Achimenes is a flowering perennial plant from the Gesneriaceae family. The genus has about 50 species. The homeland of the flower is Central and South America. They began to cultivate it in the 18th century, when it came to Europe from Mexico. From ancient Greek, the name achimenes is translated as "afraid of the cold." It is also called the "magic flower".
Despite its thermophilicity, achimenes has gained great popularity among flower growers. It has a very attractive appearance and blooms for almost the entire growing season. Growing a culture is not difficult if you follow some very important rules.
Brief description of the flower
Breeders have invented a large number of species of this beautiful plant. All of them bloom thickly and luxuriantly, delighting the eye with incredibly bright flowers of an unusual shape. Achimenes looks like a dwarf flower with a straight and slender stem, which begins to droop over time. The leaves have a serrated shape, similar to nettles. The flowers themselves look like elongated bells. They have many colors: red, pink, purple, white, yellow.
Achimenes flower
Lighting
Despite the fact that the flower is very fond of color - remove it from direct sunlight. If the plant is kept constantly in the shade, the stems will be long and bare, and the flowers will not be so bright. All varieties of achimenes equally dislike direct sunlight.
Varieties of achimenes
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Today you can find several types of plants and a huge number of different varieties. The most popular varieties:
- Achimenes large-flowered (Achimenes qrandiflora). His homeland is Mexico. It is considered the largest flower of all species and can grow up to 65 cm in height. It is not difficult to grow. The leaves are large, reaching 10 cm in length and up to 7 cm in width. Flowers grow in batches; several shoots may appear from one cavity. Their main color is purple.
- Long-flowered Achimenes (Achimenes lonqiflora). This is a medium ampelous plant. It grows up to 30 cm in height, has a scaly underground root. Leaves are light green, slightly pubescent, long in shape, serrate edge. The flowers are large. The color is white, yellow, or purple with a stripe near the throat.
- Achimenes Georgia (Achimenes Juareqia). White ampel with large flowers, up to 6 cm in diameter. Ahimenes Juareqia creates beautiful cascades, is distinguished by active development and flowering.
- Achimenes sweet (Achimenes dulcik). The plant is medium in size, has straight shoots and large, light green leaves. The flowers are white, resembling a bell-shaped appearance, with slightly curled petals on the outside. The pharynx is extensive, in the middle there is a lemon-colored spot, with small brown drops. Possesses a very weak, light and pleasant aroma.
- Achimenes erecta. This type of flower reaches up to 40 cm in size. It has red shoots and flowers with a diameter of 1 cm. Red Achimenes has thick and lush leaves.
Flower varieties
- Achimenes Mexican (Achimenes mexicana). In height it reaches 50 cm. The size of the flowers is average purple-blue, bell-shaped corolla, in the middle there is a spot of white color, and on the throat there is a strip of yellow color. Achimenes violet has large, straight shoots with lush emerald leaves.
- Achimenes Misera. This plant is medium in size, white flowers, up to 1 cm in diameter. Leaves are small, dark green, densely placed on an erect column.
- Achimenes white (Achimenes candida).This plant has snow-white flowers, very rarely with a shade of yellow. It has a funnel shape. The leaves are jagged at the edges, and the shoots are rough, dark red in color.
- Achimenes antirrhina (Achimenes antirrhina). This type of achimenes has medium-sized flowers, with a yellowish corolla, on which a rich red pattern can be seen. Light green leaves are covered with white villi.
Proper home care for achimenes
At home, achimenes flowers are unpretentious. But you also need to know how to provide proper and competent care at each of the periods of development.
Temperature, lighting and humidity
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Achimenes is characterized by natural light, but in the summer it is advisable to hide the flower from direct sunlight. The need for sunlight depends on the variety of flowers. With a small amount of illumination, the stem may become bare, and the flowers may become smaller.
Note! During the active growing season, the air temperature should be at least +20 ℃, and in the normal period, the temperature range can be 20-25 ℃ above zero. During the rest period, you need to take care of the flower at 7-15 ℃.
The plant loves high humidity, but you should not spray the flower with water, as spots may appear on the leaves that have an unaesthetic appearance. To grow a flowering plant and raise the air humidity, a pot with a plant is specially placed on the windowsill, placing pebbles or expanded clay on the bottom.
Soil and pot requirements
The size of the flowerpot should correspond to the size of the flower's root system. A mixture of soil based on several parts of leafy soil is most suitable. One part is light turf ground and the other is sand. A soil mixture of three parts of sod land is also suitable:
- humus;
- sand;
- perlite or vermiculite.
Additionally, it is advised to add chopped charcoal and chopped sphagnum.
Regular watering is important for the plant.
Watering rules
During active growth, Achimenes is often watered, preventing the soil from drying out. The best option is to water in a pan, so the water will not get on the leaves, which will eliminate the appearance of black spots. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature.
Note! In the cold period, starting in October, it is advisable to reduce watering. In winter, house plants are watered once a month to prevent the roots from drying out.
Top dressing
The first feeding is carried out not earlier than a month and a half after the first phenomena of numerous shoots. During dormancy, the plant does not need to be fertilized.
Note! Flowering will improve if you add a small amount of fertilizer with each watering. This can be filtered water from the aquarium or liquid complex fertilizers.
