Keffiyeh

 
куфеяKufea fiery red

Derbennikov family. Homeland - Mexico, Guatemala, island. Jamaica. There are about 250 species in nature.

Kufea fiery red Cuphea ignea is a shrub about 40 cm tall. The leaves are oppositely arranged, on short petioles, ovate-lanceolate, about 6 cm long and 2 cm wide, dark green. The flowers are axillary, up to 3 cm in diameter, single, red with a purple limb. There are several cultivars based on this species.

Cuphea hyssopifolia is a shrub or shrub about 50 cm tall. The leaves are oppositely arranged, on short petioles, lanceolate, about 2.5 cm long and 0.5 cm wide, dark green . The flowers are axillary, small, up to 1 cm in diameter, single, lilac, pink or white. The plant is very bushy, and has a compact size, in connection with this it can be grown as bonsai.

куфеяKufea is issopolous

Kufea - care and cultivation

Temperature: Kufea is thermophilic, in summer she prefers temperatures around 22-28 ° C - this is a common temperature for mid-latitudes, but in winter she needs a certain coolness, at least for the darkest months (from October to January) at 16-18 ° C, at least 5 ° C, the lower the temperature, the less often watering and drier the land.

Lighting: Kufea is photophilous, but loves not bright, but diffused light, with shading from direct sunlight during the hottest hours in summer, from about 11 to 15 hours, it is desirable that the plant receive about 4 hours of morning or evening sun.

Watering: in summer, Kufya is watered abundantly, but after the top layer of the earth dries. In autumn, watering is reduced, watered two days later, after the earth dries. In winter, they are rarely watered, preventing only a complete re-drying of the earthen coma.

Top dressing: 1.5 months after transplantation, from April to August with full mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. Feeding is carried out every 2 weeks.

Air humidity: Kufea tolerates low air humidity rather stoically, but in winter it needs to be protected from the directed hot air of the batteries. If humidity is below 30%, spray

Transplant: Annually in the spring. Soil mixture: the 1 part of the leaf, the 1 part of the turf, the 1 part of the humus, the 1/2 part of the river sand (gravel crumb) and a little chopped pine bark. Pour drainage from medium-sized expanded clay on the bottom of the pots. Pruning should be done in spring and summer.

Reproduction: In spring or at the end of summer, semi-lignified cuttings, as well as seeds.

Seeds sown in loose soil and lightly dusted on top should germinate in the dark. For this, the plate with crops is covered with a piece of cardboard or opaque polyethylene. When the seeds germinate, the shading is removed, and the plant is transferred to a bright place. Seed germination requires a temperature in the range of 21-22 ° C.

   

By the way

The main care for such a plant as Kufey is in the annual spring pruning, to form a crown of the desired shape and size.

If the fiery red kufea, grown more often as a balcony plant, is cut off, only shortening the elongated shoots, then the hyssopolyst kufea requires a more thorough formation of the crown. Due to its strong bushiness, you can give the plant the shape of a ball or pyramid. During the summer, you can maintain your shape only by periodically pinching the ends of the shoots.

By the way

Hyssopolous kufea is a plant well adapted to indoor content. Unlike her, Kufea fiery red is usually grown on balconies and terraces as an annual plant.

Although it can be left to winter and make it bloom next year. To do this, in the fall, at the end of flowering, watering is reduced, the plant is transferred to a cool but bright room. Optimal content in winter at 8-10 ° C, with rare irrigation (about once every 10 days). In March, Kufei can be transferred to a warmer room.

By the way

Kufei flowers do not last long, but the flowering period lasts several months. Wilted flowers must be removed to continue flowering as long as possible. Also, if you want abundant flowering, do not plant in the spring in a too spacious pot.

By the way

Kufei are prone to root rot, powdery mildew damage, and leaf spotting. Excess nitrogenous fertilizers are poorly tolerated.