Columnia( crooked)
Family gesnerievye. The genus is crooked.
Natural climatic conditions: the humid tropics of America.
Grassy perennials.
Columbus Cussia * Ampel plant of hybrid origin. Leaves opposite to oblong-ovoid, up to 3 cm long, slightly leathery, shiny, light green( sometimes with a brownish tinge);flowers large( up to 9 -10 cm in length), single, tubular, orange-red. Blooms in January-April.
Small-leaved columbine * Epiphytic half-shrub which can be grown as a land ampel plant;stems thin, fragile, light green, densely leafy;leaves opposite small( up to 1 cm in length), elongated-lanceolate, pubescent, as well as stems, light green;flowers single, axillary, tubular, red. Blooms in June-August.
Columnia acute ♦ Ampel plant with thin shoots of brown color;leaves alternate, leathery, slightly shiny pointed at both ends;flowers with a large brownish tart with a purple hue, the red ones. Blossoms in April-May.
Colonne glorious * But the origin of the epiphyte, grown in the ground, as an ampel plant;stems thin, drooping, pubescent;leaves oblong-ovate, densely pubescent( white hairs);the flowers are bright red.
Requirement for moisture: moisture-loving plants requiring maintenance at high( 80-90%) atmospheric humidity. Water only with soft, settled water. Spraying is necessary in summer. In the period of rest( partial), until January, watering is gradually reduced to economical.
Temperature regime: heat-loving plant, in winter the temperature should not be lower than 18 ° C, with the exception of the rest period. Sharp changes, both diurnal and seasonal, do not tolerate( can discard leaves).
Light mode: light-loving plant, however direct sunlight can cause burns of leaves, because the southern exposure is acceptable only with shading.
Requirement for soil: light nutritive soil mixes, for example from leaf land, peat, humus and sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1: 1 with the addition of chopped moss-sphagnum, charcoal and bone or blood meal. In the period of flowering( especially) and in the whole active vegetation - alternating fertilizing with solutions of organic mineral fertilizers.
Reproduction: cuttings. On cuttings use the upper parts of cut after flowering shoots. Root them in moist sand, their leaves should not touch. More rarely - seeds.
Features: annual transplant and trim are desirable. Skvoznyakov does not tolerate.