Calceolaria is an herbaceous plant from the Calceolaria family. Its homeland is the coastal zone of Central and South America. Domestic flower growers grow calceolaria as a houseplant. It is famous for its abundant flowering and unusual shape of buds. Two-lipped flowers resemble a handbag or slipper; among gardeners, instead of a complex biological name, there is a simpler one - “slippers”. Flowering is so plentiful and beautiful that often plants give instead of a bouquet for the holiday.
Botanical Description
Calceolaria is a perennial that is grown in a temperate climate as an annual or biennial plant. The height of the shoots is 10-50 cm. The root system has a fibrous structure. Soft branched shoots are located above the ground. Erect or lodging stems and foliage are covered with thick pile.
Petiole leaves of lanceolate or oval shape have wavy edges and a corrugated surface. The leaf length is 5-10 cm. Most of the soft, pleasant to the touch leaves are concentrated near the ground.
Flowering begins about 5 months after planting and lasts up to 5 weeks. This feature allows you to predict the appearance of flowers for a particular celebration or date. On one plant, up to 50 buds can bloom. They are collected on one inflorescence or on several smaller ones. The inflorescence has a racemose shape. Flowers have an unusual structure. The two-lipped nimbus below has a large pouty lip, and on top is a much smaller, spherical lip. The diameter of the flower ranges from 25 to 60 mm. Coloring can be yellow-orange, red, brown. Often on the surface of the petals are white or pink spots. In the center are 2-3 stamens and ovary.
After pollination, the fruit ripens - a dry seed box of oblong shape. Inside there are many small brown dusty seeds.
Types of Calceolaria
In the genus of calceolaria, almost 300 species are registered. However, in a culture most often grown are not species but varietal plants with decorative flowers. They are more resistant to indoor growth and are characterized by long and plentiful flowering.
Wrinkled calceolaria. In nature, the herbaceous perennial grows to 25-50 cm in height. A flexible, branched stalk is covered with a reddish-brown skin. Small lanceolate leaves are collected at the base into a basal rosette. They have an oval shape. Dense inflorescences consist of yellow buds 1.5-2 cm in diameter. Popular varieties:
- Goldbukett - a bush 25-30 cm tall forms larger yellow flowers in dense inflorescences;
- Sunset - several inflorescences with small red-orange or pink buds bloom on a plant 15-20 cm high.
Calceolaria Mexican. The plant branches strongly and blossoms several small inflorescences with golden yellow bilobate flowers. The diameter of one corolla reaches 5 cm.
Calceolaria purple. The flower consists of a dense bright green rosette of leaves covered with a thick pile. A loose racemose inflorescence rises above them. Each small flower has an elongated lower lip with red-purple stains.
Calceolaria hybrid. The species includes many hybrids and varieties with very decorative inflorescences. Light green leaves are most often oval. Dense inflorescence may vary in size. Sometimes several peduncles grow on one plant at once. The main tone of the petals can be yellow or orange. Shapeless pink, white, red or brown spots, dots and strokes stand out on the surface. Tiger calceolaria is especially popular, which, however, is considered the most capricious.
Breeding
Calceolaria is most often propagated by seed. They can be bought in a store or obtained from your own plant. From the seeds of one plant, depending on the conditions of detention, short or tall specimens can grow. Fresh seeds germinate very well. You can sow calceolaria at any time of the year, focusing on the estimated date of flowering.
Crops are produced in shallow containers with light peat soil. A small amount of sand and chalk can be added to the soil. The land is carefully leveled, sprayed from the spray gun and the seeds are distributed on the surface. The container must be covered with film or glass and put in a bright room with an air temperature of +18 ... +20 ° C.
Shoots appear in 5-7 days. When 2-4 true leaves appear on tiny seedlings, the first pick is carried out (the plants are about 1.5 weeks old). After 1.5 months, the plants are dived repeatedly in separate pots or plastic cups. Each picking significantly accelerates growth, the development of seedlings is much faster than that of unpicked samples. After another 1.5-2 months, the grown calceolaria are planted in pots with a diameter of up to 11 cm and grown as adult plants.
After the flowering period ends, many lateral processes are formed on the bush. Cuttings 5-7 cm long can be cut and rooted. Rooting is carried out in loose peaty soil. It is necessary to maintain high humidity. To do this, use a film or a plastic cap. The process takes 2-3 weeks, after which the seedlings can be distributed in separate pots and remove the shelter.
Planting a plant
For planting calceolaria use pots with a volume of 0.8-1.2 liters. The pot should have drainage holes, a thick layer of expanded clay, clay shards or brick chips are poured on its bottom. Land for planting should be very light and airy. It is best to use fluffy peat with the addition of leafy soil, sand, fern roots and deciduous humus. To prevent the development of root rot, add wood ash or crushed activated carbon.
Landing is carried out by transshipment so as not to damage the thin roots. Deepening the root neck is not recommended. The earth is carefully tamped and watered with purified water.
Shoe Care
Indoor calceolaria flower at home needs special care. For a reverent attitude, he will thank with abundant flowering and delicate aroma.
Lighting. Lighting for calceolaria should be bright, but diffuse. Direct sunlight can cause burns and the appearance of ugly spots on the leaves. The daylight hours, even in winter, should not be less than 8 hours. If necessary, use the backlight. For cultivation, western or eastern window sills are better suited. In summer, flowers can be taken out into the fresh air under a canopy.
Temperature. Calceolaria loves cool content. The optimum temperature for it is + 18 ... + 23 ° C. It is advisable to ensure daily temperature fluctuations, lowering it at night to + 15 ... + 17 ° C. The higher the temperature, the higher the humidity should be. During the rest period, it is necessary to provide a colder content by lowering the maximum temperature to + 14 ... + 17 ° C.
Humidity. High humidity for calceolaria is a determining factor. Seedlings and young plants are grown under a cap. Plants are sprayed and placed near trays with water and wet expanded clay. For spraying use a fine spray and thoroughly purified water. Otherwise, ugly calcareous spots will appear on the leaves. Also, the accumulation of drops on the foliage leads to spoilage.
Watering. Calceolaria is watered often, but in small portions of water. The soil should always be slightly moist, but not wet. Recommended water temperature for irrigation is 25-28 ° C. The liquid must be thoroughly cleaned of chlorine and lime impurities. All excess water from the sump must be removed immediately.
Fertilizers During the period of active growth and vegetation, the calceolaria needs regular feeding. They begin to make 2 weeks after transplantation. Twice or thrice a month, the earth is watered with a solution of mineral fertilizer. At the end of flowering, feeding is stopped.
Crown formation. From an early age, calceolaria needs pruning. It is recommended to remove the lateral processes, so that the plant turns out to be stronger, and dense inflorescences consist of large buds. A growing flower may slope. Calceolaria can be grown in flower pots as an ampel plant. To make the bush more stable, use special circular supports. After flowering is complete, the shoots are partially cut, leaving up to 20 cm of shoots.
Possible difficulties
Calceolaria is sensitive to fungal diseases. If the soil is excessively moistened, root rot or powdery mildew may appear. Plants significantly slow down in growth, leaves turn yellow and fall off. To prevent such phenomena, it is necessary to strictly observe agricultural technology.
Aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, spider mites and scale insects can settle on succulent shoots. Parasites feed on the juice of calceolaria and quickly drain it. If insects are found, insecticides should be treated immediately. Aerosol and powder form preparations are preferred.
Calceolaria do not like dry and hot air. In this case, their shoots will be exposed and stretched, and the leaves will dry from the edge and turn yellow. The flower is characterized by rapid aging. After 2 years, decorative varieties are fully grown and require replacement.
