Quaranthus: description and tips for growing. Kataranthus

Annually Summer 20-25, winter 15-18 In spring and summer 3-4 times a week, in winter - 1 time per week In winter with hot heating - you can every day, in summer - very carefully Good lighting, but no direct sunlight The sap of the plant is poisonous, dormant period in winter

Lighting

Well-lit places are suitable for Quaranthus, but without the scorching rays of the sun. Great option for the catharanthus there will be eastern or western window sills.

On the south window, you will definitely need shading, since the bright sun can cause burns on the leaves.

Temperature

In the summer, the catharanthus will feel comfortable at 20-25 degrees. In winter, the temperature of the content should be reduced to 15-18 degrees.

It is important to know that the catharanthus is afraid of drafts, so when airing the room, it is better to remove it away from the window.

Since catharanthus is a representative of the tropics, a strong drop in temperature is fatal for him. Therefore, in winter the temperature should not fall below 8 degrees.

Quarantus loves fresh air, so when the weather is warm outside, it can be taken out to the balcony, loggia or garden. In this case, it is necessary to choose a place protected from the scorching rays of the sun, rain and drafts. With the first cold snaps in August, the plant should be taken into the house.

The flower tolerates temperature fluctuations relatively normally, but it is better to provide it with the most comfortable conditions. Then he will delight with abundant lush flowering.

Watering

In spring and summer catharanthus needs abundant watering - 3-4 times a week. The soil in the pot should always be slightly moist.

in winter the regularity of the procedure is reduced to 1 time per week. Before the next moistening, the top layer of soil should dry well.

Watering the catharanthus, it is necessary to maintain a balance. For a plant, both waterlogging, which is fraught with rotting of the roots, and drying out of the earth, which can provoke twisting and falling of leaves, are detrimental. Therefore, water from the pan should be poured out 20-30 minutes after watering. It is impossible to allow complete drying of the earthen coma.

Catharantus (Catharantus) is a plant of the Kutrovye family. Homeland - Madagascar.

Under natural conditions, this plant is widely distributed in the tropical forests of India, Indochina, the Philippines and Cuba.

The name "kataranthus" comes from the words "katharos" and "anthos", which means "impeccable flower" in translation.

As you can see in the photo, the catharanthus flower can be both indoor and outdoor. garden plant, and therefore it is widely used in culture:

Botanical description of the cataranthus plant and photo of an indoor flower

Quaranthus as indoor flower- is a perennial or annual, herbaceous, flowering plant height from 30 to 60 cm. However, in the natural environment there are specimens up to 1.5 m in height. Stems are erect with a tendency to branch at the top. The bark on the shoots is smooth, green or pinkish in color.

The leaves are lanceolate, without narrowing to the edge, entire, with a white vein in the middle. They have a smooth, glossy surface and are opposite or nearly opposite. Foliage color is dark green. The length can vary from 2.5 to 8 cm, while the width never exceeds 3 cm.

As you can see from the photo, descriptions of the size of the cataranthus flower are different, but on average mature plant- This is a wide branched bush that can reach 1 m in diameter:

The root system is pivotal, - the plant has a very powerful main root, the size of which reaches 30 - 35 cm. a large number of small lateral roots. The underground part of the flower has a rather sharp specific smell.

The botanical description of the flowers of the catharanthus is somewhat reminiscent of phloxes, but, unlike the latter, they are located in the axils of the leaves on the tops of the shoots and are practically odorless. They can grow singly, or they can form small inflorescences of 2-3 flowers. The color is white or pink, 3 cm in diameter. Most often, the petals are plain, but there are varieties that have a contrasting eye. For example, when the central part is maroon and the edges are white, etc. The flower has a regular five-petal shape with a flat corolla. The pharynx is covered with thyroid hairs. Blooms profusely all summer.

The fruit of this plant is a sickle-shaped double leaf, inside which there are up to 10 seeds. However, for the formation of a full-fledged fetus, natural conditions and open ground. When growing a catharanthus at home, seeds do not appear.

An important part of the description of a plant such as catharanthus is the toxicity of all its parts, which is why you need to be very careful when growing a flower at home. Precautions should be taken by placing the pot out of the reach of children and pets.

