Aeschinanthus care and reproduction at home pruning. Aeschinanthus flower: photo, home care, reproduction Aeschinanthus excellent home care

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Aeschynanthus (aeschynanthus) is a rather rare plant that is rarely found in specialized stores or in indoor floriculture. Aeschinanthus is a climbing ampelous, flowering plant that winds down and has red inflorescences at the ends of the shoots and therefore it is often placed in hanging pots or planters in a well-lit place without direct sunlight.

The shade of the inflorescences of the Aeschananthus goes from orange to burgundy, and some species may have a lilac, pink, and sometimes purple hue. This article will discuss the types of Aeschinanthus, the features of its cultivation, care and reproduction, and why this flower is considered capricious.

In its natural environment, Aeschinanthus wraps around the crowns of trees like a liana-like plant and can be found in the rainforests of Singapore and Malaysia. How to care for a flower at home so that it does not stop blooming?

Varieties and types of eschinanthus

The most famous type of this flower variety is the beautiful Aeschinanthus. The plant has shoots about fifty centimeters, which are directed downwards. Aescinanthus beautiful has a distinctive feature - as the plant grows older, its shoots become stiff from the center of its trunk. The foliage on the shoots has the shape of an elongated oval, up to ten centimeters long and a shade of olive. The inflorescences of this type of Aeschinanthus look like a tube of a narrowed shape of a warm yellow hue.

has an olive shade of leaves on the front side and a brown shade on the reverse side of the sheet. The leaves have transverse veins of a lighter shade. The flowers of the Aeschinanthus marble are not charged, tubular greenish in color.

Aeschinanthus Lobba has long shoots, on which small foliage is densely placed. Red blooms are located at the end of the foliage.

Aeschinanthus Mona Lisa is the most popular among growing at home. This type of plant is less demanding on care and environmental conditions, unlike other types of eschinanthus. The shoots of this species have whole olive-colored leaves with bright red inflorescences.

Aeschinanthus Twister unlike other species, it has glossy curled leaves of dark green color. The inflorescences of this species have a beautiful transition from orange to red.

Eschinanthus Carolina rather compact type of plant with elongated curly leaves. The leaves of the Aeschinanthus Carolina reach eight centimeters in length. Inflorescences - rich burgundy.

Aeschinanthus Rasta has twisted oblong foliage, which is painted in dark green color and scarlet inflorescences. The shoots of this type of plant are lowered down and tend to curl.

Aeschinanthus Bella Donna has a glossy rounded foliage, it will bloom in red inflorescences.

It has medium sized leaves and an extended calyx base of a bright red with orange stripes.

Eschinanthus rocky a rather unique look of this plant, as it tends to grow without soil in the gorges of a warehouse or stones covered with moss.

Aeschinanthus Firebird popular for its color. New varieties can be red, purple, pink and multi-colored.

Eschinanthus care at home

Indoor eschinanthus is a beautiful and original flower, but at the same time very capricious and not every grower can grow it. In addition to the fact that the plant requires special care and a lot of light without direct sunlight, it also demanding on air temperature. The optimal thermal conditions in spring, during active development, for it is to maintain a temperature of about 24-25 degrees, and during the dormant period, which begins in winter, - 17-18 degrees. If the plant feels comfortable in the conditions it needs, then it is able to develop and buds form on it.

During the development period, the eschinanthus needs moderate but regular watering, and during the dormant period, watering is reduced to once a week. Water for irrigation must be at room temperature and settled in advance. Room eschinanthus needed spray from the sprayer during the development period, but it is better not to do this in the winter.

The soil for the plant must be selected quite loose and filled with nutrients. Such soil can be purchased ready-made or made independently. When preparing the land yourself, it must be borne in mind that the composition of the soil for the eschinanthus in equal quantities should include:

• peat;
• humus;
• sand;
• leaf ground.

In spring and summer, the plant requires top dressing with organic and mineral fertilizers. In winter, there is no need to feed the eschinanthus.

At home, the flower requires an annual transplant in the spring immediately after flowering. Every year you need to gradually increase the capacity, and the transplant itself should take place by removing a clod of earth from the old pot and adding the right amount of new soil. Transplantation should be carried out slowly and very carefully so as not to damage the plant's horse system.

The procedure for propagating the indoor flower of the eschinanthus can be carried out in two ways:

• cuttings;
• sheet.

When propagated by cuttings, you need to cut the stalk from the stem so that the buds and a small amount of leaves remain on it. Further, the cuttings are immersed in a growth stimulator and planted in a pre-prepared soil. When transplanting a cutting into the ground, a temperature regime of at least 25 degrees must be maintained. When the plant takes root, you need to give it time to get used to the soil, and after that you can transplant into a permanent pot and care for it like an adult plant of this variety.

Propagating indoor flower eschinanthus leaf it is necessary to cut a few leaves from the cutting and plant in a small container in a layer of wet sand on light soil. Next, cover the sheet with a film and control the temperature, which should be 25 degrees. Rooting of the eschinanthus with the help of a leaf occurs thirty days after the nozzle. In order for the sheet not to fall to the ground, which can adversely affect rooting, it is necessary to support it with a small piece of foam rubber or cotton wool.

In order for the eschananthus to be beautiful, it must be regularly cut after the flowering period, and it is also necessary to regularly remove and pinch dry leaves.

Pests and diseases

Aphids and mealy worm. These pests are a threat to the life of the plant, and they can appear from new soil, so it is necessary to regularly inspect the plant for their presence, and if found, treat it with insecticides.

Few of the Russian lovers of indoor flowers are closely familiar with a plant named Aeschinanthus. Until now, this Tropican is exotic for our apartments. Aeschinanthus has an attractive appearance: its long shoots are dressed in harsh bright leaves, and the ends are decorated with scarlet flowers pointing upwards. But the character of this handsome man is very capricious, not everyone can please him. Although the difficulties of some flower growers are not frightening, they assure that the Aeschinanthus is quite amenable to education, you just need to find the right approach to it.

Origin, appearance and features of the eschinanthus

Eschinanthus is native to the tropical forests of southeast Asia. In its natural environment, the plant lives in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. This is an epiphytic bush adapted to life away from the ground, on snags, trees or stones. For this mode of existence, the Aeschinanthus has long (about half a meter) creeping stems and thick leaves that are able to store moisture. This is convenient - rains in the tropics are rare, but plentiful. In its native lands, the plant is accustomed to warm, damp air and diffused, but bright sun.

Another popular epiphyte from the tropics is guzmania. She also loves bright light and high humidity, but she looks no less beautiful:

In tropical forests, the eschinentus has taken a fancy to the hills, it settles on trees, snags and stones.

The name Aeschinanthus comes from the shape of the flowers, they look like they have been turned upside down. From the Greek aischyneia anthos is translated as a distorted flower.

These habits have not changed at home. Indoor varieties of eschinanthus are most often grown as ampelous plants. The shoots, covered with small villi, like other parts of the plant, are equipped with leathery leaves with a wax coating, oval and pointed at the end. In most species, the color is monophonic - different shades of green, but there are also variegated ones with a red inside.

On the drooping shoots of the Aescinanthus, the flower brushes are directed almost vertically upwards.

