Velvet leaves and plenty of bells: growing calories

Kaleria is a beautiful, abundantly flowering plant native to the tropics. The unpretentiousness of the plant allows you to create beautiful ampelic compositions at home. Simple rules of care can be followed by any grower, even a beginner.

Plant description

Kaleria (kaleria) belongs to the family of Gesneriaceae, naturally grows in the tropics of equatorial America.

The leaves of the plant reach a length of 15 cm, their surface is covered with a small red or white pile. Color varies depending on the type of flower (there are olive, bronze, silver, dark green leaves with light veins).

Abundant flowering is especially appreciated by gardeners planting a plant. Bell-shaped flowers of various colors, usually with 5 petals, are arranged in 1-3 pieces. on the peduncle. Hybrids have cherry, amethyst and other interesting shades, in nature this plant blooms pink-white, red-orange, brown-white. Petals are usually not monophonic, but with a pattern - specks, strokes, stripes.

Calorie flowers immediately attract attention

Kaleria is not picky about leaving, so it is easy to grow it at home.

And unpretentiousness and abundant flowering differs Campanula. Read more about this plant in the material: rastenija / kampanula-uxod-za-izyashhnymi-kolokolchikami-v-domashnix-usloviyax.html

The main types of flower

1. Fluffy. The plant is quite tall - up to 0.8 m in height, with green leaves covered with a reddish pile. Bright red flowers with yellow dots on the petals are very effective.
2. Digitalis. Flowers bell-shaped with a wide bend. The whole plant is covered with white hairs.
3. Pleasant. The leaves are silver-green with purple streaks. The flowers are pink, small - about 2 cm.

Photo gallery: different calories

Bright red flowers are very effective

Digitalis - one of the most popular types of calories

Flowers calorie Pleasant - the smallest (about 2 cm)

Table: what conditions are required depending on the season

Season	Lighting	Humidity	Temperature
Autumn winter	A well-lit place, with shading from direct sunlight.	Prefers moist air, although it tolerates well and dry. You need to spray the air around the plant, since the fleecy leaves of the calorie adversely react to the ingress of water drops. Another way to provide the necessary humidity is to put the pot with the plant on a tray with raw pebbles.	20-24 ° C
Spring Summer			17 ° C

Landing

Kaleria in the wild grows on stony, poor soils, so it is not very demanding on the soil. Replant it if the rhizome has already completely filled the pot. The best time for transplantation (more precisely, for transshipment) is spring. For plants should take a shallow and wide tank.

Transplanted calories by transshipment

A mixture of land: 2 parts of leafy soil, 1 part of peat, 1 part of sand, 0.5 part of humus, some charcoal (to absorb excess moisture). You can also purchase ready-made primer for senpolia or gloxinia. At the bottom of the pot, it is necessary to place a 2-cm layer of drainage - pebbles, expanded clay, brick.

No need to clean the root of the earth, you can immediately place it in a new container by transfer and sprinkle it with fresh substrate.

Video: landing calories

Koleria: care and growing at home

Watering

The watering regime for calories is moderate - 1 time per week (but more frequent in the heat). The soil layer should not be too dry. It is important to observe the measure and not to allow either waterlogging or drying out. Excess moisture threatens to rot the roots, which acutely react to excess water. Water is needed at room temperature, always defended (ideally use rain or melt). Water cannot be poured onto leaves.

When watering, water should not fall on leaves and flowers

In the fall, watering is reduced, and in winter the flower is watered when the topsoil has already become dry.

Top dressing

Feeding calories is highly desirable during the period of growth and flowering. You can use special fertilizers for senpolia or orchids, but diluted 2 times more than the recommendations in the instructions.

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Fertilizers for orchids can be used to feed calories.

It is also possible to use any top dressing for flowering indoor plants. In spring and summer, calories are fertilized once a month. During the rest period, recharge is not required.

Biohumus is also recommended, it is introduced before the formation of buds, it helps to develop lush foliage.

Crown formation

A calorie bush can be formed at the discretion of the owner. The plant can be "directed" in a different way and get an ampelous (drooping) or upright bush-like plant. Cut the shoots before the bud formation with sharp, sanitized scissors. Cut off tops can be used to obtain a new independent plant. To get an ampelous plant, you don’t need to trim - elongated shoots under their own weight will begin to hang down.

One way to arrange long shoots is to install a support

Flowering and dormancy

Kaleria blooms in the summer, fades in September and prepares to retire until next spring. After flowering, all flower stalks and dry flowers should be removed. The foliage remains on the plant, so the bush can be left in the same place, only lowering the temperature to 16-18 ° C. Top dressing stops, watering becomes rarer.

