Can indoor cineraria be grown outdoors?

The genus Cineraria belongs to the Astrov family and includes about fifty species. It is widely used in horticulture, where it is divided into two groups - deciduous, usually grown in the garden, and flowering, more often grown indoors. Although these plants are perennials, in our climate they are cultivated as annuals.

Cineraria species and varieties

Cineraria seaside also there are names sea, silver or silvery... Ornamental-deciduous plant, forming a bush of green foliage of a pronounced silvery shade.

There are several varieties that differ in the size of the bush or the shape of the foliage:

• Silver boat,

• Cirrus,

• Silver Dust,

• Candyance.

Cineraria hybrid or bloody... A bushy species prized primarily for flowers. It has long foliage that emphasizes flowers well. More often than other species, it is grown indoors.

Popular varieties:

• Stellata,

• Sympathy,

• Masterpiece,

• Jester,

Cineraria graceful shoots of this species have a high degree of branching and reach a height of 50-60 cm. Flowers, collected in scute inflorescences, can be either simple or double. Blooms in autumn until the coldest days. Also has a dwarf variety 30 cm in height.

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Cineraria growing from seeds

Often, flower growers, wanting to grow cineraria, acquire exactly seed material. And this is a completely justified step, because the seeds of this plant have a high germination capacity. Sowing is carried out in the middle of spring in seedlings.

The seeds are scattered on the surface of the sand mixed with peat in a one-to-one ratio, and pressed a little into the substrate. After that, the soil is sprayed with a spray bottle and the pot is covered with glass or foil.

The sowing container is kept under diffused lighting, from time to time airing and spraying the soil.

Seedlings appear within 7-10 days after sowing. When this happens, the glass is removed. With the formation of a pair of true leaves, the sprouts dive into the peat pots, the transplant should be carried out together with an earthen lump.

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Cineraria planting and care in the open field

Young plants are planted in open ground at the end of spring, when the threat of night frosts disappears. For planting, you should select well-lit places, but it is desirable that the plants are protected from the midday sun. The soil must be drainable, neutral or slightly alkaline, and nutritious.

Planting in open soil does not differ from that of other plants. The holes are placed about 20 cm one from one, the transplant is carried out together with an earthen lump, which is why it was advised to dive into peat pots. After planting, the site is slightly crushed and watering is carried out.

Dahlias are also representatives of the Astrov family; when planting and nursing in the open field, they need to comply with several maintenance rules. You can find recommendations for cultivation and care in this article.

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Watering cineraria

Caring for cineraria requires almost no effort. As a rule, it has enough natural precipitation, in addition, this plant normally tolerates droughts.

If there is a lot of heat outside and there has been no rain for a long time, then in the evening after sunset or in the morning, you should still carry out infrequent watering, and then (or after rain) loosen the soil and get rid of weeds.

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Fertilizer for cineraria

Once every 15 days, top dressing should be applied in the form of a complete mineral fertilizer. Decorative flowering species during the development of buds are fertilized once every 7 days, alternating organic matter and mineral fertilizing.

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Pruning cineraria

Flowers that begin to wilt are immediately cut off so that the total flowering period is longer. In species grown for decorative foliage, the buds are pruned as soon as they appear.

Since in our climatic zone this plant is cultivated as an annual, then with the end of flowering, the bushes are destroyed, and the site is dug up.

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Cineraria in winter

Ornamental deciduous species can be tried to be preserved by covering them with dry foliage for the winter. But this does not guarantee that the flower will survive - it all depends on the severity of winter.

In the spring, the shelter is removed and the parts affected by frost are cut off. Also, in the fall, plants can be dug up and planted in pots, leaving them in a bright place with a cool temperature for the winter, and replanting the bushes in the garden again in the spring. In general, these are all wishes for the care of cineraria.

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Cineraria propagation by cuttings

Seed propagation is the only way to obtain new plants for decorative flowering forms. Ornamental deciduous species can be propagated vegetatively by cuttings.

