Crossandra flower Propagation by cuttings and seeds Home care Photos of species

The name of the plant is derived from two Greek words krossos - fringe and andr - masculine. Crossandra has early and long flowering (spring-autumn), which is ideal for indoor cultivation. To date, about 50 species of flowers are known, which are naturally found in the tropics of Africa, Arabia, and the island of Madagascar.

The indoor flower crossandra belongs to the Acanthus family. It is a deciduous shrub about a meter high. India is considered to be its homeland. Almost all Indian women grow this flower. Go to the temple, they are sure to decorate their hair with crossandra and jasmine flowers.

Crossandra grows very quickly. She has erect, branched shoots, green or brown-purple in color. Frequent pinching promotes branching. Leaves are glossy, bright green in color, reaching a length of 3-9 cm. Red, yellow, orange, apricot flowers gather in spike-shaped inflorescences with edges. The peduncle reaches a length of 15 cm.

Reproduction of crossandra at home

Crossandra is a very delicate and whimsical houseplant. Under fairly simple conditions of care, it does not tolerate the slightest mistakes and can easily lose its decorative effect, which is very difficult to restore. Reproduction of crossandra occurs in two ways: by seeds and cuttings. She is not very popular among flower growers. Of the 50 species growing in nature, only 2 varieties are distinguished that have taken root at home - funnel-shaped and prickly crossandra.
This plant is advantageous to choose for growing at home due to its early and long flowering, which, with good care, lasts from spring to autumn. Humid air, frequent spraying and the presence of other indoor flowers around are ideal for the flower.

Crossandra

Crossandra Is a flower that belongs to the acanthus family. Her closest relatives include such representatives as pachistachis, ruella, afelandra, etc. She is not often found among the flower growers' compositions, since she does not forgive gross mistakes associated with her departure. Caring for the crossandra is not so tricky, but not significant deviations can lead to the fact that the flower begins to lose its decorative effect.

In nature, and this is the Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar, etc., about 50 species of crossandra grow, and only two of them have taken root in indoor conditions - this is boiled and prickly, and prickly is not so common.

Growing from seeds

Such a method as reproduction of crossandra by seeds has not received sufficient distribution among lovers of this flower, since it does not guarantee the preservation of varietal traits. All species are hybrid and reproduce vegetatively. At the same time, with successful seed cultivation, the flower grows healthy and beautiful, thereby guaranteeing good growth for all subsequent generations. Basically, the fruit of the plant contains up to four seeds.

The choice of planting material

To grow this plant, it is recommended to buy seeds from specialized flower shops.Freshly harvested seeds of this indoor dweller have excellent germination, respectively, do not need pre-sowing treatment. But the purchased ones must be treated in solutions of germination stimulants before planting or soaked for 2 hours in warm water (24-25 ° C).

Substrate and capacity

For growing crossandra from seeds at home, the most suitable substrate is a mixture of moistened peat and sand with the addition of coconut fiber and sphagnum, which can be easily purchased at garden stores. Such a soil composition has excellent air permeability for the planted seeds, it permeates moisture well and accelerates the growth of planting material. For the first time, small boxes or pots are suitable for germinating seeds, which must be covered with polyethylene or glass to accelerate germination and maintain an optimal moisture level.

Planting a flower

If the necessary requirements for growing seeds are met, the first shoots appear in 2-3 weeks. Self-harvested seeds germinate faster - within 1-1.5 weeks. This is ensured by maintaining an optimal temperature of 20-22 ° C and high humidity.

As a result, young plants are able to quickly grow the root system, their shoots are lignified, and the long-awaited flowering begins. All these growing and transplanting procedures are recommended to be carried out before August, since after that any actions with the plant can negatively affect its growth and development.

Where can one buy?

You can buy crossandra in a specialized flower shop, greenhouse. When buying, you need to choose a flower with clean, glossy, elastic leaves, without traces of rot at the base of the stem. If the foliage is soft, then the plant has been overly hydrated and is unlikely to recover.

The cost of a flower depends on the variety and size of the plant, on average:

• 800 rubles - crossandra fortune 20 cm high;
• 1700 rubles - a bush 30 cm high.

For those who grow crossandra, home care does not cause difficulties. With proper maintenance, a houseplant almost never gets sick, it always pleases with its magnificent appearance and beautiful elegant flowers.

Crossandra cuttings

Another way of propagating crossandra - using cuttings - is more popular among florists due to its lightness and effectiveness. It can be carried out throughout the year.

Harvesting cuttings

For reproduction, cuttings 8-10 cm long are suitable, which, after cutting, must be treated with a growth stimulator and remove excess leaves. You can plant a cutting for germination both in the soil and in the water.

Rooting methods

There are 3 ways to germinate crossandra cuttings:

1. Rooting of the cuttings taking place in light soil. In order to save money, you can plant several seedlings in one small container. This is a moisture-loving plant, therefore, the soil must always be kept moist and the cutting should be sprayed with water. Cover the pot with a plastic lid or plastic wrap for successful germination. In addition to light soil, coco soil is also suitable for growing. Long germination of the cuttings in the autumn-winter period is possible, in which case only your patience and proper care are needed.
2. Rooting of crossandra cuttings in water. A 10 cm stalk is separated from an adult plant and placed in a container with water. They are waiting for the appearance of the roots and transplanted into a previously prepared soil, suitable for further cultivation.
3. Rooting the cuttings in Jiffy peat tablets. One of the most relevant ways. Before placing the cutting in it, the tablet must be moistened with water, squeezed slightly and made a small depression. Before planting, dip the stalk in Kornevin, which stimulates growth, and put it in the tablet itself.After that, place it in a transparent glass or a cut-off bottle, cover it with the same container on top and secure everything with tape. The rooting site should be warm and light. Check within a month to see if the cutting has taken root.

Remember that rooting of cuttings can happen much faster if you provide them with greenhouse conditions - cover with foil and warm the soil.

Planting a plant

On average, crossandra cuttings germinate within one to two months. Pinch well-rooted seedlings and transfer 3-4 pieces into one large pot. In order for the plant bush to look fuller and more voluminous, drainage is a prerequisite.

The ideal soil for growth and development will be a mixture of 1 part of rotted humus, 1/3 of sand or perlite, 1 part of peat and 1 part of leafy soil. A pot with a hole is recommended.

With further growth, young crossandras are often pinched and transplanted into new soil enriched with nutrients and minerals every February. Do this by increasing the size of the pot each time. To stimulate profuse flowering, remove wilted flowers and ears in time.

Crossandra is a perennial, but over time, mature plants lose their attractiveness. Falling off of old leaves begins, stretching of the stems. As a result, only one new shoot can grow from the upper bud. Therefore, many growers practice growing this flower as an annual, each year replacing the old plant with a young one grown from seeds or cuttings.

Cropping the crossandra

The plant can and should be pruned, forming a crown to your liking. Remember, pruning is best done after flowering to avoid weakening the plant or cutting off the flower buds. The faded crossandra can be cut even drastically if you want to rejuvenate the bush: the trunk will release new young twigs. In general, they cut out all the excess, thickening branches or growing unevenly, shorten them to the desired length. But it is advisable not to get carried away, leaving about two-thirds of the length of the shoots.

Care after landing

After successful germination of seeds or cuttings, active growth of a young plant begins. The average term for the crossandra to reach adulthood is 6-8 months. At home, it reaches a height of 30-50 cm, in nature it can grow up to 1 m.

Caring for this flower can seem daunting as it is of exotic origin. But there are a number of simple recommendations that even a novice florist can handle.

This plant loves bright light, but it should not be kept in direct sunlight on a windowsill, as the leaves can turn reddish-brown. Diffused light would be ideal in this case. The air temperature in the room for growing crossandra should be 18-20 ° C. In hot weather, it is recommended to regularly spray the leaves in the morning and in the evening with boiled or settled water from a spray bottle. Keep in mind that the plant does not like drafts, so you do not need to take it out of the room.

Crossandra can bloom in winter, but this quickly depletes the plant. Therefore, for long-term cultivation, provide it with a resting phase from October to February in a room with an air temperature of 16-18 ° C, excluding any methods of fertilization or feeding.

As you can see, growing and caring for such a whimsical plant as crossandra at home requires sufficient attention and strict adherence to all the rules. In response to your care, this flower will delight you with its abundant flowering, bring the atmosphere of a bright, long-lasting holiday into your home and become a wonderful decoration at any time of the year.

Transplant and formation of a bush

To grow a beautiful crossandra, flower care must include pinching, pruning and transplanting in time.

• Transfer.It is carried out in early spring every year if the plant is young. An adult crossandra is transplanted every few years.
• Topping. The need for pinching is due to the fact that as it grows, the bush stretches out, loses its decorative effect. Pinching the upper part of the shoots allows you to preserve the decorative effect of the flower, to form a dense lush crown.
• Pruning. The procedure is carried out twice a year: in March and after flowering.

To make the bush beautiful and lush, in the spring the shoots are cut half the length, after flowering - by a third.

Crossandra at home: care and photo

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Crossandra (Latin Crossandra) is a genus of tropical plants of the Acanthus family, common in the humid forests of Sri Lanka, India and Africa. Currently, there are more than 50 species in the genus. The first in the genus to be cultivated was the funnel-shaped or wave-leaved crossandra. It happened in the 19th century. It is this species, as well as its varieties and hybrids, which is mainly grown as a flowering greenhouse and indoor plant.

