Kalanchoe Blossfeld - features of flower care
Content:
With the arrival of winter, lush hats of blooming Kalanchoe of all shades of the rainbow appear in the windows of flower shops. Many people buy them as a gift for those close to the holiday, and then wonder about proper care. It is not difficult to maintain the attractive appearance of Blossfeld's Kalanchoe, but you will have to work hard to resume its flowering.
Kalanchoe Blossfeld, what it looks like, what family it belongs to
The flowering perennial herb Kalanchoe Blossfeld (Latin Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is a succulent member of the Fat family (Latin Crassulaceae). In the wild, it is found only in Madagascar. Sometimes on sale you can see plants under the most intricate names, for example, "Kalanchoe Brosselfeld", but this is a wrong name.
Simple Kalanchoe Blossfeld flowers
Bare branching succulent shoots form the crown of a plant up to 30 cm high. Large ovoid leaves with crenate edges are colored green or dark green, sometimes with a reddish border. The plant blooms in clusters, in which numerous buds bloom with simple, odorless, 4-petal corollas, predominantly dark red.
Briefly about the history of appearance, the use of leaves
The succulent was first described by the German botanist Karl von Pellnitz in 1934. He published an article in a periodical journal, where he gave a detailed description of the characteristics of the plant. The name is given in honor of Robert Blossfeld, a famous German breeder.
Unlike other Kalanchoe species, Blossfeld is grown for its attractive appearance. For medicinal purposes, foliage juice is used, using it as an anti-burn agent, as well as to restore damaged skin (from scratches, abrasions, cuts).
Popular varieties
At the end of the last century, breeders in Denmark and Holland bred numerous varieties of Blossfeld's Kalanchoe, which differ from natural forms by the splendor of flowering and more compact crown sizes. Now you can buy a plant with flowers of white, orange, pink, yellow shades, and not only with simple corollas (4-8 petals), but also with double ones (up to 30 petals). A group of hybrids based on Blossfeld's Kalanchoe was given the general name Kalandiva and is distinguished by a long flowering period (up to 6 months).
Variegata
The variety is distinguished by a special color of the leaves. They are lighter than usual, while covered with chaotic spots and stripes of white, cream and pinkish shades. There may be a reddish border around the edge. Variegata blooms mainly with red and coral flowers.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Variegata
Rosalind (Pink Flaming Katy)
Rosebud variety with a compact bush no more than 25 cm high and very large, wide leaves. Corollas of flowers are double, double.The petals from the face are brighter than from the inside, painted in a delicate shade of pink, which darkens as they completely dissolve. The usual flowering time is spring, but under optimal conditions, it can grow back several times a year.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Pink Flaming Katy
Kalandiva mini (Lilliputian)
Variety series derived from the Kalandiva line. Numerous double flowers, painted in pink, white, yellow, red shades. A distinctive feature is the maximum compactness of the bush. The height of the plant does not exceed 10-15 cm together with the peduncles.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Calandiva mini
Shell pink
The plant is very popular. Its peduncles are large corymbose caps of numerous buds (up to 60 each). At first, the petals are painted in a simple white-green hue, but as they dissolve, they become pale pink with barely noticeable veins. Although there are only 4 petals in each corolla, the variety is not inferior to the rosebud varieties in terms of showiness.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Shell Pink
Grandiva
Variety series with large flowers up to 2 cm in diameter. The shades of the petals are very different: pink, purple, violet, orange, lilac. The leaves are large and form a bowl, from which short, thick peduncles, crowned with unusually large double buds, tend upward.
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Grandiva
Kalanchoe Blosfeldiana mix
Under this name, terry varieties belonging to the Kalandiva group are most often sold in retail chains. They come in a wide variety of shades: white, red, purple, orange, yellow, violet, etc. Each year, new shades appear as a result of the hard work of breeders of large European nurseries.
Blossfeld's multicolored Kalanchoe
Tom Tumb Tetra and Orange Triumph
A variety that can be easily identified by its large crown (up to 30 cm in height) with large wide leaves, as well as by its 4-petaled flowers, which look like small stars. It included specimens with red and orange flowers that form on short juicy peduncles in the form of loose brushes or corymbose inflorescences. For indoor maintenance, this variety is 100% suitable, it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and increased immunity.
