More than 100 years have already passed since Baron Adalbert von Saint-Paul, walking in Africa among the Uzambara mountains, discovered a previously unknown beautiful flower. In honor of its discoverer, the flower received the name Saintpaulia. The second name is given at the location of the find - Uzambara violet. Lovers of flowers immediately fell in love with this beautiful plant. At the moment, there are a huge number of species of Saintpaulia.
What does a violet Wedding Bouquet look like
Violet Wedding Bouquet - an incredibly spectacular flower. He was bred by K. Morev, a famous breeder. From this variety, a sport called Our Wedding was fixed, as well as a seedling - violet Bouquet of the Bride.
Violet Wedding Bouquet
The seedling may be outwardly practically indistinguishable from a varietal flower, however, it would not be correct to compare them. Violet Bride, unlike the Wedding bouquet, has unstable varietal characteristics. At the moment, two varieties of this variety are known. They are distinguished by the shape of the leaves.
Attention! According to the description, a variety with pointed leaves is less capricious and is more fertile.
The flower got its name, thanks to large white flowers, similar to a bride’s bouquet. The diameter of the flowers ranges from 5 to 6.5 centimeters. The flowers themselves are similar to terry stars with a corrugated edge, white on top and silver on the back. There is a green border on the petal, which disappears over time.
If such a border reappears in the middle of flowering, then the air temperature in the room is too low. It will be enough to make the air temperature higher so that the flowers become perfectly white again. When the bouquet opens completely, it looks like an airy white cloud above a green outlet.
Features of violet care Wedding bouquet
This variety of violets is very unpretentious in care. For him, special conditions are not needed, you just need to follow a few simple rules.
In summer, the air temperature should not be higher than 24 degrees. Otherwise, the appearance of the flowers will change. They will look simpler, lose their modulations and form.
In winter, the temperature should not fall below 18 degrees. Otherwise, the plant will start to freeze, and with heavy watering - to rot. A wedding bouquet loves light, but at the same time the flower must be protected from direct sunlight. Do not put it on a window facing south, because delicate flower leaves can get burned, and the roots will overheat.
Leaf burn
If the house has all the windows facing south, then the flower must be shaded. With a lack of lighting, additional illumination will be needed. It is best to install the flower on the eastern and western windows.
Water for irrigation must first be defended, and then frozen, so that it becomes soft. Before use, the water is thawed and warmed to room temperature. Too cold water has a bad effect on the root system of the plant.
Important! Watering the violet is not more than once or twice a week, to prevent overflow.
During the growth and development of the plant, when the rosette begins to form, it is necessary to provide the flower with fertilizers containing nitrogen. As soon as the buds are formed, it is necessary to exclude nitrogen and include phosphorus and potassium in the bait. More than once every 2 weeks, you don’t need to fertilize. If the flower is sick - it is worth taking a while to feed.
When and how it blooms
From cuttings to flowering an average of eight to ten months. Violet blooms from one to three months. Flowers quickly succeed each other. Some bloom, while others bloom. Therefore, we can say that the Violet Wedding Bouquet blooms almost all year round.
The outlet itself is very compact, four to five buds are located on each peduncle. Leaves are green, rounded. Flowers are always dense, with lots of petals. The outlet is in perfect shape.
How to Propagate a Violet Wedding Bouquet
There are several options for propagating violet wedding bouquet. One of them is with the help of cuttings. You need to use the leaves of the middle row of the outlet. You can immediately place the leaf stalk in the prepared loose soil, or you can first put it in water and wait until the roots appear.
Rooting cuttings in water
A month later, children appear on the cuttings. You should not separate and transplant them right away. You need to wait until the leaves become 3-4 centimeters in diameter.
To protect a young outlet, it is recommended to cover it with a transparent cap for rooting. After the appearance of new leaves, the cap can be removed.
Another method of reproduction is cultivation from a stepson. Violet Wedding Flower often throws out child sockets that must be removed immediately. There should only be one outlet in the pot. If both mom and stepson grow in the same pot, then the flower will not bloom. The stepson is carefully separated from the flower and transplanted into special soil.
Seed cultivation
You can also grow a violet from seeds. For this, the seeds need to be prepared in advance.
First they are mixed one to one with chopped charcoal, and then, in the same proportions, with sand. In this case, the mixture must be shaken well.
For planting seeds, special phytocassettes with a cover are best suited. First, drainage is poured into the container, then sand, moss-sphagnum and finally soil. Next, the seeds are planted on moist, pre-prepared soil. They are covered and placed in a warm place, without direct sunlight.
Transplant after purchase and during reproduction
At the first transplant and up to three years, a violet with a part of the old earth is placed in a new pot. First, drainage is laid on the bottom of the pot, which should fill it by a third. Next, a flower is carefully set, and the soil is added. When the violet turns three years old, the transplant is performed with a complete replacement of the soil in the pot.
Important! On the day of transplantation, the plant does not need to be watered, and after the first watering, you need to add some more earth around the trunk of the violet.
It is necessary to renew the earth and change the pot for a larger one when transplanting the Wedding bouquet every spring. In stores, there are now quite a few types and brands of ready-made soil for violets. It is quite suitable for transplantation.
However, if there is time and desire, the mixture can be prepared by yourself. This will require:
- five parts of leafy or soddy soil;
- three parts of peat;
- one piece of sand.
Verniculite (10% of the total volume), ash and sphagnum moss are added to this.
Gradually increasing the size of the pot by 1 centimeter when transplanting, you need to stop in the end on a pot with a diameter of 11 centimeters. A further increase in the pot is not required. Ideally, the flower’s outlet should be three times larger than the diameter of the pot so that the flower feels comfortable.
Before transplanting, you must carefully examine the plant. If during inspection dry or sluggish leaves, flowers and rotten roots are found, then they must be removed. All slices are best done with a sharp knife. Next, you need to crush a couple of tablets of regular activated carbon into powder and process all the slices with it. If, after transplantation, the leaves of the plant do not touch the ground, but at the same time are located almost at the same level with it, then everything is done correctly.
Possible problems in growing
If you do not follow the simple rules for caring for violet Wedding Bouquet, you can expose the plant to many diseases.
Note! The flower is difficult to tolerate all sorts of diseases. You need to carefully monitor changes in the growth, development and appearance of violets. Then you can notice the problem in time and have time to save the flower.
The main causes of the disease of the Wedding bouquet are excessive watering and non-compliance with the temperature regime. Violation of the care can lead to the development of such fungal and bacterial diseases as:
- late blight,
- Fusarium
- gray rot
- rust,
- powdery mildew.
Gray rot
You can save a flower only if you immediately recognize the disease. A diseased flower needs to be transplanted urgently. Trim the affected leaves and roots, and sprinkle the places of cuts with charcoal, previously grinding it.
In addition to diseases, violets can be attacked by pests:
- scale insects
- aphid,
- whiteflies
- nematodes
- Worms
- ticks.
Note! To control pests, once a week you need to treat the leaves and soil with insecticides (Aktara, Fitoverm, Alatar, etc.). Repeat the procedure 3 times.
Summing up, it is worth noting that the violet Wedding Bouquet, which was brought out by K. Morev, is suitable even for those who are very far from floriculture. It does not require special care, and if you follow simple rules, it can delight others with beautiful snow-white flowers almost all year round.
