In this article, we will talk about an unusual indoor plant from the astro family. It is quite rare in the collections of Russian flower growers. This is Rowley's godson. Home care for him has its own characteristics. Therefore, many connoisseurs of the beauty of indoor plants will be interested in the recommendations of specialists on its cultivation.
This variety differs from other godchildren in its original appearance. Senecio Rowleyanus (the Latin name for the flower) has long, thin shoots on which small beads are strung. In Germany, this plant is called Perlenkette, which translates as "string of pearls." When many such threads hang in a beautiful cascade of flowerpots, even those who are completely indifferent to indoor vegetation admire this flower.
Plant description
The Rowley godson plant is a perennial belonging to the large family of godchildren from the Astrov family. In vivo grows in arid regions of Namibia, Southeast Africa. He prefers to settle in mountainous areas, where rainfall rarely occurs. For this reason, the plant is resistant to droughts and direct sunlight.
This is a succulent that accumulates moisture in its bead leaves, so it is considered a moisture resistant and unpretentious plant. With proper care at home, Rowley's godson is growing fast. Under natural conditions, its branches grow up to two meters in length. The sizes of adapted varieties grown at home are much more modest - no more than 50 cm. You should know that the shoots are quite fragile, so you should handle them very carefully.
The leaves, located on short petioles, are round, resembling berries and rather small - about 1 cm in diameter. There is a short tail at the end of each bead. Leaves grow in the next sequence.
The flower of Senezio Rowley, as usual, it is called only by experts, is a flowering plant: in late spring, white-pink flowers similar to dandelions blossom with a pleasant aroma. The plant is poisonous. However, this does not stop gardeners, because in our homes there are many poisonous plants, but nobody tastes them. Work with "pearl threads" should be in gloves, after "communication" with these beautiful green pets, you must thoroughly wash your hands with soap. In addition, flowers should be placed out of the reach of children and pets. It is not difficult to do this - just hang the flower higher.
Godson Rowley: Home Care
The conditions of this plant are typical for most succulents. However, there are some features in the content, and we will consider them further. What should be the soil? The plant perfectly develops in slightly acidic, moderately fertilized, loose, breathable soil. There must be a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot. This variety prefers loam with coarse river sand. If possible, get a ready-made substrate for succulents.
The soil mixture can be prepared independently. To do this, you will need:
- two parts of leaf and turf land;
- 1 part of river sand and crushed charcoal.
Capacity selection
The pot for planting "pearl strands" should be small in size, wide and shallow. Florists recommend using ordinary clay containers, without a glaze.
Lighting
This factor is especially important for the young godson Rowley. Home care involves bright, but diffuse lighting in the warm season - from early March to late September. The plant develops well on the windowsills of the eastern and western sides. If in the room the windows face south, then senezio is grown in the back of the room. For this case, you should purchase a flower stand.
In winter, the plant should be transferred to the southern windowsill or use artificial lighting. With a lack of light, the shoots stretch out, turn pale, the leaves become very small. It is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to restore lost decorativeness to a plant. Daylight hours should be around 12 hours. It is very important for flowering.
Room temperature
During the growing season, the room temperature should not be higher than +25 ° C. In winter, it should be lowered to +15 ° C. Lower temperatures can kill a thermophilic plant.
Humidity
The plant is almost indifferent to this indicator: the leaves, converted into beads with a glossy dense skin, retain moisture in all conditions and prevent its evaporation. Therefore, the Rowley godson is equally well developed both on glazed unheated terraces and in dry rooms.
Spraying is not necessary at all, more often they resort to water procedures when it is necessary to refresh a flower and remove dust from it.
Watering
In spring and summer, the flower should be watered abundantly after the top layer of the substrate has dried. Remember that during this period the plant builds up green mass and stores nutrients for the winter. Do not overdry the soil. But excessive moisture can harm the roots - they can rot.
