Kalanchoe is a perennial herbaceous plant or semi-shrub with succulent fleshy leaves that has come to us from the tropics of South Asia, Africa and America. It is very popular with flower growers, as the Kalanchoe is a medicinal plant , it cleans the air in the room where it is located, has antibacterial and antiviral action.
Now more than two hundred species are known, and the Kalanchoe began to be used not only for medical purposes, but also for decorating the interior. For this, the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld, a native of the island of Madagascar, is especially popular. This plant is up to 30 cm tall with a bare, slightly branched stalk, green ovoid leaves and an umbellate apical inflorescence of red, yellow, pink or orange flowers.
Cultivate it is recommended:
- in living rooms on light windows;
- to create compositions in combination with other plants;
- in the summer to decorate the balconies, and in the cold season - in greenhouses, winter gardens.
How to care for the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld?
When organizing care for the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld, it must be remembered that it belongs to the genus of succulent plants, and to care accordingly.
- Accommodation : in winter it is better to place on the southern window of the apartment, and then rearrange to the east or west window.
- Lighting and temperature : the flower lacks natural light on the windowsill, does not need additional lighting. With very long exposure to direct sunlight, the leaves of the Kalanchoe may turn red. In winter, the optimal temperature is 13-16 ° C.
- Watering and humidity : from spring to autumn, the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld requires abundant watering as the upper layer of the soil dries up, it is not allowed to dry out, and in winter it should be watered down. The plant easily tolerates the dry air of the apartments, they can sometimes be sprayed.
- Soil : for kalanchoe it is necessary to make such soil mixture: sod and leaf land, humus, peat and sand, mixed in equal proportions. Primer must be well- scraped with expanded clay, charcoal and brick crumb.
- Subcortex : in summer in the period of growth of shoots, it is possible to feed once every two weeks with fertilizer for cacti diluted 1 to 2 with water.
- Transplantation : the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld should be transplanted every spring.
- Pruning : After the flowering of the Kalanchoe Blossfeld, to have a decorative appearance, cut pruned inflorescences and upper stems.
- Stimulation of flowering : flowering Kalanchoe Blossfeld usually lasts a long time, for several weeks. But after the first flowering it often happens that for several years the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld does not bloom. Then it is necessary to artificially shorten the light day in the winter for up to 12-8 hours, covering them with lightproof material for 12-15 hours.
Propagation of Blossfeld's Kalanchoe
Reproduction of the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld is easy to carry out by leaf and cuttings all year round.
To fall down old leaves are rooted, it is necessary in June to plant the leaf in moist sand and cover with a glass.
To form rootlets, the cuttings are immersed in water, before drying them 1-2 days beforehand. Apples appear about a week later. For rooting in the soil of hothouse conditions is not required, only a fibrous loose earth.
To obtain compact and dense bushes of the Kalanchoe of Blossfeld, young plants should hold the tips of the tops and plant them into the pot of apical cuttings. In July, to form a bush, the plants are pricked once more.
Kalanchoe blooming, or how to properly Kalanchoe Blossfeld, very simple to grow and care, often used as a gift to women in the winter to create a good mood.