Facts to note about crossandra

If we talk about a variety of funnel-shaped crossandra (Crossanda infundibuliformis) or wavy-leaved crossandra (Crossanda undilifolia), then their domestication took place at the very beginning of the 19th century. The most popular variety Mona Wallhed has been developed by Swedish plant breeders.
The flowers of this plant have always been loved by the women of India. Usually preening before going to the temple, they adorned their hair with jasmine and crossandra flowers.

Content

• 1. Listen to the article (coming soon)
• 2. Description
• 3. Care 3.1. How to care
• 3.2. Watering
• 3.3. Fertilizer
• 3.4. Transfer
• 3.5. Bloom

Reproduction methods

Reproduction of the crossandra is carried out in several ways.

Cuttings

In early spring, cuttings of 10-15 cm are cut off, sprinkled with a growth stimulator (Kornevin), and then planted in fertile soil. The cuttings are placed in a bright, well-humidified room. It is necessary to maintain the temperature + 20-22 ° С. After 3-4 weeks, full roots will appear.

Seeds

The seeds are soaked for 6-8 hours, then sown. The soil must be moist. A sand and peat mixture is used. Cover with foil. If you maintain a constant temperature of 21-25 ° C and regularly ventilate, then after 2-3 weeks sprouts will appear. Moisten the soil carefully. You can dive seedlings three to four weeks after germination.

Planting and caring for the crossandra (in short)

• Flowering: from spring to autumn.
• Lighting: bright diffused light.
• Temperature: during the growing season - normal room temperature, in winter - within 18-16 ºC.
• Watering: during the period of active growth - abundant, as soon as the topsoil dries out, in winter - moderate to scarce.
• Air humidity: high. Requires keeping on a pallet with wet expanded clay and spraying air around the plant from a fine spray.
• Top dressing: from spring to the end of flowering - once or twice a month with complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants.
• Dormant period: from the end of flowering until spring.
• Pruning: after flowering is complete or at the beginning of the growing season.
• Transplant: young plants - annually, older ones - once every 2-3 years.
• Reproduction: by seeds, but more often by cuttings.
• Diseases: leaf mold and other troubles due to improper care or breach of conditions.
• Pests: spider mites.

Daily care

The crossander should be watered abundantly with warm, soft water. You can pour the soil well, but after 20 minutes, drain all excess liquid from the pan.As the temperature gets colder, watering is done less frequently. The soil should dry out by 3-4 cm.

From early spring until the end of flowering, it is recommended to fertilize the crossandra every week. Use complex mineral formulations for indoor flowering plants.

For the winter, it is desirable to provide the flower with a dormant period. Of course, it can bloom all year round, but it is very exhausting. Crossandra loses its attractiveness. Rest is indicated by a decrease in daylight hours and a decrease in watering from the end of autumn. The plant gradually slows down its growth. After a good dormant period, the bush will bloom even more profusely.

After 3-5 years, the crossandra gradually stretches out and exposes the stems. To prolong the attractiveness, it is recommended to prune from the first year of the plant's life. Immediately after flowering, the shoots are cut off by at least a third. New buds are formed on the branches and bushiness increases.

Crossandra care at home

How to care for crossandra

The crossandra flower prefers to grow in a well-lit place, and the window sills of west and east oriented windows are optimal in this regard. You can also grow crossandra on the southern windowsill, having previously arranged for it to be shaded from direct sunlight in the afternoon. Northern windows are not suitable for keeping crossandra: from a lack of light, it will be weak and may never bloom.

During the period of active growth, the crossandra is suitable for the usual room temperature, but without sudden changes, otherwise it may lose leaves. In winter, the temperature in the room where the crossandra is kept should not fall below 18 ˚C.

Watering crossandra

It is necessary to moisten the soil in a pot with a flower abundantly during the period of active growth, as soon as the top layer of the soil dries out to a shallow depth. In winter, watering is reduced, however, preventing the earthen coma from drying out. Water for irrigation of the crossandra needs soft and cold water, that is, tap water at room temperature or passed through a filter for at least a day or a couple of degrees warmer.

Crossandra does not tolerate dry air, so it will have to be sprayed often: where the plant comes from, after heavy tropical rains, moisture slowly evaporates from the ground, saturating the air.

It is not the plant itself that needs to be sprayed from a fine spray, but the air around it, trying to prevent drops from falling on the flowers and leaves of the crossandra. And do not be too zealous, otherwise excess moisture can provoke putrefactive processes.

Fertilization of crossandra

Cultivation of crossandra requires the mandatory introduction of fertilizers into the soil: a lack of nutrients necessary for growth and development can negatively affect the appearance of the plant. In the period from spring to autumn, a solution of a balanced mineral fertilizer is applied to the soil twice a month. In winter, it is not necessary to feed the crossandra, but if you add fertilizer to the substrate once a month or two, there will be no harm to the plant either. Blooming crossandra is fed even in winter. Fertilize the plant on a pre-moistened soil.

Crossandra transplant

Caring for crossandra at home involves its regular transplant. Young plants are replanted annually. Well-developed, well-formed crossandres can be transplanted less often - once every 2-3 years. A loose and nutritious soil mixture is used for the plant, for example, of the following composition: humus, peat, sand, sod and leafy soil in equal proportions. It is imperative to lay a layer of drainage material at the bottom of the pot so that excess water does not stagnate in the roots of the crossandra. Then the flower is carefully transferred from the old pot to a new one and gradually the remaining space is filled with an earthen mixture. After transplanting, water the plant and, if necessary, add more substrate: there should be no voids around the roots.

Flowering crossandra

After the crossandra has bloomed, or before the start of the growing season, cut its shoots to a third of the length, and then, when it grows, do not forget to pinch the ends of the shoots from time to time to form a strong and lush bush. Pruning the crossandra stimulates abundant, longer and more regular flowering, but it is worth knowing that after four years the flowering of the crossandra gradually diminishes.

Soil and fertilizing for crossandra

You need loose soil. It can be a mixture of their peat, leaf and sod land in equal proportions with the addition of about 10% sand, you can add a little clay to have a positive effect on the root system. Be sure to lay a good drainage layer.

During the flowering period, it is recommended to apply organic mineral fertilizers every week. During the absence of flowering, it is not necessary to feed, this can contribute to the active growth of leaves and slow down the onset of flowering.

Indoor crossandra - reproduction

Crossandra is propagated at home by generative (seeds) and vegetatively - by cuttings.

Seed propagation is rarely resorted to, since the plant does not bear fruit every year and the seeds of crossandra are also not always on sale. But if you managed to get seed, embed it shallowly into a substrate consisting of equal parts of peat and sand. The container covered with glass is kept at a temperature of 23 ˚C until germination, periodically removing condensation from the coating and moistening the substrate from the sprayer. After a few weeks, when seedlings appear, remove the cover, and when seedlings have two pairs of leaves, plant them in disposable cups or small pots.

After the seed crossandra has taken root, start pinching it to stimulate tillering.

It is much easier and faster to propagate crossandra by cuttings. To implement this method, you will need sections of shoots about 10 cm long.Remove the bottom pair of leaves from them, put the cuttings in a container with water, wait until they grow roots up to 2.5 cm long, and then plant them in a substrate of the same composition, which was used to grow seedlings. In the future, care for rooted cuttings as an adult plant.

Crossandra

Crossandra

is a tropical plant of extraordinary appearance and shape. During the flowering period, it has flower buds that amaze absolutely everyone with their beauty and uniqueness. The evergreen flower was brought to us from exotic countries such as Ceylon and India. He was also seen in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. When growing in a natural environment, crossandra can reach a height of up to 1 meter. If you are planning to breed this unusual flower, then you need to take into account all its whims, which by their nature are not so many.

Landing

Not everyone can cope with this tropical plant. But there is nothing you can do about it, because each plant has its own whims and individual characteristics that must be taken into account when caring for a flower.

Since crossandra comes from the tropics, it is very important to create conditions as close as possible to its natural environment for active growth and annual flowering.

Planting a plant requires a lot of patience and responsibility. In this case, it is necessary to take into account a huge number of factors that can significantly affect the further growth of an exotic flower.

Particular attention is paid to the soil for planting, the size of the pot, watering and further use of fertilizers.

Before planting, drainage is placed on the bottom of the pot without fail. It can consist of fine pebbles, coarse sand, or small pieces of charcoal.All these requirements must be fulfilled after plant propagation. It is during this period of time that young processes need careful care.

Location and lighting

Although the crossandra comes from tropical countries, the direct rays of the sun have a negative impact on its development. It is very important that the plant is not exposed to bright daylight. Otherwise, it can lead to the development of diseases and death of the flower.

Under natural conditions, crossandra is used to being in the shade created by other plants. That is why, when placing a plant in your home, you must give preference to those windows that are located on the south side. At the same time, in order to protect the flower from sunburn, you can hang paper or thin tulle on the window. This will save the crossandra from death.

In winter and autumn, when the sun is not so bright, it is recommended to put the crossandra on the windowsill, which is not covered by anything. This is an opportunity to compensate for the shortened day and the lack of natural lighting. Also, the crossandra can be placed on a loggia or balcony in warm weather.

