Achimenez belongs to the Gesnerius family. It grows in the tropical zones of South and Central America, Brazil. The genus has more than 50 species. If you provide the plant with proper care, it will give beautiful, lush buds even at home. Therefore, apartments and offices often adorn the flower.
Description of Achimenes
Ahimenez is a herbaceous perennial. In height not more than 30 cm. The stems are fleshy, branched, dark green or red. At first they grow up, but they wilt with age. Above-ground rhizome with rhizomes (tubers) covered with small scales. They accumulate useful substances that the plant will use after moving away from winter dormancy.
The oblong leaves on the petioles with a sharp end on the outside are smooth, shiny. They are dark green, pink, purple with embossed veins. There are small hairs on the inside of the plate.
In late spring, many flowers begin to form in the axils of the leaves along the entire length of the stem. Each corolla has a tube and 5 strongly bent, double or simple petals, divided along the edges.
Reddish, pink, yellow, snow-white, purple flowers are located singly or in groups of 3-6 pieces. In diameter reach 3-6 cm. Flowering occurs until the end of September. When grown at home, it can be observed twice.
Varieties of achimenes
Popular varieties:
| Title | Stalk (shoots) | Flowers | Buds bloom period |
| White | Straight, with green or red shoots. | Medium-sized, 1-1.5 cm. Outside, a shade of baked milk, reddish from the inside. Corolla yellow with scarlet stripes. | Summer. |
| Ehrenberg | Erect, heavily pubescent and leafy. Regular nipping is required. | Medium, purple color on the outside, which gradually turns pinkish on the back. The pharynx (corolla tube) is bright yellow with pink dots. | Summer autumn. |
| Outstretched | Grows up, brown, less often green. | Pink-violet, up to 2 cm. | June August. |
| Upright | Vertical, medium, reddish hue. | Scarlet, small, up to 1 cm. | |
| Mexican | Strongly branching, grown as an ampel plant. | Up to 3.5 cm, lilac, purple or pink with a snow-white tube. | Summer autumn. |
| Leafy | Reddish, erect. | Burgundy, large, up to 5 cm. Pharynx yellow with spots, extended towards the end. | |
| Long flowered | Lodging, pubescent, slightly branching, up to 10-30 cm. | Large, up to 6.5 cm. Blue, pink, gray-lilac with a yellow or snow-white tube. | |
| Fringed | Drooping, up to 30 cm in length. | Up to 2 cm, white, with a fringe at the edges. | |
| Nocturne | Hanging shoots are grown as an ampel plant. | Large, up to 4.5 cm. Terry, velvet, maroon on the outside, lighter on the inside. | Summer. |
| Sabrina | At first they grow vertically, over time they wilt. | Coral pink with a yellow straw. Medium, up to 2 cm. | Summer autumn. |
Ahimenez: care and cultivation
In order for the bush to develop well and bloom flowers, it is necessary to provide for it certain conditions of detention:
| Factor | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location | Any window sills, except the northern ones with shading from the midday sun. Take to the terrace, loggia. | Move to a dark, cool pantry for winter rest. |
| Lighting | A bright light is needed. Variegated varieties do not tolerate direct sunlight, they need to be shaded. Varieties with dark greens can withstand the short exposure to ultraviolet radiation. | Do not use additional lighting, rest period. |
| Temperature | + 22 ... +23 ° С | +15 ° С |
| Humidity | 60-65%. It is impossible to spray the plant itself, only the air around. You can also pour moist expanded clay into the pan, put a pot on top or purchase an air humidifier. If water gets on the green, large dark spots will appear on it. The bush will lose its decorative appearance. | |
| Watering | Abundant every 3 days. | When the earth dries. To produce in small portions along the edge of the pots (once a week for 2-3 tablespoons). |
| Water temperature is approximately 2 ° above room temperature. Make sure that there is no stagnation of moisture. To produce under the root or in the pallet, avoiding falling on foliage and shoots. | ||
| Top dressing | 3-4 weeks after germination. Subsequent - every 2 weeks with mineral fertilizers. | Not necessary. The bush is resting. |
Transfer
You need to move young and adult plants to another pot every year. Before winter dormancy, rhizomes are not dug up, but stored in an old substrate in a dark room. A transplant is done before the vegetative period:
- Lay out drainage from pebbles, expanded clay or cracked brick.
- Fill 2/3 of the capacity with a mixture of soil from sheet earth, turf, sand (3: 2: 1).
- Remove tubers from old soil and place in a new pot in a horizontal position.
- Pour 5-10 mm of substrate on top, carefully pour.
- Cover with glass or polyethylene to create greenhouse conditions until shoots appear.
Propagation of Achimenes
Flower bred:
- rhizomes;
- cuttings;
- seeds.
The first method is the most simple and effective. One rhizome can produce several shoots at once; young specimens retain varietal characters of the mother bush.
Reproduction occurs as follows:
- Gently separate the tubers from the roots.
- Spread over the surface of pre-moistened soil.
- Sprinkle with dry soil at 2 cm.
- Make sure that the soil does not have time to dry, keep at a temperature of +22 ° C.
- Sprouts will hatch in 1-2 weeks. After the appearance of the first leaves, transplant the shoots.
Propagation by cuttings is done in May-June. The landing process is step by step:
- Divide a healthy and fully formed branch into 3 parts. They should have at least 3 internodes.
- Remove lower leaves for better rooting.
- The places of cuts should be treated with crushed activated carbon.
- Place the bottom stalk in the root growth accelerator (for example, Kornevin).
- Plant in a moist, warm substrate.
- Cover with plastic wrap or glass jar for a greenhouse effect.
- Remove cover for ventilation daily. Remove condensation from the walls.
- The first roots will appear after 10-14 days.
The last method of breeding is considered the most difficult and time-consuming, since the seeds of the plant are very small. Usually breeders and experienced flower growers resort to it. Step-by-step instruction:
- In March, mix the seeds with a little sand.
- Sprinkle a mixture of pre-moistened soil.
- It is not necessary to sprinkle them on top, otherwise there will not be seedlings for a long time.
- Cover with polyethylene to create a greenhouse.
- To remove a film daily for airing and moistening of a substrate from a small spray.
- The first shoots will appear no earlier than in a fortnight, if you provide bright lighting.
- Dive at least 3 times per spring.
Diseases and pests of Achimenes
With proper maintenance, the plant is rarely affected by diseases and insect pests. In the absence of optimal conditions for development, Achimenes may experience the following problems:
| Manifestation | Cause | Remedial measures |
| Foliage turns yellow, fading. The deformation of buds and plates occurs. | Chlorosis due to water hardness. |
|
| Light round spots appear, which turn brown over time. | Ring spotting due to cold watering, drafts, direct sunlight. | It is impossible to cure the disease. To prevent its spread, you need:
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| Greens turns brown, falls off. A grayish coating is visible on the plates. | Gray rot as a result of high humidity, cold temperature. |
|
| Small (up to 0.5 mm), red insects are visible on the back of the leaf plate. Microscopic cobwebs, yellow spots and dots appear on the greenery and turn brown over time. | Red spider mite. The insect loves dry, warm air. | Apply drugs:
Need to process and neighboring plants. Repeat the procedure 3 times, at intervals of 7 days. |
| The plates are twisted into a tube, leaves, flowers, shoots are deformed. On the bush you can see small, black or green insects. | Aphid. | Use chemicals:
|
| The formation of a white waxy coating on the plant, fluffy lumps, similar to cotton wool. | Mealybug (shaggy louse). |
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