Achimenez is a flower of the Gesneriev family of incredible beauty. In the people it is known by the names nettle, orchid nut or widow's tears. The plant was first found in the 18th century in the rainforests of South and Central America. Today it can be seen both in apartments and in private houses. The popularity of a flower lies in its numerous flowering over time.
Short flower description
Breeders have invented a large number of species of this beautiful plant. All of them bloom thickly and luxuriantly, pleasing the eye with incredibly bright flowers of an unusual shape. In appearance, Achimenes is a stunted flower with a straight and thin stalk, which begins to hang over time. The leaves have a dentate shape similar to nettles. The flowers themselves are like elongated bells. They have many colors: red, pink, purple, white, yellow.
Achimenes flower
Varieties of Achimenes
Today you can find several types of plants and a huge number of different varieties. The most popular varieties:
- Achimenes large-flowered (Achimenes qrandiflora). His homeland is Mexico. It is considered the largest flower of all species and can reach a height of up to 65 cm. It is easy to grow. The leaves are large, reaching 10 cm in length and up to 7 cm in width. Flowers grow in batches, several shoots may appear from one cavity. Their main color is purple.
- Achimenes long-flowered (Achimenes lonqiflora). This is an average ampel-shaped plant. It grows up to 30 cm in height, has a scaly underground root. The leaves are light green in color, slightly pubescent, long in shape, serrate edge. Large sized flowers. Coloring is white, yellow, or purple with a strip near the pharynx.
- Achimenes Georgia (Achimenes Juareqia). White ampel with large flowers, reaches 6 cm in diameter. Ahimenez Juareqia creates beautiful cascades, is characterized by active development and flowering.
- Ahimenes sweet (Achimenes dulcik). The plant is medium in size, has straight shoots and large light green leaves. The flowers are white, resemble a bell-shaped appearance, with slightly wrapped petals on the outside. The pharynx is extensive, in the middle there is a lemon-colored stain, with small brown drops. It has a very weak light and pleasant aroma.
- Achimenes erect (Achimenes erecta). This type of flower reaches a size of up to 40 cm. It has shoots and red flowers with a diameter of 1 cm. Achimenes red has thick and lush leaves.
Varieties of flower
- Achimenes of Mexico (Achimenes mexicana). It reaches a height of 50 cm. The size of the flowers is medium violet-blue, a bell-shaped nimbus, in the middle there is a spot of white color, and a yellow stripe on the throat. Achimenes violet has large straight shoots with lush emerald leaves.
- Achimenes Misera. This plant is medium in size, the flowers are white, reaching a diameter of 1 cm. The leaves are small, dark green in color, densely placed on an upright pillar.
- Achimen snow-white (Achimenes candida). This plant has snow-white flowers, very rarely with a tinge of yellow. It has a funnel shape. The leaves on the edges are serrated, and the shoots are rough, dark red in color.
- Achimenes levinozevy (Achimenes antirrhina). This type of Achimenes has medium-sized flowers, with a yellowish corolla, on which a saturated red pattern can be seen. Light green leaves are covered with white villi.
Proper care of Achimenes at home
At home, Achimenes flowers are unpretentious. But you also need to know how to ensure proper and competent care at each of the periods of development.
Temperature, lighting and humidity
Achimenes is characterized by natural light, but in the summer it is advisable to hide the flower from direct sunlight. The need for sunlight depends on the variety of flowers. With a small amount of lighting, the stem can be exposed, and the flowers fade.
Note! During the period of active vegetation, the air temperature should be not less than +20 ℃, and in a normal period, the temperature range can be 20-25 ℃ above zero. During dormancy, care for the flower is necessary at 7-15 ℃.
The plant loves high humidity, but you should not spray the flower with water, as spots with an unaesthetic appearance may appear on the leaves. To grow a flowering plant and raise the air humidity indicator, a special pot with a plant is placed on the windowsill, laying pebbles or expanded clay on the bottom.
Soil and pot requirements
The size of the flower pot should correspond to the size of the root system of the flower. Most suitable is a mixture of earth based on several parts of leafy soil. One part is light turfy land, and the other is sand. Also suitable is a soil mixture of three parts of turf land:
- humus;
- sand;
- perlite or vermiculite.
Additionally, it is advised to add chopped charcoal and chopped sphagnum.
Regular watering is important for the plant
Watering Rules
During active growth, Achimenes is watered often, preventing the soil from drying out. The best option is to do watering in a pan, so the water will not get on the leaves, which eliminates the appearance of black spots. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature.
Note! In the cold season, starting in October, it is advisable to reduce watering. In winter, indoor Achimenes plants are watered once a month to prevent the roots from drying out.
Top dressing
The first feeding is carried out no earlier than a month and a half after the first phenomena of numerous seedlings. During dormancy, the plant does not need to be fertilized.
Note! Flowering will improve if you add a small amount of fertilizer with each watering. This can be filtered water from the aquarium or liquid complex fertilizers.
Pruning and transplanting
If you want to have a lush ornamental bush with frequent flowering, then pruning of young shoots is done for this, above the second or third leaf. Be sure to clean faded buds daily. Achimenes flowers are transplanted in early spring. Rhizomes (rhizomes) are placed in a spacious pot with good drainage. After cover with a plastic bag or glass, until new shoots appear.
