Apr 02 2017

Katarantus - care and reproduction at home

Everyone who has seen the catharanthus houseplant will agree that this spectacular bush, strewn with delightful numerous flowers, clearly brings the comfort and warmth of the southern Mediterranean islands to the house. Its name is translated from Greek as "pure, clear or flawless flower." In this article, you will read about growing and caring for a catharanthus at home. Many gardeners consider him the king of indoor flowering bushes, because the catharanthus pleases its owners with endless flowering almost all year round, but requires minimal care from them after planting.

The catharanthus flower belongs to the evergreen herbaceous and subshrub plants of the Apocynaceae family. In the wild, it can be found everywhere in countries with a tropical climate. These are Cuba, Java, Africa, Indochina, Indonesia - not to list everything. It is not possible to accurately determine his homeland, although many scientists are inclined to Madagascar, where he is most often found. There are seven or eight of its types. In the subtropics, the catharanthus grows up to one and a half meters in height. At home, this bush does not exceed 60 cm. As a houseplant, the catharanthus has been bred since the middle of the 18th century.

For a long time, the catharanthus was considered one of the varieties of another flower - pink periwinkle. These plants are very similar. Both belong to the Kutrov family. Only since 1937, after lengthy disputes, botanists began to attribute the pink catharanthus (Catharanthus roseus), as a species of evergreen perennial dwarf shrubs, to a separate genus of Catharanthus.

The indoor flower catharanthus is a perennial plant often grown as an annual. In height at home, it grows no higher than 50 - 60 cm. Its erect stems are fleshy, branch on the tops, and lignify over time. The roots are powerful, pivotal. The central root reaches a depth of 20-30 cm, there are many lateral adventitious roots with a strong specific odor. Young roots have no root hairs. The leaves of the catharanthus are oblong, pointed at both ends, and are up to 7 cm long. They are glossy, dark green in color, with a white longitudinal vein. During flowering, the bush is covered with many wheel-shaped flowers. Catharanthus flowers are 3 to 5 cm in diameter. They have correct shape of five petals with a flat corolla, the pharynx of which is covered with thyroid hairs. In the center of each flower there is an eyelet, usually of a bright contrasting color. There are hybrids with white, orange, light lilac, blue-violet petals. Catharanthus flowers are very similar to phlox flowers, but they are single, and in phlox they are collected in inflorescences. But, during active flowering, from May to October, such a magnificent hat is formed from separately flowering flowers that the decorativeness of the flower at this time is above all praise. Long-term flowering ends with the onset of cold weather. After flowering, the fruit of the catharanthus is formed, which is a sickle-shaped two-leafed plant, inside which about a dozen elongated seeds are formed.

Medicinal properties

The catharanthus plant is valued not only for its spectacular appearance and decorativeness. Its medicinal properties have been known for a long time. Healers and healers in Madagascar and Indonesia used catharanthus to treat diabetes, cough, and various tumors. The green parts of the plant contain up to 60 biologically active alkaloids. Modern research has shown that indeed this flower contains substances that lower blood sugar. And the alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine formed the basis of anticancer drugs that are used in modern medicine. All kinds of infusions and decoctions are prepared from the leaves and shoots of the catharanthus, which treat many diseases, such as:

• poorly healing wounds and trophic ulcers;
• fibroids, polyps, prostate adenomas;
• diseases of the teeth and gums;
• broncho-pulmonary diseases;
• hypertension and diabetes.

It is important to know that all parts of the catharanthus are poisonous. It is not recommended to prepare any medicine from it yourself! Side effects, allergic reactions, burns may occur. There are contraindications. It is possible to use preparations from catharanthus only under the supervision and on the recommendation of doctors.

Types and varieties

All decorative series of varieties and hybrids of this flower are a variety of pink catharanthus. They differ from it in the size of the bush and in different shades of petals. We will introduce you to the most popular ones.

It is a short bush, 50 cm in height. The flowers are relatively large - up to 5 cm in diameter. The color scheme is varied - from pure white to dark red. In the middle, a contrasting eye usually sparkles. This flower is grown not only as a houseplant, but also as a garden plant, decorating borders on flower beds and paths with it.

It is a short, compact bush, 25 - 30 cm in height, and 15 - 20 cm in diameter of the crown. It is characterized by early flowering and unpretentious care. The flowers are large, the characteristic peephole in the middle stands out brightly.

Depending on the shade of the petals, the Pacific variety has its own varieties:

• Pacific Burgundy - has flowers of a rich wine color with a white eye;
• Pacific White - has white flowers with a red eye;
• Pacific Epricot - has apricot-colored flowers with a red center;
• Pacific Ice Pink - has flowers of pale pink color with a red eye.

In the eighties of the last century appeared whole line new spectacular varieties of catharanthus. Here are some of them that are still popular:

Variety series Cooler (Culer). Small, strongly branching bushes, up to 40 cm in height, have united here. Their flowers are round, large, up to 5 cm in diameter. With a bright contrasting eyelet in the center.

The varieties in this series include the following:

• Grape Cooler - lavender-pink flowers with a red center;
• Peppermint Cooler - white flowers with a bright red center;
• Red Cooler - red flowers.

Variety series First Kiss (First Kiss). Low, 30 - 40 cm in height, neat bushes, have beautiful crown and at least 13 shades of colors. This is the most popular and titled variety of catharanthus. At the flower contests of the countries of North America, the catharanthus of this variety series won prestigious prizes, in particular the blue-violet cultivar First Kiss Blueberry won high awards in the USA and Canada.

Variety series Cascade... Here are the ampelous catharanthus, up to 15 cm high and with long flexible shoots that either spread or hang down. It blooms with large flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter. The most popular varieties of this series:

Katarantus ampelous Titan. Long lashes hanging downwards reach 75 cm in length. Numerous bright red flowers burn brightly on dark green glossy leaves. This variety is great for growing in pots.

• White - with snow-white flowers;
• Deep Rose - with pink flowers;
• Bark Cascade Cherry - with cherry flowers;
• Bark Cascade Shelf Dot - with white flowers;
• The bark of the cascade Medzhenta - with flowers of a gray-burgundy color.

Home care

When growing a catharanthus at home, it is important to follow some simple rules so that you grow a wonderful evergreen bush.

All parts of the catharanthus are poisonous and contain alkaloids. Work with it must be carried out with gloves to avoid allergies or poisoning.

Moisture, spraying, watering

Katarantus is a moisture-loving culture. Abundant flowering directly depends on the sufficiently high humidity of the ambient air and substrate. Catharanthus prefer high humidity air. If the moisture readings fall below 60%, it is necessary to spray the surrounding air and, with care, the plants themselves. Moreover, the leaves can be sprayed, but the flowers are not desirable! To increase the humidity in the room, install containers with water next to the catharanthus plantings, and put the pots themselves in trays with wet expanded clay or wet pebbles.

Water the flowers regularly. Drying of the root system must not be allowed! You will immediately recognize about insufficient watering by the curling leaves of the plant. If you quickly notice and pour it soon, they will straighten.

But there should be no stagnation of water in the sump and waterlogging of the soil. Try to choose the frequency of watering so that the soil moisture is consistently average. Water no earlier than the topsoil dries up to a depth of 2 - 3 cm. If you plan to keep the plant until next year, in the autumn winter period significantly reduce watering. Keep the earthy ball slightly damp. If the indoor air is dry, spray the leaves continuously.

Lighting

The plant prefers diffused light. On the windowsills of the eastern and western directions, he will be most comfortable. Although, on the south side, provided the pot is protected from direct sunlight at noon, the catharanthus will feel great. It is not necessary to post flower pot on the windowsill itself. It grows well in a small shade and looks great on a shelf illuminated by diffused sunlight. Under the condition of wintering indoors, he also needs good lighting. Otherwise, the stems will stretch upward, and the decorative effect of the flower will suffer. If there is a lack of lighting, use fluorescent lamps.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for growing catharanthus at home is 20-25 degrees Celsius. It's in spring- summer period for long-term flower maintenance. V winter time for him it is necessary to find more cool place and maintain the temperature there within 15 degrees, because there is no place for it on the windowsill, next to the heating devices. Perhaps you have an insulated loggia. But, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature does not drop at all - its prolonged decrease, below 10 degrees, the catharanthus may not tolerate.

If you are not going to save the flower in the winter and plan to throw it away in the fall, after flowering, then the warmer the location, the more abundantly it will bloom. Moreover, the flower feels great in warm time years outdoors. In the spring, as soon as the air outside warms up above 18 degrees, the pot with catharanthus can be put on a balcony or veranda, preferably under a roof, because flower plantings must be protected from precipitation, drafts and direct sun. With the first cold snap, in August-September, it is better to bring the catharanthus into the dwelling. Until October, he will still delight you with his magnificent flowering on the windowsill.

Soil and fertilizing

Catharanthus will grow well in loose, light, fertile soil. Purchased land for flowering indoor plants, for example, for geraniums, is suitable for him. It is also not difficult to prepare a soil mixture on your own from leafy and soddy land, adding a little peat and coarse river sand there.

In order for the flowering of the catharanthus to be long and plentiful, it needs constant, fairly intensive feeding. If your flower is an annual, it is fed once a week by adding liquid fertilizer for flowering houseplants to the water for irrigation. Liquid fertilizer is suitable for indoor roses. But do not overdo it, read the doses on the package.

If the catharanthus after flowering persists as a perennial, its strength must be preserved. Therefore, feeding should be done less often during flowering, once every 2 weeks, and in a dose reduced by half. After flowering, from October to February, feeding should be stopped altogether.