At the ends of the shoots, racemes of orange-scarlet or red flowers bloom from June to September, each peeking out from a fairly wide purple-brown calyx of the bract. They are often compared to an open tube of red lipstick. The tubular flowers with long white, yellow or pink stamens and a prominent pistil have an unusual, upside down shape. And the brushes do not droop, but stretch upwards.

The curved tubular flowers of Aeschinanthus have long stamens and pistils, thanks to which the plant is easily pollinated.

For home conditions, Aeschinanthus is considered a complex plant. He has a controversial personality. For example, a light-loving flower can get sick from direct sun. He prefers high humidity, but when kept cool, this leads to rotting of the stem. A heat-loving handsome man after wintering at a high temperature may refuse to bloom.

Flower growers fear that they will not be able to cope with the cultivation of the whimsical eschinanthus, but these difficulties are greatly exaggerated.

But all these contradictions are not a problem for an experienced grower. Many of them say that this flower is quite hardy and patient. It is not very difficult to understand the whims of the eschinanthus for those who grow columnar or hypocyrts. These plants need almost the same conditions and care. And all together they will create an exotic atmosphere of the tropics in an ordinary apartment.

Indoor species and plant varieties

The genus Aeschinanthus is a member of the plant family Gesneriev and includes more than 80 species of climbing shrubs and semi-shrubs. However, only a few species began to grow as indoor. The most popular are the beautiful, beautiful, Lobba, marble and varieties derived from them. Unpretentious hybrids have now been bred, which differ not only in the brightness of the inflorescences, but also in decorative leaves.

1. Eschinanthus is magnificent, he is also beautiful - an islander growing in the Malay Archipelago. In the wild, it is an epiphyte. In room conditions, it is grown in the form of an ampelous plant. Reddish stems, reaching half a meter or more, hang picturesquely. With age, they become covered with bark. The leaves are quite large (10 cm), fleshy and bright green up to 10 cm. Peduncles consist of 6–10 buds. Flowers that are yellow near the base and red on top have petals fused into a long (about 8 cm) tube.
2. Beautiful Aeschinanthus, unlike the beautiful, has smaller leaves and flowers. This plant forms a more compact bush. Its shoots are rarely longer than half a meter. But in flower brushes there are 10-12 bright scarlet buds.
3. Aeschinanthus Lobba is a species that, until recently, before the advent of new varieties, was one of the most popular in indoor breeding. On half-meter shoots are small (4 cm) hard leaves, green with a purple edge. Intense red flowers emerge from purple bracts. They are just like lipstick.
4. Rocky Aeschinanthus is a rare and unusual species. It has narrower, compared to other varieties, leaves, wavy along the edge and slightly reminiscent of oak. Single flowers on long petioles of pale lilac color.
5. Aeschinanthus marble is valued for its large (10 cm) variegated foliage. From above, the leafy dark green plate is painted with light stripes. And the lower part with a purple-brown or purple pattern. However, the plant blooms modestly, greenish buds are not very noticeable against the background of rich foliage.
6. Mona Lisa is a common variety of Aeschinanthus. It is considered one of the most unpretentious. A fast growing ampelous bush equipped with leathery leaves. Flowers curved, rich scarlet color.
7. Aeschinanthus Twister is a hybrid variety characterized by decorative greenery. The leaf plate is so strongly curved that the shoots appear curly. The flowering of this plant is also picturesque. Among the bright green foliage, orange-red flowers appear.
8. Carolina - Aeschinanthus with large (length 8 cm, width 6 cm) leaves. The glass of the bract is elongated dark wine color, the flowers are red with a light throat.
9. New Guinea is a variety distinguished by the color of leaves and flowers. This Aeschananthus has greens of a lighter shade, and the inflorescences are pale pink with greenish cups.
10. Tricolor - a variety of Aeschinanthus with rounded small leaves. Its main charm is striped tiger inflorescences. The relatively short red flower is covered with longitudinal burgundy lines, and the stamens and pistil are yellow.
11. Purple Star is an unpretentious hybrid, with upright rather than drooping shoots. The calyx is small, light green, the flower is large, the color of red wine with dark pink stamens.
12. Big Apple is a modern miniature variety that can be grown not only as an ampelous, but also as a straight bushy plant. On the shoots are narrowish small leaves with a pointed end. Flowering is lush. Inflorescences of a traditional red hue for Aeschinanthus.
13. Coral Flame is a compact aescinanthus, its shoots are no more than 25 cm long. The stems descend in a graceful cascade. Light green small rounded leaves, wavy. Coral-pink flowers are located along the entire length of the shoots.
14. Aeschinanthus Lobianus Variegata is a variegated variety. Creeping shoots, hard leaves are decorated with white stripes. Racemes of red flowers are located at the ends of the stems.
15. Aeschinanthus Thailand is a very elegant variegated variety. Large leaves are colored in the middle in different shades of green, and the edges are white. Bush of small size.

Beautiful, beautiful, marble and other varieties and varieties of Aeschinanthus in the photo gallery.

Aeschinanthus New Guinea with flowers in pink tones Aeschinanthus marble is loved for its decorative leaves, and its flowers are not so good Aeschinanthus Mona Lisa is recognized as a less whimsical variety
Aeschinanthus Lobba - small leaves and the most elongated bracts Aeschinanthus is beautiful, a little more modest in size than the magnificent Aeschinanthus Carolina with purple-red inflorescences Aeschinanthus magnificent has large and bright flowers Aeschinanthus Purple Star can be grown as a vertical bush Aeschinanthus Big Apple blooms very luxuriantly Aeschinanthus tricolor with striped flowers Aeschinanthus Twister - these are both unusual curly leaves and red flowers Aeschinanthus rocky - a rare but very interesting species Aeschinanthus Thailand is a compact plant with decorative foliage Aeschinanthus Lobianus Variegata - variegated foliage and red tassels of flowers inflorescences

Video: acquaintance with the eschinanthus Mona Lisa

Conditions in nature and at home

Aeschinanthus is an inhabitant of the tropical forest. And at home, he is faithful to the habits acquired in nature. He still tends to the sun, prefers humid and warm, without sudden changes in temperature, air. But the winter is ready to live in coolness and will be content with poor watering. So, when creating a climate for the Aeschananthus, consider the natural conditions to which he is accustomed, and there will be no problems with growth and flowering.

Table: conditions for eschinanthus

Florists advise twice a year, before and after flowering, to bathe the eschinanthus. Fill a large container with warm (about 40 degrees) water. Dip the plant together with the pot and keep it in water for up to 40 minutes. As they say, after taking a bath, the Aeschinanthus blooms better, and the autumn procedure tempers it.

Eschinanthus and florarium

In an ordinary apartment, tropical plants suffer most from dry air. Creating a humid atmosphere for them is the most difficult thing, especially if there is no time to constantly spray green pets. In this case, a home greenhouse - florarium will help. It is easy to maintain the desired microclimate in it with a constant temperature and high humidity. Compact bushes of new varieties of Aescinanthus can be grown in an open florarium - a transparent container, for example, an aquarium, where the same moisture-loving flowers grow.