Pot size

When transplanting an already adult plant, special attention should be paid to the flower pot. As has been said more than once earlier, the new pot should be 2-3 times larger than the previous one. In this case, the diameter of the pot should be approximately equal to its height.

For plants that grow at a high rate, you need to buy pots that are 4-5 centimeters larger than standard ones. This will prevent the root system from sprouting through the drainage hole and the top of the pot.

Do not forget about the stability of the pot. It is very important that it stands firmly and securely!

The soil

When planting a plant, it is necessary to take a very responsible attitude to the preparation of the soil in which the flower will have to grow. So, for crossandra, the presence of fertile and evenly moist soil is very important. Moreover, it must be drained. After all, the plant in natural conditions is accustomed to soil with a high fiber content and a low level of acidity. If you do not recreate such conditions, then the flower will not be able to take root in the house.

You can prepare the soil yourself. To do this, we need to mix a small amount of peat with sand. It is also possible to use for the preparation of soil and loam. It is diluted with peat or dry leaves. In such soil, only coarse sand should be used, which should be placed on the bottom of the flower pot.

Before planting the crossandra, a small layer of gravel is also laid out on the bottom.

Since the crossandra can bloom more than once per year, it is very important that the soil in the pot is in a slightly dry state. Just don't overdo it. Make sure that the leaves do not wither or lose their color. To do this, they can be wiped with a damp cloth or sprayed.

Transfer

Spring is considered the best time to transplant a plant. The transplant must be carried out annually. And if the plant needs it urgently, then this period may not be sustained.

During transplantation, special attention is paid to the roots of the plant. If they are too branched, and they do not have enough space for normal growth, then it is necessary to replace the pot with a larger one than it was before.

If the growth of roots stops and their significant decrease, it is worth replacing the soil used and revising the irrigation schedule. In such situations, you need to do the opposite. That is, the transplant is carried out with a complete replacement of the soil and changing the pot to a smaller one.

Drainage is required. For crossandra, its layer should be at least 5 centimeters. For this, crushed stone or expanded clay is perfect.

Fertilizers and feeding

Crossandra needs regular feeding. The procedure for using fertilizers must be carried out for a whole year.It should be borne in mind that feeding from March to September should be carried out every 7 days. In winter, this procedure must be limited and carried out only once every 2 weeks.

Good results can be achieved using liquid fertilizers. But there will be much more benefit if they are pre-diluted with purified water. It is important to follow the instructions that should be included on each drug.

Fertilizers in the store must be bought for those plants that do not need acidic soil.

Watering

Crossandra is a plant that loves water. That is why it must be watered in a timely manner.

So, for example, from the beginning of November to the very August, you need to water the plant 3-4 times a week. It all depends on how quickly the soil dries out.

In September and October, watering is reduced to a couple of times in 7 days.

The water used is best infused for several days. It is desirable that it does not include limescale and other harmful substances.

It is strongly not recommended that the flower is placed in a tray in a liquid. This can lead to an irreversible process of suppuration of the root system and further death of the flower. The soil of the crossandra should always be a little dry. But in no case should you allow the state of wilting of leaves and drying out of roots!

In the first months of autumn, the flower does not need feeding and frequent watering. After all, it is at this time that he is preparing for future flowering. This period is the dormant state of the flower. Therefore, it is very important not to disturb him for several months without special need.

Temperature regime

A moderate level of heat is considered ideal for normal plant growth. It is not always possible to create such an atmosphere at home. Active growth and flowering of the crossandra occurs at an air temperature of 20 degrees. But in houses, most often this mark is slightly higher.

Don't be upset. Indeed, with proper care, the flower can grow at a temperature of 25-26 degrees. If the mark on the thermometer exceeds these indicators, then the growth of the crossandra will become very slow or even stop.

During the onset of cold weather, for the crossandra, a temperature of 15-20 degrees will be suitable. Decrease the temperature, recommended by adjusting the air humidity. In the presence of sharp currents of cold air (for example, drafts), the plant begins to wilt. It is for this reason that the flower does not need to be placed near the air conditioner, vents, heaters and near the balcony door.

Air humidity

In order for the plant to actively develop and bear fruit regularly, it is very important to maintain a high level of indoor air humidity. In nature, it is sometimes called greenhouse, and it reaches 60%.

It is almost impossible to create such conditions in the house. But, with the help of simple methods, it is still possible to achieve an approximate result. To do this, you can place damp pebbles or moistened expanded clay, peat or moss in the pot pan. When the moisture evaporates, a small amount of liquid will need to be added there. Make sure that the bottom of the pot does not come into contact with water.

It is very important that during this procedure water drops do not fall on the leaves of the crossandra. It is also not recommended to wipe it with a damp cloth and get carried away with frequent spraying. If you overdo it with moisture, then the leaves of the plant will begin to suffer. They will drastically change their color and can curl up from excess moisture.

Pruning

In order for the crossandra to have an irresistible crown, it is very important to carry out regular procedures, which include pruning and the formation of regrown shoots.Pruning of the bush should be carried out in the month of March, and after the plant stops blooming. Flower pruning is carried out at 1/3 of the total size of the shoot.

Using cuttings for propagation, experts say that pruning is necessary at least 3-4 times throughout the year.

It is also important to get rid of dried inflorescences, pinch the regrown shoots. This will allow the correct formation of the crown of the crossandra. Carrying out all the activities of the need because the plant grows quite quickly. And in order not to affect the further growth and flowering of the flower, it is very important to perform all the described manipulations in a timely manner!

Dangerous diseases and possible pests

If the leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow, this indicates that the crossandra does not have enough mineral fertilizers and top dressing.

Leaves that dry up, fall off and become covered with small spots, indicate that the plant was located near the window or balcony door. Such drafts very often cause the appearance of brown spots on the outside of the leaf.

In order to prevent the appearance of rot, it is necessary to remove the fallen flowers after each flowering. Otherwise, it can provoke the appearance of parasites.

In case of untimely flowering of the plant, it can be assumed that the crossandra is hot or lacks daytime color. Failure to bloom can cause the flower to age. So, plants that are more than 7 years old bloom much less often than young flowers that are 2-4 years old.

Frequent pests that growers usually encounter are spider mites, aphids and rot. In order to keep the plant alive, it must be treated with insecticides. The use of fungicides is recommended against rot. All drugs are purchased in specialized stores. In this case, it is very important to comply with all rules for use and safety.

Bloom

Crossandra can bloom several times in the entire 12 months. In order for this process to occur regularly, it is necessary to cut off the elongated shoots and pinch. Such events will contribute to the renewal of the strength of the plant, which will allow flowering from the end of winter and the entire period of spring.

Reproduction

Usually, crossandra is recommended to be propagated by cuttings. To do this, you need to cut off the stalk, the size of which should not be less than 10 centimeters. After that, it will need to be rooted. For this purpose, the cutting is placed in a container of water and placed in a warm room.

When using seeds, special greenhouses are required. For this, the prepared seeds are sown into the soil in the spring. This requires the use of leafy earth and sand. The first shoots can be seen after a few months.

Dormant period

It is believed that crossandra can live without a dormant period. It can bloom even in winter. But in order to restore the strength of a flower, it is still sometimes necessary to introduce it into a similar state.

This will require from October to stop watering and abandon fertilizers. The flower must be in a room whose temperature will be at least 18 degrees. Subject to these conditions, the subsequent flowering process will greatly delight you with its abundant amount of opened flowers.

Useful properties and toxicity

Crossandra poses no danger to human life. Pets are also safe.

During flowering, beautiful flowers can be used to create wreaths and decorate the bride's head. These principles are followed by the people of India. The plant also has a positive effect on the human body. After all, the extracts contained in its flowers are excellent hepatoprotectors.

Crossandra is an unusual plant that needs proper care.If you follow all the recommendations for growing this flower at home, you can observe the unique process of flower growth, as well as the time of its flowering!

Pests and diseases of the crossandra

Diseases of crossandra and their treatment

Due to the fact that crossandra loves moist soil and air, it is often affected by leaf mold. If you find spots of fluffy gray mold on the leaves, immediately cut out all the affected areas with the capture of healthy tissue, treat the plant with a fungicide solution, adjust the indoor humidity and balance watering.

All other painful conditions of the crossandra arise from improper care. For example:

• From insufficient or rare watering, the leaves of the plant begin to wither, and then fall off.
• Loses the leaves of the crossandra and from a sharp temperature drop.
• Poor flowering is sometimes explained not only by aging or improper pruning of the crossandra, but also by insufficient lighting.
• If you created conditions for the plant close to natural, and provided it with nutrition and moisture, then the crossandra should not have health problems.

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Pests of crossandra and the fight against them

In a room with a low level of air humidity, the crossandra can be attacked by spider mites - the smallest pests, dangerous primarily because they are difficult to detect. By the time you notice that a thin web has appeared on the plant, the pests will probably have time to breed.

With a small number of mites, just wash the plant under the shower with cold water, but if several generations of pests have appeared, then you cannot do without treating the crossandra with acaricides.

Buy Aktellik, Aktaru, Akarin or Fitoverm in the garden pavilion and treat the flower on the leaves with a solution of one of the listed preparations.