Pruning and replanting
If you want to have a lush ornamental bush with frequent flowering, then for this they do pruning of young shoots, above the second or third leaf. Be sure to remove faded buds daily. Achimenes flowers are transplanted in early spring. Rhizomes (rhizomes) are placed in a spacious pot with good drainage. Then cover with a film bag or glass until new shoots appear.
Care errors and their elimination
The table contains frequently occurring problems in the cultivation of Ahimenes and their elimination:
| Problem | The reasons | Decision |
| Light brown spots on the leaves | Watering with cold water | Use warm, well-settled water for irrigation |
| Bud color change | Indoor air is too hot | Observe the temperature regime, do not overcool or overheat the flower |
| Small nondescript flowers | Nutrient Deficiency | During the growing season, regularly apply complex fertilizers |
| Brown leaf tips | Dry air | Spray the space around the flower, put the flowerpot on a pallet with wet expanded clay |
| Rolling the leaves | Waterlogging of the soil | Reduce the number of waterings |
Features of flowering plants
A distinctive feature of the flower, because of which it fell in love with many flower growers, is the duration of flowering, which is observed throughout the growing season, and the ease of cultivation.
A period of activity and rest
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Throughout the annual cycle, Ahimenes goes through several stages of development, which is why care and cultivation will differ at different times of the year. In total, there are 2 periods of the existence of the achimenes juaregia flower.
Activity period
The bloom of achimenes is long, at home it can bloom twice between May and October. The first flowers usually appear in late spring or early summer. At this time, the plant blooms profusely and brightly. The second phase of flowering occurs in autumn and is less pronounced. Withered flowers are torn off to stimulate the growth of new buds.
Dormant period
Ahimenes has a pronounced dormant period, which begins towards the end of October. After all the flowers have fallen off, the plant dries up little by little, and the roots are filled with juices, preparing for winter. During sleep, the flower should receive proper care, which consists of limited watering, low light and maintaining the temperature in the range of 16-18 ℃ above zero. It is important that the plant does not wake up ahead of time. If this does happen, then the pot is moved to a more lighted place or open ground.
The flowering of achimenes will be as plentiful and long-lasting as possible in the presence of timely pinching of the tops of young shoots. The procedure is performed when the length of the seedlings does not exceed 2.5 cm.
Additional Information! The frequency of the pinching should be 1 time in 2 weeks for 1.5-2 months.
Types and shape of flowers
During the period of activity, beautiful bell flowers of an unusual shape and surprisingly bright color appear on the stems of the plant. The inflorescence has an oblong structure up to 5 cm and a calyx consisting of 5 lobes. The flowers that form on the shoots can be regular or double, monochromatic, spotted or striped. Depending on the type of plant, its flowers may have the following color:
- red;
- white;
- blue;
- blue;
- coral;
- yellow;
- purple.
Achiminesa flowers of the Mexican type, which have a lilac tint in combination with a white neck, look spectacular. The outer edges of the inflorescence most often have a specific sharp fringe.
Additional Information! The duration of flowering is only 5-7 days, but after some flowers fall, new ones soon form in their place.
Video: Ahimenez: how to dig up rhizomes and prepare for storage
In the Achimenes, the entire aboveground part gradually dies off, and a modified underground stem, a scaly rhizome, called a rhizome, becomes the concentration of life.
Depending on the type of achimenes, the cultivated variety and the conditions created for the plant, rhizomes remain without signs of life from 4 to 6 months.
Most often, a kind of "hibernation" of a plant occurs during a short daylight period. It turns out that it lasts from mid-autumn to early spring, falling on the most difficult time for representatives of the green world. From February to April, shoots appear on the rhizomes of achimenes, which indicates that the plant is ready to start a new growing season.
Flower reproduction methods
Plants are transplanted every year. It is best to carry out the procedure in the first weeks of December. At home, cultivation of achimenes is carried out in one of two types: with the help of seeds or by cuttings.
Growing from seeds
Growing from seeds
The easiest, but rather lengthy way to transplant a flower.The seeds are found in green boll houses that remain hanging from the stems after the flowering period. Before sowing seeds in the ground, they must ripen for 2 months. Then, in February-March, you should do the following:
- Collect the seeds and sow them in a mixture of sand and leafy soil. You do not need to sprinkle on top.
- Moisten the soil using a spray bottle.
- Place the pot with the plant in a dark place and cover with foil or glass.
- They create an optimal temperature regime. For the seeds to start germinating, the temperature should be between 22-24 ℃.
Using bottom watering, the first shoots are observed in 15-20 days. After that, the sprouts are planted.
Note! After 2 months, young plants can be planted in separate pots.
Cuttings
This method of propagation is rarely used, since the cuttings often rot. In the summer, when new shoots appear, cuttings are carefully cut from them, which are then placed in wet sand mixed with leafy soil. For rooting, they are placed in water, but in this case, the likelihood of decay increases significantly. After planting the cuttings in the sand, they are covered with glass or film.
In order for the plant to start as quickly as possible before planting, it is recommended to treat it with a root formation stimulant (Kornevin, Heteroauxin). The bottom heating will also help speed up the rooting process.
Additional Information! The first tubers will appear after 10-14 days. After 15 days, Achimenes indoor flowers can be transplanted into a medium for mature plants.