For example, Monstera is also famous for its love for abundant watering:

For ampelous eschinanthus, you will need a rather large florarium

However, large ampelous plants cannot be placed in a small aquarium garden. For them, the so-called green showcase, or window, is suitable. It looks like a transparent "enclosure" filled with green inhabitants of the tropics, very original and decorative. But such a structure is not easy to make. You will need equipment for irrigation, ventilation, lighting and bottom heating.

All about transplant

Young Aeschinanthus are usually transplanted every year, on the eve of awakening - in the spring. But an adult plant grows better in a cramped pot and does not like changing the pot too much. Therefore, transplant 3-4-year-old specimens only when the need is ripe, if the roots have braided the whole earth and sprouted into drainage holes, and the flower has stopped developing. When the plant is healthy and does not need to be replaced with soil, it is better to transship so as not to disturb the roots.

A recently purchased Aeschinanthus should be transplanted immediately if the pot is very small, the soil is of poor quality, or the flower is sick. But if the plant looks happy, wait with transplanting until spring.

Aeschinanthus are most often grown in the form of ampelous flowers.

Take a new pot for the Aeschinanthus 2–3 cm larger than the previous one. Large capacity will slow flowering. Even adult plants feel great in pots with a diameter of about 18 cm. Hanging or wall planters and baskets are suitable for the ampelous eschinanthus, they will allow its shoots to hang comfortably. An ordinary pot will also work if you plan to place it on a high stand or grow a bush on a support.

New varieties of Aescinanthus can be grown as upright bushes

In nature, Aeschinanthus leads an epiphyte or semi-epiphyte lifestyle, so at home it needs a very airy and porous soil substrate. So that the roots receive enough air and do not suffer from stagnant moisture. Soil mix options:

• ready-made soil for orchids or bromeliads;
• equally leafy earth, peat, perlite, coconut fiber;
• one part of soil for succulents, perlite, cut sphagnum and half of vermiculite with the addition of charcoal;
• leafy earth and peat are equally divided, sphagnum moss and coarse sand are half as much;
• in equal proportions a mixture of peat and leaf soil, perlite and coconut fiber.

The drainage layer is a must! It will help drain excess water from sensitive roots and protect them from rotting.

How to transplant eschinanthus

1. Decontaminate all components of the substrate for planting: ignite, steam or treat with a fungicide.
2. Pour drainage (small expanded clay, pebbles, brick chips) at the bottom of the pot with holes. Top with some potting mix.
3. Remove the eschananthus from the old container without disturbing the earthen clod. Install it in a new pot. If you plan to grow a plant with a support, put it right away.
4. Pour the substrate between the wall of the pot and the earthy clod, tamping a little. Pay attention to the strengthening of the support.
5. Water the plant, you can spray it, place it in diffused light or in partial shade.
6. After a week, when the eschananthus gets used to it, move it to a more lit place.

About supports

Most types of Aescinanthus grow quite quickly. Their drooping shoots do not need support if the plant lives in a hanging planter or in a pot on a stand. But modern varieties have become more often grown in the form of bushy forms. Elastic in youth, the stems become brittle with time. They are easy to damage. To prevent this from happening, the plant will need support.

Aeschinanthus can be grown using a support, so you get a tall bush

Ideally, it should be installed during planting or transplanting the plant right in the pot. To do this, you can use arches or circular structures made of vines or lattices made of bamboo and other materials.

Eschinanthus shoots must be carefully wrapped around the arch and tied up

Eschinanthus will not climb the support, its shoots must be tied up or wrapped around yourself. This must be done carefully, especially when bending the stems. They are very fragile. Flower growers have noticed that most often plants curl better counterclockwise.

Proper care

Aeschinanthus is not easy to care for, as they say, those who did not grow this flower. And lovers of this tropical beauty can argue with this opinion. It will be easy to care for him if you indulge his inclinations and if you already have epiphytes growing from the southern regions.

The purity of the leathery leaves is very important for the Aescinanthus. They should be wiped with a damp cloth so that the plant breathes better, in order to increase humidity and decorative effect. And spraying should be carried out with soft, demineralized water, then there will be no white spots and streaks.

Watering and feeding

When watering the eschinanthus, follow the rule: underfilling is better than overflowing. A plant with thick succulent leaves can survive a short drought, but waterlogging of the soil almost always causes illness or even death.

Aeschinanthus is sensitive to water quality; for irrigation and spraying, it must be soft and warm.

Between waterings, the top layer of soil must dry out so that air can penetrate the roots. In the summer, water the Aeschinanthus as soon as it is discovered, most likely, it will turn out 2-3 times a week. In winter, take a break: 2-3 days of dryness will be appropriate, especially when the air is cool. If the plant is kept warm, you need to water a little more. And be sure to drain the water from the pan. Excess moisture at the roots will not lead to anything good.

For irrigation, prepare soft (thawed, filtered, aquarium, settled) water, the Tropican does not like salt. As well as cold moisture. Irrigation water should be slightly warmer than the temperature in the room.

Flower growers advise using peat to soften water. Take a piece of about 100 grams, wrap in gauze and immerse in a container of water (about 2 liters). After a day, remove the bag of peat, the water for irrigation is ready.

When the eschinanthus is actively growing and blooming, it is fed twice a month. But you don't have to worry about food. Some deficiency of top dressing is more useful than its excess. When applying mineral complexes for flowering plants, dilute them a little more than in the instructions. Pour the nutrient solution only on moist soil to prevent root burns.

Flowering should be supported by top dressing, but dilute the fertilizer more than the instructions say.

flowering time

Young Aeschinanthus usually blooms without any problems. But next season it can show character and not grow buds. It can be quite difficult to understand why the plant is capricious.

Young Aeschinanthus bloom without being capricious, difficulties may arise with age

Reasons for not wanting to bloom, ways to please the plant:

• lack of light, bright and fairly long lighting, even in winter, is one of the most important conditions for flowering;
• too poor soil, try to feed the eschinanthus with fertilizer with potassium and phosphorus for flowering;
• too voluminous pot, in such a plant will grow roots and leaves, and only after that - flowers;
• too warm wintering, coolness helps to lay flower buds;
• low air humidity in summer; hot and dry air can cause the eschinanthus to drop buds, spray it more often;
• stress from a change of place, do not touch the plant if buds appear;
• the plant is overgrown, the stems have grown old, the buds of most varieties of Aeschinanthus appear at the end of the shoot and only once, therefore, after flowering, a refreshing haircut is needed.

Flowers are a reward for care and patience

Some flower growers claim that, in addition to objective reasons for refusing to bloom, there are subjective ones. It would seem that everything that is required is done, and the plant is without flowers. This means that the Eschinanthus lacks communication. Talk to him, and the buds will appear, plant experts advise.

Peace and illumination

Eschinanthus needs a cool (16–18 degrees) dormant period in winter for development and high-quality flowering. At this time, significantly limit watering and air humidity. And make sure that there are no drafts, and the roots of the flower do not freeze. Keep the plant away from open windows and hot radiators.

With artificial lighting in a warm room, the eschinanthus can bloom even in winter.

