Gloxinia: caring for a beautiful flowering plant

The genus Gloxinia belongs to the Gesneria family. In nature, gloxinia (syningia) is common in the tropics. Wild gloxinia is a semi-shrub or perennial herb with root tuber, erect stems and large, noticeable flowers. At home, gloxinia is usually cultivated as a hybrid, derived from crosses of different species.

Hybrid gloxinium, the care of which has its own nuances, is a low plant with elongated velvety leaves growing on juicy petioles. Its flowers are bright and noticeable: they can be white or different shades of blue, red, purple, pink; Form resemble large bells. They have a delicate, subtle flavor. Blossoms gloxini in spring and blossom for almost half a year, until late autumn. Flowering plants should be in the daytime in a room with an air temperature of not below + 20-24 degrees. If possible, at night they should be taken to a cool place, the temperature in which is 5-6 degrees lower - this stimulates abundant flowering.

After the plant fades, there is a period of rest. The aerial part of the flower dies. In the winter of gloxinia, care for which during this period provides only a scant watering, should be kept at a temperature of no higher than +10 ... +12 degrees. To do this, pots with tubers are taken to the cellar or cellar. Since February, fresh sprouts may already appear. With the onset of spring, the plants are taken to a warm place and begin to water more abundantly. Ideally, this is best done with a pallet: gloxinia, care for which requires caution, does not tolerate the ingress of moisture on the leaves. The water should be warm (temperature - not below +17 degrees), rain or standing during the day. In no case can not spray gloxinia! Leaves care allows only a careful removal of dust from them with a small dry cloth or cotton swab. If the moisture gets in during the watering in the center of the tuber - the point from which the leaves grow - it is possible to rot.

Propagate gloxinium tubers or leaves. For this, germinated nodules are divided by the number of sprouts (cuts are sprinkled with pounded charcoal), the leaves are rooted in the sand, covered with glass. After the appearance of the roots, they are transplanted into a substrate consisting of a mixture of leafy, soddy land and humus with a small amount of peat and sand. You can use the soil mixture and several other composition, the rule is only one: the soil should not be too acidic (the norm is pH 5.5 - 6.5). This plant multiplies superbly and seeds: they are planted at a distance of about four centimeters from each other. After the appearance of one or two pairs of real leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into separate pots. They blossom in about four to five months from the day of sowing. Perhaps in the first year the winter period of rest will be absent for them.

In spring, during active growth and planting of flower buds, plants need a good illumination of at least 12-14 hours a day - otherwise they will go into growth, and the number of flowers will be small. In addition, if the flowers lack light, they will have a more pale color. During this period, gloxinia, care for which should take into account the nuances of lighting, can be kept on the windowsills of the southern windows. With the onset of the same flowering period, which usually coincides with the beginning of summer, the plant can be rearranged to a less hot and lit place. Care for gloxinia provides a shade of it from direct sunlight.

For the cultivation of these flowers, wide and shallow pots are best suited. They can be either clay or plastic - this is not the point. Only their sizes are important: for young tubers - a diameter of about 10 cm, for adults - about 15 cm at the bottom of the pot necessarily put drainage. In general, gloxinia, despite some difficulties with its content, is a grateful plant. It germinates well, blooms and serves as a real decoration of the interior - because its flowers are so beautiful and picturesque!