Ruellia: description, types and care at home

Planting and transplanting

A Mexican petunia transplant should be carried out every year - this applies to a young plant. After they reach the age of three, the frequency of transplants may decrease. Better to do this in March. Ruelia has high demands on the soil, so this issue should be taken seriously. The plant is categorically unsuitable for heavy, clayey soil, which does not allow air to pass through well. You can buy ready-made soil or make the necessary substrate yourself. For those who choose the latter option, you need to know the proportions of the components for the soil:

• garden land is 20%;
• the same amount of coarse sand or perlite is taken, the latter option is even more preferable;
• peat will need 25%;
• the remaining 35% falls on leafy land.

Now that everything is prepared, you can proceed to transplanting the plant:

• we equip the bottom of the pot with holes for draining excess moisture during watering;
• the first layer is created from drainage material (fine fraction pebbles, vermiculite, expanded clay);
• then a layer of prepared substrate follows - about 2 cm;
• we take the plant out of the old pot and inspect the condition of the roots for rotten or dry elements, which, if detected, should be immediately removed;
• gently shake off the soil from the plant, trying not to damage the delicate leaves and young shoots;
• we place the flower in a prepared pot, straighten the roots and fill the void with soil;
• the plant can be placed with a spacer if you want to form a vertical shape.

Reproduction

As already mentioned, this plant can be "propagated" either by division, or by cuttings, or by seeds. At the same time, it is worth noting that the last option is suitable only for species plants, because when growing and seeds of varietal options, they lose the signs of their "parents". The ideal time for sowing is the first half of March.

As already mentioned, this plant can be "propagated" either by division, or by cuttings, or by seeds.

The correct soil plays an important role in the degree of germination. Ideally, this should be a mixture of 1 part turf and 1 part sand. The seeds are placed in the soil to a depth of 1 cm, not more. Cover the pot with plastic wrap. And one more important point: do not expect the simultaneous emergence of all seeds.

The correct soil plays an important role in the degree of germination.

The former will appear within a month after planting, and the latter only after three months, and this is a normal process. It is necessary to transplant young plants into separate pots no earlier than the fourth true leaf appears.

It is necessary to transplant young plants into separate pots no earlier than the fourth true leaf appears.

If you like working with cuttings more, then remember that the key to success is in the right choice of planting material. So the stalk must have at least 1 knot. By the way, not only the tops of the plant are suitable, but also parts of the leafless shoot. But the planting material should already be a little lignified.

If you like working with cuttings more, then remember that the key to success is in the right choice of planting material.

For rooting, the most suitable substrate will be peat soil, sand and humus soil, taken in equal proportions. It is better to place the container with the planting material in a warm place (25 - 30 degrees is ideal) and regularly moisten it from a spray bottle. In a good scenario, after four weeks, the cuttings will be ready for planting in separate pots.The mixture of soil for planting is slightly different: humus, peat soil, sand and turf soil in equal proportions.

For rooting, the most suitable substrate will be peat soil, sand and humus soil, taken in equal proportions.

Another way to propagate this plant is by dividing. Perhaps the easiest option. It is recommended to cut off all the roots of the “fragment” separated from the main plant and place it in the mixture, which is used for rooting cuttings. And after the plant gives roots, transplant it into soil mixture for planting adult specimens.

Another way to propagate this plant is by dividing.

Even in the case when a shoot accidentally breaks off from the main plant, you can try to root it. But this is an exception to the rule. The broken part is cut evenly and placed in a jar of water, which is covered with a dark film (or paper). If light gets in, the plant will not give roots. A little special substance can be added to the water, which promotes the formation of the root system.

Even in the case when a shoot accidentally breaks off from the main plant, you can try to root it.

Ruellia: home care

White ruella photo

Ruellia is still that water lover - irrigation should be carried out often with settled water at room temperature.

As soon as the soil is slightly dry, water it, otherwise the leaves will begin to sag. But, it's not worth pouring, the roots can rot.

In winter, due to insufficient sunlight (illumination by a lamp does not save), the ruelia is stretched.

