Such a plant as Kalanchoe, many call the "home doctor". It is very common in homes. I must say that the popular name Kalanchoe is justified and accurate: the juice of this representative of the succulent family has many healing properties, so it is widely used in medicine.
General information
This plant is so picky and hardy that it adapts to almost all conditions. Moreover, it "forgives" its owner a lot, up to a complete lack of care. Therefore, even a novice grower can breed Kalanchoe. But this does not mean that he does not need attention at all. Care for Kalanchoe, of course, is necessary.
Only in this case, this pet will delight with its useful properties and decorate any home. This perennial plant of the succulent family of the genus Crassulaceae is ubiquitous in the tropical forests of America, Asia and Australia. Where exactly it came to Europe is not known for certain. Recently it has been bredas a house plant. There are more than two hundred species of Kalanchoe, not counting hybrids. In our article, we will talk about how to care for Blossfeld's Kalanchoe, how to propagate it, make it bloom, etc. Knowing the agrotechnical rules for growing this amazing beautiful plant will help many beginner gardeners.
Description
Passing by a flower shop, many admire the window when they see the lush blooming Kalanchoe Blossfeld. A photo of this houseplant is familiar to many. This species is considered to be native to the island of Madagascar. It is not surprising that Blossfeld's Kalanchoe is of great interest to lovers of indoor floriculture. The fact is that it does not require special care. But during the flowering period it looks so attractive that it can decorate the house and create a special atmosphere around itself. At this time, the compact bush itself is completely hidden under the cap of amazing inflorescences. And only a rosette of shiny dark green leaves frames a bright bouquet.
Kalanchoe Blossfeld is one of the few indoor plants that perfectly combines decorative and medicinal properties. It is a perennial shrub with succulent, fleshy, smooth leaves that have a wavy border at the ends. They are painted in rich green. Snow-white, scarlet, orange buds with all shades adorn the bush. There are many varieties of Kalanchoe Blossfeld. They differ primarily in their size: from the standard - 50 centimeters in height, and to miniaturedwarf - 15 cm and even less.
Distribution history
It's hard to imagine that four decades ago there was no excitement around this guest from distant Madagascar. In nature, Kalanchoe Blossfeld is a semi-shrub with rarely branching shoots from thirty to fifty centimeters long and red inflorescences that appear on the tops of the stems during the flowering period. This is how the discoverer of this culture saw it, in whose honor it was named. R. Blossfeld brought a specimen of this Kalanchoe to Europe in 1932.
The spread of this plant was preceded by a long and serious selection work. It was aimed at obtaining new shades of flowers and creating varieties suitable for growing at home. At the end of the last century, Dutch and Danish flower growers achieved success: they brought out a more compact and strong selection compared to the wild one. Homemade Kalanchoe Blossfeld, which is quite easy to care for, has brighter and larger leaves, and the quality of flowering is different.
Spectacular inflorescences of white, orange, red, pink and yellow tones have appeared. At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries in Sweden, breeders managed to identify a mutation. And today, thanks to them, on the windows of shops, in addition to the usual type of Kalanchoe Blossfeld, plants have appeared not with four, but with thirty petals. Success prompted specialists to create even more interesting varieties. Today, there are already on sale varieties with double flowers of a wide varietyshades: from white to purple.
Home care
If you follow all the agrotechnical rules for more than two and a half months, you can enjoy the lush flowering of Kalanchoe Blossfeld. Plant care is not difficult. It is quite enough to water on time, periodically trim the crown, especially in abundantly flowering species, and apply fertilizer. It is necessary to completely remove the old, already dead shoots, and it is better to partially cut off the young shoots. So it develops faster. Peduncles must be removed so that even hemp is not left of them. The appearance of this plant directly depends on the conditions of its home maintenance. This applies not only to watering, soil composition and periodic feeding, but also lighting.
Caring for Kalanchoe Blossfeld involves a certain light regime.
Lighting
This succulent needs constant sunlight. But at the same time, you need to know some of the features of placing Blossfeld's Kalanchoe in the house. Home care for this plant consists in keeping the pot on a southern windowsill or other well-lit place from morning until noon, and moving it to the shade in the afternoon, thus creating a “feeling of night” for the culture. If this is not possible, you can solve the problem in a different way: just cover the pot with a light handkerchief. Such a regime for Kalanchoe Blossfeld is mandatory, since after lunch the sun's rays are undesirable for the plant, it does not perceive them.
If the bush isdirectly under the scorching rays of the sun, its color fades, the leaves quickly wither and burns appear on them. Conversely, lack of light leads to shredded foliage, weak stems that elongate and lean. Inflorescences on such a Kalanchoe will be loose, and there will be fewer buds.