During the dormant period, the eschinanthus needs a lot of light, at least 14 hours a day. It can be placed closer to the south window, and with the help of artificial lighting, increase the length of daylight hours. For illumination, it is necessary to install fluorescent, LED or special phytolamps (Flora, Reflux).

Useful pruning

Aeschinanthus, which grows as an ampelous plant, does not need formative pruning. But sanitary and rejuvenating are necessary. After flowering, the shoots are shortened to stimulate the laying of buds in the future. After a winter holiday, it is necessary to remove dried, too elongated or bare stems, as well as leaves that have lost their decorative effect. Pinching the tips helps the growth of side shoots. But be careful: do not remove the buds, otherwise deprive the Aeschinanthus of flowers.

Another tropical guest, pachistachis, is less picky in care:

Care errors (table)

Video: features of caring for the eschinanthus

Diseases and pests of the eschinanthus (table)

reproduction

Most often, the eschinanthus is propagated by cuttings - this is the simplest and most effective way. You can root shoots and leaves with equal success, as well as use various substrates for planting them.

Shoot cuttings

Rooting without land

Prepare the cuttings as above and root them in the soilless mixture. Mix equal parts perlite, vermiculite and peat (1:1:1). Set up a greenhouse. When roots appear, transplant into light nutrient soil.

Cuttings root well in soilless mixture

It is effective to root small cuttings in a mixture of coarse perlite and sphagnum moss (proportion 1:2). Pour the substrate into a plastic cup, moisten, deepen the cutting to the lower leaves. Put in a greenhouse or under another glass. The substrate must retain moisture constantly. After rooting the Aeschinanthus, transplant it into the soil without removing the moss and perlite.

Rooting a leaf with a bud

If there are no shoots that can be used for propagation, or a rare variety of Aeschananthus, try rooting one leaf with a bud.

seeds

Reproduction by seeds is much more difficult. Although it is quite possible to get fruits and seeds at home. The plant self-pollinates, and after the flower wilts, fleecy long pods are formed.

Eschinanthus seeds are not difficult to obtain, but it is rarely possible to grow a flower from them.

To prevent small seeds from scattering, it is recommended to place the fruit in a bag before ripening. But the sowing campaign most often does not give a positive result, the seeds do not germinate, or the seedlings die. Therefore, grafting, one might say, is the only method of propagating eschinanthus at home.

Among the many indoor plants, a whole group stands out, which is called ampelous plants. Their distinguishing feature is long, falling down shoots resembling creepers. They are valued for these shoots, because they, like a living, green, and sometimes blooming waterfall, are able to decorate any vertical structure or planter. One of the ampelous houseplants is the handsome Aeschinanthus. These flowers do not belong to the number of widespread indoor crops, although caring for the Aeschinanthus and propagating it at home cannot be called extremely difficult. Yes, in order to “tame” the Aeschananthus, you will have to work hard, but the reward will be a magnificent ampelous plant that can become a decoration of the collection!

Description of the plant Aeschinanthus

Aeschinanthus is a large group of plants from the Gesneriaceae family. Even people who are not engaged in floriculture are familiar with representatives of the family, because it includes indoor violets, saintpaulias, the most common flowers of our window sills.

However, Aeschinanthus does not at all resemble Saintpaulia. As already mentioned, their stems are long, hanging down. The distribution area of ​​this genus is the tropical rainforests of Asia, Australia and Africa. Here, in the shade of dense crowns, numerous species of Aeschananthus grow, being a typical example of epiphytic and semi-epiphytic plants. This means that they do not grow on the ground, but are attached to the trunks and branches of trees, like orchids or bromeliads.

The most unusual thing in the appearance of Aeschinanthus is their flowers. They are elongated, resembling a long, curved tube. For this reason, all Aeschananthus are pollinated not by insects, but by small birds - hummingbirds, with long, slightly curved beaks. Even the name of the genus should be grateful to the flowers: in Latin it means “distorted flower”.

The leaves of the Aeschinanthus are opposite, sitting on short, strong petioles. Usually the color of the leaves is close to green, but now, thanks to the work of breeders, species with a different color have been bred. Corollas of flowers bloom at the tips of branches, in nature the flowers have a color of various reddish hues.

Interesting! Each flower, blooming, seems to be moving out of a brownish dense case, which is why in Europe there is a nickname for Aeschinanthus - “lipstick”.

In general, the appearance of the Aeschinanthus is very reminiscent of other Gesnerian flowers - columns and hippocyrts, especially when it comes to some species. Sometimes they are even confused, although a careful look will determine: the flowers of these plants still have differences.

Varietal and species diversity

As is often the case with tropical plants, their species classification is confused and has not yet been finally determined. There are figures in various sources - from 80 to 190 species! For lovers of indoor plants, this does not matter, because much fewer species have spread in culture, only about a dozen. On their basis, many varieties and subspecies have been bred. Consider some of the most common in home collections.

Aeschinanthus beautiful, or magnificent. Literary sources say that this is the most common type in apartments. Hanging branches reach half a meter in length, they are densely covered with green leaves of medium size (up to 10 cm). Often, especially in good light conditions, the leaves have a reddish border around the edges. The flowers are arranged in inflorescences, 10 pieces per bunch, have a bright red color, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. The pharynx of the flower is pink.

Considered a subspecies of beauty. It differs from the previous one in larger (up to 12 cm in length) green leaves. There are also more flowers in a bunch, usually at least 12.

Its flowering is modest, but it is this species that many lovers seek to get into their collections. The reason lies in the leaves: their green plates are covered with transverse whitish stripes, like a zebra. The underside of the leaf is not green like the top, but almost brown, with a purple tint pattern reminiscent of marble. The cascading branches of this species look absolutely gorgeous! Shoots tend to give lateral shoots, so the species grows well in width.

Along with the beautiful Aeschinanthus, it is considered the most common species. A little less capricious than other Aeschinanthus. Differs in bright red flowers against the background of very dense (thicker than other species) foliage. From the outside, it seems as if there are no gaps between the leaves at all, and the redness of the flowers “burns” against a solid green background.

Looks extremely decorative. Its dense, waxy leaves curl up like small curls. Among these green "curls" are hiding bright flowers, an orange-red hue.

Popular, especially one of its subspecies, Aeschinanthus Lobba. Like the beautiful Aeschinanthus, it stands out for the sophistication of flowers.

In the last half century, breeders have bred many different varieties: with yellow and purple flowers, with variegated leaves that have not only the classic, but also other forms of the leaf plate. For example, Eschinanthus rocky boasts oak-like leaves, and Eschinanthus Bella Donna the leaves are almost round, like glossy coins.

Conditions necessary for growing a flower

Aeschinanthus flower, being a typical inhabitant of tropical rainforests, would be glad that the conditions of the apartment corresponded to the nature of these biogeocenoses. Of course, in an ordinary residential area this is unrealistic, but something can still be done.

Lighting

With this factor, everything is relatively simple. In their homeland, the Aeschananthus grow in dense shade, under the canopy of the forest, so they also need diffused light in apartments: not direct, but bright enough. An east or west window will be just right for them. On the northern windows, flowering will be very scarce. In the south, it will turn out to be hot and uncomfortable, except that the flower will have to be constantly shaded.