If the plant is not more than 2 years old, the stems should be cut half the length. Soon they will be covered with new shoots.

From this manipulation, the bushes become fluffy and thick. Cut cuttings can be rooted in water or perlite.

When planting ruella in a permanent place, be sure to pinch the top of the cutting, then the plant will bush.

Only having the appearance of a bush, the flower is truly beautiful.

Reproduction of ruelia

You can propagate a houseplant by cuttings and seeds throughout the year, but it is advisable to transplant and divide the old plant in the spring.

An earthen mixture is prepared from 2 parts of sod land, 2 parts of leaf, 1 part of peat and 1 part of sand.

The light of ruelia prefers bright, but diffused, but the direct burning rays of the sun will scorch its leaves.

Therefore, no window in the summer, but it is also not necessary to put in dark corners. From lack of light, bloom in spring will be weak, remember this if you want a lush bloom.

The flower does not like drafts - it will instantly throw off all the leaves and flowers, then it takes a long time to recover.

Spraying ruelia

This procedure should be carried out in the evening or early in the morning - firstly, in nature it is like this: dew happens in the morning and evening, and secondly, during the day, drops of water work like lenses.

Under them spots of sunburn are formed, the flower will not look very beautiful.

Watering ruelia

From March to October, the flower needs watering more than from November to December.

The plant does not have a pronounced dormant period, but in winter it grows very slowly.

Feeding ruelia

You need to feed ruella once every 10 days, I prefer fermented grass (in summer).

I did not notice any diseases and pests, even when a whitefly with a new purchased flower was brought into the house, it was not on it. But, you can use mineral fertilizers for flowering plants.

Ruelia is good for winter gardens, because in winter she needs high humidity and temperatures in the range of 15 - 17 degrees, looks good in compositions with related flowers.

Americans love to grow it in gardens in compositions on an alpine slide, in rocky gardens.

I forgot to say, Ruelle, named after the French physician J. de la Ruelle, who first described her. Her homeland is America, where she grows as a shrub and herbaceous perennial. The color is purple, pink, white, raspberry.

In general, ruella is a great find for any grower; study its needs a little. Then your indoor flower will endow you with unusual beauty. Good luck growing such a charm!

Pests and diseases of ruelia

Diseases of ruelia and their treatment

In conditions of excessive humidity and low air temperatures, ruella can get sick with powdery mildew or gray mold. Both of these diseases are fungal in nature, therefore, it is necessary to treat ruella for them with fungicidal preparations, after removing the affected leaves and cutting out the rotten areas with a sharp sterile tool with the capture of healthy tissue.

In the photo: How the ruelia flower blooms

In general, ruelia is a fairly disease-resistant plant, and the main difficulties are not associated with diseases, but with poor care or inadequate living conditions.

• For example, the most common draft or insufficient watering can cause massive leaf fall.
• Ruellia leaves turn yellow and fall from excessive watering.
• And the excess of sunlight in conditions of elevated temperature is the reason for the appearance of spots on the leaves.
• From dry air, the tips of ruella leaves dry, and the leaf plates curl.
• And if the stems of ruelia are bare and elongated, then this may be the result of poor lighting or it is simply time to rejuvenate the plant, that is, cut and root its cuttings.

Pests of ruelia and the fight against them

In conditions of too dry indoor air, ruella is affected by spider mites: upon close examination, you can find pinpoint punctures on the leaves, and after a time, when the mites multiply, a thinnest web will appear on the plant. How to deal with arachnid pests? First of all, wash the plant in the shower and humidify the air in the room: mites do not like to live in conditions of normal and high humidity.

But if the pests do not go away, you will have to poison them with acaricide. For this purpose, universal preparations Actellik or Fitoverm are suitable, which combine both insecticidal and acaricidal properties.

Sometimes ruella is damaged by aphids or whiteflies. They also suck the juices out of the plant. They destroy them with insecticides, although the use of the same Aktellik and Fitoverma is quite justified.

