Ruellia is a flowering shrub from the Acanthus family. It grows very fast. Over the year, the length of the shoots increases by about 0.25 m. Lengthening, thin shoots fall to the ground. In nature, the height of the ruellium reaches more than a meter.
Plants from the home collection are four times lower, but develop as intensively as the "wild" specimens. The shrub lives for a long time, but periodically needs rejuvenation, because over time the shoots become thinner and bare. Ruelia can bloom throughout the summer.
The beauty of the plant consists not only in bright funnel-shaped flowers, but also in velvety leaves "decorated" with light veins. The homeland of Roullia is considered Brazil. The natural habitat is the tropical forests of America and Africa.
Be sure to look at a plant from the family of acanthus beloperone and whitefeldia.
High growth rate. Over the year, the length of the shoots increases by about 0.25 m | |
Ruelia can bloom throughout the summer. | |
Easy to grow plant. | |
Perennial. |
Roullia: home care. Briefly
Ruelia Caroline. A photoIt’s quite simple to grow home-made ruellium. Even a beginner grower will cope with the task, creating favorable conditions for the plant:
Temperature mode | In winter - from + 15 - 18 ° C, in summer - up to + 27 ° C; Keep away from drafts. |
Air humidity | Increased; do not spray. |
Lighting | Broken bright; windows looking southwest or southeast. |
Watering | Make sure that the substrate does not dry out. |
Soil for Roellia | Universal floral; soil mixture of equal doses of humus, turf land, perlite, peat. |
Fertilizer and fertilizer | In late March - early September, once every 15 days, they are fed with a liquid mineral product diluted in half. |
Roullia transplant | Young plants - every spring; adults - after the roots completely cover the earthen lump. |
Breeding | Cuttings or seeds. |
Growing Features | Each spring, the plant is pruned, after which its crown becomes more accurate. Products of gas combustion, smoke adversely affect Ruellium. Therefore, the bush can not be placed in the kitchen. |
Care for rullia at home. In detail
Growing ruellia on the home windowsill is a simple and very exciting experience. Having planted a small seed or stalk, you can soon get a new bush and enjoy the original beauty of the leaves and the vibrant color of the flowers.
Flowering ruellia
Some species of plants bloom all summer. The blooming of Roullia is an impressive and lasting sight. In the sinuses of saturated - green velvety leaves, flowers similar to bells are formed. Their colors range from snow-white, pink, beige, soft lilac to rich red, raspberry and violet.
The beauty of the flowers of Roellia is short-lived. Having opened in the morning, by the evening they are already fading. Following them appear new ones. So, within a few months, the cycling of the flowers of the ruellia occurs. After flowering, the fruit is formed in the form of a small pod filled with round seeds.
Temperature mode
In order for home Roulli to be comfortable, it is necessary to carefully maintain the temperature regime. The mode assumes to contain a plant in summer at + 24 - 27 ° C, and in winter - at + 16 - 18 ° C. Rowellia is a very delicate plant that is sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature changes and drafts.
Therefore, the hostess should carefully monitor the condition of the green pet. Noticing that the bush feels uncomfortable, it is necessary in time to rearrange it in a warmer room, to shelter from the wind. When the mercury column of the thermometer rises above + 28 ° C, increase the level of humidity. This will help prevent disease and pest outbreaks.
Spraying
Shrub, having a tropical origin, high humidity is necessary at home. Caring for Ruellia suggests that a container with a plant is placed on a pallet with wet pebbles, and household humidifiers are used.
Spraying is not recommended: water droplets can damage the surface of delicate flowers and fluffy leaves.
Lighting
The amount of sunlight received by the plant depends on its health, duration and splendor of flowering. Tropical shrubs need bright diffused lighting. It is important to choose the right place for the plant. At home, it is desirable to settle the Ruell in the southeast or southwest part of the house.
Windows facing north are contraindicated in light-loving shrubs: shoots will become long and thin, and flowering can not be seen. On a window looking south, the plant is shaded at noon to avoid sunburn on the leaves.
Watering the ruellia
If you are going to water the Roullia, you must definitely see if the soil has dried up. If it is dry, you can take on a watering can. If the substrate is still wet, you should wait a while with watering. In summer, watering of Roullia should be carried out often - sometimes three times a week. In winter, the bush is watered less often - about once every 10 days.
Overmoistening is dangerous for the plant: it leads to rotting of the roots, provokes fungal diseases. To keep the substrate moist longer, the trunk circle is mulched with chopped sphagnum, coconut substrate.
Roell pot
The plant has a powerful root. It is important that it is conveniently placed in a flowerpot, the roots are not interwoven, but are located freely. But the flowerpot should not be very spacious either: there will not be lush flowering in the spacious container, but many weak shoots may appear.
A pot for a ruellia is needed in medium size so that, in addition to the plant, a thick layer of drainage enters it (at the bottom of the pot, holes are required for draining excess fluid and air flow to the roots). Sometimes ruellia is grown as an ampel plant using hanging baskets.
