Favorite and beautiful plants for home cultivation are delicate flowers of Achimenes. These compact bushes, abundantly covered with small amazing flowers, decorate terraces, balconies, rooms, creating beautiful compositions and a riot of colors.
Description of achimenes
Achimenez (achimene) is a grassy perennial of the Gesneriaceae family. The plant is low - up to 30 cm tall, with fleshy shoots. Leaves are glossy, oblong, dark green or purple with pronounced veins and notches on the edge. The culture is characterized by friendly flowering, Achimenes flowers are small, resembling gramophones in shape. The root system develops with rhizomes - the so-called tubers covered with scales.
Achimenes flower
Common varieties
The genus Achimenes is represented by 50 species and a huge number of varieties. Some of them grow in the wild, most ornamental plants are bred by breeding.
In flower shops, the most common are several types of flowers that have worked well in Russian climatic conditions:
- Long-flowered. Shrub plant with several shoots and large flowers reaching 6.5 cm in length, purple and blue tones. Popular varieties:
- Chiapas - soft purple flowers;
- Juaregia is a white flower with a purple core and veins.
Ahimenes long-flowered
- Fringed. An interesting achimenes flower with an unusual fringed shape of white or pale pink petals.
Fringed variety
- Hybrid. The variety was bred as a result of crossing several species. It is characterized by abundant flowering and multi-colored. Representatives:
- Rose Pink - bright pink, raspberry flowers.
- Blue - deep blue, azure color of the petals, yellow center.
- Yellow beauty - tubular flowers with yellow or light yellow petals and a terracotta base.
- Large flowered. The largest species - the plant reaches 60 cm in height, flowers grow up to 6 cm in diameter and up to 10 cm in length. The leaves are purple or dark green, the flowers are red or purple.
Ahimenez is a tropical plant native to Central and South America. Therefore, the culture needs warmth and humidity.
Interesting! There are two versions of the origin of the name Achimenes. According to the first, it translates as a "magic flower", according to the second translation - "go to winter".
Features of care for Achimeneses
Achimeneses care and cultivation are quite painstaking processes that require patience, careful handling and certain knowledge. The plant loves warmth, constant temperature. In Russia, grown as a houseplant. For the summer period, it becomes possible to plant a bush in open ground or move it to the balcony.
Temperature and lighting
The first step for proper care of the Achimenes is to choose a place for the plant in the house. A flower loves the sun, develops well in bright but diffused lighting. Direct sunlight can burn leaves. Experienced growers argue that most varieties of Achimeneses gradually adapt to the sun. In the shade, the plant loses its decorativeness, grows green mass and does not bloom.
Achimenez is a tropical culture, loves heat, does not tolerate temperature extremes, drafts. Comfortable conditions for a flower during growth and flowering - temperature 22-24 degrees. During the resting period, the optimum temperature is 10-14 degrees.
Watering and spraying
Achimenes need moist air, watering. At the same time, it is not recommended to spray the leaves - the pubescent surface accumulates moisture, and there is a risk of diseases. A good solution is to place the flower near a pond, aquarium or in the kitchen. It is necessary to water the plant often, but not plentifully, with warm, standing water.
Advice! It is better to pour water along the edges of the pot - in this way the root is not washed out, moisture does not accumulate.
Excess liquid should drain freely, a pan with expanded clay or fine gravel is placed under the pot (it must be moistened).
During dormancy, watering is reduced - it is enough to moisten the soil around the plant once or twice a week or pour water into the sump.
Interesting! A great option for moistening the Achimenes is wick watering. Make it simple: the wick from kapron is placed in a pot, one end is dragged through the bottom hole into the pan, where water is poured. The plant will be able to regulate the amount of fluid it needs.
Soil for growing
An important factor in the processes of planting and care for the Achimenes is the choice of soil. It is recommended to grow a culture in a special mixture for senpolia (violets). It includes peat, vermiculite and perlite. Suitable soil can be prepared independently by mixing peat, sand and turf soil. Coarse vermiculite, expanded clay or gravel are used as drainage.
Fertilizers and fertilizers
How to feed the Achimenes? The question is interesting, but simple - culture does not need special feeding. Fertilizers for Achimenes can be applied during the growing season and flowering. As a top dressing, universal mineral complexes for flowering ornamental plants are used. They are used in small quantities at each watering. In autumn and spring organic matter is introduced: humus or ash.
Pinch
Experienced flower growers are advised to pinch the Achimenes - it will delay the flowering of the plant for about two weeks, but will allow the flower to grow stronger, form lateral pagons, and lay strong flower buds. You can begin to pinch the achimenes at an early stage of growth, when the plant reaches a height of several centimeters. The extreme kidney is removed with scissors or simply broken off. Pinching miniature varieties is carried out twice a season, ampelous and larger bushes can be pinched up to seven times. The process stops after the first bud appears.