Cuttings 10 cm long are cut in the summer. To plant them, you need to take a container with drainage holes, fill it 10 cm with garden soil mixed with sand, and then another 5 cm with coarse river sand. After that, the soil is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The cuttings are treated with a rooting enhancer and their substrate is stuck in, and then covered with a plastic bottle to create a greenhouse effect. Watering is carried out every couple of days if the soil dries up.

When the material takes root, you will need to start removing the bottle for a couple of hours every day so that the young plants adapt to the new conditions. It will be possible to completely remove the bottles when you see fit, observing your plants, but it is preferable to do this on a gloomy day.

It will be possible to plant cineraria in the garden only next year in the spring, and in winter it should be kept in good lighting and cool temperatures.

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Diseases and pests

Among the diseases, cineraria is most often affected by fungi - rust and powdery mildew... This most often occurs in high heat and high humidity.

Rust manifests itself red spots on foliage and shoots, and powdery mildew forms white bloom on the leaves.

Fighting diseases is difficult because of the villi on the foliage, so it is better to avoid high humidity and stagnant water in the area than to try to get rid of diseases later. If the fungus does appear, then the diseased parts need to be cut off and the plants treated with fungicides, for example, Bordeaux liquid.

Pests that are likely to attack cineraria are spider mite and aphid... They appear most often in hot weather and feed on plant juices.

It is inconvenient to wash the cineraria bushes with warm water, therefore they often simply resort to insecticides - actellik or phytoverm. Please note that actellic is very toxic and you need to be careful when treating plants with it.

In addition to chemicals against pests, you can use infusions of tobacco, onion peels or garlic.

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Cineraria (Cineraria) is a genus of plants belonging to the family Asteraceae or Asteraceae. Gardeners cultivate both various types of cineraria and species belonging to the closely related cineraria, the genus Senecio, the Tribe Raginaceae, which are members of the Asteraceae family.The genus Cineraria unites about 50 species that are found in nature, while according to various sources, there are 1-3 thousand species of the cineraria. Below we will talk about the types of cineraria and cineraria, which are most popular with gardeners.

In Latin, cineraria means "ashy". It is represented by shrubs and herbaceous plants. In the wild, such a flower can only be found in tropical regions of Africa and Madagascar. At home, only bloody cineraria (Cineraria cruenta) is grown, which is also called hybrid cineraria (Cineraria hybrida), but in fact this plant is a hybrid cross. In horticulture, this plant is cultivated as an annual or biennial. The height of the bush with strongly branching shoots is 30–90 centimeters. Large petiolate leaf plates are oval or lyre-shaped; in a larger number of species, they are pinnately dissected. There is pubescence on the surface of foliage and shoots. The terminal corymbose inflorescences include double or simple baskets with lingual flowers that have white, purple, red and yellow colors. They surround an islet of yellow tubular flowers. Flowering is observed from the second half of June until the first frost.

Growing cineraria from seeds

Sowing

To grow cineraria from seeds, you first need to buy them. This can be done in a flower shop, since such a plant can be found relatively infrequently in gardens. The seeds are very germinating. It is recommended to sow seeds for seedlings in the first days of April. To do this, the container must be filled with peat mixed with sand (1: 1). Sowing is carried out on the surface of the substrate, the seeds are not buried. After sowing, you need to take a ruler from a tree and tamp the surface of the substrate. After that, the seedlings must be watered with a sprayer or using the lower method. Cover the top of the container with transparent glass.

Seedling

The first seedlings usually appear after 1–1.5 weeks. After that, the container must be moved to a place with good lighting. A pick into individual pots is carried out after 2 true leaves are formed in the plants. During the pick, the plant must be carefully removed along with the earthen lump. It is recommended to use peat briquettes as a container; as a result, there will be several times less problems during planting in open soil. With proper care of the seedlings in the garden, you will transplant powerful young plants.

Planting cineraria in open ground

What time to plant

It is not very difficult to cultivate such a flower, especially if you know the basic rules for caring for it. It is recommended to choose a sunny area, but do not forget that such plants need shading at lunchtime. A well-drained soil, nutrient-rich, neutral or slightly alkaline, is suitable. Planting of grown seedlings can be carried out only after there is no threat of frost at night, as a rule, this falls on mid-May.

