Growing brunfelsia is not difficult if you know about some of its biological features. We will talk about little-flowered brunfelsia, as the most common. Agricultural technology for other species is similar.
Brunfelsia small-flowered is a slow-growing evergreen shrub that can grow in the interior for many years. If the plant is properly looked after, then it will delight with enchanting tricolor flowering not only in spring and early summer, but also less abundantly - almost all year round. The flowers are often sweetly fragrant and open, unlike many other brunfelsias, not at night, but during the day. For flowers that change color from purple through lavender to almost white, the plant received the original name "Yesterday Today and Tomorrow". By the way, each flower lives for several days. It is truly a plant that you can enjoy yesterday, today and tomorrow!
More about this plant - on the page Brunfelsia.
I must say that brunfelsia can best show itself in the soil of a greenhouse, where it can be allowed to grow freely. In a room pot, the height of this shrub, which in nature reaches 2.5 m, is much lower - up to 60 cm, and is supported by pruning long shoots.
Priming... Brunfelsia needs moist, rich and well-drained soil. Prefers an acidic substrate, not higher than neutral. On insufficiently acidic substrates, the plant often suffers from chlorosis. Ready-made soil for flowering plants is suitable for her. You can make a soil mixture yourself, it should have the following proportions: sod land: leafy earth: humus (1: 1: 2).
Transfer... Brunfelsia has a tap root system. Such plants usually suffer from root damage painfully. The transplant is carried out by transferring to a slightly larger pot with fresh soil. Transplanted annually. Brunfelsia blooms best in a close pot, the diameter of which does not exceed 15 cm. Strongly overgrown plants are cut and new ones are grown.
- Soils and soil mixtures for indoor plants
- Transplanting indoor plants
Temperature... For brunfelsia, the usual room temperature, from +22 to + 25 ° C, is comfortable throughout the year. A drop in temperature will only affect the plant by a temporary slowdown in growth. In winter, in conditions of a lack of light, the optimum temperature is + 15 ° C (but not lower than + 10 ° C).
Lighting... Brunfelsia loves light, grows best on southern windows. The main requirement of the plant is year-round availability of direct sunlight 3-4 hours a day. Therefore, when there is a lack of sunlight, supplementary lighting with a phytolamp is organized.
Watering requires regular. The soil should always remain slightly moist, only drying the top layer to a depth of 2-2.5 cm is permissible. In the summer, the plant has to be checked almost daily to prevent overdrying. Water should not stand in the pan.
Brunfelsia does not have a natural dormant period, but if you do not light up the plant in winter, and the air temperature is low, then watering should be somewhat reduced, avoiding overmoistening.
Read more in the article Watering rules for indoor plants.
Air humidity... A native of the tropics, Brunfelsia needs high humidity. For her, it is enough to put a pallet with wet expanded clay or pebbles under the pot. It's even better if you have a humidifier.
Top dressing... Brunfelsia is a plant that is demanding on soil fertility, and the duration and abundance of flowering largely depends on the supply of food. The plant should be fed from spring to autumn 2 times a month with a complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants in a half dose.The plant also positively relates to organic fertilizers, of which it is best to occasionally use Biohumus or Lignohumate. In the case of a cool winter content in conditions of lack of lighting, they are fed once a month.
Read more in the article Top dressing of indoor plants.
Pruning... When grown in greenhouse soil, Brunfelsia is not cut off. But this plant grows slowly in indoor conditions and blooms at the tops of the shoots, therefore, for abundant flowering, you need to form a crown so that more flowering shoots are formed. Pruning and shaping is carried out in the summer, after flowering. The fragments left over from pruning can be used on cuttings.
Read more in the article Methods for the formation of indoor plants.
Reproduction of brunfelsia
Cuttings... The main breeding method for brunfelsia is cuttings, which are carried out in the spring. Cuttings 12 cm long are dusted with Kornevin and placed in a glass with wet sphagnum mixed with perlite or sand. The containers are placed in a greenhouse in bright, but not direct, diffused light. The cuttings take root quickly, within 2 weeks. After that, they are planted in pots.
You can root the cuttings in the ground, then the rooting period increases slightly, up to 3-4 weeks.
Read more in the article Cutting indoor plants at home.
Sowing seeds... The plant does not tie seeds when kept indoors. But if you managed to acquire seeds, you need to do the following with them. First, soak in warm water for 1-2 days. Sow to a depth of 0.5-1 cm and grow under glass at a temperature of + 25 ° C. Seeds sprout within 2-6 weeks. Seedlings need to be kept moist, after 2 weeks start feeding with a weak, 0.2% complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants every 2 weeks.
Possible problems when growing Brunfelsia
- Pale or yellow leaves - the soil is not acidic enough, transplant the plant into a more acidic soil mixture. Alternatively, you can periodically use a solution of ferrous sulfate for watering.
- The plant has poor growth - the plant may show poor growth due to the presence of aphids. Wash the plant with a stream of water, treat with Aktara. A similar problem can occur with a spider mite that infects a plant in dry conditions. Treat with one of the acaricides.
Read more in the article Houseplant pests and control measures.