Popular types and varieties of catharanthus: photo and description

There is a wide variety of varieties and species of the cataranthus plant, which differ in size and color of flowers. The most popular are K. pink, periwinkle pink. All varieties and hybrids of catharanthus that are used in culture are varieties of pink cataranthus.

pink catharanthus (C. roseus). This is an evergreen shrub that is very widespread in Europe, although its natural origin is the forests of India, Indochina and the islands of Madagascar. This type of cataranthus flower has oblong-lanceolate, entire leaves with a white vein in the center, typical for plants of this genus. Its height is no more than 60 cm, and the length of the leaves reaches a maximum of 7 cm. The flowers are pink in color with a yellow or raspberry eye. Cultural forms of this species may have a greater variety of shades of petals. This plant has a long flowering period - in a warm climate it can bloom all year round, and in the colder - all spring and summer.

Cataranthus Pacifica(Pacifica). As can be seen from the photo, this variety of catharanthus has a relatively small size- the maximum flower growth is 25 - 30 cm, and the crown diameter is only 20 cm. An important characteristic is the unpretentiousness and early flowering of the plant. All varieties of this variety have a typical contrast eye in the center of large flowers.

Quaranthus "Pacific Burgundy". This variety is characterized by rich wine-colored flowers with a white eye.

Quaranthus "Pacific Epricot". The flowers have an apricot color and a red center.

Quaranthus "Pacific White". Variety white color with a red central part.

Quarantus "Aristocrat". Semi-shrub of medium height - reaches no more than 50 cm in height. Quite different large flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. The color of the petals can vary from rich red to white. In the center of the flowers stands out a contrast eye. The variety can be grown both as a houseplant and as a garden plant.

Variety series "First Kiss" (First Kiss). This variety series of catharanthus is very popular and has an expressive appearance. The flowers are very rich and large. The variety series includes 13 varieties with different shades petals. Among them, it is worth noting specimens with a purple-blue color, which were bred relatively recently. The plant is quite compact - the height varies from 30 to 40 cm.

Varieties "Cascade" (Cascade) and "Mediterranean" (Mediterranean). These are low ampelous catharanthus that never grow above 10 - 15 cm. However, their shoots can be up to 150 cm in size, but they hang down or spread along the ground. The flowers are large - up to 5 cm. The color is very unusual for cataranthus - the petals closer to the edge can change the shade to a lighter or darker one.

How to grow a catharanthus: environmental conditions

In order to grow a profusely flowering catharanthus, you need to be as attentive as possible to the conditions of the environment in which the flower resides.

The plant is photophilous, but requires protection from direct sun rays. It is best to provide him with diffused light. The flower will feel good on the windowsills in the east or west of the house. However, the catharanthus can also be kept on the eastern side, if you take care of shading at lunchtime of the day. The flower does not have to be placed exactly on the windowsill - it will also feel quite good on a shelf with slightly diffused lighting. If during the cold season the catharanthus remains in a warm room, it also needs good lighting. It is advisable to put fluorescent lamps near it. Otherwise, the shoots will stretch upwards, and the plant will lose its decorative appearance.

When growing a flower such as a catharanthus, certain rules must be observed. temperature conditions in room. During active growth and flowering, the plant will feel best at a temperature of 20 - 25 ° C. Usually this period occurs in spring and summer. In winter, the catharanthus can be in a cool room with a temperature of 10-12 ᵒС. Prolonged holding of a flower in conditions below 10 degrees can kill it. If there is no need to keep the plant as a perennial, and the owner is going to throw it away after flowering, then the catharanthus needs to be provided with as much as possible warm conditions and good lighting. In this case, it will bloom profusely. In summer, you can take it out to the balcony, terrace, but it is necessary to protect the plant from rain. Also, you should not leave a flower pot in a draft, as this can harm the catharanthus. You can move the plant outside as soon as the air temperature rises above 18 degrees. At the first cold snap in August-September, the flower should be returned to the house.

Caring for the catharanthus will be successful if the flower is planted in fertile, light and loose soil, since this factor is one of the decisive ones when growing this plant. You can use purchased soil mix for flowering indoor plants. However, it is easy to make your own. For this, the following components are used: turf and leafy soil, humus, peat, sand in a ratio of 1:1:1:1:1. According to the reaction, the soil should be neutral or slightly acidic.