Suitable pot

Katarantus is a fast-growing flower. If you plant it in a small pot, it will outgrow it very soon, the roots will not fit and will block the drainage holes. Therefore, choose a large pot right away so that it will last for a year of the flower's life. As we wrote above, the root system develops well, the roots grow up to 20 - 35 cm in length. Place a good layer of drainage, 3-4 cm, on the bottom of the planting container. Use expanded clay, pebbles or other suitable material. And then fill the pot with the prepared potting mix. Don't forget to add some humus for nutrition. During the annual transplant of a perennial catharanthus, choose a pot 3 to 5 cm larger and wider each time.

Pruning and shaping the bush

For a fast growing plant like the catharanthus, pruning the shoots is a necessary procedure. In a perennial culture, after a period of winter rest, the shoots that have elongated over the winter are cut off by a third of their length. Remove damaged and dried branches, give the bush the desired shape. This pruning at the beginning of spring will rejuvenate the flower and give it strength for new growth.

A compact beautiful crown of a young catharanthus will help to form the pinching of the ends of the shoots. Their upward growth will stop, and the growth of side branches will make the crown thicker and more decorative.

But watch out decorative view your pet will have to constantly during flowering. Withered flowers and yellowed leaves at the bottom of the shoots must be removed regularly - they greatly spoil the appearance of the plant.

Transfer

If you grow catharanthus like a perennial, then it will need an annual transplant in early spring, in March.

Return the flower to a warm, light environment. Examine. Make the trim you want. Pick up a pot for transplanting 3 - 5 cm larger than the previous one. Put the drainage there - it should be at least 4 cm. Do the transplant by transferring the flower along with the ground. Try not to injure the root system. Add to the pot the soil of the same composition in which the catharanthus grew last season. If the soil is very different in composition, the flower may not bloom. According to the reaction, the soil is neutral or slightly sourish. Remember this and always use one type of soil, for example, for flowering geraniums.

You may need to transplant your flower more often than once a year. If, during the active flowering phase, the lower leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow and flowers fall off - Perhaps the root system already does not have enough space in the pot. You can see the roots sticking out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. This is a signal that the catharanthus urgently needs to be transplanted into a large container.

If the catharanthus is difficult to remove from the pot, try watering it. The plastic pot may need to be cut or broken, but be careful not to damage the delicate root system when removing the flower. Otherwise, the catharanthus will stop blooming.

If you regularly follow all the rules of good flower care, then the catharanthus will also try and stun you with its fantastic flowering!

We recommend not keeping your perennial for more than three years. Any catharanthus of this age begins to grow, its flowers become small, shoots are clumsy. The plant loses its attractiveness and decorative effect. It is better to part with him, having taken care of his descendants in advance, that is, about reproduction.

Reproduction

After the enchanting flowering, the powers of the catharanthus are depleted, and you need to try to make it bloom again next year. For this reason, growers often grow the catharanthus as an annual plant, and after the end of its flowering, they are simply thrown away. After all, the difficulties of preserving a flower in the winter, problems with temperature, humidity, lighting of its wintering place, cannot be compared with the rooting of its shoots or cuttings. By the beginning of the new season, you will have a new flower full of strength and desire to bloom without any problems.

Catharanthus is propagated in three ways: growing from seeds, rooting cuttings and dividing the bush.

Growing from seeds

Buy catharanthus seeds in special stores... Their seeds will not have time to ripen during the summer flowering. Their natural maturation is possible only in tropical conditions... If you still set out to get your seeds, be patient. The bush will have to grow all autumn and winter in room conditions, maintaining a constant temperature, humidity and good lighting, as in the tropics. Your seeds will ripen, perhaps only by spring.

The seeds can be sown at any time of the year. Just keep in mind that the catharanthus blooms after germination in 60 - 70 days, that is, young bushes will bloom in two to three months. Therefore, it is better, from the point of view of caring for them - in terms of temperature, humidity and lighting, it is done in early spring.

The prepared seeds (treated with potassium permanganate and epin) are sown in containers with nutrient soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm. The soil is carefully moistened with a spray bottle with warm, settled water, the container lid is closed. You can use any containers that are convenient for you, but be sure to cover them with something transparent - glass or polyethylene. Germination is best done in a warm, dark place. In a week or two, seedlings will appear. The containers are taken out to a lighted place. The temperature is maintained at 23 - 26 degrees Celsius. Ventilate once a day better in the morning... The sprouts sit for a long time, about a month, at the same level - they grow the roots. When three to four leaves appear on the seedlings, the catharanthus dive into separate pots. Do not forget about the rapid growth of the young, take at once a pot that is large than you would like, so that soon, during flowering, you do not have to replant the flower again.

Pay particular attention to preparing the potting mix. An excellent option is a mixture of peat, humus, sod land and coarse sand in equal proportions. If you will be using ready-made soil, select a substrate suitable for flowering indoor flowers.

Propagation by cuttings

For propagation by cuttings (cuttings), green cuttings are cut from the tops of the shoots in the catharanthus. Choose a method of rooting the cuttings - in water or in a substrate.

Water for rooting is taken standing or boiled with the addition of some kind of growth stimulant. They put the glass in a bright warm place. They are waiting for the appearance of the root. Water is added as needed. The roots will appear very soon. Then the cutting is planted in a pot with a regular substrate. They take care of them like an adult plant.

You can root the cuttings in a container with moist soil under a film. Air the plantings from time to time, water them as the soil dries up. When signs of new growth appear on the handle, the film can be removed. Root the cuttings with a margin, in case they die.

It is best to harvest and plant cuttings in the spring, after pruning the old bush. But it is also possible in the fall. Optimum temperature for rooting cuttings of the catharanthus - 22 - 25 degrees Celsius.

Video: how to propagate a catharanthus by cuttings.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

This propagation method is used when transplanting an adult plant into new pots. This usually happens in early spring. Depending on the size of the root system, the catharanthus can be easily divided into two or three parts. Remove the flower from the pot, try to gently shake off the soil from the roots. Decide on the place of division of the root system. Use a sharp, well-sanitized instrument to divide the bush. Treat the incision sites with crushed activated carbon. Plant each specimen in a separate pot according to the rules.

Organization of wintering

If you are planting your indoor flower in a flower bed in the country in the summer, then you need to think about how to keep the catharanthus in winter. After all, your sissy will not survive the winter, even a mild one, on the street. Dig up the plant carefully in early October. Cut off the branches two-thirds of the way. Place the flower in a large pot to accommodate the entire root system. Fill the pot up to the top with a mixture of sand and earth. Bring to a cool room with a temperature of 15 - 17 degrees. Try to find one for wintering in an apartment. Let him stand there until the onset of spring and warmth. There is no need to water it in winter. When the air outside warms up above 18 degrees, you can plant the rhizome of the catharanthus again on the flower bed.

Possible growing problems

You can always determine by the outward appearance of a plant: is it healthy or something is wrong with it. Katarantus to his appearance itself signals unfavorable conditions its content. You need to monitor the plant, and, if necessary, take measures to correct your mistakes.

Let's consider the most common problems of growing a catharanthus.

Diseases

• Small dark bumps or specks appeared on the upper surface of the leaves. On the bottom - something in the form of pustules. These are symptoms of a disease of many indoor flowers - leaf rust. The reason is the frequent waterlogging of the soil at high humidity. Or, when replanting, heavy or rust-infected soil was used. Treatment is carried out with fungicides (read about). Transplant the treated plant into new soil.
• The leaves on the shoots became lethargic, turned yellow and fell off. This happens if the pot is on a windowsill unprotected from the sun. Place the flower in the back of the room or protect it from direct sunlight with blinds or curtains.
• The tips of the leaves turned yellow. This happens when the humidity in the room is too low. In winter, this is due to the central heating. The pot must be placed in a high pallet with wet expanded clay and set aside from heating appliances away. A wide container of water can be placed next to the flower. If there are no flowers on the catharanthus, its leaves should be sprayed with settled water at room temperature. All this should increase the humidity in the room. The tips of the leaves of the catharanthus will stop turning yellow.
• The lower leaves on the shoots turn yellow and fall off. This is a natural process for the catharanthus. Remove them regularly from the plant so that the decorative effect of the flower does not suffer.
• There are few flowers on your catharanthus. Poor flowering usually occurs when the catharanthus is cold. Move the flower pot to a warmer, lighter place - and it will thank you with abundant flowering.
• Leaves begin to turn yellow, flowering stops. Examine the flower pot. If it is not large, if the roots of the catharanthus appeared from the drainage holes, it means that your pet has become cramped in this pot and it is time to transplant it into a wider and deeper pot. A little time will pass, and the plant will come to life and begin to bloom.
• Katarantus began to shed the buds. This happens when there is insufficient attention to the flower: poor lighting, lack of moisture in the soil, or when the air humidity is low.
• Young leaves are falling from the tops of the shoots. Perhaps you rarely water the flower, it does not have enough moisture. At the same time, check other nuances of care: is it warm, light, and whether any insects bite him.

Insects are pests

We introduced you to the indoor catharanthus flower. Believe me, you will spend less time caring for it than reading this article! This is a completely unpretentious plant, but so sweet and responsive to any attention to it from the florist. The good thing about Katarantus is that this small, compact bush blooms profusely with bright acrylic flowers from spring to October. At the same time, it grows rapidly and multiplies easily. Knowing the simple rules of caring for it, you will always have a grateful plant in your home, ready to decorate the interior of your home all year round.

