Cineraria or the elegant baptismal cross: a description of the plant and its care

Many types of cineraria are known, over 1300, but the most beautiful and hardy are used in decorative floriculture: seaside cineraria, bloody cineraria (bloody godson), elegant cineraria.

Elegant godson - a rare variety, not quite common among domestic flower growers. It can be found in the collections of lovers of exotic succulents. It features a bright diverse palette of flowering and special unpretentiousness.

Detailed description

Homeland

Sort of a gracious godson from arid South Africa. The variety arrived from the Cape of Good Hope, which is located on the Cape Peninsula. Elegant godfather refers to succulents - moisture accumulators.

Due to the natural climate, where precipitation is rare, the variety is unpretentious, resistant to droughts and sunlight.

Botanical Description

The elegant godfather belongs to a rare variety of the genus of the godchildren of the vast Astrov family. For adapted, adapted to any living conditions is a graceful godson. It is called Senezio Elegant because of the compact structure of the bush.

This cultivar belongs to the flowering perennials by their biological characteristics. But in practical floriculture they grow it like an annual decorative flower. The stems of an adult flower reach 40 - 60 cm in height. There are dwarf hybrids with a height of not more than 20 cm.

The leaves are original: smooth, separate, traced, voluminous and pinnate. Grow alternately. The blades of the leaf plate are oblong, blunt, rounded, serrated. Terry inflorescences form shields. Flowering begins in June, lasts until the first frost: in September - October.

The flowers themselves are colorful shades: purple-pink, white and red. Seeds are multiple, have a multi-row, hairy shape. The godson is an elegant unpretentious and hardy variety. The root is rod.

What is the name of the plant?

The godson is one of the most numerous genera of all flower plants. In the scientific description, cineraria is a genus close to that of the godson. But in practice, for flower growers, the elegant baptist and the elegant cineraria are synonymous names of the same senezio cultivar.

Very often in popular science literature, the elegant godson is called cineraria.

Appearance of varieties and photos

Flowers are formed at the end of the stem in small groups of inflorescences. A distinctive feature of the elegant godson is a dense coating with small hairs. The leaves have a decorative shape: pinnate, with a sticky hair coating, light green. Leaves at the base are large. Cherry leaf, stem leaves are much smaller, also pinnate, curly in shape.

Flowers, depending on the variety, can be velvety, double or simple. The core of the flower is always bright yellow, contrasts well with a wide variety of shades of raspberry, orange and pink color petals. The flowers are reed in shape, collected in inflorescences-umbrellas.

Ligulosus

Differs in terry inflorescences of white, red, purple flowers.

Nanus

It stands out for its special compactness - a miniature flower. Narus grows to 25 cm in height.

Landscape design

Elegant godfather is widely used to decorate flowerbeds and front gardens, it is grown in rockeries and rock gardens, in composition groups with other tropical exotics. Low-growing miniature varieties are classified as integumentary decorative flowers, usually planted along curbs.

The decorative feathering of the foliage of an elegant cross is in harmony with prefabricated flower beds. They prefer to plant it in small arrays. Higher varieties with bright colors are grown for bouquets. The peculiarity is that even when cut, the flowers retain their freshness and do not fade for a long time.

For long and bright flowering, it is required to timely cut off the faded baskets.

Seed cultivation

The peculiarity of the breeding of a graceful godson - this variety is well propagated by seeds spontaneously.

Reproduction in the wild is as follows:

1. At the core of the flowers themselves is pollen and nectar.
2. The plant is pollinated by bees, then the flowers turn into white spherical achenes.
3. With the help of wind, the seeds are carried over the surface of the soil.

In home floriculture, seeds are harvested. In May, they can be immediately sown in open ground in the garden, especially in the southern latitudes. Sown in rows and ribbons, forming the shape of a flower bed. Rows after germination are thinned out. The distance between the seedlings is 20 - 25 cm. The care is the same as for adult flowers.