Watering and fertilizing catharanthus (with video)

When growing catharanthus at home, careful care for the level of humidity in the air and soil is necessary. This is due to the tropical origin of the flower. In the natural environment, the plant develops under conditions high humidity and the same is required for indoor cultivation.

It is important not to forget to constantly spray the air around the catharanthus. Spraying the plant itself should be done very carefully - drops should not fall on the flowers. To increase humidity, you can place the pot on a tray of wet pebbles or place a small container of water next to it.

As shown in the video, it is necessary to water the catharanthus after it has dried out. upper layer soil depth of 2 - 3 cm:

However, in no case should the earthen clod be allowed to dry out. Insufficiently moistened soil will be indicated by the twisting of the leaves of the plant. If you notice it in time and resume proper watering, then the foliage will straighten back. Stagnation of water in the pan and waterlogging of the soil also adversely affect the health of the catharanthus. The flower feels good with a stable average humidity of an earthy coma. In summer, watering is plentiful, in winter - moderate.

In order to achieve a long and abundant flowering, it is necessary to carry out regular intensive feeding of the cataranthus plant. Optimal fertilizer frequency for perennial flower- twice a month. Among what you can feed cataranthus, you should pay attention to fertilizers for flowering houseplants, especially indoor roses. Complex mineral fertilizers are also used. If the owner is going to keep the flower for only one year, then top dressing should be carried out once a week along with watering.

Given that the catharanthus is a fast-growing branchy plant, it must be constantly cut. This procedure is carried out during transplantation, after the flower has had time to rest over the winter. Elongated stems must be cut with a sharp knife to a third of their length. If you cut more, then this will lead to crushing of the foliage. You should also get rid of damaged and dry shoots. With pruning, you can give the bush the desired shape.

Do I need to pinch the catharanthus and when to do it

The method of pinching the flower of the catharanthus is carried out in order to form a lush crown at the bush and add more branching to it. To do this, carefully pinch the tips of the shoots, which after that will no longer stretch upwards. At the same time, the growth of side branches will increase. This will not only give the crown a magnificent shape, but also add abundance of flowering.

The best time to pinch a catharanthus is during the summer, but this procedure can also be done in the spring. Some growers do this every two weeks throughout the bloom. There is a possibility that the shoots treated in this way will become slightly woody. If the procedure was carried out in the summer, then flowering will appear on them after 2 to 3 weeks. Therefore, there is no unequivocal answer to whether it is actually necessary to pinch the catharanthus, since it depends on the owner's idea of \u200b\u200bthe appearance of the flower. This procedure affects only the decorative effect, which is a matter of taste.

How to plant and transplant a catharanthus

Transplantation is carried out once every 2 years for mature plants and once a year for young ones. This frequency is due to the rather rapid growth of the flower. Given this fact, the flower pot must be chosen large and deep enough, since the root system is up to 35 cm in length. Every year you need to pick up a container 3 - 5 cm wider than the previous one. Before planting a catharanthus in a new pot, it is necessary to examine the plant for diseases and carry out annual pruning. This procedure is carried out in early spring - in March. Transplantation is carried out by transferring the flower, together with the old earthy clod, into a new pot. It is not necessary to get rid of the soil from the previous container for the reason that this will damage the root system of the catharanthus, which may not recover from such stress. At the bottom of the pot, be sure to pour a layer of drainage 3-4 cm deep. This will not allow excess moisture to stagnate in the soil. Expanded clay or pebbles can be used as drainage materials. After that, a small layer of substrate is poured, and the plant is transferred to a new pot. Remaining between the walls and the earthen clod empty place covered with soil of the same composition as in the previous transplant.

There is a chance that the plant will have to be repotted more than once a year. For example, if the lower leaves of the catharanthus began to turn yellow, and the flowers gradually fall off, then the reason for this, most likely, is the filling of the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe earthy coma with roots. In this case, you can observe the bulging of the roots from the drainage holes of the pot. In this case, the flower should immediately be moved to a larger container.