Features of flowering plants
A distinctive feature of the flower, because of which it is loved by many gardeners, is the duration of flowering, which is observed throughout the growing season, and the simplicity of cultivation.
Period of activity and rest
During the annual cycle, Achimenes passes through several stages of development, which is why the care and cultivation at different times of the year will be different. In total, 2 periods of the existence of the flower Achimenes juaregia are distinguished.
Activity period
Achimenes flowering is long, at home it can bloom twice in the period from May to October. The first flowers usually appear in late spring or early summer. At this time, the plant blooms profusely and brightly. The second phase of flowering occurs in autumn and is less pronounced. Withered flowers break off to stimulate the growth of new buds.
Rest period
Achimenes has a pronounced dormant period, which begins closer to the end of October. After all the flowers have fallen, the plant dries out a little, and the roots are filled with juices, preparing for winter. During sleep, the flower should receive proper care, which consists in limited watering, low light and maintaining the temperature within 16-18 ℃ above zero. It is important that the plant does not wake up ahead of time. If this still happened, then the pot is moved to a more lighted place or open ground.
Achimenes flowering will be as abundant and long as possible in the presence of timely pinching of the tops of young shoots. The procedure is performed when the seedling length does not exceed 2.5 cm.
Additional Information! The frequency of pinching should be 1 time in 2 weeks for 1.5-2 months.
Types and shape of flowers
During the period of activity, beautiful bell flowers of an unusual shape and a surprisingly bright color appear on the stems of the plant. The inflorescence has an elongated structure up to 5 cm and a cup, consisting of 5 blades. The flowers that form on the shoots can be ordinary or double, plain, spotty or striped. Depending on the variety of the plant, its flowers may have this color:
- reds;
- white
- blue;
- blue
- coral
- yellow;
- purple.
Mexican-style achimines flowers look spectacular, which have a purple hue in combination with a white neck. The outer edges of the inflorescence most often have a specific acute fringe.
Additional Information! The duration of flowering is only 5-7 days, however, after some flowers fall, new ones will soon form in their place.
Flower propagation methods
A plant transplant is done every year. It is best to carry out the procedure in the first weeks of December. At home, the cultivation of Achimenes is carried out in one of two types: using seeds or by the method of cuttings.
Seed cultivation
Seed cultivation
The easiest, but rather long-lasting way to transplant a flower. The seeds are in green box houses that remain hanging on the stems after the flowering period ends. Before sowing seeds into the soil, they must ripen for 2 months. Then, in February-March, you should do the following:
- Collect the seeds and sow them in a mixture of sand and leaf soil. You do not need to sprinkle on top.
- Moisten the soil using a spray bottle.
- Place the pot with the plant in a darkened place and cover with film or glass.
- Create optimal temperature conditions. In order for the seeds to germinate, the temperature should be between 22-24 ℃.
Using the lower watering, after 15-20 days, the appearance of the first sprouts is observed. After this, the sprouts are planted.
Note! After 2 months, young plants can be planted in separate pots.
Cuttings
This method of reproduction is used quite rarely, since the cuttings often rot. In summer, when new shoots appear, cuttings are carefully cut off from them, which are then placed in moist sand mixed with sheet soil. For rooting, they are placed in water, but in this case the likelihood of decay increases significantly. After planting the cuttings in the sand, they are covered with glass or film.
In order for the plant to begin as quickly as possible before planting, it is recommended that it be treated with a root stimulant (Kornevin, Heteroauxin). Also, lower heating will help to speed up the rooting process.
Additional Information! The first tubers will appear after 10-14 days. After 15 days, indoor Achimenes flowers can be transplanted into a substrate for adult plants.
Growing problems, diseases and pests
Achimenes, care and cultivation of which does not take much time and effort, is quite difficult to destroy. Neglecting the rules for care is not worth it, as the plant may refuse to bloom, losing its decorative properties. Beginners and even experienced flower growers may encounter problems:
- Beige spots with holes on the leaves. They occur when too cold or hard water is used for irrigation.
- Twisting leaves, falling buds even before they open. The cause is excessive heat.
- Blackening, creeping spots on the stems. May form due to frequent watering in combination with low temperature.
- Long and thin stems with small leaves, the intervals between which reach large sizes. The problem is observed with a lack of light.
Additional Information! In case water gets on the leaves, gray-brown spots begin to form on them, rapidly increasing in size. Achimeneses, whose care should be regular, do not have specific diseases.
The most common diseases:
- Fusarium It is characterized by decay of leaves and shoots. The treatment consists in removing the rotted parts of the plant, treating the roots with Maxim extract and transplanting into a fresh substrate, previously treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. The plant is dug up.
- Ring spotting. It is accompanied by the formation of bright spots on the leaf blades, which gradually acquire a dark brown hue. To eliminate the problem, cut the affected leaves and rearrange the plant in a sunny place.
Diseases and Pests
To cure achimenez flower, home care should be correct. Sometimes the plant is affected by pests such as aphids, spider mites, thrips and mealybugs. Insecticides are used to control harmful insects. Subject to all the rules for care and growing, the flower will delight with its luxurious flowering for half a year.