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Katarantus is a very decorative and unpretentious plant that grows equally well indoors and in the garden. It belongs to the Kutrovy family and is common in the light rainforests of Madagascar. Most of our compatriots know the catharanthus under the name "periwinkle", "Madagascar wine", "lonera", " spinster"Or" cayenne jasmine ". Since the flower does not tolerate cold well, it is grown in the garden as an annual. In pots and in the south of the country, he will live in one place for several years, delighting delicate flowers and dense juicy greens.

Description of the plant

Catharanthus is an annual or perennial evergreen plant. It has a taproot system, which is covered with many filamentous processes and extends 25-35 cm deep into the ground. Erect shoots form dense, highly branched bushes up to 60 cm high.In the natural environment, the height of the shrub can reach 1.5 m.

All shoots are covered with smooth green or pinkish bark. Opposite sessile or short-petiolate leaves grow on them. The foliage is oval in shape with a rounded or sharp edge. The leaf is 2.5-8 cm long and 3 cm wide. The smooth leathery surface is dark green. A thin whitish vein is clearly visible in the center.

Catharanthus blooms in late spring. The buds open alternately, so flowering can continue indoors even in winter. Flowers bloom in the axils of the leaves and at the tops of the shoots, gathering in loose brushes. The corolla, up to 3 cm in diameter, is spike-shaped and consists of five obovate or wedge-shaped petals fused at the base. The central part of the flower is a narrow tube, from which bright yellow anthers barely protrude.

After pollination, sickle leaflets ripen up to 5 cm in length and up to 3 mm in width. Inside there are small elongated black seeds with a rough surface.

Species diversity

Currently, the genus catharanthus includes 8 main species and several decorative varieties. In culture, only pink catharanthus can be found. It is a low, branched shrub with dark green oblong leaves and five-petalled flowers of white and various shades of pink.

Hybrid varieties are very diverse. For convenience, they are divided into varietal groups, within which plants may differ in structure, color of flowers and leaves, as well as flowering period. The most interesting are the following groups:

Growing from seeds

Seed propagation produces many healthy plants quickly. In May, you can sow seeds directly into open ground. For this, shallow grooves are made in a well-lit area. Seeds are evenly distributed with a distance of 3-5 cm and covered with earth. After sowing, the soil is watered with care. The grown plants can be transplanted. Catharanthus usually blooms 2-2.5 months after sowing.

In early spring, seedlings begin to grow. It is planted in small containers with loose, fertile soil. You can use geranium soil or make up the soil mixture yourself from:

• leafy land;
• humus;
• sand;
• peat;
• turf land.

Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for several hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then distributed at a distance of 3-4 cm at a depth of 1.5-2 cm. The container is covered with a lid or foil. It is kept in a well-lit place at a temperature of + 24 ... + 25 ° C.

Seedlings begin to appear in a week, after which the shelter is removed. Delicate seedlings are watered with care and in small portions. After 2-3 weeks, with the appearance of four true leaves, carefully pick out individual peat pots... You need to be very careful not to damage the long root. It is important to maintain high humidity.

At the end of May, the seedlings begin to be taken outside for hardening. Transplanting into open ground can be done only when the average daily air temperature is + 20 ° C and above.

On the permanent place catharanthus are planted in groups of 2-3 plants to form larger bushes. The distance between such bushes should be 30-70 cm, depending on the size of the plant of a particular variety.

Vegetative propagation

A large bush of the catharanthus can be propagated by the division method. To do this, in the spring, during transplantation, the root is cut into 2-3 parts with a sharp blade. Places of cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal and the cuttings are immediately planted in separate pots.

In the spring, during pruning, the tops of the stems can be rooted. This is done in a wet sandy-peat soil mixture. For the rooting period, it is recommended to cover the cuttings with a transparent cap and place in a well-lit place. Plants need to be aired and sprayed daily. After rooting, the shelter is removed and the flowers are grown as usual.

Home care

Catharanthus are unpretentious plants, they are suitable for flower growers with little experience. However, achieve abundant flowering and lush crown it is possible only by observing a number of rules.

Lighting. The flower loves intense diffused lighting. On the street, it is planted in open areas or in light partial shade. Indoor plants are placed on the east or west windowsill. The bushes should be shaded from the midday rays in the room, but with regular ventilation or in the fresh air, they are not afraid of direct sunlight. It is very important to protect the catharanthus from drafts.

Temperature. This thermophilic plant thrives best at a temperature of + 20… + 25 ° C. In winter, it is necessary to provide a dormant period and lower the temperature to + 12 ... + 18 ° C. If this is not possible, additional illumination is required. Without it, the stems will stretch out and lose their decorative effect.

Humidity. The bushes that are kept in high humidity look the most beautiful. Dry air slows down growth, and the tips of the leaves dry out and curl. It is necessary to spray the flower daily; in hot weather, this is done several times a day. It is good if there is an aquarium or a tray with wet pebbles nearby.

Watering. The plant needs to be watered frequently and abundantly so that the soil is always slightly damp. Prolonged stagnation of water is contraindicated; you also need to empty the sump after each irrigation. Water for irrigation is warm and well purified.

Fertilizer. From April to September, the catharanthus is fed twice a month. Mineral complexes with a high content of phosphorus and potassium are used. One organic dressing is recommended before flowering.

Pruning. Young plants are regularly pinched to form a large number of lateral processes. In the spring, the bushes are cut by a third, this allows them to keep their neat appearance longer.

Transfer. Fast growing bushes require annual replanting. At indoor growing the procedure is carried out in the spring by the transshipment method so as not to damage the roots. The pots should be deep enough and not too wide. In the summer, you can plant plants in open ground, and in the fall, before the onset of cold weather, they must be returned to the flowerpots.

Using catharanthus

Compact dense bushes with bright flowers will be an excellent decoration for the borders and the foreground of the flower bed. They are often grown in containers and boxes for landscaping balconies and terraces, as well as ordinary indoor flowers. The ampelous catharanthus is planted in a flower pot. Its beautiful green cascade with multi-colored buds attracts a lot of attention and amazes with its delicate aroma. Katarantus can be used both in flower arrangements and as a ground cover plant. It goes well with periwinkle, lobelia, balsam and petunia.

In addition to the ornamental, the medicinal properties of the plant are also known. Catharanthus juice contains about 20 alkaloids. With their help, it is possible to reduce the size of benign and malignant tumors, polyps, adenomas. Compresses with an alcoholic herb tincture are used to treat psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis of various origins.

For all its usefulness, the catharanthus is a poisonous plant. After working with it, you need to wash your hands thoroughly. If there are children and animals in the house, the flower should be placed in a place inaccessible to them.

Katarantus is an unpretentious and very cute flower, which is better known as pink periwinkle, it feels great in the garden on a flower bed, containers, and also in pots on windowsills. The plant is small, compact, branched and, what is important, fast growing and easy to reproduce. But in order for the catharanthus to please the eye with its impeccable flowering longer, you still need to know some rules for caring for it.

To do this, it is best to take one part of peat, humus, coarse sand, turf and leafy soil. But, in general, any fertile soil for the catharanthus will also work, especially if there is no excess of salts in it. For potting, you can use geranium soil. The main thing is not to forget about drainage using fine expanded clay.

Like all plants, pink catharanthus loves water. Therefore, it should be watered regularly, but in no case should it be poured, especially in containers or pots. Therefore, if the flower pot is not on a pallet with expanded clay, then it is better to pour out the excess water from the pallet.

Florists who have pink periwinkle growing in the garden know very well that in a rainy, too wet summer, plant growth slows down. A flower that is flooded all the time, if it also grows in too dense soil, can suddenly die due to root decay.

However, you should not bring the earthen coma to dryness. In some plant varieties, lack of moisture leads to leaf curling. The leaves curl up into tubes, and it seems that the flower has died. But don't despair right away. Abundant watering - and within an hour the leaves will unwind again.

So that in rainy weather the catharanthus does not suffer from excessive moisture, do not plant it too crowded. You should also not plant plants in a container too crowdedly: after all, spraying is a little rain.

Once every ten days, water your periwinkle with a special fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus. Fertilizers are suitable for roses. A home flower will thank you for this with a particularly spectacular flowering.

If the catharanthus does not like too wet soil, then, on the contrary, he welcomes high humidity. Spray the flower more often, in winter it is better to do this with warm water. Also, take care of ventilation.

If the catharanthus grows in the house, then it should stand in a bright place. The more light the better. In case of a lack of lighting, the stems will stretch, become thinner, the flowers will become smaller, and their number will also decrease. The east and west windows are great places to grow catharanthus. Pink periwinkle is a native of the tropics, so it loves warmth. Indoors, the temperature should not drop below 5-8 degrees. The optimal one is 15-30.

On the street, it is better to accustom the catharanthus to the bright sun gradually. When planting seedlings, think about whether this place will be protected from the cold wind. Drafts and cold winds can kill the plant.

Although the pink catharanthus is a distant relative for our usual periwinkle, but, unlike him, he will not be able to winter in a flower bed in the garden. A flower growing on the street will die with the onset of frost. Therefore, if you want to admire the same variety of catharanthus next year, you need to break the cuttings and root them, transferring them to warm house... Even a room catharanthus in the summer is better to take out to the balcony and put there in a bright place. Let him breathe fresh air.

You need to repot the plant often, every year, because the plant is fast growing. Some even consider this to be his disadvantage. A potted plant that has stretched out over the winter needs to be pruned every spring to help it grow better. If the plant has become too elongated, violating its intended picture by its appearance, then it can be slightly trimmed in the summer. But you need to remember that flowers on a cut stem will appear only after two to three weeks. The main stem will become tree-like.

