Cineraria is a perennial garden plant, which is also bred as an indoor flower. The homeland of cineraria is tropical Africa. As a garden crop is often grown as an annual plant. There are more than 50 species of cineraria, differing in the color of foliage, color and form of the flower. And the differences are so radical that it seems that they are completely different plants. The most common are the following varieties:
- cineraria silvery (seaside);
- cineraria hybrid;
- cineraria bloody;
- Cineraria is exquisite.
Application
At home, there is traditionally one type of cultivation - bloody cineraria. Decorative silvery cineraria is valued not so much for modest flowers, as for unusual ash-silvery dissected leaves. It is a wonderful element in the design of flower beds, carpet flower beds in the form of low curbs. Very often, the decorative of the cineraria is used in contrast to the purple- leaved canna , pelargonium (geranium) and sage shining. Other types of cineraria bloom very beautiful flowers of various shades and decorate prefabricated flower gardens. The height of the decorative cineraria ranges from 10 to 30 cm, beautiful plants reach a height of 50-60 cm. A very convenient variant of breeding is the cultivation of cineraria in containers. At the onset of cold weather, the plant can easily be brought into the house, and with the onset of heat for the next year again placed in the open air.
Growing conditions
Planting and caring for the cineraria are simple, but the plant is demanding on the quality of the soil. Cineraria requires a well drained neutral or slightly alkaline earth. Silvery cineraria feels great in well-lit areas, other plant species prefer diffuse light. Care for cineraria includes regular, but moderate watering: it is necessary that the soil is moist, but not over-moistened. With the onset of the flowering period, cineraria should be fed with mineral-organic fertilizers. Most plant species are thermophilic, but the bloody cineraria tolerates a drop in temperature to -2 degrees. The remaining winter in the open ground plant, cover with foliage or lapnikom.
Reproduction
Gardeners and housewives, wishing to breed such a wonderful plant, will be interested in how to plant cineraria. Reproduction of cineraria occurs by seeds, and also by cuttings and division of the bush. Seeds are sown in boxes in April, crops are covered with film or glass. After there are 2 leaves, the shoots are dived into separate containers. In June the seedlings are transplanted into the open ground with a distance of 35 to 45 cm between the sprouts. Soil must be prepared in advance: loosen, add a mixture of sand, peat, humus or other organic fertilizing. Sown seeds are only slightly covered with earth. Reproduction by propagation and dividing the bush is performed before the flowering begins.
Diseases and pests
Most often affected by the aphidia cystaria . To destroy the pest, use a 0.1% solution of pyrimor. In case of damaging the plant with powdery mildew, 2% copper-soap preparation and 0.2% base-stone are used. When infecting cineraria with phytophthora, it is necessary to remove the affected leaves, if the plant is totally affected, then the diseased bush is completely destroyed.
Due to its decorativeness, the plant will serve as an excellent decoration for your flower garden. No less beautiful looks cineraria at home, both in the form of a house flower, and a bright bouquet, because in cut form it stands in the water for a long time.