Gloxinia belongs to the genus of flowering perennial herbs of the same name in the Gesneriaceae family. Its homeland is the deciduous forests of Central and South America. She attracts florists with large bright flowers that form a pretty bouquet on the surface. Tropical beauty is distinguished by its endurance and undemanding character, so it is perfect for beginners. Thanks to breeders, many unusual varieties of gloxinia with double flowers of various colors have been bred.
Gloxinia Description
Gloxinia is a herbaceous perennial with a root system in the form of a large tuber. Some species are stemless, while in others the shoots can stretch up to 70 cm. The shoots are quite soft, creeping. The height of the plant in the natural environment does not exceed 25 cm. Indoor varieties are completely tiny (up to 5 cm in height).
Above the surface of the soil is a thick leafy rosette, which consists of fairly large petiolate leaves. The length of the leaf plate reaches 20 cm. It has an oval or ovoid shape with a solid edge and a pointed end. Dark green velvety leaflets are thickened; a relief central vein is visible on them.
Flowering plants
Gloxinia blooms in March and can last up to three months. Some hybrid varieties also bloom in the fall. This allows you to choose and buy gloxinia for the holiday instead of the usual bouquet of flowers. In the central part of the outlet there are several single flowers with a diameter of 8-12 cm. Peduncles are soft, so tall bells can wilt. Like the leaves, they are covered with short villi. The number of buds on one plant can be 8-40 units. The corolla consists of rounded petals with a corrugated edge, which are located in one or more rows. Usually the base and edges of the petals have a different color.
Flowers are dark purple, red, raspberry, white or cream. There are varieties with monophonic petals that only change the color saturation, and there are flowers covered with small specks, thin stripes or contrasting rims. Some specimens have an elongated tube and small bent petals instead of an open corolla.
Wintering and rest period
Around the end of September, when gloxinia has faded, it is necessary to stop fertilizing it. Watering is also reduced to one minor soil moisture per month. Following the flowers, the leaves begin to die out and in a month all the aboveground vegetation dries up. The pot is moved to a dark place and kept at + 10 ... + 15 ° C. Here he stays for 4 months. The tuber can be dug up and stored separately in containers with moss or sawdust.
In mid-February, winter peace ends. Tubers should be planted in fresh, moistened soil. Pots are transferred to a room with a temperature of + 15 ... + 16 ° C. Watered very carefully, as the soil dries.
Varieties and varieties
In nature, there are about 25 species of gloxinia, but only two of them are grown in culture.
Gloxinia is beautiful. The plant has broadly oval bright green leaves with short, thick pubescence. They are located on long cuttings. A pronounced relief pattern of veins is visible on the surface. Flowers in the form of a large bell are painted in white, purple, blue, pink, purple. There are varieties with simple and double flowers.
Gloxinia is royal. Thanks to erect shoots, the plant forms a miniature bush up to 10 cm high. On the surface of dark green pubescent leaves there is a silver pattern along the veins. Large bell-shaped flowers bloom on elongated peduncles with a diameter of up to 7 cm and a length of up to 5 cm.
Based on some species, breeders have bred many decorative varieties. Among them, the most interesting today are the following:
- High Light - large snow-white flowers suitable for the formation of bouquets;
High light - Triumph Tender - large double flowers have a light pink (marshmallow) tint;
Triumph tender - Kristin Irish - thick double buds are made up of petals with a white base and a red border;
Kristin irish - Pinik Flamingo - large pink-purple flowers with a thin white stripe along the edge of the petal;
Pinik flamingo - Yesenia - double flowers with rich beetroot petals;
Yesenia - Winter Cherry - double flowers with burgundy petals covered with many white dots;
Winter cherry - Southern Night - medium-sized double flowers consist of maroon, almost black petals.
South night
Breeding rules
Gloxinia is propagated in several ways:
- sowing seeds;
- tuber division;
- rooting cuttings.