But experienced flower growers recommend planting seedlings previously grown in a greenhouse in open ground. Elegant godson, grown in a greenhouse, will bloom faster, more abundantly. Cleansing the bush from faded inflorescences, increase the flowering time.

The procedure for growing elegant spider seedlings is simple, available to any grower:

1. Sowing seeds involved in April.
2. Previously, the seeds are soaked in clean water at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Spread the seeds on a tissue towel well moistened with water.
4. Cover the napkin with foil.
5. The temperature of the seed content is 22 - 25 ° C.
6. After 7 to 9 days, the germinated seeds are planted in a special pot or box.
7. Cover with glass or film, creating greenhouse conditions for rooting of shoots.
8. Crops are regularly ventilated and sufficiently moistened.
9. After 2 to 3 weeks, the seedlings dive into a separate peat cup.
10. After the onset of constant heat, young flowers can be planted in open ground.

For effective germination, it is necessary to use only freshly picked seeds for germination.

Seedlings grown in a greenhouse give stronger flowers, they easily take root in the garden, do not get sick, and resist various viral infections and garden pests.

Care

A place

The godson is a graceful photophilous flower. But the excessive rays of the sun make the flower lethargic and lifeless.

therefore It is recommended to plant it in places with diffused light, on the western or eastern sides of the house. But in poor lighting, the stems can be exposed, the leaves become smaller, become pale, the stems are stretched.

Elegant godfather prefers cool content, the optimum growth and development temperature in an open area is 18 - 20 ° C. The flower can withstand night differences normally, the main thing is that the temperature does not drop to 5 ° C.

If a graceful godson is planted in flowerpots or boxes, then he feels great on open loggias or verandas until October.

The soil

Elegant godfather is not at all picky about the soil, grows even in an alkaline substrate with the right fertilizer.

The composition of the soil mixture for the elegant godson:

• Sheet earth-1h.
• Compost - 1 hour
• Horse peat - 1 h.
• Sand - 1 hour
• Pieces of pine bark and some ash.

The substrate should be moderately moist and drained for good breathability. The structure of the drainage base includes broken brick or pieces of clay shards.

Landing

The elegant godson is planted in May, when stable heat is established.

Landing pattern:

1. Digging the landing site.
2. Sand, peat, and compost are applied to the soil in equal proportions.
3. Picked seedlings are planted in small holes.
4. The distance between the holes is 20-25 cm.
5. Well moisturize the substrate, slightly tamp.
6. It is desirable to mulch the topsoil with peat.

In medium-sized containers, a small drainage layer is laid at the bottom for outflow of water. The composition of the substrate is the same: sandy peat. If the composition of the substrate is not suitable, clogged with mineral salts or there is no drainage, a graceful godson should be transplanted to avoid viral and fungal infections and diseases.

Watering

Elegant godfather tolerates dry air, but air humidity should be sufficient.

Spraying the bushes is contraindicated due to the hairiness of the stems and leaves. In the heat of humidification, you can arrange trays of water for indoor flowers. In the garden, moisten the substrate away from the root system. The substrate should be sufficiently moistened, but not swamped. With excessive wetting of the roots, gray rot appears.

After watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil slightly, breaking the hardened, dense top layer. It is advisable to water with soft, settled for at least 2 to 3 days with water.

Top dressing

The godson is elegant and unpretentious, but with poor soil in the garden requires regular fertilizer. Feeding rules:

• 1 - 2 times a month, bushes are watered with a weak solution of mineral fertilizers for decorative flowering varieties of the godson.
• In spring, it is advisable to use nitrogen fertilizing to form and develop a beautiful green mass of flower.
• In summer, during flowering, fertilize the soil with phosphorus fertilizers.
• 2-3 times during the whole season it is advisable to alternate mineral fertilizers with organic top dressing: mullein or bird droppings.

Organic fertilizer concentration should be low.so as not to harm the flowers.

Elegant godfather - a decorative flower that adorns parks, squares and front gardens. This variety is used to create exotic compositions in the design of country houses and plots.

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