Growing problems

Quite often, the leaves of the crossandra curl and crumble. This problem can be caused by:

1. drying out of an earthen coma in a pot;
2. bright sunlight;
3. drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations;
4. low temperature of the content.

If the air in the room is dry, the tips of the leaves of the crossandra darken. In this case, the plant is placed in a moist peat substrate, often sprayed. With a lack of nutrition, the indoor flower turns yellow, loses its decorative effect. The foliage can also turn yellow due to over-watering, which has caused the roots to rot.

In the event of a lack of nutrients, the leaves turn yellow, but remain firm. When the root system decays, yellow leaves lose their elasticity, become soft.

The appearance of brown spots on the leaves of the crossandra indicates improper care or disease of the plant, and reddening of the leaf plates is a natural sign of aging.

Another common disease of the crossandra flower is leaf mold. The diseased plant is sprayed with fungicidal preparations, the affected leaves are removed.

As for pests, most often crossandra is attacked by spider mites and aphids (especially when kept in conditions of low humidity). If there are not many pests, you can wash them off with a stream of water, after covering the soil with a film. In case of severe damage to the flower, pest control is carried out with insecticides. If necessary, the processing can be repeated.

If not blooming

If the plant does not bloom or the flowering is not abundant, the crossandra may not have enough light. The flower should be placed in a brighter place. Regular pinching and pruning, removal of wilted buds stimulates the appearance of flowers. The flowering intensity of the crossandra decreases with age, so the plant is renewed every 3-4 years.

Krosandra species and varieties

Funnel-shaped crossandra (Crossandra infundibuliformis)

Either wave-leaved crossandra, or orange crossandra - a shrub with a height of 30 to 90 cm, but under dwelling conditions it grows no higher than 60 cm.It has narrow, pointed leaves up to 12 cm long with a characteristic wavy edge. The flowers of the plant are tubular, five-petalled, with large green bracts, pinkish-orange with a yellow center. They are collected in a tetrahedral spike up to 10 cm long.The most famous varieties of the species:

• Mona Wellhead is a very popular variety with a height of only 45 cm with salmon pink flowers;
• Tropic - compact plants about 25 cm in height and up to 20 cm in diameter, which can be grown not only at home, but also as summer plants in the open field. The series is represented by varieties with different flower colors: Tropic Splash - with dark yellow petals at the base and a lighter shade at the ends, Tropic Flame - crossandra with salmon-orange flowers:
• Orange marmalade - cultivar about 60 cm high with bright orange inflorescences;
• Queen of the Nile - a variety with rare terracotta flowers;
• Crossandra Fortuna is a compact plant with salmon-orange inflorescences and an improved root system, much less sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity.

Crossandra pungens

This is an East African plant with a height of 40 to 60 cm with variegated lanceolate petiole leaves decorated with silvery veins. The size of the leaves depends on their location: the lower ones reach 12 cm in length and 2.5 cm in width, and the upper ones - up to 6 cm in length and up to 1.5 in width. This is a yellow crossandra: its bright golden flowers are collected in short inflorescences.

Red crossandra (Crossandra nilotica),

Or the Nile crossandra naturally occurs in Mozambique and Kenya and is a shrub up to 60 cm tall with dense glossy elliptical leaves of a dark shade of green and five-lobed tubular red-brick or salmon-pink flowers, collected in apical short inflorescences.

Stem crossandra (Crossandra subacaulis)

A rather rare plant in culture, found mainly among collectors. This is a stunted species native to eastern Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Congo. The stem crossandra reaches a height of 15 cm, and its inflorescences painted in bright orange color are usually no longer than 10 cm.

Crossandra guineensis

Also a rare exotic species up to 20 cm in height, covered with short pubescence. On the underside of the green leaves of the Guinea crossandra, located on short petioles, the veins are clearly visible. Narrow spicate inflorescences from 5 to 15 cm high are composed of white or pale lilac flowers up to 2 cm in diameter.

As for a plant such as blue crossandra, or turquoise, it belongs to a completely different genus of the Acanthus family - Ekbolium, but we will tell you about it in another article.

How is this rare flowerpot different?

This plant was brought from the tropics to our continent 200 years ago, but all this time the crossandra was grown in greenhouses, therefore it did not gain mass popularity. But finally, the breeders bred varieties that can bloom beautifully on the windowsills, and the "takeover" of the houses of our fellow citizens began!

"Free" this meter-long bush blooms all year round in Madagascar and Sri Lanka, in the Asian and African tropics.

Our flowerpot has little light, so time of its flowering falls only in the summer (if the care is good, flowering begins in spring and continues until autumn). The flowerpot can be made to bloom in winter, keeping it under the phytolamp all the time. However, it is wiser to give him a break.

This is what crossandra looks like:

• it is a bush that grows to a maximum of 70 cm;
• straight stems are covered with brown or green bark;
• leaves are large (up to 8 cm), oval, with a sharp "nose";
• the leaf surface is quite interesting - it is both pubescent and glossy shiny;
• flowers are formed in a "hat" at the end of the shoots, its length reaches 15 cm;
• if the wilted inflorescences are not cut off, they will leave fruit on their own.

It is curious that the bush deliberately loses the ripe seeds. Falling into the ground of the crossandra pot or neighboring flowerpots, the seed capsule explodes, releasing them to freedom.

Popular types and varieties of such a plant

There are about 50 types of flowers, but this is in the wild. I will show those that have been adapted for breeding at home.

• Fortune... The most popular flowerpot with slightly shiny leaves and lush orange blossoms.
• Tropic yellow... A hybrid with light orange flowers (but not as lush as Fortuna's). This flower takes root not only on the windowsill, but also in the open field.
• Funnel-shaped... Luxuriously and for a long time pleases the eye with salmon-colored inflorescences. It was this species that gave life to most modern indoor varieties.
• Nile... A plant with pink or red flowers.
• Prickly... An interesting species with yellow flowers and decorative leaves (large, dark green, with striking white veins).
• Variegated... It has green leaves with thick white specks, therefore it is beautiful all-season. May bloom pink.
• Blue... Her flowers have a delicate heavenly shade. Unfortunately, they are too small, so this type is not very popular.
• Zeny Ice... The flowers of such a flowerpot are white, slightly greenish. It can be grown on the same windowsill with other crossandra - you get a beautiful contrasting composition.
• Guinean... It blooms with purple flowers.

Many and varieties crossandra. There are "individuals" with pink flowers (flowering Tropic Flame Is something between pink and fiery, while Tropic Splash flowers are generally two-colored, pink on the sides, and yellow inside), orange (Orange Marmalade is considered one of the most tenacious plants of this species), red inflorescences (Mona Volhead, Neil Queen - one of the most capricious varieties).

How to care for crossandra at home

Crossandra is one of the hallmarks of India. In this country, the flower is a favorite adornment of women; it is often pinned into the hair for various ceremonies. Until recently, the plant as an ornamental crop could be found only in greenhouses, but today stable and unpretentious varieties for home conditions have been bred. From the article you will learn how to grow and care for an amazing crossandra at home.

Bloom

The beautiful flowering of the crossandra begins in spring and lasts until autumn. In suitable conditions, the flowers on the crossandra can bloom in winter, but this load quickly depletes it. Therefore, in winter, the crossandra needs to provide a dormant period by placing the plant in a room with a temperature of 16-18 ° C. At this time, watering is reduced to a minimum, no additional fertilizing is applied.

During flowering, wilted inflorescences must be removed in a timely manner - this contributes to the active formation of new buds. The flower stem is cut over the topmost pair of leaves.

Description of the plant

Indoor plant crossandra is a tropical shrub of the Acanthus family. Widespread in India, where it has ritual and ceremonial significance. Until 1950, it was considered an exclusively greenhouse culture, since the flower is quite whimsical in terms of maintenance and care. Stable hybrids have now been developed that can be grown at home.

It is a fast-growing shrub, reaching a height of up to 1 m. Shoots are erect and branched, have a decorative purple or greenish tint. Due to the peculiarities of growth, the volume of the shrub is easy to strengthen with regular pinching. Leaves from 3 to 9 cm long are painted bright green, have a glossy shiny bloom. Flowering is observed in the warm season, flowers with pubescent petals are collected in rather large spike-shaped inflorescences with 4 faces. The color of the flowers of the cross is varied, the most popular are the petals of red, orange and peach shades.

Species features

In natural conditions, the flowering of the crossandra lasts almost continuously, and when grown at home, the plant needs rest in winter.

The genus Crossandra (Crossandra) unites more than 50 shrub and semi-shrub species, belongs to the Acanthaceae family. Shrubs growing in the natural environment up to a meter in height have glossy, slightly elongated and wavy leaves along the edges. The color of the leaf plates of tropical exotic species is saturated green, brown-violet, grayish. Sometimes silvery stripes stand out along the veins on the leaves.

In the flowering phase, brightly colored flowers bloom on plants of various varieties: a beautiful crossandra flower can have pink or scarlet, yellow, orange, even blue color. Spike-shaped inflorescences, towering above the foliage, bloom gradually: first the lower ones, then those that are located above.

The most common in home floriculture are the following types of crossandra.

