The elegant pelargonium zonal belongs to the elegant decorative indoor plants that adorn not only houses, but also offices. The ability to bloom for six months, lush leaves, unpretentiousness in the care made her a universal favorite.
Pelargonium zonal (Pelargonium zonale) - what kind of decorative flower this family belongs to
Zone geranium (zonale) is a representative of the Geraniev family, with more than 400 representatives. Outwardly, they practically do not resemble familiar indoor cultures.
Pelargonium is zonal
Brief description of why it is called, history of origin or selection
The culture comes from Africa, it came to European territories in the 17th century. Dutch breeders were engaged in breeding, thanks to which many varieties appeared.
Pelargonium quickly spread to greenhouses of private collectors and in botanical gardens. The primary species characteristics of the plant eventually faded, but the result of breeding work was subspecies with long flowering and non-standard foliage color.
Important! Culture has become widespread throughout the world. Today it is grown in apartments and planted to decorate personal plots.
Pelargonium zonal - what does it mean? The name arose because of the unusual color of the foliage with a pronounced darkish rim. It is brownish, dark green, purple, burgundy and chocolate tones.
Secondary classification is carried out according to the size of the plant:
- miniature specimens - grow to 13 cm;
- medium height - up to 60 cm;
- tall grow to 80 cm.
Pelargonium garden
Varieties of indoor plants with names that look like
The constant work of breeders allows you to choose the type of pelargonium that is most suitable for certain conditions. The main differences between the flowers - in size, shape of inflorescences and color of the petals.
Yu-jiga
It is a standard subspecies with a straight stem and medium size. Terry-shaped coral inflorescences, rather dense. Pelargonium Yu Jiga pleases with its beauty every lover of home plants.
Lake
It is characterized by its unpretentiousness, the inflorescences are spherical in shape, salmon buds, whose petals become lighter closer to the edge. Rounded foliage with a brownish border, the bush grows to medium size.
Raffaella F1
It is characterized by a compact appearance and a height of up to 30 cm. Suitable for keeping in rooms, loggias and flowerbeds. Terry buds are milky, orange, peach, scarlet. The variety was recently bred and rarely found on the market. Easily tolerates cold and hot conditions.
Note! If the plant is properly looked after, then the buds will form all year round.
Pelargonium Raphael F1
Bold gold
It is grown in the open air and in houses. It is characterized by abundant flowering. The foliage has a light green color with a brownish shade ring located in the center. Buds come in pink and red.
Minx and others
Pelargonium of Lara Harmony possesses terry flowers with a lilac hue, its large inflorescences of an umbrella type arise from the beginning of spring and wither by the end of autumn. Differs in miniature. In the pelargonium of Lara Harmony, buds resemble roses.
Minx is characterized by small size and bright scarlet petals. In combination with dark foliage, they stand out strongly. Each variety has its own characteristics, experienced flower growers collect entire collections that differ in growth and color of inflorescences. Pelargonium Silk Swan is interesting for its massive stalk, covered with dense leafy plates and snow-white buds.
Important! Not always in flower shops sellers are versed in culture. When buying, it is better to focus on Latin names.
Among indoor plants you can find:
- Pelargonium Lara Delight with medium sizes, inflorescences with fuchsia and a white core. In addition to splendor, it is distinguished by an unusual tone of petals. Pelargonium Lara Delight appeals to flower growers who love bright and rich colors. Plants with a larger size or calmer tones of buds are selected for the garden.
- Pelargonium Yu Disco can be found in rare cases, it does not belong to the popular ones. Petals are painted in soft pink tones, buds are collected in umbrella inflorescences. Spherical-type flowers are located on high peduncles and stand out from other crops.
- Pelargonium Yu Princess - characterized by pink-like inflorescences with a light pink tinge. After a while, its petals curl up into tubes, giving it an unusual appearance.
- Pelargonium Yu Kathak has an unusual color of leaf plates: the general yellow background is underlined by a brownish border. Terry inflorescences, with a bright red tone. A large bush easily survives pruning.
Important! In flower shops, plants of various subspecies are sold (Yu Gamayun Pelargonium, Yu Lilac Fog, Yu Sirin), but workers usually do not divide them. As a result, the buyer acquires a mix of geraniums of different colors.
Pelargonium Minks
Home care for pelargonium zonal
For geranium zonal care at home requires special. Without it, the plant will refuse not only to bloom, but also to grow.
