Groundsel

 

Family of Asteraceae. This is an extensive genus with about 1250 species in nature, among them small shrubs, creeping (ground cover) and herbaceous plants. Homeland of species common in culture South and Southwest Africa, Fr. Madagascar, Canary Islands.

Just think - the closest relatives of this succulent are daisies and asters! But unlike these flowers, crosses are ornamental and deciduous plants, their flowers are nondescript and not all species bloom at home.

By the way, you need to remember that crosses are toxic plants, beware if you have a baby who can tear off a leaf or a Rowley pea and stick it in your mouth, the result can be severe poisoning (hepatotoxicity is about the same as in fly agaric).

Rowley's godwit Senecio rowleyanus is a succulent plant, with creeping long stems rooted in internodes. The leaves are spherical (similar to balls), alternately located on a short petiole. The flowers are white, tubular, with a slight smell, collected in apical inflorescences of a basket. Grown as an ampel plant.

Arrow-nosed crossbill Senecio scaposus is a succulent plant with a short stalk. The leaves form a dense rosette. The leaves are of two types: flat, broad, and short; and long cylindrical shapes. Young leaves are covered with silvery pubescence, old leaves are smooth, green. The flowers are collected in basket inflorescences on very long peduncles.

крестовникRowley's godson Senecio rowleyanus
крестовникWedge-shaped crossbill Senecio kleiniiformis
крестовникArrow-nosed godwit Senecio scaposus

Large-tongued godwit Senecio macroglossus - liana, with brownish stems. The leaves are arranged in turn, on short petioles, triangular-arrow-shaped, dark green, with a waxy sheen. There are varieties with variegated leaves that have white or yellow spots - stripes along the edges. It can bloom in winter with yellow flowers collected in apical or axillary baskets. It has a name - "Natal ivy," it is often confused with ordinary ivy, although the leaves of the godwit are much larger.

крестовникHaworth's godson Senecio haworthi
крестовникPeristolic crossbill Senecio pinnatifolius
крестовникCreeping godwit Senecio serpens

Blood godwit Senecio cruentus - or Cineraria cineraria cruentus - see "description and care"

The Godson - Care and Cultivation

Although the crosses belong to Asteraceae, among the home flowers of this family of ginura and micania, senecio are close to staples, sweatshirts or stoneware in cultivation and care requirements.

Temperature: In summer, it is usually desirable to set pots in fresh air from May (June), you can bring them into the room in autumn, before the temperature can drop below + 5 ° C. In winter, it is desirable to have a cool content at 15-16 ° C. Crosses can grow in winter and in normal home conditions, but at the same time they need to be illuminated with daylight lamps (or LEDs).

Lighting: The godwits require a well-lit sunny spot, some views on the south window burn out (a reddish hue appears on the leaves) and prefer the east and west windows.

Watering: Mild in summer, the soil should dry out in the top half of the pot for another watering. Waterlogging is destructive, do not forget that senecio is a succulent, and do not leave the soil moist for a long time. In winter, watering is very moderate, until the earthen coma is completely dried.

Fertilizer: From March to August, they are fed with complex fertilizer for cacti. Feeding is carried out every two weeks.

Humidity: All succulent species of godson, including Rowley's Godson, are resistant to dry air. And the large-tongued godwit loves moist air and requires frequent spraying in summer in dry weather, as well as in winter, if it is in a warm room. If possible, then periodically arrange washing under the shower.

Transplantation: Young plants every year in spring, old after two years. The godson is not demanding on acidity, but prefers weakly acidic or neutral (pH 6.5-7). The soil is necessarily loose, well-drained, approximate composition: 1 part of turf, 1 part of sheet (peat), 1 part of humus, 1 part of sand and 1 part of fine expanded clay (2-3 mm), gravel or vermiculite.

Breeding: Stem cuttings in spring and summer. Cross cuttings are rooted, like all other succulents, by laying them on a dry soil surface. Moreover, it is better to pour 0.5 cm of small gravel on the surface of the substrate. To prevent the handle from falling over, it can be sewn to the ground with a paper clip or pressed with a pebble. After that, do not water for about 2 weeks, and if it is very hot and dry, you can spray once a day from a small spray bottle. Rowley's cross cuttings are also rooted: they are cut off about 10 cm and laid on the surface of the soil, soon new roots will develop from the sinuses, where the leaves are attached to the stem.