Ahimenez - growing and care at home, photo species

Achimenes (Achimenes) - flowering plant from the Gesneriaceae family. In vivo occurs in the form of vines or shrubs. The homeland of Achimenes is the tropical zones of Central and South America. A flower, accustomed to a hot, humid climate, is afraid of a drop in temperature. This is evidenced even by its name, dating back to the Greek foundations and meaning "afraid of the cold."

Achimenes develops intensively. To grow it at home is quite simple. A bush up to 60 cm high can be formed in one growing season. The perennial plant blooms in waves, forming velvety bright bluebells from June to September. After this, the aboveground part dies, and in the spring it rises again from the rhizome.

Be sure to pay attention to such wonderful plants as columnia and saintpaulia.

Useful properties and toxicity of Achimenes

Ahimenez pleases the eye not only with bright flowers similar to bells, but also with jagged velvety leaves. Their front side is bright green, and the bottom with a reddish tint. The contemplation of the original flowers against a background of lush greenery brings incomparable pleasure. Lush bushes in hanging flowerpots decorate the interior. Ahimenez is a non-toxic plant that does not cause allergies and irritation. Therefore, it can be safely grown at home.

Achimenes care at home. Briefly

A tropical plant Achimenes at home can be grown by a beginner, having familiarized himself with the preferences of the flower in advance:

Achimenes care at home. In detail

Homemade achimenes will delight in abundant and long flowering for many years, if you surround it with care.

Flowering achenes

The long beautiful flowering of Achimenes is one of its brightest virtues. From the end of May to the beginning of November, velvety delicate flowers similar to bells appear on the background of green pubescent foliage.

They can be small (up to 3 cm), medium (almost 4 cm) and large (almost 5 cm); simple or terry.

Under natural conditions, Achimenes of violet color is found. Flowers of different colors are grown in the culture. In the first half of summer, Achimenes blooms more abundantly. Flowers fall quickly, but new ones form right away.

Therefore, the bush always looks smart. Insufficient flowering may be caused by:

• excess nitrogen fertilizers;
• lack of light;
• late awakening from hibernation;
• fungal disease.

To help the plant cope with such difficulties, it is rearranged in a brighter place; fertilize with potassium phosphorus fertilizer; treated with fungicide, if necessary.

Temperature mode

In winter, during the dormant period, Achimenes is kept at + 13 - 15 ° C, the rest of the time at + 20 ° C. Caring for Achimenes at home requires that you observe this temperature regime. If it is hot in summer (from + 28 ° C), the color of the flowers may suddenly change, their size will decrease.

Winter temperature increase will provoke an early awakening of the kidneys, shoots will begin to appear ahead of time.

Spraying

All plants of the Gesneriaceae family love high, more than 50%, air humidity. In this case, spraying the plant is unacceptable. You can spray only the air around Achimenes, if it does not bloom at this time. To increase humidity, a flower pot is installed on a pallet with wet pebbles or an air humidifier is used. If during watering droplets of water accidentally fall on the leaves, they must immediately be wet with a clean cloth.

Lighting

Bright diffused lighting suits the plant. On the window facing the south side, Achimenes is shaded so that the aggressive rays of the sun do not cause a burn. On the windows on the north side, the flower will be weak and elongated due to lack of light. Achimenes flower at home develops well on windows facing east and west.

Watering

The substrate must be wet. During flowering, Achimenes at home is watered with lukewarm, lukewarm water once every 3 days..

It is necessary to water evenly and accurately, without spilling water on the leaves. Florists with experience apply wick watering.

Water is poured from the pan. In winter, Achimenes is not watered, only sometimes the soil is sprayed.

Achimenes pot

The root system of Achimenes is located in the upper part of the substrate, without penetrating deep into. Therefore, the pot for Achimenes is chosen wide and low. If Achimenes is grown as an ampel plant, a hanging flowerpot is perfect, from the edges of which green shoots with bright bluebells of flowers will descend in a beautiful cascade. Whatever pot is chosen for Achimenes, drainage holes should be made at the bottom to prevent stagnation of moisture.

Soil for Achimenes

Ahimenez needs a loose nutrient substrate with a slightly acidic reaction. Soil for Achimenes can be prepared at home by yourself, taking peat, sand (perlite) and humus in equal parts (you can add sheet soil to the mixture in the same amount). Ready soil is well mixed and fried or frozen the day before planting. You can buy a substrate for the senpole in the store. Shredded moss, brick chips and coal powder are added to the soil.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

To enhance the immunity of Achimenes and to give it greater decorativeness, dressing and fertilizing are carried out with a special solution for the Gesnerievs or a universal remedy for indoor flowers. They can be alternated with fertilizer for flowering plants, containing a large amount of phosphorus and potassium.

In early spring, when the first shoots are formed, they are fed once every 10 days. During the growing season - from mid-April to mid-October - every 7 days. After an evening watering, Achimenes is “treated” with any diluted liquid fertilizer.

Achimenes transplant

Achimenes transplantation is carried out every year, starting in the second half of February, when the flower begins to wake up from hibernation. Rhizome is removed from the substrate, damaged fragments are removed. A drainage layer is poured at the bottom of the pot, and prepared soil is placed on it.