How to plant

Planting this plant in open ground is practically no different from planting other plants. The distance between the holes should be 20 to 25 centimeters. The disembarkation is carried out together with an earthen lump. When the cineraria is planted, compact the soil and water it. In the event that there is a danger of frost at night, then in the evening the plant should be covered with lutrasil or spunbond, and in the morning - removed.

Care features

It is not difficult to care for this flower, but watering it correctly is very important. With an insufficient amount of water, cineraria becomes weakened, and if there is too much moisture, then rot begins to appear on the root system.It should be remembered that almost all species of this plant are resistant to drought and most often they have enough rain. After the plant is watered or rain has passed, the surface of the soil must be loosened, while removing the existing weeds. When the flowers begin to wither, they must be cut off, as a result of this cineraria will bloom much longer. Top dressing is carried out 2 or 3 times in 4 weeks and mineral fertilizer is used for this. Ornamental-flowering species need to be fed once every 7 days, using alternately mineral and organic fertilizers. If you have a decorative leafy look, then the buds in this case should be torn off as soon as they appear.

Reproduction of cineraria

How to grow a plant from seeds is described above, but only decorative flowering species can be propagated only in this way. Ornamental deciduous species can also be propagated by vegetative methods. Seaside cineraria (Cineraria maritima), for example, can be propagated by ten-centimeter cuttings in the summer. In this case, you will need a "cutter" (portable box), into which the cuttings will be planted. Such a device is necessary so that you can easily remove young plants (cuttings) from the midday direct rays of the sun. To make it, you will need boards and plywood. Do not forget to make drainage holes at the bottom. Then a ten-centimeter layer of garden soil mixed with sand is poured, on top - a layer of coarse-grained river sand (5-7 centimeters thick). The surface must be leveled and the substrate must be poured with a watering can with a solution of pink potassium manganese. Treat the cut of the cutting with the root root at the bottom, then immerse it in the substrate in the "cutting" and tamp the soil around it a little. After that, the cutting is covered with a cut plastic bottle, slightly sticking it into the sand. It will be possible to remove this shelter only after complete rooting. If necessary, watering the soil over the bottles should be carried out 2 times a day. Rooted plants need to start accustoming to the external environment, for this it is necessary to remove the bottles from them every day for 1-2 hours. After some time, the shelter must be removed for good and it is better to do this when it is cloudy or in the rain. For wintering, cuttings are placed in a cool room, without getting them out of the "cuttings". In spring, they are planted in open soil.

Diseases and pests

Decorative leafy cineraria is susceptible to infection with powdery mildew or rust (with high humidity and heat), and aphids and spider mites can also settle on it. Since these flowers have dense pubescence, it will be easier to prevent infection than to cure the disease. To exterminate pests, systemic insecticidal agents are used. But it should be remembered that all types of this plant are highly resistant to diseases and pests.

After flowering

It was already mentioned above that this very spectacular flowering plant in mid-latitudes is cultivated by gardeners as an annual. In this regard, after it has faded, it is simply destroyed. However, ornamental deciduous species are quite possible to preserve until next year. To do this, they must be prepared for wintering, namely, the bushes of the plant must be covered with a layer of dried leaves. In the spring, it is necessary to remove the foliage, and then cut off the parts that are frozen from the cineraria, as they can interfere with the growth of young shoots. There is also a second method that will help preserve this plant until spring. In the fall, it should be transplanted into a flower pot, and then transferred to a sufficiently lighted cool room. With the onset of next spring, you will only have to transplant this flower into open ground.

Main varieties and types with photos

All types of this plant, which are cultivated by gardeners and florists, are divided into 2 different groups. The first of them is decorative deciduous. Such cineraria are usually cultivated mostly in open soil. The second group is decorative flowering. Such plants are grown as indoor plants.