Although the catharanthus is a perennial (if it grows in the house or at home), it is not worth keeping it at home for more than three years. Better plant rejuvenate by cuttings. Young plants look more impressive. But, if you cut the catharanthus by more than one third, then the flowers and leaves will become much smaller. (With good care, the leaves grow to seven centimeters and the flowers five centimeters.)

Pinch a flower planted on a flower bed as mercilessly as an indoor flower once a week for one and a half to two months. Thanks to such a merciless pinching, the flower bed will be simply gorgeous. After all, flowers appear at the tips of the stalks, in the upper axils of the leaves. The more stems, the more flowers. Although it must be admitted that scientists have bred varieties in which branching is genetically incorporated.

Do not forget that the plant is poisonous. The eighty alkaloids in pink periwinkle are no joke. The skin can become irritated, so it is best to work with gloves or trim with small scissors.

In order for the catharanthus to be beautiful and blooming profusely, we must do the following:

• Water sparingly but regularly (do not overflow).
• Spray frequently.
• Plant the plant in loose soil in a bright place.
• Repot every year.
• Prune annually in the spring.
• Fertilize three times a month in spring, summer and fall.

If you fulfill all these simple requirements for care, then the catharanthus, as a very grateful plant, as a token of gratitude for its care, will definitely decorate your garden and home with its flowers.

Catharanthus seeds can be bought online, you can - in a regular store, or you can collect it yourself from your plant to sow them next year. But, we must honestly admit that only an experienced florist can independently collect seeds from catharntus. It's all about temperate climates: in its conditions, they simply do not get tied.

But on the windowsill it is quite possible. If there is additional lighting, then you can sow seeds for seedlings without waiting for spring, in February. Catharanthus seeds are not petunia seeds, which are difficult to see. Compared to petunia, they are large and powerful.

The sowing depth should not be more than one and a half centimeters. Water the earth first, wait until the water is absorbed and only then start sowing seeds. The seeds sown require darkness. Therefore, they need to be covered with a dark film and patiently wait for the result for seven to ten days, if the temperature is about 23-24 degrees. When sprouts appear, the film is removed.

This is the official version of sowing seeds. But from the experience of amateur gardeners, one can come to the conclusion that seeds germinate well even without a film. It is good to grow seeds in peat tablets. True, due to the small amount of soil, you need to carefully monitor the watering of the seedlings: do not dry out, do not overmoisten when you remove the film.

The emerging sprouts remain at the same level for a long time - they build up their root system. But do not rush to feed the sprouted plants with fertilizer. From the moment the sprouts appear until the first feeding, at least two to three weeks should pass.

The first pick is carried out if the plant already has four leaves. It is better to plant two or three plants in a pot, and then transfer them together into open ground, so as not to disturb the root system.

If you try to separate these bushes, then the woven roots will break, and the pink periwinkle suffers such an operation very painfully, and then, if it does not die, it slows down for a long time in growth. The distance between such planted groups of plants should be at least thirty centimeters.

Katarantus is a "fast" flower. Therefore, by the end of summer, he will already cover the earth with a flowering rug.

If you do not have seeds, but there is an opportunity to get a cutting, then growing in such a vegetative way will not be difficult either. The cuttings should not be woody. Apical green cuttings are suitable for vegetative propagation of periwinkle. They take root well in water, especially if you add a few drops of stimulant there. Or you can plant the cuttings directly into wet sand mixed with fertile soil. But in this case, it is better to cover them with a plastic bag or an ordinary jar. Cuttings can be rooted both in spring after pruning, and in autumn by cutting off green shoots from a plant growing outside. But the temperature, for the rooting of cuttings to be successful, must be at least twenty degrees.

If periwinkle grew on the street in summer, then before bringing the plant into the room, check if it has been attacked by aphids. Spider mites and scale insects can also attack the flower. If this happened indoors, then the air is too dry for the flower. Spray the plant more often, and remove the pests with a brush dipped in alcohol and treat with special products. Well, in this case, a soap solution helps, which can also be used to process the leaves without harming the plant. Brown rust can also attack the catharanthus. The leaves are then covered from below with "pustules".

Caring for the catharanthus - as well as for any house plant, you need to observe:

• If the leaves become soft, turn yellow and die off, this means that there is too much direct sunlight.
• If the tips of the leaves dry and turn yellow, then the plant does not have enough moisture in the air. This happens in winter when the heating is on.
• If the yellowed lower leaves fall off, and the rest of the foliage is bright and green, you can not be afraid - this is a natural process.
• There are few flowers - cold air... The higher the temperature, the more abundantly the catharanthus blooms.
• If the roots cover the whole earth in the pot, then the plant will stop blooming, the leaves will dry out and turn yellow.

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Caring for the catharanthus

Well-lit places are suitable for Katarantus, but without the scorching rays of the sun. An excellent option for a catharanthus would be eastern or western window sills.

On the south window, shading is definitely needed, since the bright sun can provoke burns on the leaves.

In winter, it is recommended to rearrange the plant on the southern windowsill, because due to a lack of light, the shoots stretch out and lose their decorative effect. At this time, additional illumination with phytolamps or fluorescent lamps is welcome.

In summer, the catharanthus will feel comfortable at 20-25 degrees. In winter, the temperature of the content should be reduced to 15-18 degrees.

Since the catharanthus is a representative of the tropics, a strong drop in temperature is destructive for it. Therefore, in winter, the temperature should not drop below 8 degrees.

Katarantus loves Fresh air, therefore, when the weather is warm outside, it can be taken out to the balcony, loggia or garden. In this case, it is necessary to choose a place protected from the scorching rays of the sun, rain and drafts. With the first cold snaps in August, the plant should be taken into the house.

The flower tolerates temperature fluctuations relatively well, but it is better to provide it with the most comfortable conditions. Then he will delight with abundant lush flowering.

In spring and summer Catharanthus needs abundant watering - 3-4 times a week. The soil in the pot should always be slightly damp.

In winter the regularity of the procedure is reduced to 1 time per week. Before the next moistening, the top layer of the soil should dry well.

When watering a catharanthus, a balance must be observed. For a plant, both waterlogging, fraught with decay of the roots, and drying out of the earth, which can provoke curling and falling of leaves, are destructive. Therefore, the water from the sump should be poured out 20-30 minutes after watering. The earthen coma must not be allowed to completely dry out.

Water for irrigation should be left to stand for several days, it should be at room temperature.

To plant a catharanthus, you need a nutritious light soil. You can buy a ready-made substrate for flowering plants in the shop.

When cooking on your own, you should mix sand, peat, turf and humus in equal proportions.

Another option is sod, leafy soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 2: 1: 0.5. Before planting, the mixture should be disinfected by spilling it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The pot must have drain holes. At the bottom, you need to lay out a 4 cm layer of drainage.

Catharanthus grown as annuals are fed once a week. Perennial plants should be fertilized every 2 weeks from March to September.... In the period from October to February, additional feeding is not needed.

The dose should be made 2 times weaker than indicated on the package.

Catharanthus grown as annuals need more frequent feeding than those that are planned to be kept for the next year.

Top dressing should be applied to wet soil after watering... Do not exceed the concentration of fertilizer indicated on the package, as this may cause root burns.

Sometimes you can alternate mineral dressings with organic ones. As the latter, an ash solution (20 grams per 2 liters of water) is perfect. Once a month, instead of root dressing, you can spray on the leaf. For this, it is recommended to use the drug Epin Extra.

Katarantus prefers high humidity environment- not less than 60%... To provide such conditions, you can use several methods:

The approach to spraying the catharanthus should be prudent. On the one hand, the plant loves high humidity, on the other hand, it is undesirable to get drops on the flowers. During the flowering period, spraying should be done very carefully.

In winter, in a room with dry air, you can spray the resting pink periwinkle every day, in the morning or in the evening. For this, warm settled water and a fine-grained spray bottle are used.

In the spring, before transplanting, the shoots of the plant should be shortened by 1/3. In this way, the catharanthus can be rejuvenated and a lush flowering bush can be formed.

Cut pieces of catharanthus shoots can be used for reproduction.

Pruning is necessary for the catharanthus to form a compact bush, lush bloom and plant rejuvenation.

Catharanthus, grown as a perennial, is recommended to be pruned in the spring, since during the winter the plant is strongly stretched and loses its decorative appearance. It is recommended to cut the shoots by 1/3. If the plant is strongly stretched in summer, it is recommended to carry out formative pruning by pinching the ends of the shoots. The cut stems will release new buds after a few weeks.

Pruned shoots can be used to propagate periwinkle by cuttings. Although the plant can be grown indoors as a perennial, it is not recommended to keep one specimen for longer than 3 years.

This is due to the fact that the lower leaves on the shoots dry up and fall off, and the flower “bald”, loses its attractiveness and decorative appearance. Young catharanthus, renewed by cuttings, look much more presentable.

Brown rust can affect the catharanthus, which is recognized by the presence of pustules on the back of the leaves.

The damaged parts are removed and the plant is treated with a fungicide such as Fundazol.

Of the pests, aphids, spider mites, and scale insects pose a threat to pink periwinkle.

Pest control can be done by mechanical removal using a soap solution or insecticide treatment: Aktellik, Fitoverm or Nurell-D.

Prevention of the appearance of insects is proper care, in particular, maintaining high humidity.