In winter, watering is reduced, especially if the plant is kept at low temperatures. If the flower lives in a warm room in winter, watering is reduced by a little. The water used for irrigation should be settled, purified, and soft. You can soften it with a small amount of citric acid. In winter, the soil is moistened every 2-3 weeks.
Top dressing
During the growth period, the Rowley spider is fertilized twice a month, and at rest, the spider does not need to be fed. For top dressing, it is recommended to use liquid mineral fertilizers for succulents. Remember that it is necessary to avoid a saturation of the soil with nitrogen fertilizing. Fertilizers for succulents with a low nitrogen content are applied during the growing season once every 3-4 weeks. In winter, the flower does not need fertilizing.
Succinic acid tablets
This is an excellent plant growth regulator that improves the absorption of nutrients from the soil, helps plants easier to tolerate various stresses. Succinic acid normalizes the natural microflora of the soil. Acid treated plants become more resistant to adverse environmental influences. Its use stimulates the growth of roots, young shoots. Before planting, it is treated with cuttings and seeds of plants to improve germination and increase resistance. Dilute the drug at the rate of 1 gram per 5 liters of water.
Pruning and transplanting
The godfather Rowley does not need constant pruning. The density of the green mass depends on how often you crop the shoots. This variety requires only pegs of the upper leaves to form a beautiful shape.
An adult plant is transplanted no more than once every 3-4 years. A new pot needs to be selected 4-5 cm more than the previous one in diameter. This should be done as necessary, and not immediately after purchase. If the crown is too thickened, you can divide it very carefully and plant it in several pots. In the composition of the soil mixture for plant transplantation, it is necessary to take in equal parts leafy soil, humus, vermiculite, sand, peat. We have already said that the shoots are very fragile, so a transplant will require caution and skill from you.
During the transplant, shoots and roots should be slightly shortened. This contributes to the growth of lateral shoots on the branches, which will make the plant more dense and lush. But more often the flower is simply transplanted into a larger pot, and roots that are too long are not cut off, but twisted, tweaked the shoots a little. After 5-7 years, Rowley's cross must not be transplanted. It will be quite enough to update it. To this end, strongly overgrown stems are cut. Cropped parts of the shoots can be used for reproduction.
The shoots of this plant are extended by 30 cm or more per year. They hang more and more from the pot. On the surface of the earth in a pot, lying branches take root and give roots and new shoots. Thus, an earthen lump is being developed, the area of nutrition is reduced. If you do not allow such rooting on the surface of the soil in the pot, then the flower will lose its decorative effect: gradually the old sections of the branch are exposed, and new ones cover them. The plant becomes very dense, for its proper development requires more and more soil. After transplanting, the plant is abundantly watered and not fed 1.5-2 months.
Breeding
The Rowley godson can be propagated in two ways - by dividing the bush that we talked about, leaf and cuttings. Any of these methods can be used during the period of active vegetation, in summer and spring. Quite often, flower growers are interested in: “Can a Rawley's godson be propagated by leaf?” Clarifications should be made here. In this case, we are talking about propagation by layering.
Place a second pot of soil mixture next to the cross, take a few shoots of an adult plant and pin in a new pot. Where the branch is in contact with the soil, the leaves are removed. Rooting will happen pretty quickly. Within a month, layering can be separated from the parent plant. They will continue to grow by releasing side branches. This is the easiest and most affordable way of propagation even for a beginner in floriculture.
No worse are rooted cuttings of the godfather Rowley. You can plant several cuttings in length from 5 to 10 cm in one pot at once. The lower leaves-beads are removed and this part is buried in the ground. To obtain cuttings, it is necessary to trim the ends of the lashes. After this, the mother plant begins to branch even more and becomes very dense.
Owner reviews
Few owners of this luxurious plant are very proud of their acquisition. They find it very effective, not requiring too complicated care. However, gardeners warn that all agricultural activities with this exotica must be carried out with gloves and hands should be washed thoroughly after completion of work.