Узамбарская виалка: home care, description, reproduction, fertilization, watering

A delicate and beautiful flower called Uzambara violet, home care is quite simple, is a very popular houseplant that attracts lovers of home floriculture with its various shades of flowers and varieties.

Title History

The history of violets is very interesting: they were found in Africa, not far from the Uzambar mountains (the territory of Tanzania). Discovered the beautiful violet flowers in 1893 by the accidental Governor of East Africa, strolling in the woods near the waterfalls. He also sent a copy of the flower to his father - a German biologist.

Ulrich von St. Paul made a detailed description and determined the botanical affiliation of the find, and the flower itself was called the Umbra violet, or the city of St. Petersburg. After some time, the flower was exhibited at a world exhibition, which attracted the attention of gardeners and breeders, thanks to which many new varieties of saintpolia were bred.

Description of the flower

So what are these flowers? The Umbra violet is a herbaceous plant of the Gesnerian family, originating from the tropics of East Africa, to the European violet has nothing to do. These flowers are the most loved and popular among houseplants.

The main advantage of Senpolia is a long bloom, almost throughout the year. In addition, the species diversity allows for a small window sill to place several violets with flowers of different shades at once, because the plant itself requires very little space.

Care and lighting

The Umbra violet, home care beyond which is not a very complicated process, is very fastidious about its location:

• With a lack of light, the formation of leaves and buds slows down;
• In excess of sunlight, leaves can get burned, and the flower dies;
• Should pick up a place, fairly bright, warm, but not too lit by the bright sun, and then the plant will feel quite comfortable;
• One more condition - it is necessary to make sure that the leaves of the violet do not touch the glass on the window, which also causes burns.

Ideally suitable for the senpolis are the western and eastern windows, while the southern ones are only for wintering. If plants can be placed only on the southern window, then the pot should be placed so that the sun does not reach the plants (for example, on the side table next to the windowsill).

The optimum growth temperature is + 23-25ºС, and for adult violets - a little less, + 20-24ºС. The plant does not tolerate temperature changes (maximum - several degrees), and also does not like drafts. Proper care for violets in winter at home will help to continue the flowering time.

Also, you should regularly inspect the plants and remove old or spoiled leaves and already faded dry flowers. If, after removing the lower leaves, the stem is bare, then the plant should be transplanted, and the rosette should be planted more deeply into the ground (before the leaves start). The transplantation of violets is desirable to be done annually as the soil is depleted in the pot.

Soil and watering

Senpolia is a violet, watering and soil for which are important. The plant prefers the soil to a loose, well-retaining water. The landing mixture consists of the following components:

• Sod land;
• Leaf humus;
• sand;
• Moss-sphagnum.

You can use and ready-mixed mixture, but with the addition of perlite, moss or coconut substrate. Often gardeners add the land from the coniferous forest, also mixing it with a leaf.

For the watering of the saintpolia only suitable water (tap or rainwater) is suitable. Preferring peat soil, the moisture from which quickly evaporates, the umbilical violet watering also loves the temperate, and overflow for it is even more dangerous than a lack of moisture. If water gets into the outlet, the rotting of its stem and adjacent roots may begin. The most optimal option is to add water to the pan or using the dipping pot in warm (room temperature) water.

Winter care

Watering and caring for violets in winter at home is complicated due to a strong decrease in humidity in the room with central heating switched on, and they need 60%. Therefore, in winter it is recommended to use an air humidifier or regularly spray water around the plants, and categorically one should not allow water to enter the delicate velvet leaves of violets.

The main difficulties in winter care:

• Temperature changes in the air: plants prefer + 20-25 ° C, and from a sharp drop in temperature can get sick;
• Close arrangement of heating batteries;
• Burns from the winter sun or from the cold glass on the window: if there are white spots on the leaves, then the pot with the violet should be removed from the window;
• Overflowing violets due to dry air - in this case the plant should be transplanted so that the root system does not rot.

In winter, additional highlighting is very important, because otherwise the plants will suffer from lack of light. It is best to install fluorescent lamps and turn on for 3-4 hours daily: they do not heat the air and give even light.

Methods of top dressing

Senpolia does not really like overfeeding and tolerates the lack of fertilizers well. If the plants are planted in a special soil, it already contains the necessary nutrients and trace elements. For additional fertilizing (if the plants are clearly depleted), you can use fertilizer for violets: in granules or liquid. Compositions come in several forms:

• Mineral - to increase the acidity of the soil and stimulate flowering (superphosphate in granules);
• Complex mineral (powders or liquid): "Uniflor", "Master", "Ethisso", "Fertika", etc .;
• Organic: humus, manure, gummed liquid preparations ("Rainbow", "Ideal", "Gummy").

Also, during the laying of buds, fertilization with phosphorus content can be done, and for young plants - with a large amount of nitrogen. Fertilizer for violets can be applied no more than once a month, alternating different species.

Ways of reproduction of violets

For good growth in the pot, only one plant can "live", so when growing, unnecessary rosettes need to be planted, but with care, so as not to hurt the roots. This makes it possible to get another plant without spending extra money.

There are several ways in which the Mozambican violet reproduces. Care at home will allow you to easily prepare the planting material for its reproduction and even the cultivation of new varieties:

• Pieces of leaves;
• Rosettes or stepchildren;
• Seeds (the longest process).

Optimal time for this: spring and summer, because in winter the plant is at rest and requires specific conditions for care.

Reproduction by cuttings (leaves)

The simplest way with which you can grow a lot of plants at home is the species of Uzambara violet - propagation by cuttings. For this, the largest leaves are used, which must be cut with a very sharp knife at a slight angle (so as not to crumple the stem).