Breeding methods for ruelia

You can plant a plant in three available ways:

• Seeds.
• Layers.
• Cuttings.

Indoor flowers ruelia, with proper care at home, give good planting material in the form of branches and cuttings, which can be used for breeding. New varieties and hybrids of this plant are grown by seeds, therefore this type of reproduction is used only by breeders.

Reproduction by cuttings is carried out by cutting the shoots by 5-10 cm. These works begin in early autumn at a temperature of 20-22 ° C. Rooting takes place either in water or by planting planting material directly into the soil. In one pot, you can plant 3 cuttings at once.

During the reproduction of ruelia by layering, the tops on the shoots are sprinkled with moist soil mixture. Once it takes root, it is separated from the mother plant.
With such methods of reproduction, the flower takes root and develops very quickly. After six months of proper care, the houseplant will give the first buds.

Watering and feeding rules

Ruellia is a flower that needs to be watered as needed. During the period of active growth, water it abundantly, avoiding stagnation of water in the pot. If you notice that the leaves are a little wilted, water the plant immediately.

If you allowed the earthen coma to completely dry out, then do not rush to throw the flower away. In most cases, after the resumption of watering, it comes to life, new leaves appear in the place of fallen leaves. In winter, water the squeezed ruelia several times less often, not abundantly.

Ruellia Britton does not need spraying. But on very hot days, still spray it with warm water. During the heating season, keep the flower away from radiators.Bathe the plant occasionally in a warm shower.

From the beginning of April to the end of August, feed Britton's ruella regularly, at least every 2 weeks. If you overdo it, the flowering will stop. Take complex fertilizers for home flowering plants. During the rest of the year, fertilizing the soil under this flower is not worth it.

Ruelle - what is this flower

Ruellia is a thermophilic ornamental flowering plant that belongs to the Acanthus family. A fast-growing flower with a pleasant appearance, it is known for its buds opening and falling on the same day.

Ruellia at home

For your information! It is grown at home as an ampelous plant in hanging pots.

Brief description and history of origin

The plant got its name in honor of its discoverer J. Roule, who was a botanist and lived in France in the Middle Ages. Another name for ruella is dipteracanthus.

Ruellia can reach a height of 2 m, grows as a shrub and herb. The leaf plates of the bush are elongated and painted in a rich green color, but there are varieties with light green veins. Varieties with patterned foliage are very rare. The shoots are similar to lianas, so the plant is grown in hanging flowerpots.

Dipteracanthus is native to the tropics of the American continent, but varieties are found in Africa and Asia.

3. Varieties:

3.1 Ruellia Brittoniana, Ruellia simplex

Perennial evergreen shrub up to 90 - 120 cm high. Stems are thin, profusely branched at the base. Leaves are narrow, linear, green, entire, 15 - 30 cm long. Flowers are large, solitary, funnel-shaped, consist of 5 accrete rounded petals, appear at the tops shoots. The petals are purple, pink, less often white.

3.2 Ruellia Portellae

Evergreen tropical perennial with lodging stems. The plant can be safely attributed to both decorative leafy and flowering. Leaves are oblong-lanceolate, soft, whole-edged, dark green (sometimes brownish), reaching a length of 10 cm. The lower part of the leaf plates can be painted in a contrasting burgundy shade. Leaf veins are highlighted in a lighter tone. The flowers are axillary, funnel-shaped, bright pink.

3.3 Ruellia Devos or blue - Ruellia devosianus

Low-growing perennial evergreen with stems profusely branched at the base. The leaves are soft, velvety, oblong-lanceolate, in different shades of green. Leaf veins are highlighted in a lighter tone. The flowers are funnel-shaped, with 5 oblong petals, painted in soft lilac or pink shades.

3.4 Ruellia Makoyana

Compact evergreen perennial 45 - 60 cm high with a lush, rounded crown, formed by erect, branched stems. The leaves are velvety, lanceolate or elliptical, dark green, with short petioles. The leaf blades on the underside are often colored in a burgundy hue. The flowers are bright, pink or lilac, with a long flowering tube, appearing on the tops of the stems.