As a rule, problems with catharanthus arise due to improper care or unfavorable conditions of detention:

• The leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow, become soft and die off, mainly due to an excess of sunlight;
• If few buds appear on the catharanthus, then it is cold. The higher the temperature, the more lush the bloom;
• Yellowing and curling of leaves indicates insufficient watering;
• Stems stretch out when there is a lack of light;
• The tips of the leaves dry out due to the low humidity of the air;
• Poor growth and poor flowering indicate a lack of nutrients in the soil;
• Catharanthus can shed buds when there is a lack of light or moisture.

Catharanthus propagates by seeds and cuttings.

Seeds are sown in boxes filled with a mixture of peat and sand to a depth of 0.5 cm. The container is covered with polyethylene and placed in a dark warm (20-24 degrees) place.

After the emergence of seedlings - after 5-7 days - the greenhouse is taken out to a bright place. The earth is moistened as needed.

After 10 days, the film is removed, and after 20-30 days the seedlings are dived into separate pots.

Cuttings, 10-12 cm long, cut in spring and summer. The lower leaves break off, the cut is processed with a root. Cuttings are planted in a mixture of perlite and peat, covered with a film and kept in diffused light at a temperature of 20-22 degrees.

After the reproduction of the catharanthus by cuttings, the film is removed after 3 weeks. After another 7 days, young catharanthus are planted in a permanent place. You can plant 2-3 cuttings in one pot.

Periwinkle grows very quickly, so it needs frequent transplants. Young catharanthus require several transfers to new pots over the summer. Those plants that are grown as perennials need an annual spring transplant (in March - early April).

Timely transplantation is the key to good growth and abundant flowering of periwinkle. If the roots cover the entire earthen ball, the buds cease to appear, and the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. In view of this, timely transplantation is very important for the catharanthus.

The best way to transplant a catharanthus is transshipment... Due to the fact that the earthen ball and roots are not damaged, the plant quickly adapts to new conditions and continues to grow and develop well.

A day or two before the transplant, the periwinkle is not watered so that the earthen lump is strengthened. A good drainage layer of expanded clay, clay shards or broken brick is laid at the bottom of the new pot. The plant is moved into a new container, and the free space in it is covered with new soil and slightly compacted.

Before sowing, it is advised to soak the seeds for 40 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (1 gram per 0.5 liters of water), then dry them for several hours on a paper towel.

Seeds are sown in bowls or containers filled with a moistened mixture of peat, sand and earth. They deepen by 1-2 cm, after which the soil is slightly moistened with a fine-grained spray gun. The container is covered with an opaque film and placed in a dark place. The optimum temperature for germination is 23-25 ​​degrees.

Under favorable conditions, seedlings appear in 7-10 days., after which the film is removed, the container is transferred to a well-lit place (without the scorching sun), and the temperature of the content is slightly reduced.

If in the future the catharanthus is grown in a pot, then 2-3 copies are planted in one container filled with a substrate for adult plants. This will make the periwinkle look more lush and attractive. If the planting is done on a flower bed, then the flowers are planted one at a time.

Now you know everything about caring for a catharanthus at home, as well as about growing a plant from seeds from sowing to flowering.

Photo of the catharanthus in the process of care at home and in the natural environment:

Katarantus - care and reproduction at home

Everyone who has seen the catharanthus houseplant will agree that this spectacular bush, strewn with delightful numerous flowers, clearly brings the comfort and warmth of the southern Mediterranean islands to the house. Its name is translated from Greek as "pure, clear or flawless flower." In this article, you will read about growing and caring for a catharanthus at home. Many gardeners consider him the king of indoor flowering bushes, because the catharanthus pleases its owners with endless flowering almost all year round, and requires minimal care from them after planting.

The catharanthus flower belongs to the evergreen herbaceous and subshrub plants of the Apocynaceae family. In the wild, it can be found everywhere in countries with a tropical climate. These are Cuba, Java, Africa, Indochina, Indonesia - not to list everything. It is not possible to accurately determine his homeland, although many scientists are inclined to Madagascar, where he is most often found. There are seven or eight of its types. In the subtropics, the catharanthus grows up to one and a half meters in height. At home, this bush does not exceed 60 cm. As a houseplant, the catharanthus has been bred since the middle of the 18th century.

For a long time, the catharanthus was considered one of the varieties of another flower - pink periwinkle. These plants are very similar. Both belong to the Kutrov family. Only since 1937, after lengthy disputes, botanists began to attribute the pink catharanthus (Catharanthus roseus), as a species of evergreen perennial dwarf shrubs, to a separate genus of Catharanthus.

The indoor flower catharanthus is a perennial plant often grown as an annual. In height at home, it grows no higher than 50 - 60 cm. Its erect stems are fleshy, branch on the tops, and lignify over time. The roots are powerful, pivotal. The central root reaches a depth of 20-30 cm, there are many lateral adventitious roots with a strong specific odor. Young roots have no root hairs. The leaves of the catharanthus are oblong, pointed at both ends, and are up to 7 cm long. They are glossy, dark green in color, with a white longitudinal vein. During flowering, the bush is covered with many wheel-shaped flowers. Catharanthus flowers are 3 to 5 cm in diameter. They have the regular shape of five petals with a flat corolla, the pharynx of which is covered with thyroid hairs. In the center of each flower there is an eyelet, usually of a bright contrasting color. There are hybrids with white, orange, light lilac, blue-violet petals. Catharanthus flowers are very similar to phlox flowers, but they are single, and in phlox they are collected in inflorescences. But, during active flowering, from May to October, such a magnificent hat is formed from separately flowering flowers that the decorativeness of the flower at this time is above all praise. Long-term flowering ends with the onset of cold weather. After flowering, the fruit of the catharanthus is formed, which is a sickle-shaped two-leafed plant, inside which about a dozen elongated seeds are formed.

The catharanthus plant is valued not only for its spectacular appearance and decorativeness. Its medicinal properties have been known for a long time. Healers and healers in Madagascar and Indonesia used catharanthus to treat diabetes, cough, and various tumors. The green parts of the plant contain up to 60 biologically active alkaloids. Modern research has shown that indeed this flower contains substances that lower blood sugar. And the alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine formed the basis of anticancer drugs that are used in modern medicine. All kinds of infusions and decoctions are prepared from the leaves and shoots of the catharanthus, which treat many diseases, such as:

• poorly healing wounds and trophic ulcers;
• fibroids, polyps, prostate adenomas;
• diseases of the teeth and gums;
• broncho-pulmonary diseases;
• hypertension and diabetes.

It is important to know that all parts of the catharanthus are poisonous. It is not recommended to prepare any medicine from it yourself! Side effects, allergic reactions, burns may occur. There are contraindications. It is possible to use preparations from catharanthus only under the supervision and on the recommendation of doctors.

All decorative series of varieties and hybrids of this flower are a variety of pink catharanthus. They differ from it in the size of the bush and in different shades of petals. We will introduce you to the most popular ones.

Katarantus Aristocrat. It is a short bush, 50 cm in height. The flowers are relatively large - up to 5 cm in diameter. The color scheme is varied - from pure white to dark red. In the middle, a contrasting eye usually sparkles. This flower is grown not only as a houseplant, but also as a garden plant, decorating borders on flower beds and paths with it.

Katarantus Pacific. It is a short, compact bush, 25 - 30 cm in height, and 15 - 20 cm in diameter of the crown. It is characterized by early flowering and unpretentious care. The flowers are large, the characteristic peephole in the middle stands out brightly.

Depending on the shade of the petals, the Pacific variety has its own varieties:

• Pacific Burgundy - has flowers of a rich wine color with a white eye;
• Pacific White - has white flowers with a red eye;
• Pacific Epricot - has apricot-colored flowers with a red center;
• Pacific Ice Pink - has flowers of pale pink color with a red eye.

In the eighties of the last century, a number of spectacular new varieties of catharanthus appeared. Here are some of them that are still popular:

Variety series Cooler (Culer). Small, strongly branching bushes, up to 40 cm in height, have united here. Their flowers are round, large, up to 5 cm in diameter. With a bright contrasting eyelet in the center.

The varieties in this series include the following:

• Grape Cooler - lavender-pink flowers with a red center;
• Peppermint Cooler - white flowers with a bright red center;
• Red Cooler - red flowers.

Variety series First Kiss (First Kiss). Low, 30 - 40 cm in height, neat bushes, have a beautiful crown and at least 13 shades of flowers. This is the most popular and titled variety of catharanthus. At the flower contests of the countries of North America, the catharanthus of this variety series won prestigious prizes, in particular the blue-violet cultivar First Kiss Blueberry won high awards in the USA and Canada.

Variety series Cascade... Here are the ampelous catharanthus, up to 15 cm high and with long flexible shoots that either spread or hang down. It blooms with large flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter. The most popular varieties of this series:

Katarantus ampelous Titan. Long lashes hanging downwards reach 75 cm in length. Numerous bright red flowers burn brightly on dark green glossy leaves. This variety is great for growing in pots.

• White - with snow-white flowers;
• Deep Rose - with pink flowers;
• Bark Cascade Cherry - with cherry flowers;
• Bark Cascade Shelf Dot - with white flowers;
• The bark of the cascade Medzhenta - with flowers of a gray-burgundy color.

When growing a catharanthus at home, it is important to follow some simple rules so that you grow a wonderful evergreen bush.

All parts of the catharanthus are poisonous and contain alkaloids. Work with it must be carried out with gloves to avoid allergies or poisoning.

Katarantus is a moisture-loving culture. Abundant flowering directly depends on the sufficiently high humidity of the ambient air and substrate. Catharanthus prefer high air humidity. If the moisture readings fall below 60%, it is necessary to spray the surrounding air and, with care, the plants themselves. Moreover, the leaves can be sprayed, but the flowers are not desirable! To increase the humidity in the room, install containers with water next to the catharanthus plantings, and put the pots themselves in trays with wet expanded clay or wet pebbles.