Propagation of catharanthus using cuttings

Flower growers do not recommend growing perennial catharanthus for more than three years. After the expiration of this period, the plant loses its splendor, the leaves and flowers become smaller, the shoots begin to curl. Many even use the flower as annual plant. For the most part, this is due to the problem of wintering - the perennial needs to provide the correct temperature regime, watering and lighting. At the same time, over the winter, the shoots still stretch and lose their decorative effect. In fact, it is much easier to grow a new plant, which will very soon gain strength for abundant flowering, and will look fresher and healthier.

Reproduction of the catharanthus plant can be carried out in several ways: cuttings, sowing seeds and dividing the bush.

In order to propagate the catharanthus using cuttings, it is necessary to use the apical green shoots of the old plant. You can harvest them both in spring and autumn. The length of the cuttings should be 8 - 10 cm.

Rooting can be done in two ways:

In water.
in the substrate.

In the first case, boiled water is used room temperature. To successfully complete the rooting process, you can add a few drops of any growth stimulator to the vessel. A glass with a handle should be in a warm, bright place. If there is less water, then the glass needs to be filled little by little so that the amount of moisture is kept at the same level. After the formation of roots, it is necessary to plant a catharanthus at home and perform the same care as for an adult plant.

In order to root the cuttings in the substrate, it is necessary to deepen them 2–3 cm into moist soil and cover with a jar or polyethylene. This will create greenhouse conditions. The container is placed in a warm place with good lighting. Planted shoots should be regularly ventilated and sprayed. When the first leaves appear on the cuttings, the shelter can be removed.

How to grow a catharanthus from seeds

Growing catharanthus at home with the help of seeds can be carried out at any time of the year, but it must be taken into account that it will bloom only 2 to 3 months after planting. By advice experienced flower growers this procedure should be carried out in early spring. Seeds are usually bought in special stores, since it is almost impossible to collect them from old plants.

Before sowing, the seeds must be kept for several hours in a solution of potassium permanganate and epin. After that, they are placed in slightly moist soil to a depth of 1 cm. The container is covered with a transparent lid. For this purpose, glass or polyethylene can be used. For maximum germination, the vessel is placed in a warm but dark place. After 1 - 2 weeks, when the first shoots begin to appear, it will be necessary to provide good lighting. To grow a healthy catharanthus from seeds, you need to take care of it as carefully as possible until a full-fledged root system is formed and foliage appears. During this period, the plant is very vulnerable. Optimum temperature at this time should be kept within 22 - 26 degrees. In the morning, seedlings are ventilated and moistened. For about one month, their growth is imperceptible - all the forces of the plants go to the formation of roots. You can plant flowers in individual pots after 3-4 leaves appear. It is advisable to immediately choose a large pot, as a young plant will develop very quickly.

Why does the catharanthus turn yellow leaves and what to do to get rid of diseases (with photo)

As you know, most diseases of the catharanthus plant are caused by care errors and improper environmental conditions. You can always determine that there are problems with the health of a flower by its appearance.

One of the frequent problems is that the leaves of the catharanthus turn yellow, but far from all beginner flower growers know what to do. To begin with, it is worth finding out the cause of this symptom, and there may be several of them. For example, if, in combination with yellowing, the catharanthus has lost its shape, wilts and throws off foliage, this may mean that it has been standing on a windowsill unprotected from the sun for a long time. You can correct the mistake by rearranging the flower deep into the room. If only the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off, despite the fact that the upper part of the plant looks healthy, then you should not worry - this natural process. In the case when the color changes to yellow, starting from the tips of the leaves, then most likely the reason is too low humidity. You can fix the problem by placing a container of water next to the pot, or by using regular spraying. One of the reasons why the leaves of the catharanthus begin to turn yellow may be that the pot is too narrow and the root system has already braided the entire earthen clod. This is determined by the fact that flowering has also stopped, and roots protrude from the drainage holes.

For some reason, catharanthus is not very common among indoor flower lovers, although it actually deserves much more attention. Firstly, it is a fairly easy plant to grow, and secondly, the catharanthus is thermophilic and successfully grows in heated rooms.

But having bought a catharntus, I did not regret a single gram.

Plants pleased me with their magnificent appearance, unpretentiousness and bright flowering. I would generally advise growing catharanthus along with petunias to decorate balconies. Catharanthus completely manage with a portion of the morning sun, and on my eastern balcony they feel great, subject to regular feeding and watering.
The flowers are simple, with five petals, their color is very diverse: pink, lilac or white, in appearance they look like balsam flowers. Cataranthus flowers are large (up to 3-5 cm in diameter).

