Bouvardia: an overview of varieties and home care

Amateur flower growers and professional florists never stop discovering new cultures. Today more and more attention is paid to bouvardia. This is a compact plant that amazes with the tenderness and beauty of flowers. Today, a miracle from the subtropics can be settled in a city apartment in any region. Breeders have already managed to appreciate the spectacular appearance of the culture, due to which hybrid species have appeared used for drawing up bouquets.

Bouvardia are part of the madder family. These are mainly evergreen flowering shrubs. Some varieties of the crop are grass-shaped. Plants are graceful and compact. Bushes rarely grow more than 80 cm. They develop rather quickly.

Shoots are thin, erect, little branching. The leaves are rounded, with sharp edges. The color is dark green. The length of the leaf depends on the specific variety. It can be from 3 to 11 cm.

The flowering of the culture is quite abundant and long-lasting. The buds appear in early summer and delight with their charm until autumn. Some species bloom from May to December. The inflorescences form a semblance of a bouquet of about 14-16 cm. The color of the flowers varies - they are dazzling white, soft and bright pink, red and orange tones. The flowers usually resemble tubules or stars in shape.

Bouvardia is often used for decorative purposes: decoration of premises, "revitalization" of terraces, balcony areas. Plants are grown in conventional pots and hanging containers.

Bouvardia is diverse. Several dozen of its varieties are known. Although the plant has been cultivated by humans for a long time, only a few species have become widely known.

A small perennial bush grows up to 60 cm. Flowers are located in the upper part of the plant. They are tubular with 4 petals. The length of the flower is 2-3 cm. The color is variable. In nature, there are salmon, pink, bright red, yellow varieties.

This species reaches 90 cm in height. The stems are long. Leaves are elongated, pointed. Snow-white flowers emit a bright sweetish aroma. The length of the tubular flowers is quite large (which explains the name). It is 6-10 cm.

This species is characterized by its modest size and moderately dense foliage. The maximum plant height is 70 cm. The leaves are egg-shaped and have serrated edges. They reach 6 cm long. Flowers can be either regular or double. The inflorescences are usually ball-shaped. The range of colors is extensive. These are white, and pale pink, and bright crimson shades. Flowering is accompanied by a delicate aroma.

As the name implies, this variety pleases with beautiful yellow flowers. The bush is quite tall, it can reach a meter in height.

A medium-sized bush (about 70 cm) during flowering is covered with beautiful pink buds. The leaves are oblong, with sharp tips.

This is a fairly compact species (no more than 60 cm). It blooms in winter. Delicate white flowers are bell-shaped. They are often confused with jasmine due to their physical resemblance and characteristic aroma.

The variety of basic and hybrid varieties allows everyone to choose a flower to their liking. However, regardless of the variety, all bouvardia have similar features. Therefore, the care for indoor flowers in this group is generally the same.

Bouvardia is a tropical beauty. Therefore, it is desirable to create similar conditions at home. The culture loves warmth, but extreme heat and direct exposure to the sun have a negative effect on the plant. The best place for a flower pot is a window that faces east or south. It is better to diffuse light with light curtains.

During the period of active development, the culture needs a temperature of 22-25 degrees above zero. Drafts are not terrible for indoor bushes. For spring and summer, they can be moved to an open balcony or terrace. The winter period assumes a drop in temperature. Therefore, it is recommended to organize conditions for the plant from 10 to 16 degrees.

During the warm period, the culture needs moderate watering. At the same time, moisture stagnation should not be allowed. This is detrimental to the root system. Moistening the soil should be carried out when it dries out 2-3 cm. An ordinary toothpick will help to check the condition of the soil. Water less often in winter.

As for the air humidity, it should be medium. A figure of about 60% will be optimal. To achieve this, you can regularly spray the flower with a spray bottle. During flowering, a vessel with water can be placed next to the pot. An excellent solution would be to place a mini-fountain nearby. A steam generator will also come in handy.

Only warm clean water is suitable for any type of crop moistening. The tap liquid must be allowed to stand for a day before use.

A special mixture is suitable for bouvardia. It includes three components:

• leafy soil;
• sod soil;
• sand.

Drainage must be placed at the bottom. It is also worth providing drain holes.

It is necessary to feed the plant during critical periods for it: active growth and formation of flowers. Complex mineral fertilizers are suitable for organizing additional nutrition. You can buy a flowering plant product from the store. As for the frequency of procedures and the concentration of the composition, here you need to follow the instructions indicated on the package. The maximum frequency of feeding is 3 times a month.

The procedure is carried out in early spring and after the plant has faded. In the spring, it is necessary to intensify the growth and development of culture. Therefore, it is better to cut the shoots in half.

At the end of flowering, it is necessary to carry out enhanced pruning. About 70% of the shoots are removed, which allows them to renew. It is thanks to this that flowers will appear in the future. In this case, the florist can correct the shape of the bush.

The first method is propagation by root cuttings. In this case, a part of the root is cut off. Then the separated part is placed in the soil. Soon, a full-fledged flower will turn out from the adventitious buds.

The second method involves the use of stem cuttings. Let's take a closer look at this process.

• The procedure is started in the spring. Cuttings are taken from young shoots. The desired length is 9-10 cm. A necessary condition is the presence of 2-3 internodes.
• The planting material is rooted in the nutrient soil (its composition is described above).
• Then the plantings are covered with bags or glass. Parts of clear plastic bottles can be used.
• Required temperature - + 21-25 C. Cuttings should be kept in greenhouse conditions. Nevertheless, periodically, the shelter should be raised to provide access to fresh air.
• When roots appear, young plants move into separate containers. Caring for them is already equivalent to caring for an adult flower.

Cuttings can be rooted in water. In this case, the plant should be moved into the ground as the roots appear.This is clearly visible in the water. As for the method of reproduction by dividing the bush, it should not be used. So the plant will not be able to fully renew itself, which means that you will not have to wait for the appearance of flowers.

Bouvardia has a fairly strong immunity. However, sometimes diseases still affect the plant.

• Fungal spotting can kill the bush. To prevent sad consequences, you should periodically inspect the flower. The first signal of alarm is the appearance of suspicious stains on the foliage. The affected parts of the plant must be removed. This will stop the spread of the disease. If the culture is severely affected, and the disease progresses rapidly, the flower should be treated with Bordeaux liquid.
• Root rot may appear due to waterlogging of the soil. In this case, you urgently need to transplant the flower, removing the rotten parts. Of course, the soil needs to be replaced. The cuts and the pot must be disinfected. To be guaranteed not to lose culture, you can play it safe. To do this, take a couple of cuttings and root them.
• Chlorosis can occur if poor water is used for irrigation. With this ailment, the formation of chlorophyll in the foliage is disrupted. Yellowing of the leaves is a sign of the disease. In this case, feeding with iron preparations is effective. You should also change your attitude towards watering and start using only high-quality purified liquid.

As for pests, bouvardia has two enemies. These are aphids and spider mites. They usually attack the flower in very dry air conditions. If you find parasites in time and take action, you can save the plant. Although both pests are small, aphids can be seen. The tick, on the other hand, manifests itself as a cobweb that it creates on a flower.

If the plant is badly damaged, you need to apply insecticides. One of the safest and most effective means is Fitoverm.

You will learn more about bouvardia in the video below.