Many home flowers adore when they are taken out to the balcony in summer, to the sun and fresh air. Eschinanthus does not like such walks at all, he does not tolerate exposure to ultraviolet light.

Air humidity

The wetter the better! Anyway, in the living room the air will not be too humid for the eschananthus. Constant spraying, the work of humidifiers, wide trays of water - this is all that the owner of the plant will have to do.

Temperature

Warm air is needed all year round: in summer about + 24ºС (of course, it can be a couple of degrees warmer and colder), in summer - about + 16ºС. If the winter temperature is not reduced, this will not be a serious problem, but may affect flowering.

Important! At any time of the year, Aeschinanthus do not tolerate drafts. After all, they are used to living under the canopy of dense forests, where there is almost no wind.

The soil

More will be said about it in connection with plant transplants. Here it is only worth noting that the flower needs a very light, constantly moist substrate, without stagnant water, as, indeed, all epiphytes. In winter, when the temperature is slightly lower, it is useful to dry the earthen clod in its upper half.

Features of caring for the eschinanthus

They are determined by those necessary conditions of life, which were mentioned above. Spray the eschinanthus with soft, preferably warm water. It is also necessary to water with water that is not hard, settled. Mineral dressings should be added only in spring and in the first half of summer, and in a reduced concentration. It is better to buy fertilizer kits for flowering plants in the store.

A flower transplant is carried out in the first half of spring, although if necessary it can be done in the summer. The pot is taken shallow, with a quality layer of drainage. It is good if large pieces of pine bark act as drainage.

As a substrate, you can use, for example, ready-made soil for saintpaulias, it is sold in most flower shops. It is useful to add a little crushed charcoal, finely chopped pine bark, pieces of sphagnum moss to it. If there is no ready-made substrate, it is easy to make it yourself, according to the following scheme:

• light leafy soil, for example, from under a birch - 2 parts;
• riding peat - 2 parts;
• coarse river sand - 1 part;
• moss-sphagnum - 1 part.

Transplantation of adult plants is carried out, trying to turn the process into transshipment: keeping the old earthen ball, increasing the volume of the pot. At the same time, it is not necessary to increase it sharply, the eschananthus prefer that the roots be a little crowded all the time.

In the spring, during transplantation, plants are also pruned. They shorten the long lashes by about a third, completely remove the old ones, especially those that have dried up over the winter. The second significant pruning is performed in the fall, after flowering.

flower reproduction

Taking care of this plant, you will often have to deal with a transplant. The fact is that Aeschinanthus has one characteristic property: after 3-4 years, specimens lose their decorative effect, and even high-quality pruning will not improve the appearance of the flower. Therefore, every few years the plants are thrown away, replacing them with young ones.

Aeschinanthus propagate without problems, by cuttings. The selected cutting should have three to five internodes, be at least 10 cm long, and be semi-lignified. Several lower leaves must be removed, the cutting itself must be kept for some time in the root former, and then placed in a classic greenhouse: with constant humidity and warm air. As a substrate, use a mixture of sand with peat or finely chopped moss.

Usually the roots appear after one and a half to two weeks, after which the cutting is planted in a small pot, gradually accustoming the apartment to the air. Sometimes it is possible to root the cuttings of the eschinanthus even in ordinary warm water.

Important! To make the plant look magnificent, several cuttings with roots should be planted in each pot at once.

It is possible to propagate the eschinanthus with seeds, although only breeders are engaged in this way. Obtained after flowering, small seeds are sown in a greenhouse, on the surface of a moist substrate. Do not forget that flower hybrids do not form seeds, only specific specimens are needed.

Pests, diseases, growing problems

In part, pests do not particularly like this plant. With improper care, aphids or worms, as well as thrips, may appear. These insects are bred using popular insecticides, for example, Aktara.

Many flower growers and lovers of exotic plants have exotic varieties of flowers in their collections.

One of these flowers is Aeschinanthus.

Its tropical, irresistible beauty of foliage and showy flowers are ready to brighten up any design and interior. But finding this flower is not so easy.

This is just a stunningly beautiful plant for hanging pots, in which the stems hang down, and clusters of flowers form at the tips.

The dispute about the capriciousness of the plant does not subside, many say that in the conditions of a house or apartment it is difficult to achieve flowering and normal plant growth. Today we will analyze how to properly grow eschinanthus at home.

Appearance

Aeschynanthus (Aeschynanthus) - belongs to the flowering genus of plants of the dicotyledonous class, of the Gesneriaceae family.

Aeschynanthus is a word that denotes a genus, it consists of two Latin words: distorted - aischyneia and flower - anthos. These flowers grow mainly on the islands of Indonesia, Singapore and the Malay Archipelago. The plant is widely distributed in the tropical forests of Thailand, Vietnam, Indochina and China.

An ampelous, beautifully flowering, evergreen plant is ideal as a houseplant, which is grown in a pot.

stems. The plant has many stems, the length of which reaches an average of 50 cm. Each stem is decorated with oppositely arranged fleshy and leathery green leaves.

Leaf length approximately 8-12 cm. At the ends of the stems are beautiful flowers in the form of tubules. They are also called "lipstick", because of the striking resemblance. Flowers are collected in a single bunch.

flower color depending on the variety, they can be dark red, yellow, bright red, orange or red-pink. The most interesting thing is that the flowering period of Aeschinanthus lasts from June to October.

The main types of eschinanthus

It should be noted here that the genus Aeschinanthus has about 194 species. There are only about 15 species that are used in gardening, but we will consider the most basic ones that can be grown at home.

Based on a wide variety of natural and natural species, breeders combine and breed modern varieties of Aeschinanthus. As a result, new varieties appear, in which flowers have a single or multi-color color.

Aeschynanthus splendid (Aeschynanthus speciosus)

Let's start with the most common room representative, there is also a second name eschananthus beautiful.

In their natural habitat, they grow mainly on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. In the wild, they are classified as epiphytic plants, that is, this flower grows on another plant, but at the same time it does not receive any useful elements from this plant.

Aeschinanthus magnificent at home is only grown in hanging planters.

In this representative, the stems reach a length of 50 cm.

Lignification occurs from the base of the stem as it grows. The foliage is very dense, evenly distributed throughout the stem, the size of the leaves is small, about 10 cm long and 3 cm wide.

Aeschynanthus beautiful

It is very similar to the beautiful eschinanthus. Only the leaves have an emerald color and with slightly pointed edges. Inflorescences are much larger, contain 10-12 flowers, with a bright scarlet color.

Aeschynanthus Lobba (Aeschynanthus parvifolius)

This species has shoots of a reddish or purple color. The leaves are small oval, more reminiscent of the shape of an egg. The upper part of the leaf is dark green in color, while the lower surface is lighter. At the ends of the shoots, flowers bloom in red or bright red.

Aeschinanthus Mona Lisa

The most not whimsical kind. Enjoys great popularity. Long stems are covered with medium green leaves with a shiny surface. The sheet is visually divided into two halves by a relief central strip. Mona's flowers are curved wine-red.

Aeschinanthus Twister

The leaves of this species curl very strongly, like curly hair, and the surface of the leaves shines, as if they had been polished and waxed. During flowering, the Twistare flowers open and are orange-red in color.