Cineraria maritima

It is also called silver cineraria, silvery cineraria or seaside cineraria. This ornamental deciduous plant is perennial. Its root leaf rosette includes leaf plates of an unusual greenish-silver color. This type is very popular in landscape design. The fact is that it is an excellent background for other greenery, as well as for plants with flowers of a very bright, saturated color. Also, this species can also be called "silver dust". The most popular varieties are:

1. «Silver Dust"- such compact bushes have a small height and lacy leaf plates.
2. «Cirrus"- such a bush has a greater height in comparison with the previous one, and on its lush bushes there are oval serrated leaves.

Cineraria hybrid

Which is also called red cineraria, or bloody cineraria - such a bushy plant is decorative and flowering. The bush can be about 30 centimeters high or even more. Large, rounded leaf plates have a length of 10–20 centimeters. Against the background of lovely foliage, bright flowers stand out, which are outwardly similar to chamomiles or daisies. The most popular varieties are:

1. Grandiflora - the bush has a height of 50 to 70 centimeters. The flowers are quite large and have a diameter of 5–8 centimeters.
2. Double - bushes can be 35–70 centimeters high, flowers have a five centimeter diameter.
3. Stellata - The bushes are very tall (70–90 centimeters), and the flowers are 2–4 centimeters in diameter.
4. Sympathy - this plant is distinguished by the fact that its flowers can be painted in a variety of combinations of color shades.

Cineraria graceful (Senecio elegans)

The height of the highly branched stem is about 60 centimeters, on its surface there is pubescence in the form of sticky hairs, as well as on the surface of the leaf plates. Flowers can be double or simple. They are part of the baskets, which are part of the corymbose inflorescences. Flowering lasts until the first frost. Popular varieties:

1. Nanus - a bush of such a dwarf variety has a height of about 25 centimeters.
2. Ligulosus - Terry flowers can be painted in a variety of colors.

Cineraria are an extensive genus of ornamental garden plants that are actively used in horticulture and landscape design. Bright flowers or unusual leaves have long brought these plants a well-deserved love. Planting cineraria and caring for it does not require excessive efforts, however, it varies somewhat, depending on the species.

Thanks to long flowering and unpretentious care, bright, chamomile-like, cineraria flowers are frequent guests on any flower bed.

Cineraria are one of the genera of the Asteraceae or Compositae family, which is related to another genus of this family - the Rusticians (some cineraria refer specifically to this genus). It is the cinerarium that counts about 50 species, but the Cineraria is the most extensive genus of plants, in it there are from 1 to 3 thousand varieties.

The genus Cineraria is distinguished by a wide variety of forms - it can be flowering plants, herbs, shrubs. The highly branched stem is covered with large petiolate leaves of various shapes:

• oval;
• lyre;
• pinnately dissected.

Both leaves and stems are usually pubescent.

Cineraria flowers, as a rule, are collected in thyroid inflorescences, consisting of simple and double baskets with yellow tubular petals in the core.The size and color can vary depending on the species - from small and inconspicuous in decorative leafy species to bright and large in flowering varieties.

The natural habitat of cineraria is the tropical thickets of Africa and the island of Madagascar, from where it was brought first to Europe and then to Russia. In their homeland, these plants are perennials, but in the Russian climate they are more often grown as annual crops. Although some species, under favorable conditions, are quite capable of surviving a warm winter with or without shelter.

Types and varieties

With a fairly wide variety of species, only three are most popular:

• cineraria silvery, or seaside;
• bloody or hybrid cineraria;
• cineraria is graceful.

Each species has its own characteristics of cultivation and use.

Primorskaya

Seaside cineraria refers to decorative leafy plants and attracts attention with the unusual white-silver color of the carved leaves. Grown as a framing for flower beds, borders or a backdrop for brighter plants and flowers. It blooms with small yellow flowers, which are often removed so as not to lose the decorative and effective planting.

Cineraria seaside attracts attention with spectacular silver carved foliage

This species is easily propagated by seeds, tolerates transplants well. It is not picky about the quality of soil and watering, it is drought-resistant. Needs bright sunlight, which gives the leaves a spectacular color. With a lack of light, it loses its decorative effect and may die.

Popular varieties of cineraria silvery:

• Silver will give - undersized shrub with carved foliage;
• Cirrus is a medium-tall shrub with oval greenish-white leaves that become more silvery with age.