Make a small depression and put rhizomes (nodules) there. Watered from below, so as not to deepen. Sprinkle with soil on top (1.5 cm). In 2 weeks, shoots will appear. Then, for the first time, Achimenes is fed.

If the plant has grown during the season, it is carefully transferred to another pot. It is better to do this before the Achimenes begins to prepare for hibernation - until the second half of August.

How to prune achimenes?

The main way to form a beautiful, abundantly flowering bush is to prune it. The procedure is carried out for the first time when the Achimenes begins the vegetation, and the last - during the appearance of buds - in early May. Cutting off the ends of the branches leads to the formation of new shoots. The more pairs of leaves formed, the more fresh buds will appear. Sliced ​​fragments can be rooted.

Is it possible to leave Achimenes without leaving on vacation?

If you plan to go on vacation in winter or late autumn, you do not need to worry about the flower. He will bear the dry period. If the vacation is scheduled for the summer, then in 2 weeks without watering in the heat, you can lose Achimenes. Therefore, before leaving, the owners must take care of maintaining moisture in the soil. Unopened buds and part of the leaves are cut from the flower so that it evaporates less moisture. Water well and put in a less lighted cool place (on the floor).

It is useful to install a flowerpot with a flower in a large container, lay wet sphagnum between the walls, place the entire structure on a pallet with wet pebbles (so that water from the pallet does not fill the ground in the flowerpot through the drainage hole). You can arrange watering plants using wicks.

Ahimenez in the winter. Rest period

In special conditions contain Achimenes in winter. The dormant period can last up to six months (this depends on storage conditions and the type of flower). After flowering, watering is minimized. The aboveground part must dry, only then it is removed, and the rhizomes (roots) are laid for wintering at + 9 - 17 ° C. They are not removed from the pot, transferred to a shaded, cool room, and sometimes the soil is sprayed.

You can put the rhizomes in a perforated plastic bag with sphagnum or sand (you can add fungicide in powder form to them). In the second half of February, the roots begin to sprout. If this happened earlier, they are cleaned in a colder place. If the rhizomes, on the contrary, need to be woken up, a packet with them is placed closer to the heat.

Propagation of Achimenes

Reproduction of Achimenes, like all Gesneriaceae, is possible in different ways, but two are more often used.

Growing Achimenes from seeds

A long way to flowering. In late February, fresh seeds are superficially sown. After spraying the soil, the container is covered with a film (it is removed for watering and airing the seedlings). When shoots appear after 2, 5 weeks, the film is removed. When 3 leaves are formed, the seedlings are planted in separate pots. Ahimenez will bloom in a year.

Propagation of Achimenes by cuttings

A popular breeding option for rare species. Cuttings are cut from the tops, the length of which is not less than 5 cm. The lower sheets are removed and put in warm water with the addition of coal powder. Roots will appear in the light after about 10 days. Rooted cuttings are planted in the ground. It can be propagated by leafy cuttings. The leaf is placed in moist soil, covered with a film. When the roots appear, they are planted in a separate pot. After a few months, the pot is changed to a larger one. If buds appear in the first year, they must be cut short: the task of Achimenes at this time is to form a rhizome.

Seed propagation leads to the loss of varietal originality of the plant, so it is rarely used.

Diseases and Pests

With careless care of the plant, it is pursued by diseases and pests, as evidenced by unpleasant symptoms:

• spots on the leaves of achimenes - from watering with cold water or excess sunlight (correct watering, shade the plant);
• Achimenes flowers fall quickly - excess light (rearrange in the shadow);
• achimenes is deformed, leaves of achimenes fall - defeat by pests (use insecticides);
• yellow leaves of Achimenes - a decrease in photosynthesis due to iron deficiency or hard watering (feed with a fertilizer containing iron; defend water for irrigation, soften with citric acid - 0.2 g per liter of water);
• brown leaves and curl - a sharp change in temperature, the content of the plant in a cool, damp room (rearrange in a dry, warm place, protected from draft and temperature differences).

Achimenes is sometimes affected by pests: aphids, mealybug, thrips, spider mites.

Types of homemade Achimenes with photos and names

In the natural environment there are up to 50 species of achimenes. The exact number of varieties bred by breeders is difficult to calculate. It is known that only on the account of the Romanian breeder S. Salib there are more than 200 bred varieties of Achimenes. All hybrid varieties were obtained on the basis of 2 initial species:

Achimenes grandiflora (Achimenes grandiflora)

The bush grows to 65 cm. The edges of the pubescent leaf plate are “decorated” with neat teeth. The lower part has a deep red tint. The leaf length reaches 10 cm. In the axils of the leaves, 2 scarlet flowers are formed, having a bag-like bloating at the base of the corolla. Hybrids are popular: Paul Arnold (flowers are bright pink, leaves of a bronze hue) and Little Beauty (flowers of carmine color).

Achimenes longiflora

The height of the bush is about 35 cm. Oblong purple flowers are formed by 1 in the axils of the leaves. Corolla length - up to 5 cm. Pubescent green shoots weakly branch. Elongated velvety leaves have serrated edges.

Achimenez is not for nothing called a magic flower. A large spherical bush or a lush cascade, descending along the edges of a hanging flowerpot, have enchanting beauty and do not leave anyone indifferent.

Watch the video: Achimenes (May 2024).