Kalanchoe Tom Tumb
Kalanchoe Blossfeld - home care
Growing a succulent plant at home is easy. It dies very rarely, but often loses its decorative effect with a lack of light. Re-flowering can be achieved when certain conditions are created.
Illumination and temperature conditions
Kalanchoe needs a lot of sun, so it is better to put the pot on the south, southeast or southwest window. In partial shade, the plant will not die, but it will stretch out strongly, its leaves will become smaller, decorativeness will suffer significantly.
The optimum temperature in the warm season is + 18 ... +25 ° С. From the end of autumn, the pot is rearranged in a cool, bright place, since a reduction in daylight hours in warmth leads to a strong elongation of the stems.
Watering rules and humidity
Watering the Kalanchoe is performed during the warm season after the soil in the pot has dried by a third. If watered more abundantly, the root system can rot. In winter, watered no more than 1 time per month. Spraying the plant is not required even in the heat, but periodically it should be gently bathed under a warm shower to wash off the dust from the leaves.
Top dressing and soil quality
The optimum reaction of the soil pH should be 6.0-6.5. The substrate is prepared in such a way as to obtain a not very nutritious mixture, but perfectly permeates water and air. Coarse sand, crushed charcoal, vermiculite are added to the universal soil for succulents. Top dressing of Kalanchoe is required from May to September, but no more than 1 time per month, with a complex mineral fertilizer for succulents, for example, Agricola.
Flower container size
The flower pot is chosen so that it not only accommodates the root system, but also has a small gap for its growth. The height of the container should be slightly less than its width. A drainage layer of expanded clay or small pebbles must be placed on the bottom.
Features of plant transplant
Succulent is not often transplanted, as it grows very slowly. An adult plant will need to change the soil and pot every 2-3 years, and young bushes up to 3 years old need an annual transshipment, which is usually carried out in May.
Flowering and dormant period of the plant
The Kalanchoe Blossfeld purchased at the flower shop will bloom only when the appropriate conditions are created for this:
- For 1 month, watering is stopped.
- All this time, the pot is left on the window in the light only for 5-6 hours a day, and the rest of the time the plant is in a dark cabinet or under an opaque cap.
- Standard care is then resumed.
When these activities are performed, flower buds are laid. If this does not happen, the plant is still young - you should wait 6 months and repeat all procedures.
Type and shape of flowers
Flowers of modern Kalanchoe varieties can be simple (monochromatic corollas with 4 petals), semi-double and double. The corolla size ranges from 4 mm to 2 cm in diameter. The buds can be collected in loose clusters or corymbose inflorescences.
Semi-double flowers Kalanchoe Blossfeld
Reproduction of Kalanchoe Blossfeld
Succulent plants multiply easily. The seed method is used to obtain new shades of flowers by crossing different varieties. Existing specimens are propagated by leaves and cuttings.
Leaf and stem cuttings
Each leaf of Kalanchoe, along with cuttings, is an excellent planting material. The cut part of the plant is left to dry in the air for 2-3 days. Then the cutting is immersed in the substrate and rooting is expected for 2-3 months. Watering at this time is carried out only after the soil has completely dried out, so as not to provoke rotting.
Seeds
Sowing seeds is carried out almost immediately after receiving them. They retain their germination capacity for no more than 1 year. Sprouts appear at a temperature of + 20 ... + 22 ° С after 10 days. If they did not appear, then the seed has lost its germination. The seedlings are left to grow up to 2-3 pairs of leaves, and then they are planted in individual containers.
Possible problems when growing Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe perceives overflow extremely negatively, especially when the air temperature in the house decreases at the same time. This is signaled by yellowing leaves that are losing elasticity, dark spots and dried out areas appear on them.
Are there diseases and pests
With improper care, the plant suffers from fungal diseases. At the first symptoms, the bush should be treated with a fungicide and left for 2-3 weeks without watering, since the suction capacity of the roots at such a time is significantly reduced.
In winter and early spring, elegant pots with flowering Kalanchoe bushes are a popular and desired present. It is very easy to look after them. This will allow you to admire the luxurious bouquet for a very long time, and, if you wish, to repeat it.