A distinctive feature of plants of this species is not only the spectacular color of the foliage, but also their unusual velvety texture.

Hybrid

Bloody cineraria, also known as hybrid or red, is a popular ornamental flowering plant. Can be up to 30cm in height or even more. The leaves are large - from 10 to 20 cm, oval, colored green. The bright flowers are shaped like daisies or chamomile. They can be painted in various shades, depending on the type of plant.

Indoor cineraria is distinguished by the brightness of the inflorescences and the unusualness of their color

The most popular varieties of hybrid cineraria:

• Sympathy - bicolor flowers;
• Double - medium-tall bushes (35-70 cm) with flowers up to 5 cm in diameter;
• Stellata - tall plants (70-90 cm) with small flowers - 2-4 cm in diameter;
• Grandiflora - medium-tall bushes (50-70 cm) with large inflorescences from 5 to 8 cm in diameter.

This species is often grown as a pot culture, for which it was called indoor cineraria.

Graceful

The most unpretentious and easy to care for is the Graceful Cineraria. It is distinguished by an interesting, almost spherical bush shape, which is due to the strong branching of the stem. The height of the bush can reach 60 cm. The stems and leaves are covered with villi sticky to the touch. The shape of the flowers is simple and terry baskets, which are collected in corymbose inflorescences.

Unpretentious and bright cineraria graceful - a welcome guest on flower beds

The following varieties are very popular:

• Nana is a short bush (up to 25 cm), covered with large flowers shaped like stars. The petals are pink, the core is burgundy;
• Ligulosus is a medium-sized shrub with abundant flowering.

The flowering of graceful cineraria lasts until the first frost.

Landing rules

Planting cineraria and caring for it does not present any difficulties. Any species can be grown from seeds, and some can also be grafted. All types of cineraria prefer sunny areas, although some should avoid direct sunlight. It is important to choose a place where water does not stagnate, otherwise the plant may die.Neutral or alkaline soils are best suited. Before planting, you should definitely make good drainage.

Cineraria can be sown directly into the ground in a permanent place or grown through seedlings - both methods give good results, since the seeds are highly germinating. If a seedling method of growing cineraria is chosen, when to plant seeds depends on the type of plant:

• seaside is sown in early March, planting in the ground - in May;
• hybrid is sown in December, transplanted to the permanent place of the seedling after 8-9 months;
• graceful - sown in early April, planted in the ground in May.

The soil for sowing seeds should be light, water and breathable. Best suited for this is a mixture of peat and sand, taken in equal parts. Before sowing seeds, the soil is leveled and crushed, well moistened.

The seeds of cineraria are very small, so they are sown superficially, without embedding in the ground. After sowing can

Cineraria seedlings, like seeds, are small in size, so they will require patience and accuracy when transplanting.

but lightly crush the seeds or compact the soil in the container with a wooden ruler. Then the crops are watered using a spray bottle or through a pallet and covered with glass or foil to create greenhouse conditions. The greenhouse is ventilated several times a week.

At an air temperature of about 20 degrees, seedlings appear already on the 10-14th day. Seeds germinate together, without delay. Immediately after the emergence of seedlings, the container with seedlings is rearranged to a well-lit place and the glass is removed.

Landing in open ground

After the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, they are dived into separate containers. To reduce the risk of plant death, it is better to replant with a lump of earth, so there is less chance of damaging the roots. Cineraria seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the garden after the threat of night frosts has passed, as a rule, this occurs in late May - early June. Flowering begins in mid-June and lasts until frost.

Before planting seedlings, the soil is prepared - they dig it up, add sand, peat and compost. Seedlings are planted in compliance with the minimum distance - this is 20-25 cm between plants. The seaside cineraria can be planted more densely if the creation of a living carpet is planned. After planting, the land is mulched with peat to slow down the evaporation of water.

The first time after planting, plants need more frequent watering. But as soon as they take root, watering can be reduced to moderate - cineraria are distinguished by good drought resistance. To protect the seedlings from recurrent frosts, for the first few weeks, you can cover the flower bed at night.

