Hamelatsium is a plant of the myrtle family. His close relatives are tea tree, feijoa, clove tree. The plant looks bright and spectacular, is widely used in floristry, suitable for home breeding.
Origin and appearance
Wax myrtle chamelacium (chamelaucium uncinatum) is a plant native to Australia. It is an evergreen tree or bush. The height of different species ranges from 30 cm to 3 m. The leaves are thin and long, dark green in color, similar to needles. They are covered with a thin wax film, for which the plant got its second name as wax myrtle.
Hamelacium Snowflake
Outside the flowering period, a bush of a white chamelacium can be mistaken for a small Christmas tree. But when it blooms, the branches are covered with many small but fragrant flowers, most often white, red, pinkish or purple.
Interesting! It has been proven that wax myrtle essential oils purify the air and kill pathogenic bacteria. With home-breeding wax myrtle, flowering begins in February, and with proper care, it can delight with its flowers until the summer.
Hamelacium is widely used in floristry. Any bride will be happy with a bouquet decorated with these delicate flowers. A cut branch of myrtle is able to maintain freshness and delight the eye for up to 10 days.
Hamelatsium in a wedding bouquet
The flowers and leaves of wax myrtle contain a large amount of essential oils. The leaves and fruits of this plant are harvested by cutting and drying. Decoctions and infusions are then used in folk medicine to treat colds. Essential oil is used in aromatherapy, for inhalation, as a sedative.
In total, there are 14 main species and several hybrids. Some of them are listed below:
- Snowflake - a low bush with white or pinkish flowers;
- White - the leaves of this species are slightly longer than those of their counterparts, and white flowers resemble the shape of a bell;
- Hooked - voluminous fast-growing plant. In the wild, the height of this bush can exceed two and a half meters. This species is also sometimes called heraldon. The flower owes its name to the city where it came from;
- Hamelacium Strawberry;
- Hamelatsium Sarah Delight;
- Chamelacium of the form Ophir.
Transplant after purchase
Attention should be paid to the careful selection of plants. The bush should look healthy. There should be no stains or plaque on the leaves, and the buds should not be wrinkled. After the purchase, you need to choose a place in the house for a new pet, prepare a suitable pot and soil for it.
On a note! Choosing the right place is of the utmost importance. Wax myrtle hails from hot, sunny, and arid lands. He needs plenty of light, not afraid of direct sun. An ideal place would be a window or balcony on the south side.
The place where this flower will stand should be well ventilated to prevent overheating of the crown, but strong drafts should be avoided. The chamelacium is not afraid of dry air, it can be safely placed in rooms with central heating. On the contrary, excess moisture contributes to the development of shoot diseases.
Hamelatsium loves plentiful light
The soil is made up so that it is light, loose, and allows air and moisture to pass through well. The composition of the optimal mixture includes the following components:
- peat;
- coarse sand;
- turf and leaf land;
- humus;
- sphagnum.
It is important to choose the right pot
It is usually recommended that you select a vessel whose diameter is larger than the previous one by about 3 cm. Make sure that there are drainage holes at the bottom.
The day before the transplant, the chamelacium is placed in a plastic bag and rearranged in a cool place with good lighting. The transplant begins with the extraction of an earthen coma. To do this, the pot is installed on a flat hard surface, lightly tap on the walls, carried out with a knife along the inner edge to exfoliate the ground. If necessary, the old pot can be carefully broken.
A layer of drainage and some new soil are poured into the bottom of the new pot. The earthen lump of the plant is cleaned of old adhering drainage, the upper soil layer is carefully removed and the lump is placed in a new pot. The gaps between the earthen lump and the walls of the pot are covered with new earth. After transplantation, the chamelacium is left in the greenhouse for another 3-4 days, gradually opening the packet.
Breeding
In most cases, a chamelacium is propagated vegetatively. Cuttings do not take root very well, therefore it is better to prepare them with a margin. Often the workpiece is combined with pruning the plant. Root cuttings can be both in water and immediately in the soil. Seedlings are placed in a bright, warm room. Recommended temperature 22-25 ° C. Rooting usually takes from 3 weeks to 2 months.
On a note! The cuttings take root and take root faster if treated with special compounds that stimulate growth.
You can propagate a chamelacium using its seeds, but to achieve a good result with this method is difficult. The seeds of the plant have a small germination rate, the sprouts that have appeared do not take root well, and the properties of hybrids may not be transmitted to descendants at all. For these reasons, the propagation of chamelacium by seeds is not popular.
Care
If you are new to plant breeding and have acquired chamelacium, taking care of it at home can be a daunting task. This plant is capricious, sensitive to changes, in inappropriate conditions, discards foliage or refuses to bloom. To achieve good growth and abundant flowering from the wax myrtle, some experience in floriculture will be required.
Flowering bush of chamelacium
Watering
Watering a chamelacium should be given increased attention. In the warm season, watering should be plentiful, but in no case should stagnation of the liquid be allowed. Excess moisture can lead to putrid root diseases. The flower is more resistant to drought, but severe drying out can also damage its root system.
In winter, watering is reduced. Good to know: water for watering a chamelacium can be slightly acidified by adding a little vinegar or lemon juice to it. This will favorably affect the condition of the plant.
Top dressing
In the wild, a chamelacium grows in areas with scarce infertile soil, which means that at home it also does not require plentiful feeding. On the contrary, excessively fertile soil and fertilizers containing phosphorus can adversely affect plant health. It is enough to feed the bush once a month during the flowering period, using universal fertilizers, diluted 2-3 times stronger than recommended.
On a note! If possible, in the summer it is recommended to take the pot with the plant to the open balcony or to the garden to give it as much sunlight and fresh air as possible. It is especially important to do this when the myrtle blooms.
Pruning
After flowering is completed, the bush is recommended to be pruned to maintain the beautiful shape of the plant and the density of its crown. Old buds are removed, the branches are cut about a third of the length. Hamelatsium can have a standardized appearance, i.e. look like a small tree.
To stimulate the appearance of new shoots and make it more bushy, pruning of branches and pinching of shoots are also used. Chamelacium tolerates pruning well and quickly restores the previous volume.
Stamp Chamelacium
Winter preparations
In autumn, the plant is transferred to a cooler room with a temperature of about 15 ° C. The plant enters a dormant period in order to gain strength and bloom next year: watering should become more rare and less plentiful, feeding is no longer required.
On a note! Even in winter, the plant needs good lighting. Daylight hours for a chamelacium in winter should be 12-14 hours. If necessary, the plant should be illuminated using artificial light sources.
Hamelacium is a delicate plant that requires careful and attentive care from an experienced florist. However, if it is properly looked after, it will delight its owners with a magnificent appearance, beautiful long flowering and an unforgettable aroma.