• Funnel-shaped (otherwise wavy-leaved, orange). This species includes both tall plants, reaching 1 m in height, and compact low-growing dwarf shrubs. Home-grown bushes reach a height of 50-60 cm. Breeders have bred many varieties of funnel-shaped crossandra with snow-white, pale pink, bright red or yellow flowers.
• Prickly. It is a yellow crossandra with bright flowers gathered in short inflorescences. The plant grows up to 60 cm, has lanceolate, narrowed down leaves with silvery veins.
• Nile (aka nylotika, red crossandra). Semi-shrub up to 60 cm high with rich dark green glossy leaves. Flowers of red brick or salmon pink color are collected in apical inflorescences.

Relatively recently, a new hybrid was bred from the funnel-shaped species - the crossandra fortune. This variety is less demanding on the surrounding conditions: it easily tolerates increased dryness of the air, withstands temperatures of 10–12 ° C. Compared to other varieties, fortune blooms longer and more abundantly. Thanks to these qualities, the plant has gained great popularity among flower growers.

Types and varieties

In total, about 50 species of crossandra are known, only two of them are grown as a pot culture:

• Wavy-leaved. It grows up to 70 cm in length, the leaf blades have a wavy shape. The leaves are arranged in clusters over the entire surface of the stem. Looks decorative even outside flowering. Inflorescences are represented by large asymmetric axillary baskets, the color of the buds is salmon, yellow or orange;

• Funnel-shaped. At home, it can grow up to 90 cm. It has characteristic erect and very branched stems, painted in a brown-purple color. The oblong leaves are glossy, in an adult their plant can reach 12 cm. The flowers are funnel-shaped, have tubular corollas and five petals (see photo). The average bud diameter is 2.5 cm, they are located on the cob up to 10 cm long. In favorable conditions, flowering is possible from mid-spring to autumn.

In the greenhouse collections, the following types of crossandra are found: prickly, red, blue and Guinean. On sale you can find a large variety of crossandra. Almost all potted species of this plant are hybrid, due to which endurance and unpretentiousness are achieved. Popular varieties - Tropic, Mona Wellhead, Orange Marmalade, Fortuna.

Plant energy

Each flower carries the harmony of nature. The favorable energy of plants has a positive effect on the microclimate in the family. Plants can absorb bad energy. In order for the exchange to take place, it is necessary to correctly position the flower and surround it with care. You can put a plant of the crossandra type in the living room or in the hall of a country house. Even the name of the plant can bring certain benefits. The crossandra flower is a beautiful name in itself, which means it will bring good luck and harmony.

Choice of place and conditions of detention

Growing crossandra at home is not an easy task. The plant is sensitive to temperature conditions, humidity and light. That is why you should correctly approach the place to place the pot. Not only the health of the plant depends on the conditions of detention, but also the abundance of flowering, the saturation of the color of the buds.

Lighting and location

Crossandra prefers continuous diffused lighting. It is better to place a pot with a plant in the center of the windowsill on the west or east side of the apartment. In sunny weather, it is advisable to darken the planting; when exposed to sunlight, burns appear on the leaves.

Lack of light leads to the cessation of flowering, the intensity of the color of the leaf blades decreases, all vegetative parts become smaller. In conditions of shade, the development of the crossandra slows down or stops. During the active growing season, it is undesirable to disturb the plant, move it from one place to another.

Read also: Pomelo - useful properties and contraindications

Temperature

Like other tropical crops, crossandra are thermophilic. Flowering is possible only under conditions of elevated temperature; buds do not develop in the cold. During the dormant period in winter, the optimal temperature regime is 16-18 o C, from spring to late autumn the plant should be warm in the range from 20 to 25 o C. When the temperature drops, the plant reacts by changing the color of the leaves, and the growth rate decreases.

Air and humidity

When growing crossandra, moisture is one of the key aspects. The culture feels best in conditions of high humidity at the level of 75-85%. For this purpose, you should periodically moisten the leaves by spraying with water at room temperature.

During the operation of heating devices, it is advisable to place a container with water next to the pot, as well as use air humidifiers. In addition, some gardeners put wet pebbles into the pallet, which helps to maintain the moisture in the soil. During spraying, you cannot overdo it; with an excess of water in the substrate, fungal infections of the roots develop.

Crossandra is sensitive to the effects of drafts, it should not be kept next to a periodically opening window, window or transom. It is forbidden to take a flower to a balcony or loggia even in the warm season.

Soil and pot

For planting and growing crossandra, nutritious, light and loose soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction is suitable. It is advisable to purchase ready-made substrates for flowering plants that have optimal values. If you prefer to prepare the soil yourself, then you need to mix leaf and sod soil, compost, and river sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1.

A pot for a crossandra is selected depending on the age of the plant. In size and volume, it should be slightly larger than the root system. For this culture, low, but wide or elongated containers are suitable. The material of the pot is unimportant, and at the bottom there must be holes for draining excess water, a fairly spacious pan.

Growing crossandra at home requires patience and adherence to the rules of care. The plant is sensitive to external influences, with a lack of nutrients or a violation of the irrigation regime, it reacts with a decrease in the growth rate, a deterioration in the quality of flowering. The flower needs regular replanting and pruning for decorative purposes.

Crossandra requires moderate and regular watering. The plant does not tolerate both waterlogging and lack of water. During a drought, the leaves wither, the buds lose color and shrink. It is advisable to water the plant 1-2 times a week during the growing season from spring to autumn; in winter, the regime is reduced to 1-2 times every 14 days. The irrigation liquid should be soft and settled; you can use melt or rain water.During the period of active flowering, watering should be carried out along the edge of the pot in order to avoid moisture getting on the peduncles.

The flower does not need constant feeding. Nutrient compositions are applied during the growing season and during the next flowering. It is advisable to use complex mineral fertilizers for home flowering crops, since they contain all the necessary substances in a balanced proportion. Top dressing is carried out 1 time in 7 days during the next watering. You should not use organic fertilizers, as well as nitrogen-containing compounds, which leads to active growth of greenery, deterioration of the quality of flowering.

Loosening, mulching

To achieve high aeration of the soil, its lightness and water resistance, regular loosening should be carried out. The procedure is most convenient to carry out before the next watering. For this purpose, a small fork or wooden stick is suitable, only the surface layer of the soil needs to be loosened to avoid mechanical damage to the root system.

Mulching at home is not carried out, but among gardeners it is practiced to add decorative stones to the surface of the earth. The procedure is only needed to give an aesthetic appearance.

Pinching, pinching, pruning

During the entire growth of the crossandra, it is important to carry out regular shaping of the bush. For this purpose, you need to pinch young leaves and small shoots in order to avoid pulling the plant in height, but at the same time to increase branching. Pinching can be done at any time, except for the active flowering of the plant. In addition, after flowering, it is recommended to remove all faded buds.

Twice a year - in March and early October, decorative pruning of the bush is carried out. To do this, the shoots are cut to a third of their length, which allows for the formation of a more lush crown.

Subject to the conditions of detention and the rules of care, the crossandra grows and develops rapidly. The young plant is transplanted annually in early spring by transferring to a new pot. An adult flower can be transplanted into a new container every 3-4 years. The work can be combined with pruning, but it is important to place the plant in a comfortable environment. After the procedure, the crossandra must be watered abundantly, the first feeding can be carried out no earlier than after 14 days.

Let's summarize

• Crossandra is a tropical flower that has only recently been adapted for indoor cultivation, so it has not yet become popular. However, there are already enough varieties of such a flowerpot.
• The plant needs warmth (20 to 25 degrees), bright but diffused light, high air humidity (that is, frequent spraying and other water procedures).
• It is better to propagate crossandra by seeds, they are sold in our stores (however, the choice is not very large yet).

Also, the flowerpot is propagated by cuttings. A good example of working with a cut branch of a crossandra is shown in this video:

Reproduction

You can propagate crossandra at home using vegetative methods. Breeding features:

• Cuttings. Can be carried out all year round. To do this, in an adult plant, you need to cut off a shoot with a length of 7 to 10 cm, treat the cut site with a growth stimulator and place it in a nutritious substrate of turf, sand, peat. Rooting takes place within a month, during this time it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the range of 20-24 o C, regularly water the seedlings. After the roots appear, they can be transplanted to a permanent place. In addition, rooting can be carried out in ordinary water, but this method does not always lead to a positive result.
• Seeds. Planting material can be bought at a flower shop or collected by yourself. It is important to take into account that the ripe fruit bursts at the slightest touch, the seeds can fly up to a distance of 1 m. They have a high germination capacity and do not require preliminary preparation. The seeds are sown in a nutritious soil, the container is placed in a warm place and covered with glass.Seedlings appear after 3 weeks, after which they can be transplanted into individual pots.

Despite the fact that growing crossandra from seeds allows you to get a stronger and more hardy plant, it is easier to reproduce at home by cuttings. It is a reliable and simple method suitable even for beginners.

Propagation of crossandra by cuttings

Rooting cuttings of a crossandra photo

How to root cuttings of crossandra? The best time for rooting cuttings is spring, but cuttings are also possible in summer.

• Prepare cuttings 10-15 cm long.
• For rooting, use a mixture of equal proportions of leaf, turf, peat and humus, you can add a little sand.
• The cuttings take root within 3-4 weeks.
• Maintain a temperature of 20-22 ° C at all times.
• To make rooting faster, you can cover with foil, a transparent plastic cup, or heat the soil from below.
• Rooted cuttings are transplanted into large pots with suitable soil and mandatory drainage at the bottom of the pot.