If it is impossible to grow seedlings, you can sow seeds directly into the ground, although in this case cineraria requires more care and attention. This is done in late May or early June. In order for the seedlings to appear faster, the bed is covered with a greenhouse film. After the emergence of seedlings, the film is removed, but it is advisable to warm them at night. After the appearance of 2-3 leaves, the seedlings are thinned out. Do this several times, gradually bringing the distance between the bushes to the recommended one.

Care rules

Cineraria after planting easily takes root and caring for it in the open field is reduced to timely watering, weeding and loosening of the soil.

Cineraria are drought-resistant plants for which natural precipitation is sufficient. Thanks to the deeply located root system, they can receive water even on the hottest days. However, this negatively affects their decorative effect and general condition. With a lack of water, the plants weaken and wither, therefore, in drought and extreme heat, it is better to provide them with additional watering.

At the same time, an excess of water in the soil should not be allowed, this leads to decay of the roots and the death of the rest of the plant.It is also not recommended to get water on the leaves of plants, since the presence of villi will retain water on them, which can lead to sunburn.

After rain or watering, it is recommended to remove the weeds in the flowerbed and loosen the soil to provide fresh air to the roots. To increase the decorative effect and duration of flowering, cineraria are fed 1-2 times a month. For this, mineral fertilizers are used, and for decorative flowers during the period of laying buds and flowering, mineral and organic dressings are alternated every week.

Nondescript inflorescences spoil the strict beauty of silvery cineraria, so they are often removed

Many gardeners recommend removing peduncles from decorative leafy cineraria species before blooming, so that the plants do not waste energy on flowering and planting seeds. Flowering species also need to be pruned - remove wilted inflorescences to prolong flowering. Plants that are too tall can be trimmed to give them a more neat shape.

Wintering

In the Russian climate, all types of cineraria are usually grown as an annual plant, since they do not withstand severe frosts and die in winter. Therefore, in the fall, the remains of the plant are removed and the soil is dug up. You can also dig out the bushes in advance and transplant them into containers, sending them to winter in a cool, bright room (with a temperature not higher than + 10-15 degrees). In the spring, these bushes can be taken outside in containers or transplanted back into the ground.

In the southern regions, cineraria can winter outdoors. To do this, it is covered with a thick layer of mulch - at least 10-15 cm. For shelter, dead wood or spruce branches are used.

Reproduction

All varieties of flowering cineraria reproduce only by seeds, as described above. But for decorative deciduous plants, a vegetative method is also available - cuttings.

Recommendation! For rooting cuttings, it is better to make a special box - "cuttings", which will be convenient to carry from place to place in order to shelter from the scorching sun or rain.

Lateral shoots of cineraria or green stems, cut into 10 cm each, are used as cuttings.The cut of the cuttings is powdered with a root formation stimulator and stuck into the prepared soil mixture:

• sand with garden soil (10 cm) is poured at the bottom;
• then a layer of coarse sand (5-7 cm);
• the soil is tamped and watered with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Pressing the soil lightly around the stem is covered with a cut plastic bottle or other device that will create a greenhouse effect. It is preserved until the cuttings take root, then removed. Watering is carried out on top of the bottles, about once every 2-3 days, based on the condition of the soil.

After the cuttings take root, the bottles are removed for a short time, gradually hardening the plants and accustoming them to the general temperature.

Advice! It is better to clean the shelter completely on a cloudy or rainy day.

Cuttings can be cut from June to late August. Early harvested cuttings can be planted in a flowerbed in the same summer, and "autumn" cuttings will be waiting in a container for next spring.

Diseases and pests

Cineraria is especially loved by gardeners because it is practically not susceptible to disease or pest attacks. Yellowing, wilting and dropping of leaves, as a rule, is associated with a violation of the watering regime. If the situation is not running, it is enough to adjust the amount of water and loosen the soil at the roots more often so that everything will work out. If the air humidity is too high, combined with high temperatures, powdery mildew or rust can develop.

Sometimes whiteflies, aphids or spider mites are found on the plant. You can get rid of them with the help of specialized insecticides or acaricides. Also, folk methods help well - a decoction of nettle, a soap solution from laundry soap.