Water the flowers regularly. Drying of the root system must not be allowed! You will immediately recognize about insufficient watering by the curling leaves of the plant. If you quickly notice and pour it soon, they will straighten.

But there should be no stagnation of water in the sump and waterlogging of the soil. Try to choose the frequency of watering so that the soil moisture is consistently average. Water not earlier than the topsoil dries up to a depth of 2 - 3 cm. If you plan to keep the plant until next year, significantly reduce watering in the autumn-winter period. Keep the earthy ball slightly damp. If the indoor air is dry, spray the leaves continuously.

The plant prefers diffused light. On the windowsills of the eastern and western directions, he will be most comfortable. Although, on the south side, provided the pot is protected from direct sunlight at noon, the catharanthus will feel great. It is not necessary to place the flowerpot on the windowsill itself. It grows well in a small shade and looks great on a shelf illuminated by diffused sunlight. Under the condition of wintering indoors, he also needs good lighting. Otherwise, the stems will stretch upward, and the decorative effect of the flower will suffer. If there is a lack of lighting, use fluorescent lamps.

The ideal temperature for growing catharanthus at home is 20-25 degrees Celsius. This is in the spring and summer for perennial flower maintenance. In winter, it is necessary for him to find a cooler place and maintain the temperature there within 15 degrees, because there is no place for him on the windowsill, next to the heating devices. Perhaps you have an insulated loggia. But, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature does not drop at all - its prolonged decrease, below 10 degrees, the catharanthus may not tolerate.

If you are not going to save the flower in the winter and plan to throw it away in the fall, after flowering, then the warmer the location, the more abundantly it will bloom. Moreover, the flower feels great outdoors in the warm season. In the spring, as soon as the air outside warms up above 18 degrees, the pot with catharanthus can be put on a balcony or veranda, preferably under a roof, because flower plantings must be protected from precipitation, drafts and direct sun. With the first cold snap, in August-September, it is better to bring the catharanthus into the dwelling. Until October, he will still delight you with his magnificent flowering on the windowsill.

Catharanthus will grow well in loose, light, fertile soil. Purchased land for flowering indoor plants, for example, for geraniums, is suitable for him. It is also not difficult to prepare a soil mixture on your own from leafy and soddy land, adding a little peat and coarse river sand there.

In order for the flowering of the catharanthus to be long and plentiful, it needs constant, fairly intensive feeding. If your flower is an annual, it is fed once a week by adding liquid fertilizer for flowering houseplants to the water for irrigation. Liquid fertilizer is suitable for indoor roses. But do not overdo it, read the doses on the package.

If the catharanthus after flowering persists as a perennial, its strength must be preserved. Therefore, feeding should be done less often during flowering, once every 2 weeks, and in a dose reduced by half. After flowering, from October to February, feeding should be stopped altogether.

Katarantus is a fast-growing flower. If you plant it in a small pot, it will outgrow it very soon, the roots will not fit and will block the drainage holes. Therefore, choose a large pot right away so that it will last for a year of the flower's life. As we wrote above, the root system develops well, the roots grow up to 20 - 35 cm in length. Place a good layer of drainage, 3-4 cm, on the bottom of the planting container. Use expanded clay, pebbles or other suitable material. And then fill the pot with the prepared potting mix. Don't forget to add some humus for nutrition. During the annual transplant of a perennial catharanthus, choose a pot 3 to 5 cm larger and wider each time.

For a fast growing plant like the catharanthus, pruning the shoots is a necessary procedure. In a perennial culture, after a period of winter rest, the shoots that have elongated over the winter are cut off by a third of their length. Remove damaged and dried branches, give the bush the desired shape. This pruning at the beginning of spring will rejuvenate the flower and give it strength for new growth.

A compact beautiful crown of a young catharanthus will help to form the pinching of the ends of the shoots. Their upward growth will stop, and the growth of side branches will make the crown thicker and more decorative.

But you will have to constantly monitor the decorative appearance of your pet during flowering. Withered flowers and yellowed leaves at the bottom of the shoots must be removed regularly - they greatly spoil the appearance of the plant.

If you grow catharanthus like a perennial, then it will need an annual transplant in early spring, in March.

Return the flower to a warm, light environment. Examine. Make the trim you want. Pick up a pot for transplanting 3 - 5 cm larger than the previous one. Put the drainage there - it should be at least 4 cm. Do the transplant by transferring the flower along with the ground. Try not to injure the root system. Add to the pot the soil of the same composition in which the catharanthus grew last season. If the soil is very different in composition, the flower may not bloom. According to the reaction, the soil is neutral or slightly sourish. Remember this and always use one type of soil, for example, for flowering geraniums.

You may need to transplant your flower more often than once a year. If, during the active flowering phase, the lower leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow and flowers fall off - Perhaps the root system already does not have enough space in the pot. You can see the roots sticking out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. This is a signal that the catharanthus urgently needs to be transplanted into a large container.

If the catharanthus is difficult to remove from the pot, try watering it. The plastic pot may need to be cut or broken, but be careful not to damage the delicate root system when removing the flower. Otherwise, the catharanthus will stop blooming.

If you regularly follow all the rules of good flower care, then the catharanthus will also try and stun you with its fantastic flowering!

We recommend not keeping your perennial for more than three years. Any catharanthus of this age begins to grow, its flowers become small, shoots are clumsy. The plant loses its attractiveness and decorative effect. It is better to part with him, having taken care of his descendants in advance, that is, about reproduction.

After the enchanting flowering, the powers of the catharanthus are depleted, and you need to try to make it bloom again next year. For this reason, growers often grow the catharanthus as an annual plant, and after the end of its flowering, they are simply thrown away. After all, the difficulties of preserving a flower in the winter, problems with temperature, humidity, lighting of its wintering place, cannot be compared with the rooting of its shoots or cuttings. By the beginning of the new season, you will have a new flower full of strength and desire to bloom without any problems.

Catharanthus is propagated in three ways: growing from seeds, rooting cuttings and dividing the bush.

Buy catharanthus seeds in specialty stores. Their seeds will not have time to ripen during the summer flowering. Their natural maturation is possible only in tropical conditions. If you still set out to get your seeds, be patient. The bush will have to grow all autumn and winter in room conditions, maintaining a constant temperature, humidity and good lighting, as in the tropics. Your seeds will ripen, perhaps only by spring.

The seeds can be sown at any time of the year. Just keep in mind that the catharanthus blooms after germination in 60 - 70 days, that is, young bushes will bloom in two to three months. Therefore, it is better, from the point of view of caring for them - in terms of temperature, humidity and lighting, it is done in early spring.

The prepared seeds (treated with potassium permanganate and epin) are sown in containers with nutrient soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm. The soil is carefully moistened with a spray bottle with warm, settled water, the container lid is closed. You can use any containers that are convenient for you, but be sure to cover them with something transparent - glass or polyethylene. Germination is best done in a warm, dark place. In a week or two, seedlings will appear. The containers are taken out to a lighted place. The temperature is maintained at 23 - 26 degrees Celsius. Ventilate once a day, preferably in the morning. The sprouts sit for a long time, about a month, at the same level - they grow the roots. When three to four leaves appear on the seedlings, the catharanthus dive into separate pots. Do not forget about the rapid growth of the young, take at once a pot that is large than you would like, so that soon, during flowering, you do not have to replant the flower again.

Pay particular attention to preparing the potting mix. An excellent option is a mixture of peat, humus, sod land and coarse sand in equal proportions. If you will be using ready-made soil, select a substrate suitable for flowering indoor flowers.

For propagation by cuttings (cuttings), green cuttings are cut from the tops of the shoots in the catharanthus. Choose a method of rooting the cuttings - in water or in a substrate.

Water for rooting is taken standing or boiled with the addition of some kind of growth stimulant. They put the glass in a bright warm place. They are waiting for the appearance of the root. Water is added as needed. The roots will appear very soon. Then the cutting is planted in a pot with a regular substrate. They take care of them like an adult plant.

You can root the cuttings in a container with moist soil under a film. Air the plantings from time to time, water them as the soil dries up. When signs of new growth appear on the handle, the film can be removed. Root the cuttings with a margin, in case they die.

It is best to harvest and plant cuttings in the spring, after pruning the old bush. But it is also possible in the fall. The optimum temperature for rooting cuttings of the catharanthus is 22 - 25 degrees Celsius.

Video: how to propagate a catharanthus by cuttings.

This propagation method is used when transplanting an adult plant into new pots. This usually happens in early spring. Depending on the size of the root system, the catharanthus can be easily divided into two or three parts. Remove the flower from the pot, try to gently shake off the soil from the roots. Decide on the place of division of the root system. Use a sharp, well-sanitized instrument to divide the bush. Treat the incision sites with crushed activated carbon. Plant each specimen in a separate pot according to the rules.

If you are planting your indoor flower in a flower bed in the country in the summer, then you need to think about how to keep the catharanthus in winter. After all, your sissy will not survive the winter, even a mild one, on the street. Dig up the plant carefully in early October. Cut off the branches two-thirds of the way. Place the flower in a large pot to accommodate the entire root system. Fill the pot up to the top with a mixture of sand and earth. Bring to a cool room with a temperature of 15 - 17 degrees. Try to find one for wintering in an apartment. Let him stand there until the onset of spring and warmth. There is no need to water it in winter. When the air outside warms up above 18 degrees, you can plant the rhizome of the catharanthus again on the flower bed.

