Bilbergia is a popular houseplant, popularly called "Queen's Tear". It is not difficult to grow it, you just need to familiarize yourself with the principles of maintenance, breeding methods. About the types of bilbergia, home care - later in the article.
Description
Bilbergia belongs to the Bromeliad family - plants that inhabit the tropics and subtropical zone in West Africa. The family includes over 2000 species of plants, which are considered to be thick fleshy leaves and a well-developed root system. Many successfully grow it at home. Although the plant is considered quite unpretentious, it is still necessary to follow elementary rules. More on that later.
Different species of Billbergia have slightly different maintenance and care. Of the most popular varieties of bilbergia, one can distinguish:
- Green color. It has dark green straight leaves with gray scales. Homeland - Southern Mexico.
- Gorgeous. Ather upright hard large leaves. Blooms with small blue flowers. It is native to the southeast of Brazil. With good care, the Brazilian Billbergia flower produces beautiful and long-lasting blooms.
- Tape. The main feature is brightly colored leaves of different shades and large blue flowers. Originated in Central America.
- Zebra. It is easily recognizable by its silver-bronze leaves and bright pink flowers. Homeland - Guatemala and Honduras.
- Pyramidal. It has upright twisted leaves and small flowers. Venezuela is recognized as her homeland.
Each plant needs quality care at home. Billbergia drooping (drooping) is a rather unusual plant. With the rest of the relatives of the Bromeliad family, it is similar only to the strong fleshy structure of the leaves. In other respects, the Queen's Tear is similar to epiphytes - parasitic plants with long, bright inflorescences.
Compared to other Bromeliads, the plant has long, narrowed upward leaves that look like cereals. The leaves are covered with small scales, and along the edge there is a row of pointed teeth. The plant does not have a stem - the leaves grow from the root.
One of the features of billbergia is its ability to change the color of the leaves depending on the lighting - in the dark they have a darker, more saturated green tint, and in the light they become pinkish-bronze. This perennial evergreen plant has unusually bright inflorescences. The color is scarlet or pink, yellow-green stand out well against its background.panicles in the center.
Flowers are collected in spiral, twisted drooping spikes. Hence the name - "drooping".
The plant blooms in winter, standing out as a bright spot on the windowsill against the background of snowdrifts outside the window.
But some species bloom only in summer. For example, green-colored and pyramidal bilbergia. The fruits of the flower are berries. The plant reaches a height of 60 cm, and flower stalks are found up to 80 cm.
Contents
Despite its exotic origin, this is a rather unpretentious plant. Billbergia is quite hardy and adapts well to temperate climates. The flower is practically not susceptible to diseases.
For bilbergia, home care involves a comfortable temperature, the use of top dressing, regular watering. Like any other plant, it requires proper care, otherwise it dies.
Temperature and humidity
With proper care at home, bilbergia gives a beautiful abundant flowering. An important requirement is the absence of sudden temperature changes. A rapid temperature change of more than 12 - 14 degrees causes a state of shock: the leaves wither, curl and fall off.
Comfortable temperature is 17 - 22 degrees. And at a lower one (14 - 15 degrees), the plant will begin to bloom faster. But with the constant content of the flower in the cold or draft, there is a risk of weakening the immune system, which leads to various diseases and even death. Also don't raise the temperature.up to 26 degrees: with insufficient watering, the plant will quickly die from drought.
Lighting
When growing bilbergia at home, all the nuances must be taken into account. The advantage of this plant is that it adapts perfectly to low light, although it is considered quite photophilous. But even if the windows are located on the north side and the house is in twilight, bilbergia calmly endures this.
But diffused natural sunlight is most favorable for this flower. When the rays of the sun fall on it, the leaves acquire a beautiful rich shade. In summer, on sunny days, the plant should be taken out into the air. This will help speed up the formation of young rosettes in varieties that bloom in summer. But you need to make sure that the flower is not under direct rays for a long time - burns may appear on the leaves.
Water and spraying
With proper care at home, bilbergia requires regular watering. Then the plant feels great and blooms beautifully. Strong soil moisture, like drought, is highly undesirable. In this case, soil of medium moisture is required. Watering should be carried out no more than 1 time in 5 - 6 days, but on condition that the top layer of soil has dried out by no less than 3 - 4 cm.
It is advisable to use root watering with spraying: in summer, in a drought, a flower should be sprayed up to 5 times a day. In winter, you need to water at least 1 time in 10 days. This is effective home care. Regularwatering bilbergia ensures quality flowering.
If excess water appears in the pan, it is drained: otherwise the roots will rot. During flowering, the top of the soil should be covered with moss or moist expanded clay: this will help retain moisture in the soil, prevent evaporation and saturate the plant with sufficient moisture. During the period of watering and spraying, do not allow water to stagnate in the funnel-shaped leaves of the plant - otherwise, with a draft or cold air temperature, the flower will "catch a cold".
Feeding
When growing a bilbergia flower, home care consists in the use of fertilizers. But they are needed only during the growing season.
Feeding is done with special soluble fertilizers that are designed for bromeliad species. Standard fertilizer is also suitable - 1 dose is reduced by 2 times. It should be applied 1 time in 15 - 20 days, the total feeding period is 2 - 2.5 months. Regular fertilization ensures he alth and beautiful blooms.