Eschinanthus Carolina

The most important distinguishing feature is the leaves, oblong in the form of an ellipse, the length of which reaches up to 80-90 mm. flowers are burgundy.

Aeschinanthus marble

Also, it is also called the long-stemmed eschinanthus. Many lovers of exotic plants appreciate it for the beauty of the leaves. The leaves are large, about 10-12 cm, leathery with original coloring.

The leaves along the entire length are covered with transverse stripes of a lighter color, and these strips are irregular in shape, which recreates the pattern of marble. And at the top of the sheet on a dark green background, yellowish spots are located.

Shoots (stems) reach a length of 70 to 90 cm, give a lot of shoots, which is why it grows rapidly.

And the flowers are unattractive plain green.

Growing and care at home

It should be based on the natural habitat. Aeschinanthus flower grows, wrapping around trees, snags near waterfalls and streams. Of course, we understand that it is impossible to completely recreate the conditions of the tropics at home or in an apartment.

Therefore, you should follow a number of rules when leaving. We will consider each option separately.

Creation of favorable conditions

illumination

That is, as mentioned above, in nature, a plant grows under trees, and only a little light is enough for it. Direct sunlight is contraindicated for him, but diffused light is what you need.

It is best to place it near the windows located in the east or west of your apartment, house or cottage. Windows on the north side, it is better not to choose, as the plant will grow normally, but there will be no bloom.

Humidity

As we understand it, tropical forests in which Aeschinanthus grows imply the presence of high humidity. To meet this condition, the following must be done.

If you have a humidifier - put it near the flower. If not, put a container of water.

Set a pot or planter with a flower, on a pallet with wet moss or expanded clay. It should be ensured that the roots of the flower do not touch the auxiliary materials.

Periodically spray the leaves of the flower with a spray bottle. Only for this it is worth using settled water with a temperature room.

Temperature

The temperature regime is divided into two cycles. In summer, a comfortable temperature is + 23-25 ​​degrees Celsius, and in winter + 16-18 C. In winter, the temperature is lowered to create a period of rest. In fact, this is very important, if this is not done, then the flower may not bloom.

During this period, future buds are laid. Sudden temperature changes are strictly prohibited. Another significant minus the plant does not like drafts, it can get sick from them.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that the best microclimate for Aeschinanthus is warm air without drafts.

Watering

This type of plant does not like abundant watering. Water must be at room temperature and must be settled. There should not be a lot of calcium in the water, if necessary, then the water must be softened. Watering should be carried out when the top layer dries out, this is about 1 time per week.

Excess water causes root rot and orange spots on the leaves. Drying is also unacceptable, this will lead to the death of the plant.

top dressing

You should know that during dormancy the plant is not fed. Top dressing should be done in summer and spring. To do this, use ready-made complexes for flowering plants (the name of the complexes is Zelenit, Rose).

You can consult and choose any fertilizer in the florist shops of your city. You should carefully read the instructions and only then apply. It is advisable to feed 1-2 times a month.

Pests and diseases

If properly cared for, then diseases practically do not occur.

There is a possibility of fungal diseases and gray rot due to frequent watering and drafts.

Often, pests begin to appear during transplanting in new soil or when buying new samples of plants and flowers.

The main pests are thrips, mealybug and aphids. In the event of the appearance of pests, the plant should be immediately treated with insecticides.

Transfer

Conducted once a year. It is best to do this in the spring. The most comfortable will be a shallow pot, medium in size, always with drainage holes. The next pot should be only 20-30 mm. more than the previous one.

Eschinanthus loves a tight container. Use the transfer method. The soil can be bought ready-made, or you can make it yourself.

If you decide to make the soil yourself, then you will need the following components:

1. Riding peat.
2. Moss-sphagnum.
3. Leaf soil.
4. Charcoal.
5. River sand.
6. Humus.
7. Coir.

Before transplanting a flower, drainage is laid on the bottom of the pot.

pruning

After flowering, the plant should be cut to shape. Remove old shoots, cut off old and diseased leaves. As a result, new side shoots will appear. Once every 4-6 years, the bush is completely renewed, one cutting is left, it is rooted and planted in new soil.

Features of care for varieties

Depending on the type of flower, the care procedure depends.

Aeschinanthus marble- loves heat very much, so the ambient temperature should be about 30 degrees Celsius.

Aeschynanthus beautiful- literally burns out from direct sunlight. Yellow or brown spots appear instantly on the leaves.

Aescinanthus beautiful- after the buds are tied, it is forbidden to move and carry the planter, vase. If this is not taken into account, the buds can simply fall off.

Variety Yafrolepis (Japhrolepis). This is one of the varieties in which flowering occurs in darkened rooms.

Variety Mona Lisa. It can be washed directly under the shower in hot weather.

How to propagate eschinanthus at home

cuttings

Aeschinanthus is superbly propagated by apical cuttings.

The length of the cuttings is approximately 100 mm., We choose such that there are 5-6 ovary nodules each. We cut off the lower leaves. Rooting a flower is best done in a mixture of river sand and peat, but it can also be done in plain settled water.

There are two ways to speed up the rooting process.:

• The first is to create a greenhouse effect, for this we put a film or a glass jar on a pot with cuttings. But do not forget every day to arrange airing for 2-3 hours.
• The second is the bottom heating, that is, we place a container with water and cuttings on the battery, at this moment the water will evaporate twice as fast, so do not forget to control the topping up of water.

Rooting on average occurs within 2-3 weeks, after which the cuttings are planted in separate pots. Only in Aeschinanthus variegated roots take root for 4-5 weeks.

seeds

Eschinanthus can also be propagated by seeds. But this method is used quite rarely and usually by breeders to develop new varieties.

Seeds are collected from ripe flower pods. Pour the seeds under transparent glass onto a wet substrate. Watering can be done through the pallet. As the hay sprouted, we dive young seedlings and plant them in another container.

Caregiving Difficulties

When growing eschinanthus, the following problems are possible.

When you buy an exotic type of plant for your home, start caring for it, something unexpected and incomprehensible can happen.

Why do the leaves fall off the Aeschynanthus?

If leaf loss occurs in winter, then the room temperature is too low. The flower should be moved to a warmer place.

If you observe this in the summer, then most likely this is due to low humidity or poor watering.

Why do the tips of the leaves turn yellow or dry?

The reason is the very dry and warm air of the environment.

On the surface of the leaf plate, yellow or light brown spots appeared.

There are two reasons:

• The first - the sun's rays fall directly on the leaves, in this case we transfer the flower to a dark place.
• The second is simple, you poured cold water from the tap on the flower. It is necessary to defend the water and bring to room temperature.

Why soft or weakened shoots?

This is due to excess moisture in the soil. It all depends on the degree of damage, you may have to cut off all the affected shoots, and root the whole ones.

Why does the eschinanthus not bloom?

The flower did not have a dormant period. Or the flower was placed at the window located in the north, as a result of which the kidneys have little light.

Why very slow growth?

The plant sometimes stops growing, this is primarily due to top dressing. We should not forget this point for the care of eschinanthus.

Why do flowers fall?

