Description - a perennial herb with delicate, velvety leaves. It belongs to the Gesneriaceae family and lives in Mexico, Brazil and the Antilles. In our country, the description is grown as a house flower. It forms compact bushes or long cascades in a cache-pot. For an unusual pattern on the leaves and their color, the plant is sometimes called the "violet flame" or "peacock flower." In addition to a dense outlet of fluffy leaves, the description pleases with cute flowers. There are many varieties that allow the grower to choose the most liked combination of the pattern on the leaves and flowers.
Plant description
Episia is an evergreen perennial with soft, drooping stems. The height of the plant is 15-20 cm, the annual growth is small. Lateral processes are formed on the shoots, and upon contact with the ground, the plant takes root quickly. The root system of description is represented by tuberous growths that are connected by a horizontal mustache.
The main decoration of the plant is its large pubescent leaves. They grow on the petioles opposite, forming a dense symmetrical rosette. An oval sheet plate with a flat or wavy edge ends with a pointed or rounded end. It is covered with a relief pattern of veins or even, with one central vein. The leaf grows 5-20 cm in length, and 3-10 cm in width. The surface of the fleshy leaf can be densely pubescent with a short soft pile or remains shiny. The color of the leaves depends on the species, it is very diverse. There are plants with monophonic olive-green leaves or variegated, with a contrasting border and specks. The fleshy foliage remains on the shoots for several years, so the plant does not become bare and retains decorative effect for a long time.
Not only leaves are attracted by the description. Her delicate flowers bloom in May and last until September. They have a tubular shape with five petals separated at the edges and strongly bent. Flowers are painted in scarlet, pink, orange, yellow or white. The length of the flower tube is 3 cm, with a diameter of about 1.5-3 cm. Flowers are also downy. In some species, the edges of the petals are covered with long cilia. Flowers bloom on short, thick pedicels in the leaf axils, singly or collected in groups of 2-4 buds.
Types of Description
The genus of description is not very numerous, it contains only 12 main species. Three of them are especially popular.
The cloves are carnation. A compact plant with flexible shoots develop leaf rosettes with fleshy, oval leaves of a uniform color. The sheet length does not exceed 3 cm and a width of 2 cm. Relatively large single flowers in the form of a gramophone are painted white. The edges of the petals are covered, like a fringe, with long twisted cilia. The length of the tube and the diameter of the flower is about 5 cm. Flowering occurs in June-September.
The description is copper. This view has a larger size than the previous one. Leaves are about 6-15 cm long and 5-10 cm wide most often densely pubescent and painted in a brown-copper color. An intricate contrasting pattern is located along the veins. In July-September, single flowers bloom with a diameter of up to 25 mm. Usually they are painted red with a yellow spot inside the tube. Varieties:
- Silver sheen - soft silver-green leaves along the edge have an uneven green-brown pattern, orange-red flowers;
- Blue Nile - on the brown-green leaves in the center visible olive "Christmas tree", blooms with lavender flowers;
- Pink topaz - shiny leaves with a smoky pink center and a narrow olive strip along the edge;
- Forest beauty - grows shiny silver-green leaves and blooms red flowers;
- Chocolate Soldier - almost the entire surface of the leaf is painted in brownish-green color with a lot of silver-blue spots, blooms in maroon colors.
The description is creeping. The herbaceous perennial is distinguished by long flexible stems. They grow fluffy olive leaves 8-10 cm long and about 3-5 cm wide. In July-September, single axil flowers bloom with pinkish-red petals. Ideal for ampel cultivation.
Plant propagation
The description can be propagated by seeds, cuttings and daughter sockets. Seed propagation is rarely used. It is necessary to prepare a small container with sand and peat soil. Miniature seeds are distributed on the surface and pressed into the soil with a ruler. The container is covered with film and placed in a well-lit warm place. The soil is regularly ventilated and sprayed. Defective seedlings appear after 10-30 days. After that, the shelter is removed and seedlings are grown under ambient light and a temperature of + 20 ... + 22 ° C. Seedlings develop rather slowly. When they grow 2 real leaves, the plants are planted in small pots of 2-3 essences together. In the first year, flowering is not expected.
The most effective and convenient method of reproduction is the rooting of children. They are regularly formed on a flexible mustache. Small sockets with 3-4 knots usually hang from a pea on a thin stalk (antennae). Such a socket without lateral processes is cut off and rooted in water. You can put it on the ground in an adjacent pot without separating it from the mother plant. Flowers contain in ambient light and air temperature + 22 ... + 25 ° C. After a week, your own roots are formed and the outlet can be separated.
The apical cuttings 5-10 cm long with 1-2 nodes also root very well. After separation, they are placed in warm water, and with the formation of roots are planted in pots of small diameter with loose soil.
Planting and care at home
The description is considered a potted flower requiring little maintenance. It is suitable for gardeners with average experience.
Landing. A shallow but fairly wide pot with narrow sides is selected for the plant. Since the flower grows rapidly, it is sometimes transplanted twice a year. The bottom of the tank should have drainage holes. Expanded clay or broken red brick is also necessarily poured. Before transplanting, the epithet is abundantly watered and carefully removed from the pot. Part of the earth is removed and the roots are inspected for rot. Damaged areas are cut and treated with crushed charcoal.
The soil for planting should be loose and fertile, with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. For the compilation of soil mixtures take sheet land, peat and sand. To prevent the development of the fungus, add charcoal and moss-sphagnum.
Lighting. The description, especially varieties with dark patterned leaves, needs bright, diffused light. You can not put a flower in direct sunlight. Plants are placed on the eastern and western windowsills, as well as in the depths of the southern room. There will be little light on the north window and you will have to use the backlight.
Temperature. The optimum air temperature is + 20 ... + 25 ° C all year round. On hotter days, the room is ventilated, but protects the flower from drafts. Cooling below + 18 ° C is unacceptable.
Humidity. The birthplace of the description is tropical and subtropical regions, so she loves high humidity. At the same time, pubescent leaves cannot be sprayed; it is better to use humidifiers or trays with wet pebbles and water. The fluid must not come in contact with the soil. It is not recommended to bathe an aptitude.
Watering. The description needs regular watering so that the soil is always slightly moist, but without stagnation of water. Water the plants through a pan or at the very edge of the pot. Water should not come in contact with shoots and leaves. The fluid must be warm and well cleaned.
Fertilizer. In March-October, an epilation is regularly fed twice a month. A solution of universal mineral fertilizer is introduced into the soil. The dosage of dressing is halved.
Pruning. Ampel plants are characterized by a gradual exposure and extension of the stem. To prevent this from happening, you need to regularly cut the shoots to half. Pruning is carried out in spring and summer. Despite this, every 4-5 years, the bushes are rejuvenated.
Possible difficulties
When water stagnates and drops of liquid get on the leaves, fungal diseases can develop. In this case, you need to adjust the agricultural technology, remove the damaged stems and treat the plant with fungicide. Scales, thrips, aphids, whiteflies and mealybugs sometimes inhabit shoots or stems. From parasites, insecticide treatment is carried out. Aerosol or powder formulations should be preferred.
In the process of growing an episode, a number of problems can arise that can be easily dealt with by correcting care:
- the formation of brown spots on the leaves - water droplets and too cold water for irrigation;
- yellowing leaves - excessive doses of plant fertilizer, direct sunlight;
- the appearance of gray plaque on the leaves - too acidic soil, fungal diseases;
- lack of flowering - regular drying of the substrate, an excess of nitrogen fertilizers, insufficient lighting.