Growing at home

As a pot culture, as a rule, hybrid or bloody cineraria, which is also called indoor cineraria, is grown. Since it has a rather long growing season, it is not always possible to grow it outdoors. The plant simply does not have time to bloom, since 8-9 months pass from germination to flowering.

Indoor cineraria, like other decorative flowering species, is grown only from seeds. The cultivation technology is similar to that described above. After the first pick, the second one follows - into medium-sized pots. For them, nutrient soil is mixed from leafy soil, peat and compost. To improve the quality of the soil, it is also recommended to add chopped pine bark and wood ash.

Indoor cineraria prefers cool content and fresh air

Cineraria prefers a cool content, therefore, from early spring to mid-autumn, pots with it are put on a balcony or loggia. The optimum air temperature for flowering bushes is + 15-18 degrees, they can easily withstand nighttime cold snaps up to +5 degrees. At temperatures above +20, cineraria begins to wither and wither.

It is important to provide cineraria room with proper home care. It needs high air humidity, but does not tolerate the ingress of water on the leaves. Therefore, next to the cineraria pots, you can put a container with water or place flowerpots on a tray with damp pebbles or moss.

Watering should be abundant, but not excessive. A prerequisite is pots with drainage holes that will prevent water from stagnating at the roots. After watering, you need to loosen the soil from time to time to break up the crust and provide air to the roots.

In conditions of home cultivation, cineraria especially needs regular feeding. 1-2 times a month the pots are spilled with a solution of mineral fertilizers for flowering plants. In the spring, they choose those that are richer in nitrogen, so that the foliage forms faster, in the summer they give preference to phosphorus ones, which contribute to abundant flowering.

As the flowers die off, they are removed by cutting to the first leaf. This will not only preserve the decorative appearance of the plant, but also stimulate further flowering. For the winter, pots with cineraria are removed from the open air into a warm, bright room.

Cineraria is perfect for any flower beds and window sills, as the variety of its species and varieties allows you to choose a plant for every taste. Easy to care for and effective cineraria will quickly take root on the site and become the gardener's favorite, because it looks impressive not only in the photo, but also in person.

Moscow, Russia, on the site since 11.01.2017

Cineraria is often grown outdoors. But some varieties grow well on the windowsill. If you create favorable conditions for cineraria, it will revive the house not only with beautiful leaves, but also with bright flowers. Growing cineraria from seeds at home requires an understanding of the characteristics of the plant, the requirements for its conditions.

What does cineraria look like?

Herbaceous perennial or shrub with a height of 30 to 90 cm. Shoots actively branch, erect. The root system is pivotal, well developed. Petiole leaves - oval, lyre-shaped or pinnately dissected. Typically dense pubescence. The pile is silvery, short, soft. Expanding, the leaves form a dense, soft sod.

Inflorescences in the form of baskets are formed on the tops of the branches. Flowering begins in mid to late June. Flowers are double or regular. The shades of flowers in one inflorescence are different. In the central part, they are painted in a single color. A strip of several rows of colors in a contrasting shade runs along the edge. Flowering is long, lasts almost until the onset of cold weather. Fruits are seed pods with small black seeds of an oblong shape.

Advice! For the full growth of cineraria in an apartment, it is important to create suitable conditions. On the windowsills, the flower is shaded with light tulle. At first, they carefully monitor the moisture content of the soil - it should not be allowed to dry out. Water frequently, regularly and abundantly. During flowering, the need for moisture is lower.

Common varieties

As a houseplant, cineraria is not very diverse. For growing in an apartment, only 1-2 types of plants are recommended. But growers often succeed in growing garden varieties in pots. All cineraria are divided into flowering and deciduous.