3.5. Ruellia carolinska - Ruellia caroliensis

Attractive perennial 60 - 90 cm high with rigid, erect, branched stems at the base. Leaves are green, oblong-lanceolate, arranged in opposite pairs, on short petioles. Leaf blades with a weak edge. Flowers are collected in small axillary inflorescences at the tops of shoots 2-4. Young shoots and flower tubes have a gorgeous long pubescence. Flower petals can be colored pinkish, blue or lilac.

3.6 Ruellia tuberous - Ruellia tuberosa

Biennial plant with erect, tetrahedral stems up to 45 cm high. Young shoots may have slight pubescence.Leaves are lanceolate, on short veins, green, broadly lanceolate, 4 - 8 cm long, arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are tubular, funnel-shaped, up to 5 cm in diameter, painted in blue or lilac (less often pink) shades.

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Planting and caring for Mexican petunias

Home care for Mexican petunia begins with the correct selection of soil. Ruellia will not grow in heavy clay soil; it needs loose, air-permeable soil. Experienced flower growers make up the substrate for the capricious exotic themselves. In percentage, the proportions of the components of the mixture are as follows:

• 20% of garden land and coarse river sand (or perlite);
• 25% peat;
• 35% leaf land.

Location, temperature, lighting

If windows overlook different directions of the world, it is preferable to put the flower on the west or east window during the growing season. There he is naturally protected from the deadly midday sun. On the south side, the pet needs shading - it is better to rearrange it there in winter, if possible.

If you do not balance the lighting mode and the plant does not have enough light, it will begin to reach for it, increasing the length of the shoots and losing its decorative effect.

A comfortable summer temperature for ruelia is 20 ... 25 ° С. If summers are hot, you need to make an effort to increase the humidity. You can take the flower out into the fresh air, but be sure to cover it from drafts.

Winter temperature limits remain the same, but lowering to 18 ° C will not have a negative effect on the plant.

Attention! Ruella should not be kept in the kitchen or in a smoking area. The plant suffers from smoke and does not grow well

Watering and humidity

The need for high humidity is due to the tropical origin of ruelia. It cannot exist in dry air. It's great if you have an aquarium in your home: place a flower pot next to it. Use of a moisturizer and frequent spraying of the plant will help.

It is especially important to monitor the humidity in winter, when heating devices dry the air.

Watering is distributed so as not to allow the soil to dry out completely. Slight drying of only the top layer is possible. During flowering periods, watering is activated so that the soil is always slightly moist.

The average frequency of watering in summer is 2-3 times a week, in winter - once a week. Water the flower with soft, settled water.

How and with what to feed ruelia?

Top dressing is required from spring to autumn, when the plant is actively developing. For replenishment, it is better to take complex liquid fertilizers, applying them once every 14 days. There is no need to feed ruella in winter.

Transfer

In order to renew the soil and increase its area for the root system, young ruella is transplanted every year. The difference in volume between the new and the old pot should be negligible. Flowers older than 3 years are transplanted less often, focusing on the size of the root system.

On a note! If the pot is too big, the ruella will actively grow roots and stop blooming.

Pruning

Pruning is needed to increase the splendor and decorative effect of ruelle bushes. It is carried out in the spring, removing damaged, strongly elongated and dried shoots. When forming the crown, healthy branches are also cut off, which will serve as cuttings.

Types of home ruella with photos and names

Of the whole variety of species of ruelia, only a few species are widespread in domestic culture.

Ruellia caroline (lat.Ruellia caroliniensis)

Low compact bush. Thin shoots are densely covered with malachite oval-elongated leaves with light veins. The surface of the leaves is velvety. Five-petalled tubular flowers are painted in bright lilac color.

Ruellia Devoza, or Deosiana (lat.Ruellia Devosiana)

Ground cover shrub with thin shoots. Elongated bright green leaves can have a purple hue.The veins on the leaf blades are light and very distinct. Small white flowers have a lilac hue.

