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Kalanchoe: the native land of the plant and the necessary composition of the soil

Very often on the windowsills among a variety of indoor flowers can be found Kalanchoe. The birthplace of this plant is Madagascar and South Africa. Kalanchoe not only distinguishes beautiful appearance, but also extraordinary healing properties.

Title History

One of the ancient legends explains the appearance of Kalanchoe in different countries of the world. For the first time this name is mentioned in the record of the ship's magazine made in the XVIII century. Trading in Africa, Russian merchants encountered an amazing case of curing one of the sailors. He contracted a very dangerous and rare disease - a tropical fever, so it was decided to leave it on a South African island to save the rest of the team from imminent death.

Returning back a month later, the ship again moored to this island and the sailors were surprised to find their comrade quite healthy. It turned out that the locals were able to cure him of a fatal disease with the help of leaves of a plant, which they called calanch (health). Today many housewives grow Kalanchoe houses, whose homeland is the south of Africa.

External Description

This herbaceous perennial, belonging to the genus Tolstoyan, is very fast. The opposite leaves are juicy, fleshy, often green, sometimes yellowish or with a gray-blue tinge. The lower ones are ovate, and the upper ones are pinnate. Flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences, their coloration can be orange, pink, white or reddish.

Features of care

Growing at home such exotic flowers, it should be remembered that the birthplace of Kalanchoe (a houseplant brought to us from the tropics) is a completely different climatic conditions. Therefore, for his comfortable well-being, appropriate care is required. Nevertheless, this plant quickly adapts to the existing conditions and belongs to the category of the most unpretentious. Like most southern plants, the Kalanchoe tolerates a lack of moisture, but needs warmth and sufficient light.

Optimum soil composition for Kalanchoe

Today, the most diverse soil mixture for indoor plants can be purchased at the store. The composition, intended for cacti and succulents, is quite suitable for Kalanchoe, the homeland of which is the tropics. Only need to add to it one-sixth of the rotten compost. It is quite possible to use a universal soil soil for planting, mixing it approximately by one third with fine expanded clay.

If desired, the soil mix is prepared independently, there is nothing complicated in this. It is necessary to take turf and leaf earth (in the ratio 4: 2) and one part sand and peat. To them add a little humus or dry manure.

Temperature and lighting

Since the birthplace of Kalanchoe (a houseplant that has settled on our windowsills) is South Africa with its tropical and subtropical climate, the plant is absolutely not afraid of the sun's rays. In order for it to fully develop, good lighting is necessary. If a small shading of the Kalanchoe can not damage, then a lack of light will lead to deformation and loss of decorative qualities.

The air temperature must be kept high enough - approximately 22 ° C. Drying and falling leaves is evidence that the room is too hot. But in winter the plant feels better at a temperature of 15 ° C. If the thermometer is 10 ° C or lower, the flower may die.

Watering

Kalanchoe (the homeland of the plant is characterized by a dry climate) is able to accumulate water, so the drought tolerates fairly calmly. Much worse for this plant is excessive hydration, which can lead to decay of the roots and damage to the leaves.

Water the Kalanchoe as the soil dries up, as a rule, twice a week in the summer and quite occasionally in the winter. Spraying of leaves is carried out only when necessary, when you need to clean them from dust.

Types of Kalanchoe

There are more than 200 different species of Kalanchoe. All of them and today grow in tropical countries. Some of them are so different from each other that it's hard to believe in their relationship. The only thing that unites all these plants is Kalanchoe - the motherland.

Come to us from Central Madagascar Kalanchoe TOMENTOSA (or Kalanchoe felt) has a rounded at the base of the leaves, the surface of which is covered with thick down. Because of this, their coloring seems silvery.

A very common species is the Kalanchoe Degremona. This plant with succulent leaves, the edges of which are slightly wrapped inside, refers to viviparous. New rosettes are formed directly on the denticles of the leaves, then they start their own roots, gradually breaking off and falling off. This species is known for its amazing healing properties.

The decorative form of Kalanchoe BLOSSFELDIANA is distinguished by small leathery leaves, which in the sunlight acquire a reddish shade. Many commercial farms grow year-round blossoming specimens of this Kalanchoe. The birthplace of the flower is the central part of Madagascar.

The thick and juicy stem has a Kalanchoe TUBIFLORA (Kalanchoe tube-colored). On gray-green fleshy leaves, large groups form daughter sockets.

Kalanchoe MANGANII has erect thin stems, slightly curved towards the end. They have leaves up to 2.5 cm long. The duration of flowering is affected by the humidity of the air, so this plant needs to be sprayed.

Where the birthplace of Kalanchoe, in natural conditions, this plant can grow up to one and a half meters tall. Nevertheless, it has been successfully grown for a long time in the indoor environment and is very much appreciated for its decorative and medicinal qualities.

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