Irrigation
During the flowering period and on hot summer days, almost all houseplants require a lot of moisture. Kalanchoe Blossfeld is no exception. Watering behind him should be regular, but not too plentiful. Otherwise, as a result of stagnant water, rot may develop on the roots and stem, and this will lead to the death of the bush. Watering is necessary if the soil is dry to the length of the phalanx.
Kalanchoe loves settled water at room temperature. Be sure to remove excess moisture from the pan and wipe the bottom dry. A sign of lack of water is the fall of the buds, yellowness on the lower parts of the leaves and their lethargy.
During watering, you need to make sure that no moisture remains on the green parts. This may lead to the development of a fungal infection or mold.
In general, dry air is not a critical characteristic for succulent plants. This also applies to Kalanchoe Blossfeld. Home care does not involve spraying. It is only necessary to periodically clean the leaves from dust with a damp cloth.
Feeding
Kalanchoe fertilizers should be applied in several doses immediately after flowering. For top dressing, you can use ready-made mixtures for succulents, which are soldin specialized stores. Fertilizers should be applied until the end of summer every two weeks. When the plant is in the budding stage, it is best to limit the amount of nitrogen it receives. Otherwise, lush growth of leaves may occur at the expense of flowers. Moreover, nitrogen restriction is sometimes enough for Kalanchoe Blossfeld to bloom. If the plant was bought from a store, it will not need to be fed for at least a couple of months, as it has already received enough nutrients.
Secrets of flowering
Usually Kalanchoe Blossfeld pleases the owner with bright colors for six to eight weeks. On the inflorescences, the buds do not open immediately, but gradually. As they fade, they need to be cut off so as not to allow them to take energy and prolong flowering.
After the Kalanchoe completely sheds its petals, it is necessary to cut the flower stalks to the first green leaves. After that, watering the succulent should be reduced. If necessary, weak and drying leaves are also removed. This is done so that in the future Kalanchoe Blossfeld will again have new buds. This plant, subject to all agrotechnical rules, pleases the owner with its beautiful view. And periods of flowering and dormancy replace each other quite often.
Reproduction
The cuttings of the tops of the shoots obtained from pruning do not need to be thrown away. They are used for reproduction. This is the easiest way to get new, lush flowering plants. In the warm seasoncuttings will take root in a maximum of three weeks, but in winter they will need four to six weeks. For reproduction, only the upper leaves are left on the stem, and the lower ones are removed. The stalk should be left in the air for about twelve hours to dry. Planting material takes root in three ways: as a result of immersing it in water with Kornevin, placing it in a mixture of humus, perlite and peat, or simply in clean wet sand.
Reproduction of Kalanchoe Blossfeld also occurs with the help of leaves, along the edges of which, as a result of contact with moist soil, daughter rosettes are created.
It should be taken into account that hybrids will not inherit the varietal qualities of the previous generation. Therefore, bushes grown in this way sometimes bloom and look somewhat different.
Landing
With diffused light on the cuttings and daughter outlets, roots form quickly enough. Therefore, soon the young plant will need to be planted in a ceramic pot and placed in its permanent place. For planting rooted cuttings and leaves, as well as for transshipment of already faded bushes, you should use soil intended for flowering houseplants, or prepare a mixture of equal proportions of soddy soil, coarse sand, humus and peat. It is very important that the soil is loose and well-drained. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot. Transplantation of Kalanchoe Blossfeld should be carried out when the soil ball is completely covered with roots and therefore they lack nutrients. No need to take wide and too voluminouscapacity, because in this case the plant will begin to grow to the detriment of its flowering.
How to make Kalanchoe Blossfeld bloom
Usually this plant blooms from autumn or early January until spring. This is due to the fact that Blossfeld's Kalanchoe is a short-day succulent. But if appropriate conditions are artificially created for it, it is quite possible to regulate the flowering periods. To do this, you need to create a short day for the plant. To do this, Kalanchoe should be covered with a dark cap for 13-14 hours.
After budding, it returns to its previous mode.
Kalanchoe Blossfeld: medicinal properties
The flower has proven itself well in cosmetology due to its rejuvenating and moisturizing characteristics. But most of all, it is in folk medicine that Kalanchoe Blossfeld is used. The properties of this plant are so amazing that it is even used in the preparation of many medicines. The juice of this succulent contributes to the rapid healing of any wounds, in addition, it is able to relieve the inflammatory process of the gums and eyes. If you cut the leaves of Kalanchoe and apply to those areas where there is dry skin or cracks, then soon you can forget about these shortcomings forever. With frostbite, doctors also use the juice of this plant, which also has a positive effect on the mucous membrane and heals ulcers. Both adults and children can use Kalanchoe. Dentists treat stomatitis, gingivitis and periodontal disease with Kalanchoe Blossfeld juice.
The plant is usedand against severe allergic cough, some diseases of the liver and stomach as a decoction, as well as against various diseases of an infectious nature. Its miraculous properties have long been known to help get rid of acne and warts.