Transfer
It should be mentioned about other features of care. Billbergia does not need to be transplanted regularly: they do this only when the flower grows, moving it to a larger pot. Choose not too deep, but wide pots or planters.
At the bottom of the new container, a substrate is lined with a mixture of humus, river sand, leaf peat and soil (in equal proportions). The prepared soil should be moistened, after which the plant can be transplanted.
Cutting
The plant develops with constant replacement of fadedsockets. Old rosettes should be cut by hand 4 to 6 weeks after flowering is complete. They not only spoil the visual appeal of the flower, but also prevent the growth of young shoots, "babies".
Seed breeding
Good flower development ensures proper care at home. Breeding bilbergia comes from seeds. It's a troublesome way. You will need fresh, not dried seeds. They must be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried a little. Then prepare the containers, they put a mixture of wet river sand and peat (1:1).
Ready seeds need to be planted in moist soil (they are pressed with a finger to a depth of 1 cm). From above, the boxes should be covered with glass or a transparent bag to ensure the greenhouse effect. Such greenhouses are installed in a darkened warm place (temperature not lower than 24 degrees) for 5 - 6 weeks before the formation of the first sprouts.
It is necessary to control the humidity and prevent the soil from drying out: the bag or glass must be regularly removed and high-quality spraying of the soil should be carried out. Seed propagation is rarely performed. If a mistake is made, nothing will grow.
Breeding by lateral processes
With proper care, the houseplant bilbergia will be a wonderful interior decoration. If you want to increase their number, it is not necessary to buy new plants in the store. You can breed them yourself.
In addition to seeds, you can root lateralprocesses. The main plant is divided into several parts, the lateral processes are planted in another pot. This method is more reliable, the shoots are better accepted. One flower makes several new ones.
Then, the "children" with roots are transplanted into small pots with moistened soil and placed in a well-lit place (young shoots need enough light). A young plant blooms 2 years after planting.
Leaf cuttings
This method is called "dividing" - the main flower is divided into parts. It is advisable to take a large leaf cutting, not less than 20 cm: this leaf will have a lot of strength and energy for normal development. The cutting should be rooted in moist soil (a mixture of peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 1: 1).
To do this, it should be planted in a small pot with soil. The container is covered with a transparent bag, after 5 hours it is removed. Then the cutting is moved to a warm (at least 24 degrees) place with good lighting. If you maintain the desired level of humidity (spray every 3 - 4 days), then in a month the first roots will appear.
Pests and diseases
It is worth mentioning other features of home care. Billbergia will thrive if disease and pest control is kept under control.
Pests likely to appear:
- shields;
- aphids;
- spider mites;
- mealyworm.
It is difficult to prevent the appearance of parasites, but it is possible to eliminate them in a short time. The affected areas on the leaves are treated with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water (10 g of laundry soap is dissolved in 1 liter of water) - the entire leaf should be wiped for disinfection.
If a flower is affected by parasites in small numbers, then this is usually enough to make the pests retreat. If the invasion is massive, use an insecticide: dilute "Aktellik" or "Karbofos" in water (15 - 20 drops per 1 liter) and spray the plant.
If a fungus has started on the leaves, then the affected leaves are immediately removed so as not to infect neighboring he althy ones. For prevention purposes, he althy leaves are treated with a soapy solution.
Despite good immunity, these plants are also susceptible to various diseases. The most common include the following:
- Brown spots. They are the result of a burn due to direct sunlight. In this case, bilbergia should be sprayed with warm water and transferred to a cool place (temperature fluctuations should not be more than 5 - 6 degrees).
- The tips of the leaves are turning dark. This indicates the presence of water in the twisted fibers of the leaves. Softer water should be used, and after spraying, wipe off excess moisture with a soft cloth.
- Leaf wilting and stunted growth. This phenomenon indicates a lack of sunlight: you need to move the plant to a well-lit place, preferably outdoors (in summer) or use an additionalartificial lighting (winter).
- Rotting. The plant may die from this disease. Need an urgent transplant into a new container with optimal soil.
To prevent diseases, you need to carefully inspect the flower every week: check the uniformity of leaf color and the presence of pests. It is also necessary to remove dry leaves, fertilize and monitor soil moisture.
Rotting or drying out of a plant outlet after flowering is considered a natural process. This is not a sign of illness, so do not worry about it.
Why is there no bloom?
The main reason for the lack of flowering is considered to be a lack of moisture and lighting. Due to regular spraying in summer and maintenance in diffused light, there are usually no difficulties with flowering. But bilbergia still may not bloom, then a different method is used: a cut apple is placed in the ground, and a thin transparent bag is put on the plant.
The greenhouse effect leads to the release of ethylene by an apple, a component that accelerates the flowering of these plants. To stimulate flowering, they often resort to propagation by cuttings: a new flower will please with a beautiful view in a year and a half.
The next reason for the lack of flowering is the mineralization of the soil that does not meet the standards. In this case, it will be necessary to transplant the plant into another container with soil replacement. Subject to the above conditions necessary for bilbergia, it will delight with regular flowering onover the years.