Illumination and temperature
Pelargonium pot Yu Bolero is placed in a room with diffused light and a daylight duration of 16 hours or more. In summer, the temperature is maintained at +20 ℃, in winter - +15 ℃. A sharp cooling can provoke the fall of peduncles.
Watering rules and humidity
In summer, the culture is watered up to 3 times a week, in winter the amount of irrigation is reduced to reasonable limits.
Additional Information! The plant easily tolerates a slight drought and does not require spraying.
Top dressing and soil quality
For the flower use a universal mixture from the store or mix in equal proportions of turf, peat and leafy soil. During flowering, pelargonium needs to be fed with mineral compounds containing a sufficient amount of potassium and phosphorus elements. Fertilizers are applied every 14 days.
Important! Mixtures with nitrogen cannot be used to enrich the soil - it causes an active growth of the green mass of the bush.
Means for feeding
Flower Tank Size
The container should exceed the volume of the root lump by 1 cm.
Pruning and transplanting
Wilted flower stalks require removal, after the end of the flowering period, all branches are shortened by a third of the length. This approach activates the development of side shoots. Pruning helps to form a compact plant, and cuttings are used for propagation.
Features of flowering plants
Most subspecies budding takes place from spring to autumn. At its end, there comes a time of rest, and the plant hibernates until the last winter month.
Important! Recommended by many amateurs, flowering time extension techniques are undesirable. Artificial stimulation leads to severe depletion of the plant.
Period of activity and rest
The daylight hours during hibernation are reduced to 12 hours, the frequency of soil moisture and temperature are reduced. During this period, pruning is carried out. It can not be transplanted and fed.
By March, daylight hours are increasing, as is the number of irrigations. In the same month, standard care for pelargonium is carried out, with top dressing and transplantation (if necessary). Preparations for the rest period begin in September.
Types and shape of flowers
All subspecies of zonal pelargonium are conventionally divided into three subgroups:
- non-terry;
- semi-double;
- terry type.
Division depends on the number of petals. Most beautiful specimens have 8 or more pieces. According to the second classification, the division of culture allows us to distinguish between categories resembling:
- a rose;
- tulip;
- an asterisk
- cloves.
On a note! Of great interest are varieties that bloom like ordinary cacti.
Pelargonium in the infield
Ways to propagate a flower when it's best done
New copies to the collection are obtained by cuttings or seed method. Each has its own pros and cons.
Propagation by cuttings
It refers to the simplest procedures. It implies receiving scraps, cleaning them from the bottom of the foliage and sending them to a glass of water. Some gardeners prefer to plant cuttings immediately in moist soil, with a depth of 3 cm. The appearance of the root system is expected in a few weeks.
Seed propagation
The technique helps to propagate rare species, but takes longer. Seed is collected from peduncles, after the formation of dry bolls on them. Cultivation is carried out in the spring months:
- in each capacity they plant one piece;
- covered with plastic wrap or glass;
- periodically open and remove accumulated moisture.
Important! The first sprouts will appear in a month. After growing up, they are transplanted into larger pots.
Propagation by cuttings
Growing problems, diseases and pests
The presence of diseases is determined by the general condition of the culture and its appearance. Some specimens may show yellowing of the leaf plates, their dryness or lethargy, which can mean serious problems:
- gray spots on the green part indicate the development of gray rot, the source of damage is excessive waterlogging of the substrate;
- insufficient lighting is manifested by pulling shoots and the absence of peduncles;
- a reddish tinge of leaf blades appears at lower temperatures.
Attacks of parasitic insects have their own symptoms:
- Spider mite - attacks the culture with increased air dryness in the room. It is manifested by drying of foliage and a silver web on the green part.
- Mealybug - is determined by the whitish coating on the plates. The attack occurs with constant waterlogging of the soil.
- Whitefly - looks like miniature butterflies. The parasite quickly forms colonies and covers the entire plant.
Important! The occurrence of symptoms of the lesion requires therapeutic measures to save the diseased flower.
How to deal with them
Fungicidal solutions are used to treat fungal pathologies. The plant is transplanted into a new container with a fresh substrate, before the procedure, remove all affected areas and sprinkle them with activated carbon powder.
The fight against parasitic insects consists in machining the green part with a cotton pad with a soap solution and spraying it with insecticidal agents. The event is held several times, until the complete destruction of pests.
It is not difficult to take care of pelargonium, subject to the rules, it will delight you with bright buds that do not fade for six months.