Ruellia Portella (lat.Ruellia portellae)

Ground cover shrub. Thin elongated shoots are decorated with large oval leaves, painted in a rich green color. The surface of the leaves has distinct light streaks. The flowers can be pink or purple.

Ruellia large-flowered (Latin Ruellia macrantha)

A short shrub with large flowers - bells, painted pink with clear vertical stripes. The leaf plates are narrow, elongated. Painted in light green tones with light streaks.

Ruellia pleasant (lat.Ruellia amoena)

Compact shrub with pale green ovoid leaves and bright red or deep pink tubular flowers.

Mexican petunia, dipteracanthus, ruella - this plant is called differently. But in any case, with its discreet beauty and sophistication, the shrub attracts joy into the house.

Why does not ruella bloom

Sometimes it happens that a plant bloomed for one year, and then, with the onset of September, does not throw out buds.

The reasons should be sought not in the flower, but in the conditions of its content:

• Little light is the main reason. This will be confirmed by the dull color of the greenery and elongated thin young shoots.
• Little heat - ruelia is very thermophilic and if the temperature is low, the plant will not dare to bloom. If a beauty is standing on a window that is open all the time, cold autumn nights and temperature drops may be the reason. In winter, cold can come from glass or a window frame, if it is not possible to remove the pot, you can put it on foam.
• Drafts are something that ruelia is very afraid of. Lack of flowering, loss of decorativeness, falling foliage - these are all consequences of a draft.
• Growing in an oversized pot. In the presence of a large earthen coma, the flower will be busy building up the root system. Only when the ruella fills the pot with its roots will it bloom profusely.

Pinching young shoots stimulates ruella to bush and discard buds. Young shoots bloom more actively.

Reproduction of ruella

There are various breeding methods for ruelia.

1. Growing ruella from seeds is a popular option for getting new bushes. It is convenient to immediately place the seeds in separate cups. One seed is placed in moist soil, deepening by about 0.7 cm. Sprayed from a spray bottle, covered with a film and germinated at + 24 ° C, periodically airing and watering the seedlings. When shoots appear, the film is removed. After three true leaves are formed, the seedlings dive into large containers.
2. Propagation of ruella by cuttings is convenient after spring pruning. Cuttings, the length of which ranges from 10 - 15 cm, are treated with a solution of a root formation stimulator. Then they are planted in a moistened substrate at an angle and covered with a cut plastic bottle (several holes are made on it in advance for the seedling to breathe). After the appearance of new leaves, the jar is removed. When the leaves grow and the stalk gets stronger, the ruella is transplanted into a larger pot.

A shrub obtained from seeds will bloom faster and will completely repeat the varietal characteristics of the parent shrub.

The attack of pests and diseases of ruelia are often the result of the careless attitude of the owners to caring for the plant. The suffering of the bush manifests itself in the form of symptoms:

• the color of ruella leaves turns pale, the leaves become smaller - from a lack of light (rearrange to a brighter place);
• ruella leaves turn bright purple - from sunburn (shade at noon, rearrange to the south-west or south-east window);
• brown spots appear on the leaves - an excess of sunlight (shade, rearrange to a less bright place);
• the ends of the leaves curl - from the dry air in the room (place the flowerpot on a pallet with damp pebbles);
• ruella leaves wither - lack of moisture (water more often);
• ruella leaves turn yellow and fall off - stagnation of moisture in the soil (transplant into another soil, correct watering);
• the plant looks wilted - the plant is cold with excess moisture (rearrange to a warm place; do not water for several days, adjust watering);
• ruella does not bloom - there was no rest period; the plant hibernated in a warm place and did not bud; dry indoor air and little light.

Sometimes ruella is attacked by whitefly, spider mites, aphids. Insecticides are used against pests.

General description of the variety

Ruella has not always been an ornamental houseplant. It also lives in the wild - it can be found in the American tropics, subtropics, South Asia and Africa. Ruella grows in the form of a herbaceous plant, semi-shrub or shrub.