The main reasons are poor watering and low humidity.

But if there are small brown spots on the flowers, then this is a mistake when watering, it is impossible for large drops to fall on the flower.

Conclusion

In our article, we tried to tell as much as possible about a tropical evergreen plant called Aeschinanthus. We disassembled the main types, methods of care and methods of reproduction.

And most importantly, they sorted out a large number of problems that arise when growing flowers of the Aeschinanthus.

Recently, this flower has become increasingly popular for growing at home, due to its long and effective flowering.

Aeschinanthus is a genus of evergreen flowering plants in the Gesneriaceae family. Translated from ancient Greek, the name of the culture means "distorted (aischyneia) flower (anthos)". There is another, "folk" name for the eschinanthus - a fondant flower. Such names clearly reflect the non-standard inverted shape of flowers, painted in rich colors. For Russian apartments, this culture is a real exotic, since the countries of South Asia (China, India, etc.) are the birthplace of the plant. Also in the natural environment, the flower is found in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia. The advantages of the eschinanthus include a magnificent and unusual appearance, and the main disadvantage is the capricious nature, high demands on care. According to experienced flower growers, the difficulties of growing can be overcome if you find the right approach to the "education" of culture.

In the wild, Aeschinanthus grows on tree trunks without drawing nutrients from them, that is, in fact, it is an epiphyte. The length of the stems, surrounded by many dense oval short-leaved leaves with a pointed end, ranges from 30 to 90 cm. Pollination of the flower occurs due to birds from the Nectarnitsa family, which have a long, thin, curved beak.

To tree trunks, as well as snags and stones, the bush is attached with long creeping shoots. To survive in tropical conditions, where it rains rarely, but plentifully, thick leaves that can store moisture help. Thus, the culture is accustomed to warm, humid air and bright diffused sunlight.

Aeschinanthus in the wild

Racemes form at the tips of the stems. Over time, the color of the tube changes - the base acquires a yellow tint, and the top becomes red. The white tube of the ovary protrudes significantly from the ripened flower, which gives the plant an even more decorative appearance. Stamens at the same time come in various shades - white, yellow, pink. It is noteworthy that each flower is located in a separate brown cup, and therefore they are often compared to open tubes of lipstick. Despite the inverted shape, the brushes do not fall down, but stretch upwards.

Leaf plates are most often monophonic (only shades of green differ), however, in some cases, there are also variegated leaves on the outside with a red inside.

Indoor varieties of culture are mainly grown as ampelous plants.

The flowering period begins in June and ends in September.

With its appearance and “habits”, the eschinanthus resembles another tropical plant - columna. However, the shape of the flower is still different: in the latter, the upper petals are fused, not bent, while in the Aeschinanthus the petals are raised and do not grow together. The second obvious difference is that the flowers of the columna are located on the entire surface of the stem, and of the aescinanthus - only at the ends of the shoots.

The difficulty of growing a crop at home lies in the controversial nature of the Tropican. For example, being a light-loving plant, the flower may suffer from direct sunlight. On the one hand, the plant loves moist air, but on the other hand, it can get sick when kept in cool conditions. Surprisingly, high air temperatures during wintering sometimes cause the culture to stop blooming.

According to various sources, the genus Aeschinanthus includes from 80 to 194 species, among which there are various specimens - represented by hanging branches or semi-shrubs. Of these, about 15 species are suitable for home cultivation. The following types of culture are most popular with flower growers:

1. Eschinanthus marble. Differs in bright green foliage, decorated with white wavy stripes. The reverse side of the plate is painted red-brown. In length, the leaves grow up to 10 cm. The culture looks good in a hanging pot. The plant cannot boast of bright large flowers. Their green color in combination with brown blotches makes the flowers invisible against the backdrop of lush spectacular foliage.

   

   Aeschinanthus marble

2. Eschinanthus is beautiful. This variety is the most popular in home floriculture. Shoots reach a length of half a meter. The length of dense, slightly elongated leaves varies from 10 to 12 cm. In each racemose inflorescence, there are up to 10-12 orange-red flowers that look spectacular against the backdrop of emerald foliage. The corolla ends in five limbs, on each of which you can see a dark red speck in the form of a crescent.

   

3. Aeschinanthus is beautiful (magnificent). The plant is very similar to the previous representative of the genus, resulting in sometimes confusion. The main difference between these species is that the leaves of the eschinanthus are of a beautiful smaller size, and a red border runs along its edges. The stems also have a pale red hue. The pharynx of rich red flowers has a pink color.

   

   Aescinanthus beautiful

4. Eschinanthus Twister. A very unusual variety, which is characterized by lengths of stems, abundantly covered with foliage of a non-standard curved shape. From the outside, it looks like thick curly hair. The leaves are painted in rich green color with a glossy sheen. Coral flowers grow not only on the tops of the stems, but also in the leaf axils.

   

5. Aeschinanthus Mona Lisa. Growing this species is much easier than the previous ones - the plant is not too whimsical to care for. A distinctive characteristic is the presence of a clearly distinguishable central vein on the leaf blades. At the tops of the shoots, inflorescences are formed, consisting of densely composed bright red flowers.

   

   Aeschinanthus Mona Lisa

6. Eschinanthus Lobba. The place of origin of the species is the island of Java. Half-meter stems are covered with a large number of dark green small hard oval-shaped leaves with a purple border, while the wrong side of the plates is painted in pale green. Brushes consist of a few bright red flowers.

   

   Aeschinanthus Lobba

7. Rocky eschinanthus. A rare non-standard variety of culture. The leaf plates are wavy at the edges, the shape is elongated - they resemble oak leaves in their appearance. Light purple elongated flowers grow singly and are located on long petioles.

   

   Rocky Aeschinanthus

8. Caroline. It differs in large leaves 8 cm long, 6 cm wide. The bract is elongated, has a burgundy color, scarlet flowers, grow singly, are located on cuttings.

   

   Aeschynanthus Carolina

9. New Guinea. The variety is characterized by a pale color of leaves and flowers - the former have a light green tint, the latter are pale pink with short pale green cups.

   

   Aescinanthus New Guinea

10. Tricolor. The variety is distinguished by small rounded leaves, but the main feature lies in short flowers that have a tiger color - the main surface is orange, and the longitudinal lines covering it are painted burgundy. The pistil and stamens are yellow.

    

    Aeschinanthus Tricolor

11. Big Apple. A miniature variety, recently bred. It can be grown not only as an ampelous culture, but also as an ordinary plant. Leaves narrowish small in size with a pointed tip. The culture is distinguished by lush "fiery" flowering.

    

    Aescinanthus Big Apple

12. Purple Star. This is a hybrid that is characterized by straight growing stems, a small light green bract and large flowers of a rich scarlet hue with pink stamens.

    

    Aeschynanthus Purple Star

culture care

Eschinanthus is suitable for growing both in a residential apartment and in an office space. To get a lush bush, it is recommended to place several copies of the same plant in one vessel at once. The eschinanthus looks very bright in a hanging planter. The culture will regularly delight with its magnificent flowering while providing it with the necessary care and establishing optimal conditions for rapid growth and development.

illumination

The culture should be placed in a well-lit space. It is important to remember that Aeschinanthus does not tolerate exposure to direct sunlight. The best place for a flower is a windowsill located on the west or east side of the room. If the plant needs to be placed on a south window, then in the future it will be necessary to shade the flower from direct sunlight with the help of thin curtains. It is categorically impossible to put an eschinanthus on the northern window sill, because due to lack of lighting it will stop blooming.