• Cineraria is silvery. In the natural growth zone - perennial. In central Russia, it is grown in flower beds, in parks as an annual plant. One of the most common known varieties. The leaves are thickened, strongly dissected, abundantly pubescent with gray silvery hair. Flowering does not carry a decorative load, it depletes the plant. Peduncles are cut at the stage of formation. They rarely grow in the apartment. Sometimes they bring it into the house for the winter, transplanting it into pots.
• Cineraria is graceful. Differs in gracefully branched stems. Shrub up to 60 cm, spherical. A large corymbose inflorescence consists of several small inflorescences-baskets. Flowers of different shades, simple or double.
• Bloody cineraria. Easier than other species, it adapts to the content in the apartment. Often referred to as room cineraria. Refers to flowering varieties. Stems are high (up to 70 cm), branched, straight. The leaves are bright green. The shape is oval or openwork. Flowering begins in mid - late July. A fluffy hat of flowers is formed.

Cineraria is hybrid and bloody - one and the same plant under different names. Breeders have already bred many varieties, work on the creation of new ones continues. All of them differ in the height of the bush, the size and color of the flowers, less often in the shape of the leaves. The hybrid cineraria "Venice" is especially popular - a whole series of varieties of all kinds of colors.

Interesting! In landscape design, cineraria is planted to decorate the borders of flower beds or highlight borders. Silvery cineraria perfectly complements brighter plants. Looks good between the stones of the masonry of an alpine slide.

Care features

It is considered an easy plant to grow. For full growth, you need to create favorable conditions, ensure timely watering.

• Temperature. Can't stand the heat. In summer they try to keep it in cool rooms. The maximum temperature is 20 ° C, the optimum is 10-15 ° C. Can withstand higher temperatures outdoors. If possible, put it on the balcony. Grows well in air-conditioned rooms, protected from drafts. At night, it calmly tolerates a cold snap of up to 4 ° C.
• Lighting. The light is bright, diffused. Grows well on western and eastern windows. From the north side it stretches, from the south it suffers from the hot sun.
• Watering. The root system is developed, absorbs a lot of moisture. Water it abundantly, but monitor the condition of the soil - wait for the surface to dry out. Water is used soft, warm. They try to avoid getting moisture on the leaves.
• Humidity. Increased humidity is conducive to good growth. Do not spray! To increase the humidity, the pot is placed on a pallet with wet pebbles, expanded clay, sphagnum.
• Top dressing. Do not feed. A properly formulated soil mixture contains sufficient nutrients. Fertilization can delay or diminish flowering.
• The soil. The optimal composition is leaf soil, peat, compost. The recommended ratio is 2: 1: 0.5. Loosening additives - perlite or crushed pine bark will be beneficial.

Advice! To increase the decorative effect, cineraria is recommended to be cut off. In decorative deciduous varieties, peduncles are cut off immediately after their appearance.In flowering species, dried inflorescences are removed.

Breeding rules

Cineraria is grown from seeds. Sow at any time of the year, it is possible at several times. Flowering occurs on average 7-8 months after germination. Sowing seeds at different times, they achieve almost year-round flowering.

For sowing, choose a loose, light soil. It is allowed to use a universal soil mixture with the addition of sand. The seeds are small - they are sown on the surface of the soil without embedding. They are kept under cover at a temperature of 21-22 ° C. Moisturize and ventilate regularly. After the emergence of shoots, the shelter is removed. Seedlings dive in the phase of 2-3 true leaves. As they grow, they are transplanted into pots 8-10 cm in diameter.

Growing problems

Lack of flowering.	Warm content, gross violation of the watering regime, lack of lighting, too large a pot.	Adjust containment conditions. If the pot is too large, transplant the flower.
The leaves turn yellow and wither.	Possible reasons are poor watering and hypothermia.	In winter, do not place the flower close to the glass, do not overmoisten the soil. If the cineraria has not yet died, transfer it to a warmer place, pour well with water at room temperature.
Dark spots.	A possible cause is an infectious disease. The plant is susceptible to late blight and mycosis.	Ventilate the room more often, prophylactically treat the flower with a fungicide.
The plant is stretched.	Lack of light.	Move to a brighter spot.

Pests are not affected very often. The greatest danger is the whitefly and aphids. If pests are found, the flower is treated with an insecticide.

Using different hybrid varieties, you can make up whole compositions. A huge plus of the plant is the ability to regulate the flowering time by sowing seedlings at different times of the year.