting colors.
Calceolaria: planting and care
A lover of moisture is demanding on the composition of the soil, as its roots can rot. The soil should be as light and loose as possible. A good composition would be a mixture of:
- peat;
- sheet land;
- deciduous humus;
- sand;
- fern roots;
- wood ash;
- crushed activated carbon.
A small bush is planted by transshipment with minimal damage to the roots in small pots (not more than 1.2 liters). The pot must have a good drainage layer. The root neck should not go deep into the ground.
After planting, you need to create comfortable conditions for abundant flowering. The foundation of care for calceolaria is low temperature, high humidity and plentiful watering.
The temperature is not higher than 23 ° C in summer and the required daily temperature difference is 7 degrees. In winter, dormancy and during flowering, the optimum temperature is 14-17 ° C.
It's important to know! If the temperature regime is not observed, the plant loses its decorative effect, can lose buds and ages faster.
Humidity should be high. Moreover, the higher the temperature, the higher the humidity indicator should be. On hot summer days, the pot with calceolaria should be placed on a tray with wet expanded clay and sprayed 2-3 times a day. Spraying should be from a small spray, as drops of water on the leaves lead to spoilage.
Watering is necessary frequent, but not plentiful. The soil in the pot should be moist, but not wet and without stagnation in the root coma. Excess fluid residues must be removed from the sump.
It's important to know! Water for spraying and irrigation should be warm (25-28 ° C), purified from lime and chlorine.
Lighting is bright but diffuse. Western and eastern windows provide optimal lighting. In winter, lighting is needed so that daylight hours are at least 8 hours.
Starting from awakening and the entire flowering period, the calceolaria needs constant feeding. Mineral fertilizers are applied 2-3 times a month.
Part of the care is the formation of a bush. Lateral shoots are removed so that flowering is stronger, and the bush does not roll sideways.
Trimming lateral shoots makes it possible to obtain abundant flowering with larger flowers
Growing
Calceolaria from seeds at home reproduces more easily than by cuttings. Before sowing, you need to consider that the period from the moment of propagation to flowering is from 5 to 10 months.
It's important to know! It is best to sow seeds on peat without sprinkling on top. For an optimal wet environment, the box is covered with glass or film.
It is necessary to constantly ensure that the soil is moist. When a rosette of leaves appears, calceolaria dive into 7 cm pots. After that, you will need another 2-4 transplantations with pinching of the outlet for the formation of side shoots and bushiness.
The last transplant is needed already in nutrient ground. Seedlings are planted by transshipment. Care for the young should be as thorough as the adult flower.
When and how to plant calceolaria in open ground
In spring, when the temperature at night is not lower than 13 and not higher than 18 degrees, calceolaria can be planted in open ground as a garden plant. She perfectly takes root in the soil pre-fertilized with compost.
Calceolaria garden cultivation suitable for mild regions
Throughout the flowering period, temperature conditions will contribute to the well-being of the flower. Watering should not be plentiful.
Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is needed throughout the entire flowering period twice a month. Planting and care at home of a calceolaria grown from seeds immediately in open ground does not differ from seedling planting. The main thing is not to let the seeds rot in the soil and provide sufficient lighting.
Calceolaria: winter care
Calceolaria is a flower that is most often grown as an annual, as it dies after flowering after flowering. If there is a desire to leave this wonderful exot for the next year, after flowering, you need to dig out the calceolaria and plant in a pot.
A faded bush hibernates for several months, during this period the care of the calceolaria is as follows:
- it is necessary to cut off all the shoots and leaves of the plant;
- put the pot in a cool and dark place (+ 5-7 ° C);
- watering should be reduced to a minimum, but without the risk of drying out the earth;
When the first shoots appear, full care is restored:
- the pot is placed in a sunny place;
- watering becomes regular;
- high humidity is maintained.
It's important to know! The flower blooms earlier in the second year, flowering lasts less.
Possible pests and diseases
The most common pests on calceolaria leaves are aphids and whiteflies. If the pest population on leaf blades has just begun, it is best to remove them manually. If extensive damage to the foliage occurred, treatment with intexicides is inevitable.
After processing, it is necessary to analyze the care of the flower and find the cause of the pests so that they do not appear on the tender beauty again.
Improper care will contribute to disease. Excessive moisture and watering will cause gray rot. An excess of nitrogen in bait will cause the appearance of gray mold.
It's important to know! Damaged areas of leaves and stems must be cut with a sharp blade. The rest of the plant must be treated with antifungal agents.
Tender calceolaria is not suitable for all gardeners. She is not a fanatic, but she loves care and proper care. In exchange, presents his boyfriend with abundant and passionate flowering. Unusual flowers look very attractive on the flower beds in the garden or on the windowsills of the apartments. Funny aliens - this is how experienced breeders nicknamed their favorites.