Stems can be faceted, lodging, creeping, or straight. The leaves on the upper side are painted in emerald color with beige veins, on the lower side - lilac-burgundy. They are located opposite each other, they can be matte or shiny, the shape is long, wide in the middle.

The color of the flowers can be very diverse - purple-pink, beige, white. The flowers are bright and tender. They grow quite large - up to 5 centimeters in length. The flowers bloom near the base of the leaves at the end of the shoot, but they only last for a few hours.

In place of a flower in the form of a grayish fruit, a seed capsule ripens. Subsequently, the capsule cracks, shooting out seeds in the form of black peas at a long distance.

Ruellia flowering time

Ruella loves bright and diffused light, and if the grower manages to provide it, he will receive a long flowering period from February to the last months of autumn. If you place the plant on the windowsill of a north-facing window, you will be able to admire the flowers for 3-4 months.

1 Plant description

Ruellia (Ruellia) is a large genus of perennial ornamental flowering plants, numbering about 300 species, growing in the wild mainly in Mexico, Brazil, Africa and Madagascar. Some species are found in Australia, Southeast Asia, temperate latitudes of North America. Ruellia species can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including tropical undergrowth, deserts, swamps, and mountain valleys. Most of the plants are herbaceous, but there are also shrubs, short trees, and lianas. In America, ruella is also called wild or Mexican petunia. The name of the plant comes from the surname of the medieval French herbalist J. Ruelle.

At home, several herbaceous species are grown, which are valued for their unpretentiousness and delicate flowers - "gramophone" red, pink, blue, white or purple. In the open field, the plant can only be cultivated as an annual crop, since at a temperature of 0 degrees and below it dies. Abroad, in warm climatic zones, ruelia is widely used for landscape gardening, mainly as a ground cover plant. In the state of Florida (USA), ruella, due to its rapid spread, is considered a malicious weed and is sprayed with herbicides. As an ornamental crop, this plant began to be used relatively recently - in the 70s. XX century.

Most species of ruelia form cleistogamous flowers, that is, those in which self-pollination occurs when closed. Well-known violets also have this property. The flowers of the plant reach 10 cm in length, funnel-shaped, do not stay on the plant for long, 1-2 days and in appearance resemble streptocarpus. Despite the fact that the flowers wither quickly, new specimens are revealed every day. Therefore, it seems that the plant is blooming continuously. Many species have single flowers.After flowering, ruella pods appear that burst easily and scatter seeds around the adult plant. The seeds are light brown, round in shape, covered with hygroscopic hairs, which become slippery when wet, which contributes to the wide distribution of wild species.

Some species of ruella are used for medical purposes in the treatment of headaches, dizziness, for the manufacture of eye drops and teas, as a diuretic and anthelmintic, and as a hallucinogen. Some species are poisonous, notably Britton's ruelle.

Creeping shoots of a plant, when in contact with the ground, easily root. The leaves of the ruellas are green, glossy or edged, the veins are lighter in color. The reverse side can be painted red-brown. The leaves have subtle glands that secrete moisture. What their purpose is, botanists do not know for certain. The plant is resistant to diseases.

2. Caring for ruelia at home

Flowering time depends on the species and can occur at any time of the year with proper care.

2.2. Reproduction, ruella from seed

Ruella is propagated by cuttings 8 - 10 cm long in early March. Remove the lower leaves from the cutting and dip the lower end in rooting powder. Cover young plants with a transparent bag or glass to maintain moisture and place in a well-lit, warm place, water sparingly. By dividing adult plants when transplanting in the spring.

2.3 Growing at home

Ruellia is a rather demanding plant, which needs to be provided with light, warmth and moisture for normal development. Tall species need regular pruning to maintain their compact shape. After flowering, this plant needs a dormant period of 6 to 8 weeks.

2.5 Diseases and pests

Riellia foliage curls and dries up with excess direct sunlight or lack of moisture. Powdery mildew with insufficient air movement near the plant.

From insects - pests, spider mites, aphids, whiteflies can attack a flower.

