In the genus Cineraria you can count up to 50 plant species that belong to the family of astroids. They are in most cases herbaceous plants, but there are also half-shrubs. Their distribution is in the tropics of Africa, also in the Canary Islands and Madagascar. This genus is very close to another genus - Senecia, to which include several species of plants from the genus Cineraria, which are grown for decorative purposes.
Kinds
For growing at home, only one type of plant is most often used - it's bloody cineraria. Another name for this species is Cineraria Hybrid, Bloodthirsty Crest. The native land of this species is the Canary Islands. Cineraria hybrid is a herbaceous plant, perennial, whose height can reach 60 cm. The leaves are cordate, and the edges are jagged. He has a petal with a winged petal. Inflorescences are collected in numerous baskets and have a lot of shades of color.
Care of the plant
Lighting. Indoor flowers of the hybrid cineraria love a bright light, but without the sun's rays on them. Speaking about the side of the world, they prefer the western and eastern sides. On the southern side, the plant can be hot and, if it is still in the south, it is absolutely necessary to cover it from direct rays. On the north side, on the contrary, the plant may not have enough lighting for vegetation. But if there is enough light in the north, then this will be the most suitable place for its cultivation, since the plant is considered cool-loving.
Temperature regime. The temperature regime should be given increased attention, it is rather whimsical in this regard. Hybrid cineraria does not like heat, so keep it in a cool place. The optimum temperature is + 15C, but it should not lower below + 8C. Very hard for the plant at a temperature above + 20 ° C.
Watering. Cineraria should be watered constantly. If the room where the plant is located is cool, then watering should be very carefully, since it is possible to over-moisten the soil too much. The humidity of the substrate should be kept moderate, avoid drying out or overmoistening. Water is required soft, constant, room temperature.
Air humidity. Cineraria hybrid likes high humidity, although it can not be sprayed. For humidification it is better to use humidifiers of air, and also it can be placed on a pallet with expanded clay.
Reproduction. Reproduction occurs by seeds. They should be sown at different times from June to October. If you need to get flowering plants, then sow from the beginning of winter to the middle of spring; for early flowering - May, June. After sowing for flowering, it should take 8-9 months. The seeding container must contain a mixture of leaf earth and humus, also add sand, the mixture must be sifted. The container with seeds is kept in a room with a temperature of + 20-22 ° C. After the seeds have risen, they must be dived into the same mixture, but with the addition of sod land. Leaf and humus land is needed for 4 parts, humus - 2 parts, and sand one part. The container with the shoots is placed in a greenhouse or a greenhouse so that the plant is gradually accustomed to open air. Water should be every day. If the day is sunny, then they need to be sprayed and pritenyat. Next time they dive into the ground of a cold hotbed. In the ground, you should add 2 kg of bone meal (per 1 square meter), and then plants transferred to it are planted in small pots. If the cineraria are early sown, then the pots should be slightly larger than those that were sown in July-August. Pots are put in a light greenhouse with a temperature of + 10-12C. After the appearance of roots, the temperature is reduced to + 4-6C, and the room is ventilated. At the end of autumn, watering should be reduced, but not allowed to dry out. At the end of winter, the temperature should be again increased to the previous values, while watering and time for ventilation should also be increased. After the buds appear, the temperature is further increased, to + 15-18 ° C. The plant will blossom in early spring. If the plant was sown in July-August or later, then in February the temperature is not raised to delay flowering for a month.
If desired, the seedlings, which have already developed sufficiently after the first picking, were first planted in the summer in a cold greenhouse, and in September they were planted in medium-sized pots and set in a greenhouse. After the onset of cold weather, the pots are brought into the greenhouse. Such plants will blossom in January. In many flower farms, sometimes cineraria is not transferred from a smaller one to a larger pot, they are immediately planted in the size of the pot with which they will fall into the store.
For cineraria it is very important to have good nutrition of the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly feed mineral fertilizers. This is done two or three times a month. Approaches 0.25% -0.3% solution of microfertilizers; in the period of growth it is added every week. After the emergence of buds, cineraria is usually fed not only with mineral fertilizers, but also organic, adding fertilizer is alternately, once a week.
Possible difficulties
Growing these house flowers in an apartment, it is quite difficult to observe all the conditions that are required for this plant. That is why very often cineraria dies when grown in a room.
If the plant blooms badly, then perhaps this is due to too high temperature and lack of watering. The plant may also lack light.
Leaves can turn yellow and even begin to fade if the plant is overcooled and not enough watered.
The plant can be affected by aphids, powdery mildew. Against aphids apply 0.1% pyrimore, and against dew - 0.15% karatan, 0.02% foundation stone or 2% copper-soap preparation.
Also, the plant can undergo an infection, for example, a phytophthora.