Kolumney is a representative of the genus Gesnerievs, which has more than 190 species of plants. She was brought from the tropical USA, where she grew up on fallen trunks and trees.
Columnia flower: home care
Flowering in the plant takes place in winter or early spring, following the summer time of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
General description
Kolumneya is a flower that is a perennial representative of ampelous herbaceous plants from the Gesneriaceae genus. The main distinguishing features are represented by flowers of bright colors and drooping stems. Falling vines can reach up to 10 cm, fragile to the touch, although they look impressive.
View of Shida
The leaves are pointed to the apex and have an oval or heart-shaped shape with a glossy surface. Leaves can grow from 4 to 10 cm, flowers form from their base and are closer to the middle of the stem. Flowers come in yellow, orange and pink.
Temperature and lighting
It is a thermophilic and photophilous plant. Light is needed in large quantities and must be soft and diffused. The plant should not be placed in open spaces on the street, as the columnia negatively perceives direct sunlight and drafts.
The temperature must be maintained from 24 ° C to 27 ° C. If the air is humid, you can slightly higher. In winter, the bush is kept cool at an average temperature of 17 ° C. This stimulates the productive emergence of new flower buds.
View of shadyan
Watering Column and Humidity
Kolumney is a guest from the tropical climate who loves humid air. If the leaves have become smooth, spraying is carried out, and when the villi are on them, it is better to do with water fog.
It is better to use water for irrigation at room temperature not lower than 20 ° С. Before irrigation, it must be filtered, because the columnia reacts poorly to lime and can die. The more massive the plant, the more water it uses. In the summer they arrange plentiful watering, in the winter - moderate.
For your information! So that the water does not stagnate, a drainage is made in the pot with the plant and a tray is installed to drain the excess water.
Soil and fertilizer requirements
The plant loves a substrate with a lot of nutrients. On sale in specialized stores there is already ready with a suitable composition. It can also be mixed with charcoal, ash and particles of moss.
Important! A flower can develop in ordinary universal soil, but when using specialized mixtures, it will grow and develop better.
In warm periods, top dressing is done 1 time in 12-15 days. It responds best to liquid composition. During the flowering period, fertilizers are used for flowering plants. In cold seasons, top dressing should be done less often - once every 4 weeks.
Propagation by cuttings
Propagation through cuttings is a universal way for any season. From large branches, cut 7-10 cm with several leaves and put in the standing water. You can immediately plant in a substrate and water as necessary.
View of Krakatau
Plant formation
The growth rate of the plant is colossal. In the first year, the growth of shoots will be up to 50 cm. When developing, the stems are exposed, often this leads to errors when leaving.
To stimulate future flowering, pruning is necessary every year (when the flowers fade). Parts of the shoots are cut off, and some of them are rooted to obtain new bushes of the columnae.
Why doesn’t bloom columna
Kolumney is a guest from the tropics, therefore she is very sensitive to the temperature difference in the room and the level of humidity. If the regime is not followed, it ceases to produce flowers, the leaves may dry out and turn yellow, and if the moisture is insufficient, the plant may die.
Overdoing with watering is also not worth it, the roots may begin to rot due to stagnation of moisture, and the plant will die.
Diseases and Pests
Pests and diseases practically do not threaten this species, but it can be prone to the appearance of:
- aphids;
- scabbard;
- ticks;
- thrips.
Important! You can eradicate parasites by spraying insecticides with a column.
If watering is too active on the shoots and at the roots, gray rot may start. If the infected area is small, cut off the shoots and transplant the column, treating it with fungicide. If most of the plant is affected, then healthy cuttings are cut, and the diseased flower is destroyed.
Growing difficulties
Home care will not always be an easy task. If it is not possible to maintain a certain temperature and light in the room, problems with growing the plant may occur.
View Carnival
The consequences of mistakes made when caring for the plant
Incorrectly constructed care for the columna can cause irreparable harm.
For your information! It is important to notice deviations in time and begin to fight them.
The main errors and their correction:
- the appearance of brown spots on the leaves means that too cold water is used for irrigation. The optimum temperature for irrigation is 19-20 ° C;
- rot at the roots, the appearance of fungi is too intense watering. The diseased parts of the plant are removed and transplanted into new land;
- the appearance of fluffy mold indicates an excessively humid environment. Remove diseased areas of the plant, treat with fungicide and reduce the overall humidity;
- the leaves become stained and pale - these are the effects of direct sunlight. Move the plant indoors with a softer light;
- the leaves fall off and dry out - a sign that the plant does not have enough moisture for life. Carry out more frequent spraying;
- the appearance of a web between the leaves means infection with a spider mite. Spray the plant with a special insecticide. For prevention, they do not allow excessive dryness and are often sprayed. Ticks do not like dry environments.
Is a rest period more necessary
The rest period is one of the most important stages in the plant cycle. After flowering is completed (in autumn), buds are laid for the next season. For this period, set the temperature in the room at around 10-12 ° C. After 40-50 days, buds will begin to appear, after which the plant must be moved to a warmer place with a temperature of 17-19 ° C.
Popular varieties
The following flower varieties are most popular in Russia:
Columnae Carnival
It is a plant with shiny leaves of dark green hues.
For your information! In the phase of active flowering, it is covered with many bright yellow flowers with a red edging along the edge of the petals.
Kolumneya Krakatau
It got its name for its resemblance to a volcano. This is a type of ampelous Kolumney, whose shoots are raised at the base. It has many thin leaves of dark green tones. The flowers are medium sized in red and orange.
Kolumney Sheydiana
The species is native to Mexico, representing a sprawling shrub with hanging branches. Long elongated leaves with thick pubescence, villi on the outer side white, reddish on the inside. Columnae Schiedeana have large, bushy flowers. The color is heterogeneous (there are burgundy blotches on the yellow massif).
View of Argut
Kolumney Argut
The kind of columna brought from Panama, having shoots up to one and a half meters and massive vines with copious pubescence. Leaves are shiny, sharpened towards the end. Flowers are formed by groups of leaf sinuses. The color of the flowers is red-orange with yellowish spots on the petals.
Kolumney Shida
Fleshy plant with flexible stems and reddish pubescence. On the underside of the leaves are red villi. The vine reaches up to 1.5 m, and the size of the leaves is up to 10 cm. Flowers of yellow colors with brown spots grow along the entire length.
For your information! Subject to the basic rules for a plant such as a columnia, home care is not difficult, and it will feel great anywhere: at home or in the country.
If the planting is carried out correctly and properly looked after, every year it will delight with abundant flowering. The main thing is to observe the temperature regime, maintain humidity and clean from old shoots.