Crossandra cuttings rooted in water photo

Crossandra cuttings root well in water. Before you start germinating them, soak them in the root solution for several hours. And then put it in the water until the roots appear. Cuttings with roots are planted immediately in permanent pots.

3. Varieties:

3.1 Funnel-shaped or wavy-leaved crossandra - Crossandra infundibuliformis

A green tropical shrub, native to South India and Sri Lanka, reaches a height of 30 - 90 cm, has abundantly branching, erect stems. Leaves are dark green, glossy, lanceolate, reaching a length of 5-10 cm. Flowers are collected in small apical inflorescences, have asymmetric petals of yellow, orange, salmon, coral, red. flowering can occur at any time of the year.

↑ Upward,

3.2. Crossandra funnel-shaped Fortuna - Crossandra infundibuliformis ‘Fortuna’

Perennial evergreens with very abundant and long flowering. It has glossy, green, lanceolate leaves with branched veins slightly recessed into leaf blades. It develops very quickly. During the flowering period, short peduncles are emitted at the tops of the stems, which bear bright, orange flowers.

↑ Upward,

3.3 Crossandra pungens

Evergreens that can be safely attributed to both decorative deciduous and flowering. This type of crossandra is often grown as a ground cover plant. Bushes have erect stems with long, lanceolate, dark green leaves. On the surface of the leaf plates, leaf veins are highlighted in a silvery shade. Leaves collected in whorls. During the flowering period, large inflorescences with delicate, creamy or yellow flowers appear on the tops of the stems.

↑ Upward,

Actions after acquiring crossandra

If a flowering crossandra was purchased, then before performing a transplant, they wait until all the inflorescences wither. Then they completely change the soil. Only that lump of earth is left that is tightly attached to the root system. To stimulate flowering, the plant is often treated with harmful drugs, therefore, soil replacement is performed.

Crossandra purchased after the flowering period is moved to new soil after 1–2 weeks. Such a waiting period is necessary for the plant to get used to the conditions, because transportation and transplantation is stressful.

What does crossandra need? (table)

Cramped but comfortable

Crossandra is a very friendly plant. Florists noticed that she feels better not alone, but in the close company of other flowers. Place the same lovers of humid air and heat next to the crossandra - begonias, crotons, fittonias, ferns, arrowroots, calatheas - and it will be easier for you to care for the indoor jungle. Spraying some will moisturize others as well. Effortlessly, you can provide your pets with a tropical microclimate at home.

Also, similar conditions of detention are suitable for an episode:

Crossandra will be easier to care for if it is surrounded by other plants with similar habits.

What you need to know if you want to buy a crossandra

The principle of choosing a crossandra in a store is no different from the procedure for buying other indoor flowers. For high-quality specimens, it is better to contact specialized stores that are able to provide the plants sold with proper keeping conditions.

Decide which species you prefer. To do this, of course, the easiest way is to choose an already blooming specimen. Before you buy a plant, inspect it carefully. It must be clean: free of foreign stains, traces of pests, signs of drying or, conversely, rotting. The leaves and stem should be firm and firm, not lethargic or wrinkled.

Prices for crossandra are not very high: they range from 350 to 1800 rubles. In particular, an adult large plant 25 cm high can cost 1,300 rubles. Much depends on the rarity of the species: if the funnel-shaped crossandra is quite common, then other species and varieties may cost more.

Types of crossandra with photo and description

Funnel-shaped crossandra Crossandra Infundibuliformis

Bush 30-50 cm high. Flowers 2.5 cm in diameter are bright orange, each flower has a large pubescent bracts.

Crossandra prickly Crossandra pungens

Crossandra prickly Crossandra pungens photo

Herbaceous perennial plant. The leaves are oblong, the lower leaves reach a length of about 12 cm, and the upper ones are only 2.5 cm long. Abundant flowering. The flowers are small, yellow-orange in color, gather in dense spike-shaped inflorescences.

Crossandra nilotica or nylotika Crossandra nilotica

Crossandra nile or nylotika Crossandra nilotica photo

Also called red. A semi-shrub about half a meter high. Leaves are dense, glossy, dark green. Flowers are five-lobed, tubular, gather in short inflorescences at the tops, have a brick-red or salmon-pink hue.

Crossandra Guineensis

Crossandra guinea Crossandra Guineensis photo

The plant is about 12-20 cm high.The trunk is covered with dense short down. The leaves are short petiolate, the leaf surface is colored green, and the lower surface is covered with wine-red veins. Inflorescences are narrow, spike-shaped, reaching a height of 5-15 cm. Flowers with a diameter of about 2 cm, are painted in a delicate pale lilac or white.

Knowledge and adherence to fairly simple rules for caring for a crossandra will allow you to create a unique flower arrangement at home.

4 Comments on "Crossandra flower Propagation by cuttings and seeds Home care Photos of species"

Good day. For a long time I could not find the name of my sick flower. Now I know that this is a crossandra. Thanks for the info!

It is very pleasant, Vera Maksimovna, that the site turned out to be useful to you!

The crossandra drops a good color, you can't tell me why.

Hello Tatiana! Crossandra can drop flowers if caught in a draft. Crossandra must not be exposed to strong air currents. The same effect can be obtained with the stress received from the switched on conditioner, if the plant is standing nearby.

Amateur flower growers simply have a huge selection of flowers with which they can decorate their homes, backyard plots. Among them there are a variety of specimens.

Crossandra - one of such representatives of plants that adorn our gray life. Truth, crossandra plant not too spoiled by the attention of florists.

Most likely, this all happens due to the complex nature of the flower, which until recently was considered fastidious. It was grown strictly in greenhouse conditions.

But breeders have always been interested in making this flower please as many people as possible with its presence. After all, it blooms just amazingly beautiful flowers. It blooms for a long time and impressively.

Description and features of the crossandra flower

Crossandra flower belongs to the Acanthus family. In another way, she is also called the "Ceylon beauty" because the sources of the flower come from India and Sri Lanka.

In appearance, this flower is a shrub or semi-shrub plant with erect, branched stems. The stems are mostly glabrous, but pubescent can also be found.

Their color is brown with green tints, green or violet-green. The leaves of the cross are green, they have wavy edges and sparse pubescence. Crossandra in the photo appears in all its glory.

Its tetrahedral inflorescences consist of flowers of delicate apricot, salmon, coral and bright yellow shades. The length of a flower at home can reach up to 40-65 cm in height, its diameter is 25-55 cm. Crossandra lives for 5-8 years, and blooms profusely for most of its life.

This wonderful flower got into the apartments of the middle lane relatively recently. Very long time caring for crossandra was difficult due to her capricious disposition.

This is one of those flowers that are inherently not too picky, but cannot tolerate even the slightest mistake about themselves. One has only to deviate from the recommendations of flower growers and do something wrong, as the flower immediately begins to react painfully to all this.

He may not die, but in order to fix everything and the flower has acquired its former living and blooming appearance, it will take him a lot of time and effort.

Breeders have spent a lot of their efforts and energy in order to breed varieties of this wonderful flower that could be grown without problems on a window in a variety of regions and climatic conditions. Therefore, the crossandra is not in a greenhouse or greenhouse, but on a window in an ordinary apartment at the moment it is not very rare.

Currently, this flower is the most popular among Indian women. Before going to the temple, they must adorn their hair with jasmine and crossandra flowers. This shrub is characterized by too rapid growth, which always pleases flower growers.

Planting and reproduction of the crossandra

Growing crossandra at home includes a variety of ways. For many growers, the most interesting thing is to grow seed crossandrapurchased from a specialty store.

When buying these seeds, be sure to look at the expiration dates on the bag. Than fresher crossandra seeds, the better its germination. It is possible to grow these flowers from seeds at home all year round, however, in winter, its growth is somewhat slower.

Therefore, planting is most favorable in the summer or spring, when the activity of all plants increases markedly. Seeds must be sown in moist loosened soil; peat-humus mixture can be used without any problems.

Do not deepen the seeds too much. They are simply sprinkled with earth a little on top and placed in a dark place. The emergence of seedlings is usually observed after 1-3 weeks. The seed pot should be covered with foil until the sprouts are firm.

At this time, they need very good lighting and moderate watering as the soil dries up. After reaching the plant 5-6 cm, it must be dived.

Reproduction of crossandra using cuttings is considered an easier and more effective way. It doesn't require anything special. It is enough to cut a branch of the plant and put it in a bowl of water. Rooting will become noticeable in a month. The resulting planting material is planted in the ground. He requires the most usual care.

Diseases and pests, control methods

Mold is Cassandra's main problem. When it appears, the plant is freed from the affected parts, transplanted into a new pot and soil, treated with a fungicide and watering is reduced until it recovers, as evidenced by the appearance of a new growth.

The second problem is harmful insects. A spider mite can affect crossandra, as indicated by yellowish spots on the leaves and white spider webs. The defeat of aphids will lead to wilting of young leaves. If you notice green larvae on the underside of the leaf, then a whitefly attacked the crossandra.

Insecticidal preparations will help to save the plant from insects:

All chemicals are used according to the instructions on the product packaging.