Priming
At home, ruellia shows itself to be a capricious plant. But in order for it to develop harmoniously, it is necessary to choose the right soil. For a bush, the usual floral substrate from the store is suitable. You can cook the soil with your own hands, taking equal portions of the land of turf, perlite, peat and humus.
Most importantly, the soil must be breathable and nutritious. Its friability can be increased by adding crushed moss, brick chips, vermiculite to the mixture.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
To maintain the decorativeness of foliage at a high level, to give flowering a special splendor, to strengthen the plant's immunity, dressing and fertilizer are called on. Once every two weeks, from late March to early September, ruellium is fed a universal remedy containing the main mineral elements.
Fertilizer is sold in concentrated form. In order not to burn the roots of the plant, it is diluted with water several times. Top dressing is carried out after evening watering, and then the plant is left in the shade for two days.
Transfer
So that the plant receives a new portion of nutrients from the soil, and its grown roots are freely located in a flowerpot, a transplant of ruellia is carried out. Small bushes should be replanted annually (in spring).
Adult ruelia change their living space when its roots mature and completely cover a lump of land, and small roots begin to peek out from the drainage holes. Along the way, remove the damaged roots and cut off weak shoots; reinforce the drainage layer.
The planted plant without deepening.
Pruning
To grow a lush compact bush, springtime pruning is carried out. The procedure helps to get rid of damaged and bare shoots, stimulates the formation of new branches. A plant trimmed in this way rejuvenates and becomes beautiful. From cut healthy shoots cuttings are cut, they are used to propagate ruellia.
Rest period
At the end of October, a period of rest begins at Ruellia. It continues until mid-March. For several months, the plant should rest in order to prepare for a new flowering. At this time, the bush is cool. It is occasionally watered when the surface of the substrate dries; Do not feed. In cloudy weather include phytolamps.
Roullia breeding
There are various methods of breeding ruellia.
- Growing ruellia from seeds - A popular option for getting new bushes. It is convenient to immediately place the seeds in separate cups. One seed is placed in moist soil, buried about 0.7 cm deep. Spray from the spray gun, cover with a film and germinate at + 24 ° C, periodically aerating and watering the seedlings. When shoots appear, the film is removed. After three true leaves are formed, the seedlings dive into large containers.
- Propagation of roellia by cuttings convenient to carry out after spring pruning. Cuttings, the length of which varies from 10 to 15 cm, are treated with a solution of the root stimulant. Then they are planted in a moistened substrate at an angle and covered with a cropped plastic bottle (several holes are made in advance for the seedling to breathe). After the appearance of new leaves, the jar is removed. When the leaves grow and the stalk grows stronger, transmits the ruellia into a larger pot.
The shrub obtained from the seeds will bloom faster and will completely repeat the varietal characteristics of the mother shrub.
Diseases and Pests
The attack of pests and Roullia's disease is often the result of careless attitude of the owners to care for the plant. The suffering of the bush is manifested in the form of symptoms:
- the color of the leaves of Roellia pales, the leaves fade - from lack of light (rearrange in a lighter place);
- ruellia leaves turn bright purple - from sunburn (shade at noon, rearrange to the southwest or southeast window);
- brown spots appear on the leaves - excess sunlight (shade, rearrange in a less bright place);
- leaf ends curl - from dry air in the room (place a flowerpot on a pallet with wet pebbles);
- ruellia leaves wilt - lack of moisture (water more often);
- ruellia leaves turn yellow and fall - stagnation of moisture in the soil (transplanted into another soil, adjust watering);
- the plant looks wilted - the plant is cold with excess moisture (rearrange in a warm place; do not water for several days, adjust watering);
- ruellia does not bloom - there was no rest period; the plant hibernated warmly and did not plant a bud; dry indoor air and little light.
Sometimes whitefly, spider mite, and aphids attack Ruellia. Insecticides are used against pests.
Types of Ruellia home with photos and names
Out of the whole variety of species of Roullia, only a few species are widespread in home culture.
Ruellia carolina (Latin Ruellia caroliniensis)
Low compact bush. Thin shoots are densely dotted with malachite oval-elongated leaves with light veins. The surface of the leaves is velvety. Five-petalled tubular flowers are painted in a bright lilac color.
Ruellia Devosa, or Devosiana (Latin Ruellia Devosiana)
Ground cover shrub with thin shoots. Elongated bright green leaves may have a purple hue. The veins on the leaf plates are light and very clear. Small white flowers have a lilac hue.
Ruellia Portella (lat.Ruellia portellae)
Ground shrub. Thin elongated shoots are decorated with oval large leaves, painted in deep green color. The surface of the leaves has distinct bright veins. The flowers may be pink or purple.
Ruellia macrantha (lat. Ruellia macrantha)
A low shrub with large flowers - bells painted in pink with clear vertical stripes. Sheet plates narrow elongated. Painted in light green tones with light veins.
Ruellia pleasant (lat.Ruellia amoena)
Compact shrub with ovoid pale green leaves and bright red or deep pink tubular flowers.
Mexican petunia, dipteracanthus, ruellia - this plant is called differently. But in any case, the understated beauty and sophistication of the bush attracts joy to the house.
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