All fans of exotic plants will be interested in our article. It will talk about the room culture of Guzmania Minor, which refers to a large genus of evergreen herbaceous epiphytes. An unusual plant can become a decoration for your home.
Homeland of Culture
Guzmania Minor is a beautiful plant belonging to the bromeliad family. He is interested not only in amateur flower growers, but also collectors. The culture got its name in honor of the Spanish biologist Guzman. In the wild, the plant grows in America, India, Brazil and Venezuela. Culture prefers woodland and mountainous terrain.
Plant description
Guzmania is a very bright solid flower. However, there are multi-colored species with foliage painted with transverse stripes. Culture refers to evergreen forms. At home, it’s not hard to keep Guzmania Minor. Caring for an unpretentious plant is very simple. Under natural conditions, it grows no more than 50 cm in height. The leaves of the plant are very densely arranged, so something forms like a bowl, inside which the liquid collects. So the culture forms a kind of moisture reserves for the dry period. Often such water supplies save birds.
An interesting fact is that the flowering of the culture continues for a long time - about 15 weeks. This is very unusual for a tropical plant, which makes it even more attractive for our amateur gardeners who admire the beauty of the Minor guzmania. Home care for the plant is only to create the right conditions.
Types of culture
Flowering periods are fully dependent on the variety. Most often in our stores you can find guzmania Minor. Culture blooms for a very long time. And its inflorescences are painted in bright colors. The leaves of the emerald hue have a glossy surface. On the shelves, most often you can see a sign that says "guzmania mix." Such an inscription does not indicate belonging to any species or variety, but only indicates the variety of colors of the plants represented.
Among professional flower growers and interior designers, musical guzmania and mosaic guzmania are popular because their leaves have an amazing color.
It is worth noting that of the 130 species of the genus among lovers, the most popular is guzmania reed - an epiphyte, on the basis of which very many decorative forms (fiery, purple and modest-colored) were derived. But the most recognized was the flower of guzmania Minor Rondo. This amazingly beautiful plant has compact dimensions and bright green leaves with their redness (width 2.5 cm). Exotic lovers are attracted not only by the beautiful appearance of guzmania Minor Rondo. Care at home for the culture is very simple, which has become a decisive factor in gaining popularity. In addition, the culture coexists perfectly with other plants and does not create a hassle for its owners.
Conditions of detention
Guzmania Minor, like other inhabitants of the tropics, is very fond of bright, but diffused lighting. Therefore, you can put the pot on the east window. But from November to February, the plant can be moved to the south side, because at this time the street is always overcast and damp. Guzmania very easily tolerates any movement, so it can be moved at least every day.
Exotic culture needs airing. Summer vacation on the balcony or porch will only benefit her. And in the winter-autumn time, airing the room will not be superfluous.
Guzmania does not have special requirements for the temperature regime. She feels good at + 18 ... + 25 degrees. During the period of active development, the optimum temperature is +25 degrees.
Basic care
Guzmania Minor Rondo is undemanding to care for. But still it is worth knowing some of the subtleties of the content. Watering the crop is necessary in the morning. The foliage of guzmania is collected in a dense socket-jug, in the lower part of which water enters. It is necessary to ensure that in hot weather the tank is filled with water at least two centimeters. But at low temperatures and low light, the liquid from the outlet should be drained. It is enough to spray the foliage in such periods. After flowering from the "jug" water must be removed. Excess moisture can lead to decay of the plant.
In addition to regular and plentiful watering, the crop needs daily spraying. The procedure should be carried out with boiled water. From October to February, it is necessary to spray the plant in the morning. Spray water carefully so that moisture does not get on the perianth. This may cause early wilting.
Feeding
Guzmania Minor (photo is given in the article) needs additional nutrition. They must be entered from March to August. To do this, you need to use ready-made mixtures for orchids. In addition, you can use liquid fertilizer for flowering crops. However, it will be necessary to reduce the dosage indicated on the package by two to three times.