But the flowers of the catharanthus cannot compete with the aroma of phlox - they almost do not smell at all.

All parts of the catharanthus are poisonous.

Quaranthus is an indoor flower. There are both bush and ampelous varieties.
Cataranthus care consists in maintaining moist air, annual transplanting into fresh soil, after which the plant is cut back to about 1/3 of the length of the shoots. As well as top dressing with fertilizers from April to October.
In winter, with insufficient lighting, the stems are drawn out, the leaves fall off and the flowers become very small. In December-January, plants should be cut short, leaving stumps 5-6 cm high, and placed on a bright, cool windowsill.
Moisturize as the earthen coma dries out, since at this time the soil turns sour from frequent watering and the roots rot.
By spring, beautiful bushes are formed with numerous shoots, each of which ends with one or more flowers.
Most often affected by the scutellum and spider mite. Contributes to the appearance of pests too dry air in the room. If the catharanthus is kept outside in the summer, then it may be attacked by aphids. In this case, it is necessary to carry out inspection and preventive treatment before bringing the plant into the room.

Possible difficulties:
* The ends of the leaves dry - Too dry air.
* Leaves turn yellow, leaf tissue dies - a lot of direct sunlight.
*Lower leaves turn yellow and fall off - Natural process.
Location: Bright, but protected from direct sunlight.

Watering: Moderate in winter, but without drying out the earthy coma; plentiful in summer, but do not allow stagnation of water in the pan.
Humidity: Spray occasionally.

Temperature: 12-18 C in winter, 20-25 C in summer. Take out to fresh air in summer.
Transplantation: Plants develop and bloom rapidly, frequent transshipment is necessary for successful development, otherwise the lower part of the stem loses leaves and becomes bare, the plant loses its decorative effect.
AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUE
In temperate climates, catharanthus is traditionally considered an indoor perennial, but in Lately it is increasingly used as an open field plant and for decoration of outdoor compositions in an annual crop.

The location for the catharanthus is suitable only for warm, sunny, well protected from cold winds. The soil should be well moistened, fertile, without excess salts and have a neutral reaction. Acidic soils must be limed. When growing catharanthus as a container culture, the soil mixture is prepared from equal parts of soddy and leafy soil, humus, peat and sand.
Watering should be regular, many varieties of catharanthus, with a lack of moisture, roll the leaves into tubules, but this is not at all a sign of their irretrievable loss, as some amateur flower growers think. Within half an hour after abundant watering, the leaves literally begin to unwind before our eyes. Regardless of the method of cultivation, both in flower beds and in containers, plants should not be planted crowded, otherwise rainy weather catharanthus will suffer from lack of ventilation.

If you use catharanthus as a perennial, in the autumn (before the start of frost), mother plants should be dug up and transplanted into separate pots. From the specimens remaining in the flower bed, you can take cuttings for rooting. Growing catharanthus in room conditions is a fairly simple process. Quaranthus will feel great on a bright windowsill without direct sunlight. It should be regularly sprayed with water and fed once every 2-3 weeks with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer. In winter, the plant is best kept in a bright and cool room with an air temperature of 10 ... 15 ° C.
In the spring, new cuttings are cut from the mother liquors, and the cut mother liquors can be planted again in the garden together with young plants. In the spring, the branches of the catharanthus should be cut by about one third. However, with excessive pruning, the leaves and flowers become smaller, so it is easier to rejuvenate the plant by cuttings than by pruning.
These heat-loving plants are planted outdoors after the threat of spring frost has passed. When growing catharanthus only as potted plant in the summer, it can be taken out to the balcony, protected from rain, excess sun and wind.

