The godson macroglossus belongs to the genus Senecio, which means "old man," "aging." This is due to the fact that on each plant belonging to this species, after flying around the seeds, silvery pubescence appears, and the baskets become empty, bare. But there are some types of godson in which this is not observed.
The godson is a large-lingual variegate, as it looks, to which family it belongs
Macroglossus belongs to the family Asteraceae or, as it is also called, Asters. It can be either in the form of a liana, or in the form of a shrub or shrub, a tree. Due to its high resistance to weather changes, it can grow anywhere in the world.
Large-tongued godson
Depending on the species and local climate, the shape of the plant may vary significantly. When the seed boxes are empty, the stems are not always pubescent - they, like the leaves, can remain bare. The leaves are whole or dissected, oval or heart-shaped, elliptical, lobed or cirrus.
It is interesting! The cross came to Europe from Africa, Namibia. Under the positive influence of climate, it reached a length of 50 cm and was quite sweeping, and therefore attracted biologists of that time. Taking it for examination, they distributed seeds around the world.
The large-lingual godson is an evergreen liana. The leaves of the flower are triangular or pentagonal in shape, one of the ends protrudes more than others. This is the "tongue", because of which the plant got its name. The length of the leaves can reach 8 cm. Their color is mottled, green with yellowish-white spots and stripes.
Note! The juice of the plant is poisonous, therefore it is better to grow it away from animals and children.
Popular varieties of the cross
The highest representative of the Senezio species is the perennial godson of the Haworth variety. Its length can reach 30 cm, shoots can be either single or branched. The leaves, when removed, acquire a silver fluff, in adult plants they are up to 6 cm long. The flowers of Senecio Haworthii are dim, yellow or orange, have a spherical shape.
Other varieties of the godson:
- Creeping evergreen godson - perennial, not covered with silver fluff. From the description of the culture it is clear that it reaches a height of only 20 cm and has coarse stems (6 mm). Sheets resembling a lancelet in shape can have a length of up to 4 cm. All flowers are painted white and have the shape of baskets. The leaves are distinguished by a greenish-blue tint.
- The godson Senecio varieties Herreianus. Its second name is Nail. The leaves of the culture look like gooseberries and have slightly pointed ends. This variety needs to be grown in a sufficiently lit place, but at the same time it should not reach the sun's rays - the leaves may burn.
- The godson of the Fulgen variety. It differs in bright, almost fiery, flowers on thin stems, round flattened leaves of a bluish tint. Many gardeners also call him Kleinia Fulgens.
- Blue godson (Blue) is not only color. This plant has sagittal leaves, from under which flower stalks are knocked out in the form of baskets. Leaves can be either flattened or quite voluminous.
- A large Tolstovaty godson was discovered in Madagascar and brought back by researchers. It was large in size and could reach a height of half a meter. At the same time, the leaves themselves were no more than 5 cm, the rest were stems. Senecio large Crassissimus can be green with either a blue or gray tint.
- Ficus cross. Has lying weakly branched stems and narrow elongated leaves of gray-green color. In April-May, greenish-white small flowers appear on it.
Blooming myceniform cross
Many, especially beginners, confuse the godson with ivy because of the shape of the leaves of some of its varieties. Such a comparison is incorrect, as these are representatives of different families.
Care for the flower of the cross, at home
The large-reared godson is undemanding in care, but still has its own characteristics that must be taken into account.
Illumination and temperature
The godson grows best in lighted areas, so when planting in the garden it is undesirable for higher plants to rise above it. At the same time, it is necessary to protect it from strong northerly winds so that thin rods do not freeze. When growing in pots, it is best to place the flower on a windowsill overlooking the west or east side.
Important! The godson is very difficult to endure severe frosts and any cooling, so you do not need to put it in a room where the temperature is below +7 degrees. It is worthwhile to ensure that in winter it does not rise above +15 degrees. In the summer, during the daytime, a home godson can be exposed outside in the sun if the air temperature does not exceed +23 degrees.
Rowley plant variety
Watering rules and humidity
The godson is a plant that feels great when the air in the room or on the street has low humidity, regardless of the temperature regime. It is noteworthy that you do not need to moisten the leaves or the whole plant, and with accumulations of dust you just need to wipe it with a dry cloth or rag.
The frequency of watering the godson varies depending on the time of year. In summer, the soil is moistened 2 days after its top layer is covered with a dry crust. In autumn, watering should be reduced, and in winter completely stopped. Do this smoothly, gradually reducing the amount of water or increasing the time interval between irrigation.
Top dressing and soil quality
It is advisable to start feeding the godson from March and gradually stop fertilizing in August. Feeding should be done no more than once every 2 weeks. You can use simple fertilizer for succulents or special for asters.
The soil is bought in specialized stores or prepared independently. It should consist of sand and sheet earth. When buying soil, it is important to check with the seller if there are nutrients in the soil for the cross. The soil should be loose with neutral acidity.
Flower Tank Size
If the flower is a small cross or just bred, you need to choose a pot with a diameter of not more than 6 cm. For more mature plants, the diameter will be larger.
Plant Transplant Features
An adult godson does not need a frequent transplant. Gardeners do not recommend this more than once every 2 or 3 years.
Important! Only planted indoor flowers of the godson need to be replanted every year, constantly updating the soil and replenishing it with nutrients.
Young plants
Flowering and dormancy
During the flowering period, the crossover is most in need of nutrients and proper care. Be sure to monitor the air humidity and its temperature. The latter should be within +24 degrees during the growing season and +15 degrees during the dormant period.
Type and shape of flowers
When flowering occurs, you can notice the differences in the inflorescence of individual species. They can be assembled into shields or remain single, have a small size and large. The flowers themselves may have the shape of a basket.
Reproduction Senecio macroglossus
Propagation of the godson can be carried out using cuttings, layering, seeds and leaves.
Leafy and stem cuttings
By cuttings are meant small parts of the stem, about 9 cm long. A couple of lower leaves are removed from them and left overnight in the open air. During this time, the stem is slightly dried, and it is planted in a specially prepared sandy soil mixture. It is desirable that there were no weeds in it. You can control the climate in which the cuttings will be located, and move them if necessary. Several stems are planted in one pot. A transplant is done after rooting.
Layering
To get layering, you need to put several small pots with prepared soil with nutrients near an already adult godson. After this, the leaf or even the stem must be bent so that it touches the soil in an additional pot. After rooting, the shoots need to be trimmed as carefully as possible.
Seeds
Gardeners do not recommend propagating the godson with seeds, as they are rarely fresh in stores. If you still managed to buy them, then in one pot several seeds are sown, previously moistened with water. This is done so that sprouts appear on them. Watering should be done only with a sprayer, so as not to flood the seedlings.
Cultivation and reproduction
Note! Cultivation occurs until the cotyledon phase begins. Then, each sprout is transplanted into a separate pot, with a diameter of not more than 6 cm.
Possible problems in growing a godson
The plant is quite resistant to climate change and various pests, but you need to take care of it constantly so that aphids, ticks or worms do not appear.
Diseases and Pests
The most common pest is the aphid, which settles on young stems or layering. This is accompanied by a sharp cessation of the development of the whole plant, as well as yellowing of the leaves and browning of the flowers. To get rid of aphids, you need to constantly spray the leaves with insecticides.
If a spider mite appears, a spider web appears on one side of the leaves. Also, the leaves darken noticeably, may frown. To get rid of the pest, you need to increase air humidity and spray the entire plant with warm water.
Big-tongued godson is grown both in the garden and in pots. It can also be cultivated for further cutting flowers into bouquets. The plant externally differs depending on the type and climatic conditions of the area where it grows.
