Sparmania

 

Linden family. Homeland - South Africa. Sparmania is also called room linden, according to the similar shape of the leaves.

  • African sparmania sparmannia africana is a fast-growing plant, with lignified erect stems covered with large light green pubescent and large heart-shaped leaves, up to 20 cm long. Sparmania blooms from about 3 years of age with very beautiful flowers, which again, like a linden, sit in a bunch on long peduncles. The flowers themselves are white, and in the center there are many fluffy bright yellow stamens. Flowering continues for quite a long time, while faded peduncles are cut off.
СпарманияСпармания

Caring for Sparmania

Temperature: Sparmania grows well in temperate and warm conditions around 22-24 ° C, preferably no higher than 28 ° C. In winter, they are kept in a cool room at 12-14 ° C, but not lower than + 10 ° C.

Lighting: Sparmania prefers very good lighting in both summer and winter, and shading may be needed only from March to August on a sunny window in the afternoon (from 11 to 15 hours), shading is not required in winter.

Watering: Plentiful in spring and summer, as sparmania evaporates large amounts of water with large leaves, so it may have to be watered every day during the summer - unless the top layer of the ground dries out. In winter, watering is more moderate, during cold wintering, after the upper layer of the earth dries, it is necessary to wait 3-4 days and only then water.

Fertilizer: Sparmania is fed from April to September every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizer for indoor plants. Any fertilizer is suitable, including uniflor-bud, Pocon, Agricola for flowering plants, ferthica-lux and others.

Air humidity: Sparmania loves moist air, 60-70% humidity is optimal for it. You need to spray it carefully, since moisture lingering in fluffy leaves can cause decay, only if the humidity is below 40%. In the heating season, you can put a pot on a wide tray of water.

Transplantation: They transplant sparmania up to 3 years of age annually, twice in early spring and in mid-summer. After three years of age, the sparmania is transplanted after a year, but the top layer of the earth is changed annually. Soil - 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of leaf land and 1 part of fine gravel or vermiculite. Drainage to the bottom with a layer of 3-4 cm .

Breeding: Sparmania is propagated by apical cuttings and the tops of lateral shoots in spring and summer. Cuttings take root faster if they are covered with glass or a plastic bag on top, while ventilating 2-3 times a day.

   

By the way

Sparmania grows rapidly, so it is sometimes transplanted several times during the spring-winter period.

In addition, the plant needs support, which is suitable for a high trellis or a tube with moss.

In spring, sometimes also in summer, sparmania is cut off, thus restraining growth and forcing the plant to shrub. If a rather unpretentious companion is provided with good conditions of detention, then it can grow up to 2 meters in height.

By the way

In order for the sparmia to bloom, it is not transplanted for at least two years. But they are regularly fed with fertilizers for ornamental flowering plants, every week from March to September. In addition, she needs a lot of light, especially in winter, and a moderate temperature of no higher than 18 ° C.

Growing problems

The lower leaves turn yellow, and partially fly around, the plant stretches out - with a lack of lighting.

The plant grows slowly or not at all, the new leaves are small in good lighting - a lack of nutrients in the soil.

The leaves are pale with dry gray-brown spots in the middle of the leaf blade - sunburn in direct sunlight in summer.

The leaves curl from the edges and dry - if the temperature is too high and dry.

The leaves dry up and fall off - if there is not enough moisture in the soil, when affected by pests.

Of the pests, sparmania can be affected by spider mites, thrips and mealybugs.