Champagne spray flower: features, cultivation and care
The champagne splash flower is an annual plant that is loved for its chic and attractive appearance. It is also called cleome. This plant stands out for its special flowering: it is decorated with flowers first from the bottom, gradually reaching the top. To grow cleome in your garden, you need to know a few rules care
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Description of the plant
The champagne splash flower belongs to the cleomeaceae family. The plant can grow up to 1.5 meters in height. It produces straight stems that are covered with slightly sticky hairs. The plant is decorated with light green foliage. It has different sizes. Each leaf is dissected into several lobes, and stipules with hard spines are formed at the base.
The plant got its name for a reason. When flowering occurs, flower petals, stamens and pistil appear, which together form an original composition that resembles a “champagne splash.”
Usually the inflorescences are painted pink or white, but varieties, which are decorated with yellow and blue flowers. During the flowering period, cleome produces an interesting aroma that may not appeal to all people. In this way, the plant attracts insects that pollinate the flowers.
After the inflorescences wither, seed pods appear in their place, which are located on elongated legs. They diverge in different directions, resembling a large spider. In some countries the plant is called spider flower. Cleome pleases with its flowering from the beginning of summer until the beginning of the first frost.
Reproduction and planting
Plant propagation is often carried out using seeds, but sometimes ready-made seedlings are used for this. It can be planted directly in open ground, but it should be done correctly. November-December is ideal for this. If planting is carried out at this time, then at the beginning of spring sprouts will already appear.
Growing the plant from seeds is easy. To do this, you should adhere to the following rules:
- A suitable container is prepared into which the soil is poured. The seeds are sown thickly. Experienced gardeners advise initially soaking them for half a day in a zircon solution, this will speed up the germination process.
- Some gardeners plant seeds into special peat tablets. In this case, when planting in open ground, the seedlings are not removed from the tablet.
- When the first leaves begin to appear, then the sprouts should be transplanted into separate containers. They go deep almost to the foliage itself. This must be done on time, otherwise you can cause injury to the rhizome.
- If crops do not develop well, then you can use complementary foods. To do this, you need to fertilize the soil.
But do not overdo it with fertilizer. Small sprouts need regular watering; the soil should not dry out. But there is no need to over-water the plant. When the seedlings are well rooted, then it is worthwhile to water abundantly and carefully.In order for the bush to grow lush and beautiful, then it is worth pinching the sprouts more than once. So that the young plant is not disturbed by diseases, watering is carried out with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Proper care
In order for the “champagne splash” plant to develop well and delight its owners with flowering, it is necessary to create appropriate conditions and adhere to the rules of care. For the plant to grow normally, the temperature should be 15-20 degrees. Cleome is a light-loving plant, so it is recommended to plant it in places that are well illuminated by the sun. The flower is not afraid of direct rays. But if the weather is excessively hot, then it will be difficult for cleome. The plant must be watered moderately when the soil dries out.
Video about the cleome flower:
In addition, it is recommended not to forget about loosening soil. The flower likes medium humidity. To speed up the growth of cleome, experienced gardeners fertilize. Complex fertilizers are suitable for this. Humate solution brings great benefits to the flower. The “champagne splash” plant reacts heavily to transplantation, so you should try not to disturb it. In rare cases, the flower suffers from disease. Before wintering it is worth creating protection for it.
Cleome has a hard time withstanding the cold, as she loves warmth. In addition, southern countries are considered its homeland. Therefore, it develops well in an area that is well lit by the sun. These are all the rules regarding caring for this plant. It is considered unpretentious and can easily take root in a variety of places. If you follow all the recommendations, the plant will develop well, and later it will be decorated with beautiful inflorescences.
In addition, experienced gardeners It is strongly advised not to overwater the plant. Otherwise, you may encounter gray rot or black leg. Cleome is practically not affected by pests, as they are repelled by its specific smell.
Indoor flower “champagne splashes”
Often the “champagne splash” flower is grown in gardens near the dacha. But some people calmly plant it in indoor pots and decorate the interior with them. To do this, it is enough to follow the rules of care. In addition, it is worth creating suitable conditions for the plant. This is not difficult to do, and in return, cleome will delight you with its amazing flowers.
In order for the plant to grow calmly indoors, it is worth bringing the growing conditions closer to the natural environment. It must be remembered that cleome has related roots from tropical countries, so it must be placed on window sills on the sunny side. In summer, temperatures should not drop below 20 degrees. In winter, 15 degrees is acceptable. To create the impression of tropical humidity, you should systematically spray the plant.
These are all the basic requirements for indoor growing. Landing and caring for the plant is no different if it were growing outside. The main thing is that the soil is constantly moist and the air temperature is appropriate. Also, do not forget about feeding. So, the “champagne splash” plant is an excellent decoration for summer cottages. In addition, it can develop on the windowsill in an apartment.