Grow gloxinia from seeds is easy enough. Seeds are bought in a store or obtained independently by artificial pollination. Boxes ripen for about two months. Gloxinia is sown in February. If it is possible to clarify seedlings with a lamp, it is possible to grow gloxinia from November seedlings. Seeds are distributed on the surface of moist sand and peat soil. The pot is covered with glass and kept warm (+ 20 ... + 22 ° C). It is necessary to spray the soil daily and air the greenhouse for 15-30 minutes. Seeds germinate after 2 weeks. From this moment, you can remove the shelter and move the pot to a bright place. With the appearance of 1-2 real leaves, seedlings dive in separate pots. Flowering is expected in six months.
The reproduction of gloxinia with a leafy cuttings is carried out in the summer. You need to take a healthy leaf and cut it horizontally into three parts. Petioles are removed completely. The leaf is placed vertically in the soil, digging the bottom cut by 0.5 cm. The planting is covered with a film and transferred to a bright and warm (+ 23 ... + 24 ° C) place. It should be aired daily and periodically moisten the soil. After 15-20 days, roots and even miniature tubers will appear at the base of the leaf. Now the leaves can be transplanted into small individual pots. Flowering is possible after 3-4 months.
When transplanting in early spring, gloxinia tuber can be divided into several parts. A sprout should remain in each dividend; the slices are crushed with crushed charcoal. Tubers are planted in individual pots with a diameter of not more than 13 cm. During the growing season, the air temperature should not fall below + 20 ° C. Flowering begins after 4 months.
Transplant Features
Transplants are usually planned in the spring, when the tuber has not yet acquired young shoots. Use small pots of clay or plastic. It is imperative to provide a high-quality drainage system with holes at the bottom and a layer of expanded clay, pebbles or clay shards.
For planting tubers, a ready-made substrate for violets is suitable. You can make the soil mixture yourself from the following components:
- turf soil (2 parts);
- sheet soil (1 part);
- peat (2 parts);
- river sand (1 part);
- deciduous humus (1 part).
When transplanting, they try to carefully release the tuber from the old earthen coma. It is not necessary to deeply dig it into the ground. The upper processes should be on the surface.
Place selection
Gloxinia at home prefers bright rooms. It grows well on the eastern and western windowsills. In southern rooms, it is recommended to shade the flower from direct sunlight, which leaves ugly burns on tender leaves. Gloxinia refers to long daylight plants. For normal development, she needs lighting for 14-16 hours. If necessary, use a fluorescent lamp.
During the period of active vegetation, the air temperature should be in the range + 18 ... + 22 ° C. On hot days, you should often air the room or put flowers in the garden. It is important not to allow strong changes in temperature and drafts, otherwise gloxinia can die quickly.
How to care for a flower
Gloxinia is undemanding in everyday care. Even a beginner and a very busy flower grower can cope with them. The plant must be watered often, but the water should not come into contact with the shoots. It is recommended to use the method of upward irrigation. Water should be well cleaned and slightly warmer than air temperature. When gloxinia fades, watering is gradually reduced.
For a plant, it is necessary to ensure air humidity at the level of 70-80%. Since the leaves, and often the flowers are covered with pile, it is impossible to use a spray bottle. You can place plants near aquariums, fountains or containers with wet expanded clay. At the same time, the roots and soil should not come into contact with water.
In April-August, flowers must be fed with mineral and organic compounds for flowering plants. The drug is diluted in large quantities of water and applied to the soil every 7-10 days. It is recommended to limit yourself to half the dose indicated on the package.
Diseases and Pests
Gloxinia is susceptible to fungal diseases. When watering with too cold water, dampness in the room or low temperature, the plant stretches, the leaves turn yellow and become covered with brown spots. With stagnation of moisture, you can find a gray coating on the leaves and flowers - signs of powdery mildew or gray rot. Damaged parts must be removed immediately. It is also important to regulate watering and keeping conditions. It is useful to treat the soil with a fungicide solution.
The delicate leaves of gloxinia attack nematodes, aphids, spider mites and thrips. Insecticides should be used against parasites. When choosing an insect repellent, you need to carefully study the instructions. Some drugs cause burns on the leaves (for example, "BI-58"). Since the foliage is covered with a pile, it is recommended to use preparations in the form of sprays, rather than spray solutions.