At rest, calories need to provide a lower temperature, reduce watering

There are types of calories that fade with the end of flowering. Then all the aboveground parts of the plant are cut off, leaving a rhizome in a pot. It is left in a cool dark place (about 13 ° C). It is there until January, periodically the earth needs to be watered so that the roots do not dry out.

Some types of calories can bloom year-round.

Table: how care errors appear and what to do to correct the situation

Problem	Cause	What to do
Leaves turn yellow and curl.	Too bright light, direct sunlight, too dry air.	Protect from direct sunlight. Spray air around the plant more often.
Does not bloom or gives few flowers	Lack of light, few nutrients, cold or hot, waterlogging.	Relocate to another, more illuminated place, adjust the temperature regime and the mode of feeding and watering.
Brown spots on the leaves	Water has been sprayed.	It is not necessary to spray the leaves, but the air around the plant. Water can also get on the leaves when watering. In this case, you can use the lower watering - pour water into the pan and put a pot on it.
Rot	Excess moisture in the soil.	Transplant calories.
Leaves dry and warp	Aphid.	Manual collection.
	Spider mite.	Spray more often - the tick does not like a humid environment. Remove damaged leaves. It is difficult to choose an insecticide, since almost all are designed for spraying, and calorie leaves are undesirable in contact with moisture, otherwise new problems will arise. You can shed the soil with a solution of Aktara.
Brown spots on the leaves	Watering too cold water.	When watering, it is necessary to use settled water at room temperature.

Ruelia is also unpretentious and does not require complicated care, but can not boast the duration of flowering. You can learn more from the material: rastenija / ruelliya-uhod-v-domashnih-usloviyah-foto.html

Breeding

The best time for plant propagation is spring. Although, if necessary, this can be done in other seasons.

There are several ways to propagate this plant. Leaf propagation is rarely used - it takes too long to wait for the roots to appear (up to 5 months).

Rhizome division

1. When transplanting, the rhizome is divided into several parts (preferably no more than 3) with a sharp knife.
   

   When transplanting, the rhizome is divided into 2-3 parts

2. Each piece is planted in a separate pot in the usual soil for calories.
   

   Rhizome pieces are planted in different pots

3. Deepen the rhizome by 1-2 cm.
4. Water periodically.

Seeds

1. To obtain calorie seeds, it is necessary to use artificial pollination. They can also be purchased.
2. Seeds are planted in the second half of winter.
3. A mixture of peat and sand (or 1 part of sand and 2 parts of sheet soil) is needed.
4. Seeds are simply laid on the soil without deepening them.
5. Cover the pot with polyethylene.
6. Ventilate daily to prevent mold. Periodically watered.
7. When 2 leaves appear at the seedlings, the seedlings dive and plant in separate containers.
8. After the seedlings have grown, the upper bud is removed to stimulate the development of lateral shoots.

Cuttings

1. Prepare the cuttings - cut off the top of the stems.
2. Powder the slices with Kornevin.
3. Put in water (heating from below will accelerate the appearance of roots).
4. When the roots appear, plant in a small pot (necessary soil: sand or a mixture of peat and sand).
   

   Kaleria grown from cuttings

Grower reviews about growing

Kaleria - when you pronounce this name, it seems that it rolls in the language. It has been growing for me for many years and I can’t get enough of it, you can enjoy it all day. Kaleria is not too whimsical, but she loves the sunny windowsill and can not stand drafts at all. But it grows and blooms, almost continuously. And what beautiful flowers she has! The shape of the flower resembles a bell with an unusual spotty red coloring. And this beautiful flower propagates very simply - it is necessary to cut the top after flowering and put it in the water. And after the appearance of the first roots - feel free to plant in a pot of earth. I always take ordinary garden soil, all my houseplants just grow and bloom wonderful in it. Watering the calorie should be very careful, trying to ensure that water does not fall on the leaves, from this they rot. If you follow these simple rules, then this beauty will deliver a lot of pleasant minutes and cheer up.

pomidorastr

The color scheme must be formed from a small stalk. As soon as the sprout of 5 centimeters appears, we begin to pinch. It will branch and form into a bush. This will delay a little flowering.

Nika

She should rest in the winter in a cool dark place, I put it in a black bag and put it under the door of the balcony, in January-February I take it out and very carefully, so as not to pour and not ruin, I start to water.

Irena_Obninsk

Solar lighting, abundant watering, does not tolerate spraying, pruning is not required, propagation by apical cuttings or dividing the root, top dressing from spring to autumn after 2–4 weeks. Good luck! The flower is chic but harmful.

dormidont

Kaleria is great for growing at home. She does not need frequent watering, any special conditions of detention, lighting, humidity. And beautiful flowers delight the owners for quite a long time.