You can always determine by the outward appearance of a plant: is it healthy or something is wrong with it. By its appearance, the Katarantus itself signals the unfavorable conditions of its detention. You need to monitor the plant, and, if necessary, take measures to correct your mistakes.

Let's consider the most common problems of growing a catharanthus.

• Small dark bumps or specks appeared on the upper surface of the leaves. On the bottom - something in the form of pustules. These are symptoms of a disease of many indoor flowers - leaf rust. The reason is the frequent waterlogging of the soil at high humidity. Or, when replanting, heavy or rust-infected soil was used. Treatment is carried out with fungicides (read about diseases of indoor flowers). Transplant the treated plant into new soil.
• The leaves on the shoots became lethargic, turned yellow and fell off. This happens if the pot is on a windowsill unprotected from the sun. Place the flower in the back of the room or protect it from direct sunlight with blinds or curtains.
• The tips of the leaves turned yellow. This happens when the humidity in the room is too low. In winter, this is due to the central heating. The pot must be placed in a high pallet with wet expanded clay and set aside from the heating devices. A wide container of water can be placed next to the flower. If there are no flowers on the catharanthus, its leaves should be sprayed with settled water at room temperature. All this should increase the humidity in the room. The tips of the leaves of the catharanthus will stop turning yellow.
• The lower leaves on the shoots turn yellow and fall off. This is a natural process for the catharanthus. Remove them regularly from the plant so that the decorative effect of the flower does not suffer.
• There are few flowers on your catharanthus. Poor flowering usually occurs when the catharanthus is cold. Move the flower pot to a warmer, lighter place - and it will thank you with abundant flowering.
• Leaves begin to turn yellow, flowering stops. Examine the flower pot. If it is not large, if the roots of the catharanthus appeared from the drainage holes, it means that your pet has become cramped in this pot and it is time to transplant it into a wider and deeper pot. A little time will pass, and the plant will come to life and begin to bloom.
• Katarantus began to shed the buds. This happens when there is insufficient attention to the flower: poor lighting, lack of moisture in the soil, or when the air humidity is low.
• Young leaves are falling from the tops of the shoots. Perhaps you rarely water the flower, it does not have enough moisture. At the same time, check other nuances of care: is it warm, light, and whether any insects bite him.

We introduced you to the indoor catharanthus flower. Believe me, you will spend less time caring for it than reading this article! This is a completely unpretentious plant, but so sweet and responsive to any attention to it from the florist. The good thing about Katarantus is that this small, compact bush blooms profusely with bright acrylic flowers from spring to October. At the same time, it grows rapidly and multiplies easily. Knowing the simple rules of caring for it, you will always have a grateful plant in your home, ready to decorate the interior of your home all year round.

It is quite difficult to grow a beautiful and ever-flowering catharanthus flower at home. If you provide the plant with proper care, then it will delight you with an abundance of bright colors all year round. The stem height reaches 20-60 cm - it all depends on the variety. Large green leaves adorn the buds, collected in a corolla. The flower color can be white, pink or pale lilac. Having figured out in more detail how to care for the plant, you will always be able to enjoy the beauty of the catharanthus.

Care features

Do not forget that the flower was originally an inhabitant of the tropics, therefore it feels best at a temperature of 23-26 ° C. In warm weather, the pot can be taken out on the balcony or. The plant loves light, and also needs a sufficient level of moisture to grow comfortably. The ideal place for a catharanthus is fresh air. If the weather is appropriate, you can please him with air baths.

The indoor catharanthus flower grows quite quickly, so you should be ready to replant it once a year. The best choice would be a pot a couple of sizes larger than the plant itself. It is important to provide the catharanthus with abundant watering, but at the same time to prevent root rot.

Lighting

When looking for a place for a plant, the east or west side of the apartment will be the best choice. It is advisable that the pot does not stand in direct sunlight, but there should be enough light in the room. In the process of caring for a catharanthus at home, do not forget to take it outside (in the warm season), precipitation should not fall on the plant.

Putting the pot on the south side is not worth it, as the plant can get burned. In winter, fluorescent lamps are used as additional lighting.

Priming

There are no special preferences when choosing a soil, the earth should be loose and allow air to pass through well. In the process of preparing the mixture, leaf, humus and sod soil are mixed. and the sand is taken in equal proportions and added to the pot. If desired, in the process of caring for the catharanthus at home, they buy ready-made land. The perfect choice will become the soil for geraniums. It is best to lay out the bottom of the pot with expanded clay.

A properly prepared mixture and fertilization of the soil 2-3 times a month is the key to the rapid growth of the flower.

Watering and pruning the stem

It is very important to ensure that the soil in the pot does not have time to dry out, as this is negatively reflected in the growth of the plant. It will be possible to find out that the flower does not have enough watering by the state of the leaves. When the leaves of the catharanthus curl or they begin to turn yellow, then this is a sure sign that the earth has begun to dry out.

It is recommended to use purified water at room temperature when watering. The liquid from the tap is preliminarily defended for 2-3 days. It is advisable to drain the water that appears in the pan after watering so that the roots do not rot.

V springtime it is recommended to prune the stem so that the catharanthus becomes more luxuriant. At the end of winter, the stem is noticeably stretched out, so that the flowers grow more heap, this procedure should not be overlooked. V decorative purposes as an exception, the plant can be pruned in the summer. The first flowers on the cut stem begin to bloom again after 3 weeks.

Do not forget that the catharanthus is a poisonous plant, which is why it is best to transplant and cut the stem with gloves. Upon completion of the procedure, all instruments and hands should be thoroughly washed with soap.

How catharanthus reproduces at home

Catharanthus reproduces in several main ways. This process takes place when using seeds, cuttings, or by dividing the bush.

Before growing a catharanthus from seeds at home, you should first familiarize yourself with several rules:

1. Seeds are planted at any time of the year. First, the earth must be moistened.
2. You will be able to collect the seeds yourself in the spring from a flower or purchase purchased ones. In the first case, they are pretreated with a light solution of potassium permanganate, after wrapping them in a gauze bag and dipping them into the liquid for 30 minutes. Then they dry well.
3. The seeds are lowered into the soil to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm. The pot is covered with a dark film or placed in a room without light.
4. The room temperature should be at least 23 degrees. After 8 days, the first shoots will appear.

Reproduction of catharanthus by cuttings requires preliminary preparation... It is best done in the spring after cutting the stem. The resulting apical stalk is placed in water, where growth stimulants are added. The plant is planted in the soil after the formation of roots. The temperature in the room should not be less than 20 ° C. It will be possible to speed up the growth of the catharanthus by placing a jar on top of the handle or covering it with a film. Do not forget to ventilate the plant.

It is important to divide the bush only in cases with a mature plant. In the process of dividing the catharanthus at home, the root system is divided into several parts, and then separately planted in pots.

Winter period

Knowing how to preserve the catharanthus in winter will not only save the plant from death, but also accelerate its development in the future. In the cold season, it is important to ensure that the temperature in the room does not drop below 16-18 degrees. It is not recommended to place the pot on a cold floor, as low temperatures can negatively affect the state of the root system.

In winter, the air in the room becomes dry due to heating. You can maintain the desired humidity level by spraying or using a humidifier. Watering the flower at this time of the year is not often necessary. If at other times of the year the plant is fed with fertilizer 2-3 times a month, then in winter this is not necessary. The soil should be resting at this time of year.

Signs of the disease

Katarantus in indoor floriculture - video

Everyone who has seen the catharanthus houseplant will agree that this spectacular bush, strewn with delightful numerous flowers, clearly brings the comfort and warmth of the southern Mediterranean islands to the house. Its name is translated from Greek as "pure, clear or flawless flower." In this article, you will read about growing and caring for a catharanthus at home. Many gardeners consider him the king of indoor flowering bushes, because the catharanthus pleases its owners with endless flowering almost all year round, and requires minimal care from them after planting.

Description

The catharanthus flower belongs to the evergreen herbaceous and subshrub plants of the Apocynaceae family. In the wild, it can be found everywhere in countries with a tropical climate. These are Cuba, Java, Africa, Indochina, Indonesia - not to list everything. It is not possible to accurately determine his homeland, although many scientists are inclined to Madagascar, where he is most often found. There are seven or eight of its types. In the subtropics, the catharanthus grows up to one and a half meters in height. At home, this bush does not exceed 60 cm. As a houseplant, the catharanthus has been bred since the middle of the 18th century.

For a long time, the catharanthus was considered one of the varieties of another flower - pink periwinkle. These plants are very similar. Both belong to the Kutrov family. Only since 1937, after lengthy disputes, botanists began to attribute the pink catharanthus (Catharanthus roseus), as a species of evergreen perennial dwarf shrubs, to a separate genus of Catharanthus.

The indoor flower catharanthus is a perennial plant often grown as an annual. In height at home, it grows no higher than 50 - 60 cm. Its erect stems are fleshy, branch on the tops, and lignify over time. The roots are powerful, pivotal. The central root reaches a depth of 20-30 cm, there are many lateral adventitious roots with a strong specific odor. Young roots have no root hairs. The leaves of the catharanthus are oblong, pointed at both ends, and are up to 7 cm long. They are glossy, dark green in color, with a white longitudinal vein. During flowering, the bush is covered with many wheel-shaped flowers. Catharanthus flowers are 3 to 5 cm in diameter. They have the regular shape of five petals with a flat corolla, the pharynx of which is covered with thyroid hairs. In the center of each flower there is an eyelet, usually of a bright contrasting color. There are hybrids with white, orange, light lilac, blue-violet petals. Catharanthus flowers are very similar to phlox flowers, but they are single, and in phlox they are collected in inflorescences. But, during active flowering, from May to October, such a magnificent hat is formed from separately flowering flowers that the decorativeness of the flower at this time is above all praise. Long-term flowering ends with the onset of cold weather. After flowering, the fruit of the catharanthus is formed, which is a sickle-shaped two-leafed plant, inside which about a dozen elongated seeds are formed.

