Indoor crossander flower is grown in apartments in central Russia relatively recently. For a long time, this plant was too complicated and capricious to care for. Breeding more unpretentious varieties allowed to enjoy its beauty at home. So what are flowers? What conditions does Crossandra require?
Crossandra
Its orange or pink flowers seem to immediately create an atmosphere of the tropics around itself. It seems that hummingbirds and butterflies from hot countries are about to appear around the plant. Someone does not see anything special in crossandra, for which she should have created rather complicated conditions. But there is something interesting in it, but if the care is sufficient, it will regularly delight you with plentiful blooms from May to September and look simply amazing. As a rule, this happens up to 3-4 years, taking into account the fact that the whole flower survives to 5-6. Therefore, it is worthwhile not only to create suitable conditions for it, but also to tackle the issue of its reproduction in time. Crossandra is a flower whose photos simply do not convey her beauty, so more or less experienced lovers should definitely try to grow it.
Origin
In nature, crossander flowers grow on the island of Sri Lanka, located in the Indian Ocean. Also in vivo, some species are found in Madagascar, Africa, Southeast Asia. They also took root successfully on the Arabian Peninsula. It is not surprising that these beauties are accustomed to rather mild conditions that are not easy to reproduce at home. For a long time, only those flower growers who had a greenhouse and a considerable amount of time could tame them in order to monitor and adjust temperature, light, humidity and other parameters in time.
Fortunately, breeders managed to develop new varieties that are better able to grow outside of greenhouses and suitable for maintenance in an ordinary apartment. That is why today the crossander’s home flower is not a miracle on the windowsill, but quite a common thing, only a little patience and attention is needed.
Varieties
In total, botanists account for about 50 species of crossander. But at home, as a rule, there are only a few: funnel-shaped (Crossandra infundibuliformis), spiny (Crossandra pungens), nilotic (Crossandra nilotika), Guinean (Crossandra guineensis). The first of them, as well as its hybrid, are the most popular, so they will be discussed first of all. The combination of coral-orange petals and dark green leaves looks quite spectacular, so it is not surprising that these plants are increasingly found in apartments. So, what does Crossandra flower care require?
At home
Knowing where the birthplace of this plant is, it is necessary to bring its environment as close as possible to eternal summer. First of all, you should take care of finding a suitable place: it should be fairly light and humid, without drafts. There are two main approaches to caring for cross-country: with and without wintering. In the first case, in the cold season, it is worth lowering the temperature of the content, reducing watering and slightly reducing lighting. It is believed that this style of care stimulates more abundant and longer flowering in spring and summer. In the second case, the conditions remain constant throughout the year. Depending on the particular species, the growth rate may be different, but the funnel-shaped crossander can bloom almost from infancy, barely growing roots and leaves.
Temperature
Typically, the room where the crossander is located should be between 18 and 25 degrees. If wintering is practiced, you need to move the pot to a cooler place. But it is worth considering that at a temperature of less than 16 degrees the flower will begin to die. You also need to be very careful about airing, because, despite the love of fresh air, the crossander does not tolerate drafts, immediately dropping the leaves. In other words, the conditions must be stable and soft. Crossandra is a room flower; caring for it does not imply putting the pot on the street even in summer, so do not experiment.
Lighting
Like most plants that come from the tropics, Crossander is rather capricious in this matter. She needs a bright, but diffused light, direct sunlight is contraindicated because of the danger of burns on the leaves. It is best to place the pot on the east or west windowsill, in winter you can move it to the south, but even there you should make sure that the insolation is not excessive. Tolerates the plant and partial shade, but in this case, flowering will be less plentiful and long.
Watering
Regular and adequate hydration is almost a determining factor in the care of the plant. Crossander flowers do not tolerate either a lack or an excess of moisture, so in the first few weeks it is worthwhile to start looking for a balance. An earthen lump should not dry out, but it is not worth arranging a swamp in a pot, despite the fact that the plant prefers plentiful and frequent watering. Water must be at room temperature and soft, ideally boiled.
If wintering is practiced, it is worthwhile to reduce watering in the cold season to avoid decay. Water should be sufficient so that the roots do not completely dry out, the soil should remain practically devoid of moisture. Also during this period, the amount of light is reduced.
As for air humidity, it should also be quite high - about 60%. Otherwise, the leaves will quickly begin to dry at the tips and curl up into a tube. Therefore, frequent spraying is the best friend of Crossander, only if moisture does not get on the flowers. Another method of improving the well-being of a flower is to regularly rub the leaves with a damp cloth. You can also put the pot on a tray with wet gravel - this is a very popular technique. By the way, crossandra grows well in hydroponics.
Transplant and molding
In March, before a period of active growth, a plant can be moved from one pot to another. It’s better to do this in the spring, but if the need for moving arose suddenly, it’s better not to disassemble the earthen lump and manage the transshipment - it will less damage the plant. Typically, a transplant is performed no more than once every 2 years. Thus, the plant during its entire life undergoes only 2-3 relocations.
Crossander flower, care of which does not seem so difficult, prefers light fertile and slightly acidic soils. Mixtures intended for azaleas are perfect for him, but you can prepare the substrate yourself, taking sand, gravel and loam with peat. Good drainage is required, because the plant does not tolerate dampness and stagnation of water in the root system.
As for the formation of the bush, in the spring and after flowering it is worth trimming or pinching the shoots to stimulate branching. To extend the period when the crossander will delight the house with delicate petals, it is necessary to remove dead inflorescences.
You can feed a flower throughout the year. In the warm season, the frequency of fertilizer is usually every two weeks, during wintering - a maximum of once a month. In this case, mineral mixtures are used in a solution of 1-2%, usually there is no need for organic top dressing, provided there are transplants to good soil.
Breeding
After flowering, crossander forms pods in which seeds ripen. Having waited until this happens, you can sow them to get new plants. To do this, you need to acquire a heated greenhouse and be patient. You need to plant seeds in early spring in sand or its mixture with peat. If during 20-25 days the temperature remains at the level of 22-24 degrees Celsius, and the humidity remains high, the first shoots will appear. In another week and a half, individual sprouts can be planted in pots.
Crossandra flower well tolerates reproduction and using cuttings. For successful rooting, their length should be at least 7-10 centimeters. Soil - quartz or river sand. After 2-2.5 weeks, the first roots will appear, you can wait until they are enough to plant 2-3 cuttings in each pot. In six months, you can enjoy the flowering of crossander.
Disease
Most often, the poor condition of the plant is associated with errors in care. Too frequent watering will quickly cause yellowing of the leaves, a lack of light will cause the stems to stretch out and look ugly. Well, of course, first of all, problems will be expressed in the absence of flowering.
Often happens and infection of the plant with parasites. They are very fond of settling in pots with crossandra mealybug, aphids and spider mites. The latter also signals insufficient moisture around the plant. It is necessary to get rid of parasites as soon as possible after detection, having previously isolated the flower. Crossandra as a relative of magnolia also loves a red spider that appears in dry and hot conditions. Each type of parasite has its own treatment regimen, and in order to start it in time, you need to regularly inspect the soil and the underside of the leaves for the appearance of uninvited guests.
Also, flowers (crossander) are affected by leaf mold. In this case, it is necessary to remove all diseased parts and spray the plant with a fungicide to prevent the spread of mold.