Reddening and falling leaves, blackening stem and other problems

Why is your crossandra losing its attractiveness? There are two answers to this question: either you violate the rules of growing and care, or the flower has been affected by a disease or attack by a pest.

Table: care errors and how to fix them

The source of damage to the crossandra is often the perohydration of leaves and / or soil in combination with a low room temperature: in this case, fungal diseases develop, manifested in the form of mold.

Table: how to resist diseases and pests

Photo gallery: possible lesions of crossandra

Whitefly larvae suck nutrients from the plant

Mold grows in conditions of excessive moisture

Spider mite - the reason for the appearance of cobwebs

Aphids suck out the juice of the leaves, weakening the plant

Crossandra in the house: signs

Krosandra feels better next to other flowers. Culture will love the neighborhood with:

Want to know more about taking care of Crossandra at home? Watch the following video:

Crossandra (Crossandra infundibuli-formis) - a genus of tropical plants of the Acanthaceae family. Homeland: India, Ceylon.

In nature, it is a deciduous shrub with funnel-shaped flowers of yellow, orange or salmon color, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences up to 15 cm long. It has straight shoots, quite branched, brown or green in color. Leaves of rich green color with a glossy surface, up to 9 cm long. Crossandra has large flowers of various shades of orange and red, as well as white and yellow. In natural conditions, flowering continues almost all year round. The shrub grows very quickly, and in natural habitats the plant reaches a meter height; we sell undersized cultivars.

Crossandra transplant

Transplanting a young plant after purchase

If you purchased a crossandra in a store, then you will definitely have to transplant it. If you have chosen a non-flowering plant, then transplant first of all, a week after purchase. The fact is that in flower shops all plants are treated with strong growth and flowering stimulants in order to give them a spectacular appearance. It is not known how long your flower has been waiting to be bought. Perhaps his powers are already running out.

If you have chosen a flowering bush, wait for it to bloom, and then proceed with the transplant. Before transplanting, water the soil well until the earthen coma is completely moistened. Try to carefully get rid of the store substrate. Leave only the one that is firmly attached to the roots.

• Prepare the pot a little more spacious than the shipping container, with the required holes in the bottom.
• Lay a layer of drainage material (expanded clay or small pebbles).
• The next layer should be of nutrient soil.
• Remove the bush from the shipping container along with the clod, taking care not to damage the root system, and place in a new pot in the middle.
• Fill all the free space at the edges and on top of the roots with loose nutritious soil.
• Water lightly, add soil if necessary, water again and drain excess water from the pan.

Plan your next transplant for the coming spring. Young plants for the first three years should be transplanted annually into more spacious planting tanks using the transshipment method. A pot that is too large will accumulate excess water, so choose it only two to three cm wider and deeper than the previous one.

Transplant of an adult specimen

An adult crossandra can hardly endure a change of residence, so you should not bother her unless absolutely necessary. Reasons for transplanting a mature bush:

• the root system of the flower has filled the entire space of the pot and looks out from the drainage holes;
• the root system is rotten and treatment is required.

In this case, remove the flower from the pot, free it from the soil. Cut rotten and spoiled roots with a clean tool with a margin, to healthy tissue. Treat wounds with charcoal or activated charcoal. Free the pot from soil, wash and disinfect. Only then use the treated bush again for planting. Don't forget about drainage. When watering, add phytosporin or another root rot fungicide to the water according to the instructions.

The soil

You can buy soil for crossandra at the store for flowering houseplants, for example, for azaleas, or you can prepare it yourself. Its composition should be approximately as follows: 3 hours of compost and leaf soil, 3 hours of peat and 1 hour of perlite or coarse sand. The main condition is looseness and nutritional value. Self-prepared potting mix and drainage material should be steamed or calcined for disinfection.

Pot

It doesn't matter what material your pot is made of, ceramic or plastic. Anyone will do. It is important that it has a lot of good holes in the bottom - then it will be easier for excess moisture to leave the ground. The pot should correspond in size to the root system of the flower, only 2-3 cm larger than it. Too spacious won't do. Since in it the flower will first grow the root system, then the ground part, and a lot of time can pass before flowering. In addition, excess wet soil can provoke root rot, then there will be no flowering at all.

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Diseases characteristic of crossandra

The causes of the diseases of this tropical beauty may lie in improper care of her. In this chapter, we will analyze the problems, identify the causes and suggest treatment options.

There is no flowering at the right time

Possible reasons could be:

• an unsuccessfully chosen pot of too large a volume (in this case, the root system and foliage are growing);
• the plant's lack of vitality for budding due to the lack of a dormant period;
• insufficient amount of nutrients in the soil or an excess of nitrogen fertilizers, which leads to excessive growth of greenery to the detriment of flowering;
• the plant did not undergo timely pruning, and it was left without new growth, and, accordingly, without flowers;
• lack of lighting, lack of humidity, non-observance of temperature and watering;
• the plant is too old.

It should be remembered that more capricious species of crossandra (variegated) can cause more problems to their owner. But after analyzing and correcting the shortcomings in the care, you can soon wait for the beautiful flowering of the crossandra.

Blackening and falling leaves

The reason lies in drafts and too low temperature conditions. The solution to the problem is simple - to increase the temperature of the plant's environment, and during airing, take the pot with the crossandra to another room so that the cold air currents do not reach the plant.

Reddening of the leaves

The reason is too bright lighting. The solution to the problem is shading, especially at noon. It is enough to hang light curtains and leave the flower out of the direct sun.

Too light foliage, partially white. This is a direct indication of plant burn!

Yellowing of leaves, darkening and wilting

This is directly related to a fungal disease - root rot. You need to remove the crossandra from the pot and carefully examine the root system. If the roots are soft and darkened, then there is nothing to save. Unfortunately, in this case, the flower is thrown away.

In the case of white and tough roots, we begin to treat the plant. First, we wash off the soil from the roots. We cut off all diseased roots, spoiled leaves and branches, cut off the top of the trunk. The plant treated in this way is planted in a new potting container with fresh soil. Add a fungicide (Fitosporin or Carbendazim) to the water for irrigation. The place for the pot should be warm and light, without direct sunlight. We start watering only when new sprouts appear.

Decay of stems

This is due to a fungal infection that occurs due to excess moisture. Often the roots rot along with the trunk. At the onset of the disease, you can save the crossandra. You can cut off the apical stalk for rooting. In the case of healthy roots, sprinkle the cut with particles of coal or sulfur, you can treat it with a growth stimulator and cover with polyethylene. These are excellent conditions for the awakening of dormant kidneys.

In case of decay of the roots and trunk, the crossandra is thrown away, and the companion plants growing in the neighborhood are treated with a fungicide.

The main preventive measures are watering without waterlogging, the correct temperature regime, and regular ventilation. If the temperature drops, remember to insulate the roots and limit watering. The substrate and drainage layer must be sterilized. The new plant must be quarantined.

Yellowing of the edges of the leaf plates, drying out of the petioles

The main reason is too dry air in the room. In this article, we shared tips on how to increase the humidity values ​​in a room. Rather do it so that all the foliage does not fall off.

The appearance of brown spots on the leaves

The main reason is waterlogged cold soil, which causes the roots to freeze. In winter, the window sill should be insulated (wooden, plastic stand), watering moderately.

Pale (sometimes white) leaf blade with red veins

This is a malfunction in the metabolism of crossandra, the disease is called chlorosis. For treatment, spraying with ferrovit, iron chelate (antichlorosin) is necessary until healthy leaves appear. It is important to arrange a transplant into new soil.

The leaves are hanging

This may be due to low air humidity and a violation of the irrigation regime, which leads to overdrying of the soil. The treatment is simple: the resumption of the correct regime of watering and spraying the leaves, the achievement of the correct values ​​of air humidity.

Features of seasonal care

It is important to remember that at different times of the year the crossandra needs special care:

• In spring and summer the plant needs intense lighting, it is important to avoid direct sun. Humidity should be high - at least 70%. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly spray the flower. Maintain a moderate temperature of around 20 ° C. Crossandra will love the fresh air, but without drafts and sudden temperature changes.
• In winter and autumn the plant can be placed on the south side. Direct rays are allowed. In the morning and in the evening, you need to highlight the plant.The air must be humidified, but at low temperatures the humidity should be no more than 50-60%. In autumn the recommended air temperature is 20-25 ° С. In winter - low (16-18 ° C). Do not allow the temperature to drop too much. At temperatures below 12 ° C, the crossandra dies.

1. Seven Secrets of Success:

Botanical name: Crossandra.

Crossandra flower - family... Acanthus.

Origin... Subtropics of India.

Description... Rod "Crossandra”Consists of 50 evergreen perennial shrubs and semi-shrubs. The plant has erect stems. Leaves are dark green, glossy, lanceolate, up to 12 cm long, opposite. The leaf blades have wavy edges. Flowers appear on the tops of the shoots in spike-shaped inflorescences up to 15 cm long, in most cases orange or coral, but can be pink, yellow or red, with 3 - 5 asymmetrical petals and a long flower tube, contrast perfectly with the dark foliage.

Height... It can grow up to 1 m in a few years, but usually no higher than 60 cm. The plant develops quickly and needs regular pruning.

↑ Up,

Transfer after purchase

After purchase, the plant is quarantined. At this time, he is allowed to get used to new conditions and is observed to feel well, make sure that there are no diseases and pests. After 2 weeks, the novice is transplanted from the shipping container into a permanent pot. It should be 4-7 cm larger than the shipping one and have a good drainage layer.