The nutrient solution is fed into the outlet and moistened with soil. You can also spray the mixture with foliage. During the flowering period, fertilizing should be done every ten days. When purchasing fertilizers, pay attention to their composition. In top dressing should not contain copper and boron. These substances are harmful to guzmania.
Breeding
Cultivation is possible only by shoots. At the base of a full-fledged plant, small embryos appear. It is they who can later become new flowers. But for this it is necessary to wait until they grow a little.
Light and warm soil is used for transplantation. The plant can not be placed in water, as this will lead to the rapid development of the process of decay. The peculiarity of the culture is that when the embryo appears, the mother plant subsequently dies. However, exceptions are made in domestic conditions.
Sometimes gardeners make attempts to breed crops using seeds. This option is also possible, but the process is very long and troublesome.
To plant the crop, it is necessary to prepare the soil: crushed peat is mixed with fine sand. Pre-prepared seeds are spread on moistened soil, which are pre-soaked in potassium permanganate solution. Seed cannot be sprinkled with soil, as it requires good lighting. However, to protect the crops, it is necessary to cover the glass. It is important to monitor the temperature regime. The air in the room must be warmed up to at least +22 degrees. Periodically, crops should be aired and sprayed. After a few weeks, the first shoots should appear.
A pick can be made in 2-2.5 months. For the procedure, it is necessary to prepare the soil, which should include peat, leaf and turf soil.
After six months, the plant can be transplanted to a permanent place. It will bloom only after two years, but maybe later (after five years).
Landing
Before proceeding with the planting of the guzmania minor flower, you must select a suitable pot. Since the root system of the culture is very small, it does not make sense to take a large capacity. The diameter of the pot should not exceed 12 cm.
In order for the container not to spread, it is necessary to place a load in it. To plant a plant, you can choose several soil options:
- Ground fern roots (three parts), sphagnum moss (one part).
- Needle bark (two parts), leafy earth (two parts), sand and moss (one part).
- Peat (two parts), turf land (two parts), sand (one part).
At the bottom of the pot must be placed drainage. Planting must be done carefully, because the root system of the culture is very fragile, it can be easily damaged. You can transplant a flower with an old lump of earth. We place the plant in a pot and fall asleep with a new layer of soil.
Flowering features
The plant blooms for a long time and magnificent, delighting with a riot of colors. Flowering lasts from February to August. Then the bush begins to fade and after half a year gradually dies, having managed to give daughter sockets during this time. The yellow and red "sultans", which the people call flowers, are not really them.
Sometimes guzmania does not bloom. If the conditions of detention are correct and the plant is healthy, you can solve the problem in a simple way. Near the pot you need to place the ripe apples or bananas and cover them with a bag. After a day, the polyethylene is removed, and after a few hours it is covered again. Such events must be repeated within a few days. The essence of the technique is that overripe fruits emit ethylene gas, which stimulates flowering. After a while, your plant will certainly bloom.
Possible difficulties
Difficulties in growing are possible only if the plant is kept in unsuitable conditions. Incorrect watering can trigger the appearance of fungal diseases. In this case, blackening of the outlet is observed. In the future, ugly brown spots may appear on the foliage. When such symptoms appear, it is necessary to transplant the flower into a new soil and treat it with Fundazol. Such simple methods are effective only at the initial stage.
If you notice that the tips of the leaves of guzmania curl or turn brown, this indicates that the air in the room is too dry. To prevent the occurrence of a problem, you must regularly spray the culture.
For water procedures and irrigation, you can not use tap water, otherwise white stains will appear on the foliage. Water must first be softened - defend, boil, filter. Lemon juice and vinegar can be added to the liquid.
Of the pests, the greatest danger is represented by scale insects and mealybug. You can get rid of parasites only with the help of insecticides. “Confidor”, “Biotlin”, “Fitoverm”, “Aktara”, “Metaphos” will come to the rescue. Chemical treatment is carried out two to three times in ten days.