There are 2 ways of rooting the leaves:

• In water, where a small piece of a leaf leaves, - sprouting roots usually takes 10-14 days (water must be gradually added, maintaining the same level);
• In a special soil (a mixture of peat) at a depth sufficient to hold the leaf in a standing position at a small angle, the most important being maintaining the microclimate above the ground with a plastic bag, a can or a cut piece of a plastic bottle, the soil must be kept in sufficient moisture, Mini-greenhouse removed after rooting cuttings.

Reproduction by rosettes

When the adult violet has already grown well, next to it begin to appear daughter sockets (stepchildren), which will also help to multiply this plant. To unplug the outlet, you need to wait until it grows to a minimum of 5 cm in height. After this very carefully it is separated from the main stem, trying not to harm the roots.

Plant better in the same soil, after rooting in a month, the violet will release fresh young leaves and bud formation will begin.

Varieties and varieties of the cities

Varieties of the Umbara violets are a great variety of different colors and forms of leaves that were taken out by professional biologists specially or even by amateurs quite by accident. Moreover, when propagating by cuttings, any florist can grow a completely new variety (degenerate varieties).

The varieties of senpolia are divided into several groups according to the size of the rosette, the variety of flowers and the shape of the leaves.

Thus, varieties with monophonic color or with a border naturally inherit the traits of parents in the leaf method of reproduction, and the rim may appear only at the second flowering.

Fantasy species (decorated with spots, stripes, dots) are recommended to propagate with peduncles or with stepsons, then they inherit this color. In the same way, the violet-"chimeras", which have a pattern on the flowers in the form of rays, also propagate.

Ampel varieties, having a long stem and growing at several points, are distinguished by a large number of colors and a multitude of rosettes.

Varieties such as Wasp are some of the new and original species of violets, in which the flower has 2 short upper petals and 3 lower, longer and narrow, forming an exotic appearance.

One of the most popular varieties nowadays is the blue violet, which has been bred in Russia and has large, up to 10 cm, bright blue flowers, and the plant itself is strongly branched and up to 40 cm high. There are several such varieties of violets that have a different shape of flowers:

• Blue fog - soft blue fluffy balls with wavy edges.
• Blue Danube - has a lot of blue flowers up to 5 cm in diameter.
• The blue dragon is a soft blue star with a blue center, the border is wide red with a white-golden edge, the size of flowers is up to 6 cm.
• The blue lagoon is a bright blue violet with a blue stain and a red flounce on the edge.

Diseases and treatment of Saintpaulia

Violets are very whimsical plants, requiring a certain humidity of air and soil, a lot of light, but not direct sunlight, certain care and feeding. But even with all these conditions, it happens that the plant is ill.

The main task in this situation is to learn how to determine the cause of the disease and to distinguish between infectious diseases of the Umbra violet and non-infectious diseases, that is, caused by the shortage of some useful substances or by incorrect conditions of detention.

One of the most common problems is the yellowing of the leaves in the plant, caused most often by the incorrect acidity of the soil, too bright sun or strong shade.

Infectious diseases of violets:

• Fusarium (rosette decay) - the causative agent is the fusarium fusarium, penetrating into young roots under the wrong conditions (heavy soil, regular water overflow, especially cold, very large pot). Due to the disease of the petiole, the leaves become brown and begin to fall off. To prevent the appearance of this fungus, it is recommended to water the plant every 2 months with a solution of foundation. To treat violets should be treated with fungicides, previously removing dried or rotten stems and leaves.
• Powdery mildew - appears as a whitish coating on all surface parts, spreads when there is a lack of lighting, improper moisture, dust or dirt in the air. The cause may also be a deficiency (potassium and phosphorus) or an overabundance of trace elements (nitrogen). For treatment, you can use spraying with foundation or benzate (usually 1 time, but if necessary, repeat). In order not to fall ill with powdery mildew of the Mozambican violet, care at home should be as follows: for the prevention of wiping with wet leaf napkins, airing the room and not allow excess moisture in the pot;

• Phytophthorosis - decay of the root collar of the violet and the appearance of brown spots on the leaves, which is caused by a fungus penetrating through the roots or wounds on the stems. The danger of late blight is that mushroom spores settle in the soil, and therefore the only way out is to destroy the plant and sterilize the pot. To prevent this unpleasant disease, add superphosphate to the soil and keep the humidity in the room no higher than 60%;
• Gray rot , which is caused by a botrytis fungus, is shown by a gray-brown coating on all the upper parts of the plant, and then rotting and killing the violet. Fungus often falls with infected soil, so before planting each plant, it is recommended that the soil is frozen in the freezer, and then watered with manganese solution. All the sick parts of the violet must be destroyed, and the plant should be treated with fungicides. To prevent the disease, it is necessary not to allow excessive watering and a sharp temperature drop in the room.

Pests of violets

The most common pests affecting Senpolia are:

• Worms - affect leaves and young peduncles, deforming them and causing the appearance of red spots; The treatment with "Aktellikom" or "Fitoverm" helps against them;
• Aphids are usually brought into the house from fresh flowers, insects eat flowers buds, using plant juice for food; To get rid of aphids, you need to use "Moskpilan" or "Aktellik";
• Mites (several species) - spoil the young leaves, to combat them plants are treated with "Akarin", "Fitoverm", etc.

Uzambara violet, or senpolia - is a very beautiful and diverse decorative plant that is successfully grown on the windowsills by many amateurs and professionals of decorative floriculture.