Pruning crossandra shoots: how to prune a houseplant

After the end of the flowering period, the shoots are trimmed, the temperature of the content decreases slightly and the dormant period begins. Before pruning a homemade crossander, you need to determine what appearance the plant should have, arm yourself with a pruner and cut off long cuttings. In addition, you need to remove all dried branches, leaves and faded inflorescences.

The dormant period will last until early February, and then again you need to trim the shoots of the cross by about a third of their length and arrange a beautiful crown. Along with shortening long shoots, they are also pinched. This action will give the plant the opportunity to release lateral shoots, and the decorative bush will become lush and elegant.

Watch a video about caring for a crossandra, which clearly shows all the steps for transplanting, pruning and forming a bush:

Nuances of care

Watering

The crossandra should be watered abundantly, but not flooded. Balance is very important here... The sign for the next watering is a slightly dried topsoil. Water must be used soft, separated for at least a day, if possible, take rainwater.Do not pour water on leaves and flowers - only on the soil.

Top dressing

Top dressing of the crossandra is a prerequisite for the good development and flowering of the plant. In the spring-summer season, the flower is fertilized 3-4 times a month with a balanced mineral fertilizer (for example, Uniflor or POKON). After feeding, watering is necessary. By the end of September, feeding is stopped.

Top dressing for crossandra is a necessary condition for plant development

Pruning and flowering period

After a dormant period in early spring, the shoots of the plant are cut in half. The crown begins to branch, young shoots are also pinched - this leads to an increase in the number of flowers. Crossandra blooms from May to September... For flowering, bright, diffused light is required. The plant gives the strongest and most numerous flowers for 2-4 years of life.

Faded flowers should be removed regularly, and after flowering, the peduncle should be cut off above the upper leaves. Also, after flowering, all shoots are shortened by 1/3.

Blooming crossandra is an impressive sight

Why is the rest period important?

The dormant period begins in mid-autumn and lasts until the end of winter. At this time, the plant also needs light and moist air.... Top dressing is stopped, watering is reduced (up to 1 time in 2 weeks), but the soil is not allowed to dry out.

The plant does not lose its decorative effect in winter due to its dark shiny leaves.

Since the main decorative effect of the crossandra is in flowering, a period of rest is simply necessary for it to gain strength for a new life cycle. Even with all the other measures for avoiding an unrespirated plant, you most likely will not see flowers.

In warm areas with a tropical climate, the crossandra can bloom all year round, but in the northern latitudes, it definitely needs to provide a rest period.

Table: conditions necessary for a flower in different seasons

Reasons why crossandra does not bloom

Often, flower growers have a question why crossandra does not bloom at all or does not bloom abundantly enough. The reasons may be as follows:

• Not enough light.
• No trimming done.
• The plant needs to be renewed.
• A very young seedling.

Based on the listed points, measures to eliminate this problem are also understandable. If the crossandra does not bloom for a long time due to a lack of light, then you need to rearrange it or highlight it additionally. Shoots need to be pruned and pinched in a timely manner to stimulate flowering. If the plant is more than 4 years old, then it needs replanting or updating.

cultivation experience

at home ... read

Care errors and their elimination

What mistakes do flower growers make in caring for crossandra, what are they fraught with and how to eliminate them:

Move the plant away from the window or shade

Disrupted metabolism (chlorosis)

Watering and spraying with ferrovite, antichlorosin until new healthy leaves appear. Transplant into new soil is desirable

Root rot

Place the plant in a warmer place. Avoid drafts

Treatment for root rot: cut off the affected roots, leaves, shoots, transplant into a new pot and fresh soil, sprinkle with fungicide, place in a warm, sufficiently lit place. Do not water until new growth appears

Too much pruning

Observe the norms when cutting a flower

Crossandra: what pests threaten the plant

In this chapter, we will analyze the problems associated with the attack of harmful insects and suggest options for getting rid of them.

1. Drying, curling and falling of leaves. In some places, yellowish spots and dots appeared, with white cobwebs. It's connected with spider mite... A systemic insecticide (Fitoferm, Actellik, Derris), or rather spraying, will help here. As a preventive measure, inspect the plant for the first signs of a pest attack. It is also necessary to keep the leaves clean: spraying or wiping with wet wipes. Humidifying the air and ventilating the room will also help. The spider mite loves dry and stuffy rooms.
2. Collapsing of young shoots, leaves and peduncles. Typically, if you look closely, you can see tiny insects. It - aphid. The fight against it should begin with the removal of seriously affected areas. Then wash the bush with a warm shower, and after drying, treat it with any aphid preparation containing permethrin.
3. The growth of the plant is strongly inhibited against the background of sluggish and dull leaves, whitish small lumps and sticky plaque. This attack mealybugsucking out all the juice from the plants. The first thing to do is to isolate the plant. This will help keep the companion plants safe as the worm quickly infects nearby plants. Next, remove the pest with a damp cloth or rinse under running water. Spraying or washing with a soap-alcohol solution (hot water - 1 liter, laundry soap - 20 g, alcohol - 20 ml) will also help. In case of mass defeat, insecticide treatment (Fufanon, Aktar, Aktellik) is indispensable.
4. The underside of the leaves is in greenish larvae, the bush is in flying small insects. This is an attack whitefly. Start by removing the affected leaves. Next, you should wash the bush under a stream of warm water, thus removing most of the harmful insects. Then it is necessary to treat the ground part of the plant and soil with the Aktar solution (see instructions). Several treatments may be required to finally get rid of this prolific pest. Also, from the whitefly, you can spray the crossandra with Confidor, covering it with polyethylene overnight. True, this drug smells strong, so it will not be superfluous to take care of this outside the house (utility room).

Growing conditions for crossandra

Crossandra fortune home care photo

Watering

Never fill a flower if you don't want it to die! Crossandra is sensitive to watering and lighting. Growth and flowering directly depend on them. In summer, water as soon as the topsoil dries up. Maintains balance: do not overfill or dry out. Use settled water at room temperature. Water sparingly in winter. When there are no flowers, watering is reduced too. Water about once every two weeks.

A resident of the tropics will also need regular humidification. Any methods are suitable: spraying, special devices, neighborhood with an aquarium, placing on pallets with expanded clay, moss. The hotter it is, the more often you need to spray the leaves, avoiding water getting on the opened flowers.

Transplanting a fireworks flower

Crossandra is not very fond of change. The plant takes a long time to get used to a new pot, can tighten with flowering, twists and sheds foliage. Therefore, a fiery flower is transplanted, if the roots have braided the whole earth and look out from below, growth has slowed down due to the fact that the soil is depleted. Then move the crossandra in the spring. Make the transfer, keeping the earth lump as much as possible.

The new pot for crossandra should only be slightly larger than the old one.

The next pot for crossandra must be selected 2-3 cm wider in diameter than the previous one. She doesn't need an extensive one. In a large volume of soil, it will grow roots, then the aboveground part, and flowers will appear later or not at all. In a large pot, water will linger, and this is fraught with rotting of the root system. The material from which the container is made is not so important for the crossandra. Both plastic and ceramics are suitable for her. And the number and diameter of drainage holes is important. The more, the better. Excess water should easily drain from the ground.

There must be a drainage layer in the pot with crossandra.

Prepare the soil for the crossandre porous and moderately fertile, neutral or slightly acidic. For example, plant it in universal soil, you can add a little coarse sand or chopped moss. Or try one of these recipes for potting soil:

• leaf and sod land, mix coarse sand equally, add vermiculite or a little broken brick;
• into two parts of leafy and turfy land, half - river coarse sand and humus;
• 2 parts of any soil for indoor plants, 1 each - vermiculite and soil for succulents;
• two parts of leaf and peat land, add sod land and sand one part at a time.

As a drainage, you can take expanded clay, small pebbles, crumbled brick (always red).

Crossandra transplant

1. Prepare and steam or heat the potting soil, drainage, pour boiling water over the pot.
2. Lay drainage at the bottom, on top of it - part of the soil.
3. Two to three days before transplanting, stop watering the crossandra so that the earth dries out, so it will be easier to pull out and save the earthen lump.
4. Remove the cross from the container, separating the earth from the walls with a knife or spatula, and inspect the roots.
5. Cut off rotten and dry ones. Clean a few extreme processes from the ground.
6. Treat the root system with growth stimulants (Epin, Zircon).
7. Place an earthen ball of crossandra in a new pot, spread loose roots.
8. Carefully fill the gap between the lump and the walls with new soil.
9. Tighten it gradually, being careful not to touch the roots.
10. Water the plant and spray the crown. Humidity helps to settle down faster.
11. Place the transplanted crossandra in its usual place.

After the purchase

If you bought a flowering crossander, wait with a transplant until the inflorescences fade. And then try to replace almost completely the soil. Save only the one that sticks tightly to the roots. To stimulate flowering, crossandra can be treated with special preparations that are not always useful, so it is better to transplant it into fresh soil.

Repot the flowering crossandra that you brought from the store after the inflorescences wither

Transplant the crossandra purchased without flowers in 1-2 weeks. Moving from the store is stressful, and so is the transfer. Let the flower get used to it in your new home.