Very often on the windowsills among a variety of indoor flowers you can find Kalanchoe. The birthplace of this plant is Madagascar and South Africa. Kalanchoe is not only distinguished by a beautiful appearance, but also by unusual healing properties.
Name history
One of the ancient legends explains the appearance of Kalanchoe in different countries of the world. For the first time this name is mentioned in the record of the ship's magazine, made in the XVIII century. Russian merchants who traded in Africa were faced with an amazing case of the cure of one of the sailors. He contracted a very dangerous and rare disease - tropical fever, so it was decided to leave him on a South African island in order to save the remaining members of the team from the imminent death.
Coming back a month later, the ship again approached this island and the sailors were surprised to find their comrade quite healthy. It turned out that the locals were able to cure him of a deadly disease with the help of the leaves of the plant, which they called Kalanch (health). Today, many housewives grow Kalanchoe at home, whose homeland is southern Africa.
External description
This herbaceous perennial belonging to the genus Crassulaceae is characterized by very rapid growth. Opposite leaves are juicy, fleshy, often green, sometimes yellowish or with a blue-gray tint. The lower ones are ovoid, and the upper ones are cirrus. The flowers are collected in panicle inflorescences, their color can be orange, pink, white or reddish.
Care Features
Growing such exotic flowers at home , it should be remembered that the birthplace of Kalanchoe (a houseplant brought to us from the tropics) is completely different climatic conditions. Therefore, for his comfortable well-being requires appropriate care. Nevertheless, this plant quickly adapts to the existing conditions and belongs to the category of the most unpretentious. Like most southern plants, Kalanchoe calmly tolerates a lack of moisture, but needs warmth and adequate lighting.
Optimal soil composition for Kalanchoe
Today, a very different soil mixture for indoor plants can be purchased at the store. The composition, intended for cacti and succulents, is quite suitable for Kalanchoe, whose homeland is the tropics. It is only necessary to add one sixth of the rotted compost to it. It is possible to use a universal soil for planting, mixing it about one third with fine expanded clay.
If desired, the soil mixture is prepared independently, there is nothing complicated about it. It is necessary to take turf and leafy soil (in a ratio of 4: 2) and one part of sand and peat. They add a little humus or dry manure.
Temperature and lighting
Since the birthplace of Kalanchoe (a houseplant that settled on our windowsills) is South Africa with its tropical and subtropical climate, the plant is not at all afraid of sunlight. In order for it to fully develop, good lighting is necessary. If a slight shading of Kalanchoe can not hurt, then a lack of light will lead to deformation and loss of decorative qualities.
The air temperature must be kept fairly high - approximately 22 ° C. The drying out and falling of leaves indicates that the room is too hot. But in winter, the plant feels better at a temperature of 15 ° C. If the thermometer 10 ⁰ and below - the flower may die.
Watering
Kalanchoe (the birthplace of the plant is characterized by a dry climate) is able to accumulate water, so it suffers drought quite calmly. Much worse for this plant is excessive moisture, which can lead to decay of the roots and damage to the leaves.
Kalanchoe is watered as the soil dries, usually twice a week in the summer and very rarely in the winter. Spraying the leaves is carried out only if necessary, when you need to clean them from dust.
Types of Kalanchoe
There are more than 200 different types of Kalanchoe. All of them today grow in tropical countries. Some of them are so different from each other that it is difficult to believe in their relationship. The only thing that unites all these Kalanchoe plants is their homeland.
The Kalanchoe TOMENTOSA (or felt Kalanchoe) that came to us from Central Madagascar has rounded leaves at the base, the surface of which is covered with a thick fluff. Because of this, their color seems silver.
A very common species is considered Kalanchoe Degremon.
This plant with succulent leaves, the edges of which are slightly wrapped inside, belongs to the viviparous. New rosettes are formed right on the cloves of leaves immediately take their own roots, gradually coming off and falling. This species is known for its amazing healing properties.
The decorative appearance of Kalanchoe BLOSSFELDIANA is distinguished by small leathery leaves, which in the sunlight acquire a reddish tint. Many commercial farms grow blooming specimens of this Kalanchoe year-round. The birthplace of the flower is the central part of Madagascar.
The thick and juicy stem has a Kalanchoe TUBIFLORA (Kalanchoe tube-flowered). On gray-green fleshy leaves, large groups form daughter rosettes.
Kalanchoe MANGANII has erect thin stems, slightly curved towards the end. Leaves up to 2.5 cm long are located on them. The duration of flowering is affected by air humidity, so this plant needs to be sprayed.
Where Kalanchoe is the birthplace, under natural conditions this plant can grow up to one and a half meters tall. Nevertheless, it has long been successfully grown indoors and is very much appreciated for its decorative and healing qualities.