REPRODUCTION OF QATARANTHUS

Growing it from seeds is easy (at least it turned out to be for me). The seeds of the plant are quite large (in comparison with those petunias), therefore, they retain a powerful germination energy.
Quarantus is propagated equally often by seeds and vegetatively. Seeds are sown to a depth of 1-2 cm in early spring. A plant grown from seeds planted at the end of winter will bloom in late spring and will bloom until autumn. Seedling containers must be covered with an opaque film, since complete darkness is required for the germination of catharanthus seeds. At a temperature of about 24 ° C, seedlings will appear in 7-10 days.
After germination, the temperature should be lowered and the containers exposed to light. The first feeding is carried out 2 weeks after germination. When the plants have reached a height of 6-8 cm (usually at the stage of 4 true leaves), picking can be carried out. There is one subtlety here: if you decide to grow a catharanthus in the garden, the seedlings should be planted in pots of 2-3 plants together and then planted in open ground. This is due to the fact that when plants grown too densely are separated in a common container, severe damage to the root system occurs, which the catharanthus does not tolerate very well, and this significantly inhibits the development of plants after planting. Young plants are planted in soil or decorative containers at a distance of 30-70 cm.
To obtain a more compact bush, young plants pinch 1-2 times. Pinching should be carried out not with hands, but with special tools, since catharanthus juice contains over 80 different alkaloids and can cause skin irritation.
Kataranthus, in addition to seeds, is easy to propagate with green apical cuttings - they are placed in washed sand and covered with a jar or plastic bag. Also, cuttings can be rooted in water with the addition of a small amount of growth stimulants.

KATHARANTUS IN THE GARDEN AND HOME

For a long time, domestic amateur flower growers have used this beautifully flowering heat-loving plant for growing in a room or on a balcony. Growth in popularity
catharanthus contributed to the emergence of fashion for decorative elements in the form of hanging baskets, which were often decorated with this plant. But in last years the European trend during the summer to decorate the garden with catharanthus is becoming more common in our country.
In addition to being used as ampelous plant, catharanthus can be used as a spectacular ground cover crop. It grows rapidly, occupying all the free space and covering the soil with a dense carpet. A magnificent element of the garden can be catharanthus ridges along the paths, located in partial shade.
Both low annual crops (petunias, lobelia) and perennial ground covers, for example, periwinkle, are suitable as partner plants for catharanthus. Due to the similarity of the shape and color of the flowers of some varieties of catharanthus with balsam, you can get original combination these plants in the flower garden.

Kataranthus is a genus of annual or evergreen perennials. herbaceous plants and semi-shrubs belonging to the Kutrovye family. The genus includes eight species, seven of which are native to Madagascar, and one to India and Sri Lanka. IN landscape design pink catharanthus is used - a shrub 40-50 cm, with a lush and dense crown, dark green glossy leaves and acrylic flowers. In more detail about what a catharanthus is, this article will tell.

Did you know?The catharanthus has many other names - pink periwinkle, Madagascar vinca, pink pervinka, cayenne jasmine, lochner and others.

Creating ideal conditions for catharanthus

Kataranthus - grateful and unpretentious plant, gives the house a Mediterranean flavor, gives a good mood, a sense of well-being and incessant summer. It is very important to create ideal conditions for him, to choose a good place, provide comfortable temperature. It will not be superfluous to illuminate with phytolamps or fluorescent lamps in winter.

Place in the house and lighting

The catharanthus is unpretentious in everyday life, and its cultivation and care will not burden the owner. Quaranthus is well lit places, but with little direct sunlight. Window sills of the western or eastern window. During the summer, you should sunbathing, take out the plant to fresh air, protecting it from precipitation.

Important!Cataranthus is a poisonous plant that contains alkaloids used in the manufacture of drugs for leukemia and cirrhosis.

Temperature regime

The best summer temperature for catharanthus is 20-25 °C, in winter the air temperature should drop to 12-18 °C. The plant is not capricious and resistant to temperature fluctuations, but one should not overdo it and choose the most comfortable one for a particular type of catharanthus.

Choosing a pot and soil

Quaranthus grows quickly, so for the normal development of the flower, it will need a large clay or ceramic pot. Quaranthus loves light and nutritious soil - the best option for a plant, during planting, soddy, humus, leafy soils are mixed, peat and sand are added in equal proportions.

Did you know?When buying a catharanthus, you should carefully examine the bushes and choose plants on which a large number of buds have already formed, but flowering has not yet begun. In this way you will achieve colorful flowering.

Features of caring for catharanthus at home

When growing a catharanthus, one should not forget that home care should be regular. It is worth considering many subtleties, for example, intolerance to drafts, the need to maintain high humidity, water, complex fertilize, cut and tie up your home plant.