Diseases and pests

Ruellias are resistant to plant diseases and pests, but can occasionally be damaged by aphids, scale insects, nematodes, mealybugs, whiteflies. To combat parasites, spraying with pesticides is carried out, according to the established instructions.

With improper care of the plant, a disease such as fusarium (blackening, leaf fall) can develop, caused by insufficient or excessive watering.

We also list the possible difficulties of growing fuchsia: leaf fall; insufficient watering; draft; dry tips of leaves, leaves curl; dry air - it is necessary to increase the humidity of the air; the plant is bare and stretched out; plant / replant the plant in a timely manner.

Ruelia is a find of any florist, study her needs a little and she will endow you with her unusual and enchanting beauty.

And for the most curious, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video about ruelia

Caring for ruella at home

How to care for ruelia

The ruella will not require special care from you, especially if you arrange it well. For normal growth and development, this plant needs bright diffused light, so it is better to place it on the eastern and western windowsills. If you have to keep the ruella by the south window, provide it with shade from direct sunlight, at least in the sultry afternoon hours: underneath the ruelle leaves will fade.

If there is not enough light, then the length of internodes will increase, and the ruelia will take on a painful appearance.

In a shaded interior, the showiness of the leaves of the plant is more pronounced, but in good lighting the ruelia blooms more luxuriantly, so try to find such a place for it to stimulate the plants to show maximum decorativeness.

In the warm season, ruella normally feels at the usual temperature for a home, and in winter it prefers a cooler content - 16-18 ˚C.

Watering and feeding ruella

Water the plant as soon as the top layer of the potted substrate dries up. Soil moistening should be systematic, but not too abundant. The entire earthen lump should not be allowed to dry out, since the plant may lose the lower leaves: as soon as the foliage loses its turgor and sags, immediately water the ruella. Water for irrigation should be not cold - a couple of degrees warmer than the temperature in the room - and kept at least for a day.

Despite its tropical origin, ruella does not require regular spraying, but dry air is also not good for it, so keep the plant as far away from heating appliances as possible, and if this is not possible, then place the flower pot on a tray with wet pebbles in this way so that water does not enter the ground through the drain holes in the pot.

Caring for ruella at home involves the introduction of dressings into the substrate. It is advisable to mix fertilizers into the soil when transplanting ruelia, and 2-3 months after changing the substrate, you can start feeding: once every 2 weeks, apply a solution of combined fertilizer for ornamental indoor plants.

In the photo: Blooming red ruella

Ruella transplant

Growing ruelia involves replanting it regularly as it grows from a smaller container to a larger one. At a young age, ruelia requires an annual change of pot and substrate, and an adult plant is transplanted as needed, when its roots have fully mastered the volume of the pot.

The plant tolerates this procedure most easily during the period from the beginning of March to the end of May. A mixture of equal parts of humus, sand, leafy and soddy soil is suitable as a substrate for ruelia, although ordinary commercially available universal soil can be used, however, a little vermiculite should be added to it.

I must say that ruelia grows quickly, but if you want to keep this plant in your home collection, you will have to systematically cut its shoots and root them.

Reproduction of ruella

Ruella is propagated vegetatively: the apical cuttings of the plant are rooted in water at a temperature of 20-25 ˚C, and when roots grow on them, the cuttings are planted in a wide shallow pot and grown like a bush of an adult ruella, not forgetting to pinch the tops for better tillering shoots.

In the photo: Growing ruelia

It is even easier to propagate ruella by layering: put another pot filled with substrate to the ruella pot, bend the low-growing shoot of the plant, put it in the next pot and fix it. When the shoot has taken root in the soil, separate it from the mother plant and grow it as a stand-alone plant.

The seed method of reproduction of ruelia is also possible, however, it is not so easy to acquire its seeds, moreover, ruella from seeds will require more effort and time from you.

Flowering ruella

As we already wrote, ruelia blooms only in good lighting, but for a long time and abundantly. The flowers of ruella, opening in the morning, wither by the middle of the day, but the plant immediately forms other flowers. You can make the ruella bloom all year round by installing an additional light source above it in winter.