Temperature regime

Sudden changes in air temperature are unacceptable. Ideal parameters are in the range of 20-25 degrees Celsius. In early autumn, it is recommended to move the bush to a well-lit room with a temperature of 15 to 18 degrees. Thanks to this, the first buds will appear already at the end of winter - the beginning of spring. From this moment it will be possible to raise the air temperature to 20-25 degrees.

Watering

It is carried out only when the top layer of soil in the container dries out by 2-3 centimeters. Gradually, excess moisture accumulates in the pan, and then it must be poured out. In winter, watering should be reduced. It is important to ensure that the water does not stagnate in the ground, otherwise the foliage will turn yellow and begin to fly around. Water the plant with clean, warm, well-settled water. It is desirable that it be soft, for this hard water can be mixed with 3-5 drops of lemon juice.

Air humidity

Being a native of hot countries, Aeschinanthus has such foliage that is able to accumulate moisture. Thanks to this, the plant does not need high air humidity (lower rates are also not terrible for it). In hot weather, it is recommended to spray the leaves of the plant 1-2 times a day, while trying not to wet the flowers. The culture should be moistened with warm, settled water.

In winter, it is not necessary to spray the bush, but if the humidity level has dropped significantly, then it is recommended to place the container with the eschinanthus on a pallet with wet expanded clay.

The room where the culture is located should be regularly ventilated, while trying to prevent drafts.

In spring and summer, the eschinanthus needs regular feeding. Fertilizers intended for flowering crops are suitable for this, however, you need to take only half of the norm recommended by the manufacturer. The plant is fed once a week during watering.

Over time, the foliage in the upper part of the plant begins to crumble, which significantly reduces the decorative effect of the flower. To prevent this, the bush must be trimmed from time to time. This must be done either before flowering begins, or after it is completed. Pruning consists in shortening long stems by a third of their length. It is also necessary to cut off the dried leaves.

Aeschinanthus with cut stems

To create the ideal appearance of the eschinanthus, you can systematically pinch the upper parts of the shoots.

Transfer

The procedure is carried out by transshipment before flowering or after the plant has faded. The new pot should be 20 mm larger than the previous one. Before transplanting, a good drainage layer should be laid on the bottom of the container. A young bush is transplanted every year, and then the procedure is carried out only if necessary (when the roots braided the entire soil and began to make their way into the drainage holes, the development of the flower stopped).

It is noteworthy that such a capricious culture feels quite good in cramped pots.

The transfer algorithm looks like this:

1. First you need to disinfect the substrate with a fungicide.
2. Pour drainage into the bottom of the tank, consisting of pebbles, expanded clay, brick chips. A thin layer of soil mixture is laid on top of the drainage.
3. Remove the plant from the old pot, preserving the integrity of the earthy coma, and place it in a new vessel. If necessary, you can install a support.
4. Pour the substrate between the tank wall and the transferred soil.
5. Water the culture and place in diffused light or partial shade.
6. After 6-7 days, the flower can be moved to a more lit place.

substrate

The soil should be loose to pass air and moisture well, as well as rich in nutrients. The substrate can be purchased at the store or prepared independently. In the first case, it is recommended to choose a soil mixture containing fine expanded clay or other components that provide looseness of the soil. In the second case, you will need:

• river sand;
• peat;
• leaf soil;
• sphagnum.

The components must be in a ratio of 1:2:2:1. A little charcoal or crushed bark can be added to the substrate.

For planting it is better to use a low wide pot.

reproduction

Over time (at 3-5 years of age), the eschinanthus loses its decorative properties, and therefore needs regular updating. It consists in the fact that the old plant is removed and a young plant is planted in its place.

Among most flower growers, cuttings are the most preferred method of propagating the Aeschinanthus. You can propagate by cuttings of two types:

• sheet;
• stem.

Stem cuttings are obtained by cutting the top of the stem with 5-6 nodes (this is about 10 cm). Cutting is carried out before flowering or after its completion. The cuttings are freed from the leaves and placed in a container with water or rooted in the soil mixture. From above, the shoots are covered with polyethylene or placed in a small greenhouse (recommended air temperature is 25 degrees). Cuttings must be treated with root or disinfected with coal powder. Roots appear in 15-20 days.

Propagation by stem cuttings

To get leaf cuttings, you need to cut the leaf along with the kidney. Next, the cutting is processed, planted in a container with a substrate and covered with polyethylene on top. As soon as the roots appear, the cuttings are rooted in separate pots with a drainage layer. Then the surface of the substrate is sprinkled with a thin layer of sand.

seeds

The least popular way of breeding Aeschinanthus. The ripe box contains small seeds that must be shaken out and sown in a container with a substrate. Crops should be covered with foil. Watering is carried out through the pallet. When young cultures grow up, they can be moved to individual pots. A year later, the eschinanthus will bloom.

When growing Tropicana, the following problems may arise:

1. Falling leaves. The reasons are low air temperature, drying out of the earth, damage to the roots, exposure to drafts.
2. The appearance of brown spots on the foliage. The reason is watering with cold water (the water temperature should not be lower than 20 degrees).
3. Lack of flowering. The reason is a warm wintering (the plant should be in cool conditions for at least 1 month).
4. Leaves turn black. The reason is the stagnation of fluid in the substrate.
5. The flowers darken and fly around. The reasons are moving the bush to a new place, low air humidity, drops of moisture on the flowers.
6. The tips of the leaf plates turn yellow and dry. This is due to the fact that the room is too hot and dry.
7. The leaves curl up. This phenomenon is caused by excessively low air humidity or by placing the flower close to heaters.

To solve these problems, it is enough to correct the mistakes and shortcomings in caring for the plant.

Dried leaves of Aeschynanthus

Among the diseases and pests, the danger for the eschinanthus is assigned to:

• powdery mildew (the disease develops if the plant is in a cool room with high humidity; treatment is carried out with the help of potassium permanganate, in more complex cases, they resort to pruning the affected areas and spraying with a topaz solution);
• gray rot (occurs in conditions of stagnant moisture in the substrate, low temperature; you can cure the flower with the help of foundationazole, as well as eliminating all errors in caring for the culture);
• chlorosis (eschinanthus must be treated with a phytofarm);
• scab (garlic infusion will help get rid of the pest, and in advanced cases - spraying with actara);
• mealybug (the bush must be wiped with alcohol or treated with laundry soap, in case of severe infection, spraying with actara will be required);
• spider mite (for treatment, insecticide treatment will be required, while the soil must be protected with a film);
• aphids (the plant can be treated with laundry soap or black hot pepper extract).

Conclusion

Aeschinanthus is a very beautiful exotic plant that requires special care and strict adherence to all the conditions for its cultivation. The nature of the culture is very capricious, so the plant is more suitable for experienced flower growers than for beginners.