Watering and humidity

The birthplace of catharanthus is Madagascar. The plant should be watered regularly, but waterlogging of the earth and stagnant water should not be allowed. If the catharanthus is not provided with drainage, it must be drained after watering. excess moisture. It often happens that due to lack of moisture, the leaves of the catharanthus curl. You can solve the problem by resuming watering. High humidity is one of the conditions for a good life of a representative of the flora, as is regular spraying of the catharanthus. Airing will have a good effect on your flower, keep the brightness and juiciness of the shade of the leaves and protect against many diseases.

What and how often to feed

Sowing catharanthus precedes top dressing. After the emergence of shoots, the first top dressing with potassium and nitrogen is carried out after 2-3 weeks. Once every two weeks, seedlings are fertilized with the Ammophos, Nitrofos or Nitroammophos mineral complex, with a concentration of 0.1-0.2%. In July-August, it is worth increasing the content of magnesium and phosphorus, as well as saltpeter, in fertilizers.

bush pruning

If a grower is interested in how to successfully grow a catharanthus from seeds at home, he must understand the need for this procedure. Pruning of the bush is carried out in the spring in order to improve the tillering of the catharanthus., stretched out over the winter, but in exceptional cases, when the plant grows too actively in size, it can also be pruned in the summer. On a cut stem, flowers will appear only after a few weeks. The main stem will be woody.

Important!The plant regularly throws off the old lower foliage, exposing the stem, and pruning the shoots during "baldness" contributes to the constant flowering of the shoots.

Proper transplantation of catharanthus

Novice florists are interested in how to transplant a catharanthus. The first pick must be done after the plant reaches a height of 6-8 cm, and four true leaves appear on it. The rapid growth of the flower contributes to the transplant every year. In June, it is good to move the plant to new pots. Thanks to transshipment, the growth of the representative of the flora will not slow down. It is not necessary to allow the roots to be braided all over the earth in a pot, so that the catharanthus does not stop blooming, and its leaves do not turn yellow and dry out.

Methods for breeding catharanthus at home

Reproduction is a set of processes that lead to an increase in the number of individuals of a plant. There are asexual, sexual and vegetative reproduction. Kataranthus, as a higher plant, is capable of vegetative reproduction, which includes division, cuttings and propagation by seeds

The division of the bush

Reproduction of catharanthus by division (particulation)- simple and effective method. Due to the death of the central part of the root system and the strongly lignified base of the shoot (caudex), the catharanthus splits into particles. Separated particles have roots and stems and are capable of independent life. Most often, mature bushes are easy to divide, which is carried out in April-May. Basically, delenki take root well, quickly get used to a new place and accelerate growth.

cuttings

Cuttings of a catharanthus (sarmentation)- one of better ways breeding. This is reproduction by layering - rooted branches that have separated from mother plant, shoots that take root in the nodes. In the process of cuttings, rhizomes and wintering buds - turions can take part. In spring, cut off from the upper parts of the mother bushes planting material. The cuttings are able to take root well, are resistant to pests, and very quickly form a root system in the ground, subject to abundant constant watering and warm air.

seeds

Reproduction of catharanthus (vegetative diasporia) seeds are very popular among flower growers. This type of reproduction provides the greatest number of offspring and its effective resettlement. The range of seeds of catharanthus is quite wide. It is best to choose large, dark brown, almost black seeds and sow them in March. The seeds are buried in the ground by 1-2 cm. The containers with the sown seeds are covered with a film and placed in an unlit place so that they germinate in 10 days. Catharanthus seeds generally germinate well. After the appearance of 4 true leaves in the seedlings, a dive is carried out. Seedlings that have already grown, without dividing, are moved to permanent place in order for the catharanthus to branch more, it is necessary to pin it.

It is quite difficult to grow a beautiful and ever-flowering catharanthus flower at home. If you provide the plant with proper care, then it will delight you with abundance all year round. bright colors. The height of the stem reaches 20-60 cm - it all depends on the variety. Large green leaves adorn the buds collected in a corolla. The color of the flowers can be white, pink or pale lilac. Having figured out in more detail how to care for a plant, you will always be able to enjoy the beauty of the catharanthus.