Flowering culture
Achimenes distinguishes in the form of pagons and flowers. There are erect bushes (pagons are strong, grow vertically) and ampelous (stems are flexible, hang down).
Ampel grade
Depending on how the achimenes blooms, the shapes of the flowers are divided:
- Tubular nimbuses - thunder-like;
- Cup-like.
Flower types:
- Ordinary;
- Terry.
Types of achimenes, depending on the size of the flower:
- Small flowered (up to 3 cm);
- Mid-flowered (up to 5 cm);
- Large-flowered (more than 5 cm).
Large-flowered Achimenes
The color palette of the culture is vast and interesting. The base color is purple, and the Achimenes are also available in white, yellow, pink, red, blue, purple and other colors.
The flowering period of the plant is from the beginning of summer to mid-autumn.
Sometimes Achimeneses do not bloom without visible factors. Why this happens, there are several reasons:
- Diseases or pests - the plant weakens, is not able to fully develop.
- Transfer. The period of adaptation of the culture is quite long, the flower just did not have time to prepare for flowering.
- Lack of trace elements (magnesium, manganese and boron). It is necessary to treat the plant with products with a high content of these elements.
You can increase the abundance of flowering with the preparations "Bud", "Bloom".
Propagation at home
Akhimenes propagation is carried out by several methods:
- The seeds. A painstaking and lengthy process, the most difficult option for breeding a culture. Ripe seeds are sown in February, mixed with sand. It is not necessary to sprinkle with soil - grains are very small. The surface is sprayed with warm water, the container is covered with a film. Shoots appear in 10-14 days. Strong young shoots must be transplanted into separate pots.
Important! When propagated by seeds, varietal qualities are not transmitted. This method is often used by breeders to breed new species of Achimenes.
Achimenez seeds
- Cuttings. A simple but effective way. A healthy adult twig is divided into three or four roots, with two or more internodes. Sections are treated with activated carbon. Cuttings are dried, planted in the ground. If rooting was successful, then after 2-3 weeks the seedlings can be transplanted into a pot.
Sprouts of achimenes
- Leaves. It is not difficult to carry out such rooting, but flowering occurs only for the next season. The leaves are broken off or cut off and planted in the ground. For faster germination, the material can be placed in water with a stimulant for rooting for several days. Several pieces of leaves are planted in one pot - the bush will be more magnificent.
Propagation by leaves
- Stolons. An effective method to grow ahimenes. Stolons are daughter shoots of roots (rhizome). It is necessary to cut off the stolons from the adult rhizome and plant them in the ground. With proper care, the young flower will grow and bloom intensively.
- Rhizomes of the Achimenes. The easiest and most effective way to plant a plant. An adult plant is extracted from the pot, the root is carefully cut into several parts. Sections are treated with activated carbon. Flakes are planted in the prepared substrate. Young shoots dive and are placed in a separate container.
Achimenes Rhizomes
The rooting process can be accelerated by heating the bottom of the pot: the container is placed on warm bricks, stones, and a water bath.
Transfer
When buying achimenes, you should remember that you need to transplant the plant at the end of winter - the beginning of spring. Later transplantation requires a long period of adaptation, leading to a lack of flowering.
Starting to plant a bush, it is necessary to remove the rhizomes from the pot, inspect, remove damaged parts. If the rhizome is very large, it is advisable to separate it. The old soil is exhausted, you need to prepare a new, fresh substrate. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot, soil is poured with the addition of charcoal, a rhizome is planted, it is well rammed.
Rhizome division
Problems in growing Achimeneses
In the process of caring for Achimenes flower at home, certain difficulties arise:
- The plant drops buds and leaves. Hot dry air can provoke this phenomenon. If the leaves simply fade, the cause is often insufficient moisture.
- The tips dry on the leaves. Perhaps the flower is a long period under the influence of direct sunlight. If cold water gets on the plant, it can cause spotting.
- The flower is slowly growing. The reasons are often poor lighting, drafts, heavy soil.
Serious problems in growing crops are Achimenes disease. The plant may be subject to fungal diseases. It is necessary to remove damaged areas of pagons and leaves, treat the soil with fungicide.
When aphids and spider mites appear, insecticides are used.
Transplanting and growing on the street
It is possible to grow achimenes on the street subject to stable heat: the air temperature should not drop below 20 degrees. Flower pots are placed on the balcony or terrace. It is very important to choose the right place: you should avoid getting rain, direct sunlight. An ideal place is a quiet place protected from wind, drafts, rain. When cooling or at night, it is advisable to bring the flower into the house.
Achimeneses are beautiful delicate flowers that leave no one indifferent. They are quite delicate and demanding care. Having studied some of the nuances of growing, you can make sure that caring for this plant and observing its development is a pleasure.