Features of care

Do not forget that the flower was originally an inhabitant of the tropics, so it feels best at a temperature of 23-26 ° C. In warm weather, the pot can be taken out to the balcony or. The plant loves light, and also requires a sufficient level of humidity for comfortable growth. The ideal place for a catharanthus is fresh air. If the weather is appropriate, you can please him with air baths.

The catharanthus indoor flower grows quite quickly, so you should be ready to transplant it once a year. Best Choice the pot will be a couple of sizes larger than the plant itself. It is important to provide the catharanthus with abundant watering, but at the same time not to allow the roots to rot.

Lighting

When looking for a place for a plant the best choice will become the east or west side of the apartment. It is desirable that the pot does not stand in direct sunlight, but there should be enough light in the room. In the process of caring for a catharanthus at home, one should not forget to take it outside (during the warm season), precipitation should not fall on the plant.

It is not worth putting the pot on the south side, as the plant can get burned. IN winter time fluorescent lamps are used as additional lighting.

Priming

There are no special preferences when choosing a soil, the earth should be loose and pass air well. In the process of preparing the mixture, leaf, humus and soddy soil are mixed. and sand is taken in equal proportions and added to the pot. If desired, in the process of caring for a catharanthus at home, they buy ready-made land. The ideal choice would be the soil for geraniums. The bottom of the pot is best pre-lay out with expanded clay.

Properly prepared mixture and fertilizing the soil 2-3 times a month is the key to rapid flower growth.

Watering and trimming the stem

It is very important to ensure that the earth in the pot does not have time to dry out, as this negatively affects the growth of the plant. It will be possible to find out that the flower does not have enough watering by the state of the leaves. When the leaves of the catharanthus curl or they begin to turn yellow, this is a sure sign that the earth has begun to dry out.

It is recommended to use purified water at room temperature when watering. The liquid from the tap is preliminarily defended for 2-3 days. It is advisable to drain the water that appears in the pan after watering so that the roots do not rot.

In the spring, it is recommended to cut the stem so that the catharanthus becomes more magnificent. At the end of winter, the stem noticeably stretches, so in order for the flowers to grow more closely, this procedure should not be overlooked. IN decorative purposes you can prune as an exception the plant in the summer. The first flowers on the cut stem begin to bloom again after 3 weeks.

Do not forget that the catharanthus is poisonous plant, which is why transplanting and cutting the stem is best done with gloves. Upon completion of the procedure, all tools and hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water.

How does catharanthus reproduce at home

Cataranthus reproduces in several main ways. This process proceeds when using seeds, cuttings, or by dividing the bush.

Before you grow a catharanthus from seeds at home, you should first familiarize yourself with a few rules:

Seeds are planted at any time of the year. The soil must first be moistened.
It will be possible to collect the seeds on your own in the spring from a flower or purchase purchased ones. In the first case, they are pre-treated with a light solution of potassium permanganate, after wrapping them in a gauze bag and dipping them in liquid for 30 minutes. Then they dry well.
The seeds fall into the soil to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm. The pot is covered with a dark film or placed in a room without light.
The room temperature must be at least 23 degrees. After 8 days, the first shoots will appear.

Propagation of catharanthus by cuttings requires pre-training. It is best to perform the procedure in the spring after trimming the stem. formed apical stalk put in water, where growth stimulants are added. The plant is planted in the soil after the formation of roots. The temperature in the room should not be less than 20 ° C. It will be possible to accelerate the growth of the catharanthus by placing a jar on top of the handle or covering it with a film. Do not forget to ventilate the plant.

Dividing the bush is relevant only in cases with a mature plant. In the process of dividing the catharanthus at home, the root system is divided into several parts, and then planted separately in pots.

winter period

Knowing how to preserve the catharanthus in winter will not only save the plant from death, but also accelerate its development in the future. In the cold season, it is important to ensure that the temperature in the room does not fall below 16-18 degrees. Putting the pot on a cold floor is not recommended, as low temperatures can adversely affect the state of the root system.

In winter, the air in the room becomes dry due to heating. Maintain the desired level of humidity by spraying or using a humidifier. Watering the flower at this time of the year is not necessary often. If at other times of the year the plant is fed with fertilizer 2-3 times a month, then this is not necessary in winter. At this time of the year, the soil should rest.