Medicinal properties

The catharanthus plant is valued not only for its spectacular appearance and decorativeness. Its medicinal properties have been known for a long time. Healers and healers in Madagascar and Indonesia used catharanthus to treat diabetes, cough, and various tumors. The green parts of the plant contain up to 60 biologically active alkaloids. Modern research has shown that indeed this flower contains substances that lower blood sugar. And the alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine formed the basis of anticancer drugs that are used in modern medicine. All kinds of infusions and decoctions are prepared from the leaves and shoots of the catharanthus, which treat many diseases, such as:

• poorly healing wounds and trophic ulcers;
• fibroids, polyps, prostate adenomas;
• diseases of the teeth and gums;
• broncho-pulmonary diseases;
• hypertension and diabetes.

It is important to know that all parts of the catharanthus are poisonous. It is not recommended to prepare any medicine from it yourself! Side effects, allergic reactions, burns may occur. There are contraindications. It is possible to use preparations from catharanthus only under the supervision and on the recommendation of doctors.

Types and varieties

All decorative series of varieties and hybrids of this flower are a variety of pink catharanthus. They differ from it in the size of the bush and in different shades of petals. We will introduce you to the most popular ones.

Katarantus Aristocrat

Katarantus Aristocrat. It is a short bush, 50 cm in height. The flowers are relatively large - up to 5 cm in diameter. The color scheme is varied - from pure white to dark red. In the middle, a contrasting eye usually sparkles. This flower is grown not only as a houseplant, but also as a garden plant, decorating borders on flower beds and paths with it.

Katarantus Pacific

Katarantus Pacific. It is a short, compact bush, 25 - 30 cm in height, and 15 - 20 cm in diameter of the crown. It is characterized by early flowering and unpretentious care. The flowers are large, the characteristic peephole in the middle stands out brightly.

Depending on the shade of the petals, the Pacific variety has its own varieties:

• Pacific Burgundy - has flowers of a rich wine color with a white eye;
• Pacific White - has white flowers with a red eye;
• Pacific Epricot - has apricot-colored flowers with a red center;
• Pacific Ice Pink - has flowers of pale pink color with a red eye.

In the eighties of the last century, a number of spectacular new varieties of catharanthus appeared. Here are some of them that are still popular:

Variety series Cooler (Culer). Small, strongly branching bushes, up to 40 cm in height, have united here. Their flowers are round, large, up to 5 cm in diameter. With a bright contrasting eyelet in the center.

The varieties in this series include the following:

• Grape Cooler - lavender-pink flowers with a red center;
• Peppermint Cooler - white flowers with a bright red center;
• Red Cooler - red flowers.

Variety series First Kiss (First Kiss). Low, 30 - 40 cm in height, neat bushes, have a beautiful crown and at least 13 shades of flowers. This is the most popular and titled variety of catharanthus. At the flower contests of the countries of North America, the catharanthus of this variety series won prestigious prizes, in particular the blue-violet cultivar First Kiss Blueberry won high awards in the USA and Canada.

Variety series Cascade. Here are the ampelous catharanthus, up to 15 cm high and with long flexible shoots that either spread or hang down. It blooms with large flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter. The most popular varieties of this series:

Katarantus ampelous Titan. Long lashes hanging downwards reach 75 cm in length. Numerous bright red flowers burn brightly on dark green glossy leaves. This variety is great for growing in pots.

Catharanthus titanium

• White - with snow-white flowers;
• Deep Rose - with pink flowers;
• Bark Cascade Cherry - with cherry flowers;
• Bark Cascade Shelf Dot - with white flowers;
• The bark of the cascade Medzhenta - with flowers of a gray-burgundy color.

Home care

When growing a catharanthus at home, it is important to follow some simple rules so that you grow a wonderful evergreen bush.

All parts of the catharanthus are poisonous and contain alkaloids. Work with it must be carried out with gloves to avoid allergies or poisoning.

Moisture, spraying, watering

Katarantus is a moisture-loving culture. Abundant flowering directly depends on the sufficiently high humidity of the ambient air and substrate. Catharanthus prefer high air humidity. If the moisture readings fall below 60%, it is necessary to spray the surrounding air and, with care, the plants themselves. Moreover, the leaves can be sprayed, but the flowers are not desirable! To increase the humidity in the room, install containers with water next to the catharanthus plantings, and put the pots themselves in trays with wet expanded clay or wet pebbles.

Water the flowers regularly. Drying of the root system must not be allowed! You will immediately recognize about insufficient watering by the curling leaves of the plant. If you quickly notice and pour it soon, they will straighten.

But there should be no stagnation of water in the sump and waterlogging of the soil. Try to choose the frequency of watering so that the soil moisture is consistently average. Water not earlier than the topsoil dries up to a depth of 2 - 3 cm. If you plan to keep the plant until next year, significantly reduce watering in the autumn-winter period. Keep the earthy ball slightly damp. If the indoor air is dry, spray the leaves continuously.

Lighting

The plant prefers diffused light. On the windowsills of the eastern and western directions, he will be most comfortable. Although, on the south side, provided the pot is protected from direct sunlight at noon, the catharanthus will feel great. It is not necessary to place the flowerpot on the windowsill itself. It grows well in a small shade and looks great on a shelf illuminated by diffused sunlight. Under the condition of wintering indoors, he also needs good lighting. Otherwise, the stems will stretch upward, and the decorative effect of the flower will suffer. If there is a lack of lighting, use fluorescent lamps.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for growing catharanthus at home is 20-25 degrees Celsius. This is in the spring and summer for perennial flower maintenance. In winter, it is necessary for him to find a cooler place and maintain the temperature there within 15 degrees, because there is no place for him on the windowsill, next to the heating devices. Perhaps you have an insulated loggia. But, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature does not drop at all - its prolonged decrease, below 10 degrees, the catharanthus may not tolerate.

If you are not going to save the flower in the winter and plan to throw it away in the fall, after flowering, then the warmer the location, the more abundantly it will bloom. Moreover, the flower feels great outdoors in the warm season. In the spring, as soon as the air outside warms up above 18 degrees, the pot with catharanthus can be put on a balcony or veranda, preferably under a roof, because flower plantings must be protected from precipitation, drafts and direct sun. With the first cold snap, in August-September, it is better to bring the catharanthus into the dwelling. Until October, he will still delight you with his magnificent flowering on the windowsill.

Soil and fertilizing

Catharanthus will grow well in loose, light, fertile soil. Purchased land for flowering indoor plants, for example, for geraniums, is suitable for him. It is also not difficult to prepare a soil mixture on your own from leafy and soddy land, adding a little peat and coarse river sand there.

In order for the flowering of the catharanthus to be long and plentiful, it needs constant, fairly intensive feeding. If your flower is an annual, it is fed once a week by adding liquid fertilizer for flowering houseplants to the water for irrigation. Liquid fertilizer is suitable for indoor roses. But do not overdo it, read the doses on the package.

If the catharanthus after flowering persists as a perennial, its strength must be preserved. Therefore, feeding should be done less often during flowering, once every 2 weeks, and in a dose reduced by half. After flowering, from October to February, feeding should be stopped altogether.

Suitable pot

Katarantus is a fast-growing flower. If you plant it in a small pot, it will outgrow it very soon, the roots will not fit and will block the drainage holes. Therefore, choose a large pot right away so that it will last for a year of the flower's life. As we wrote above, the root system develops well, the roots grow up to 20 - 35 cm in length. Place a good layer of drainage, 3-4 cm, on the bottom of the planting container. Use expanded clay, pebbles or other suitable material. And then fill the pot with the prepared potting mix. Don't forget to add some humus for nutrition. During the annual transplant of a perennial catharanthus, choose a pot 3 to 5 cm larger and wider each time.

Pruning and shaping the bush

For a fast growing plant like the catharanthus, pruning the shoots is a necessary procedure. In a perennial culture, after a period of winter rest, the shoots that have elongated over the winter are cut off by a third of their length. Remove damaged and dried branches, give the bush the desired shape. This pruning at the beginning of spring will rejuvenate the flower and give it strength for new growth.

A compact beautiful crown of a young catharanthus will help to form the pinching of the ends of the shoots. Their upward growth will stop, and the growth of side branches will make the crown thicker and more decorative.

But you will have to constantly monitor the decorative appearance of your pet during flowering. Withered flowers and yellowed leaves at the bottom of the shoots must be removed regularly - they greatly spoil the appearance of the plant.

Transfer

If you grow catharanthus like a perennial, then it will need an annual transplant in early spring, in March.

Return the flower to a warm, light environment. Examine. Make the trim you want. Pick up a pot for transplanting 3 - 5 cm larger than the previous one. Put the drainage there - it should be at least 4 cm. Do the transplant by transferring the flower along with the ground. Try not to injure the root system. Add to the pot the soil of the same composition in which the catharanthus grew last season. If the soil is very different in composition, the flower may not bloom. According to the reaction, the soil is neutral or slightly sourish. Remember this and always use one type of soil, for example, for flowering geraniums.

You may need to transplant your flower more often than once a year. If, during the active flowering phase, the lower leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow and flowers fall off - Perhaps the root system already does not have enough space in the pot. You can see the roots sticking out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. This is a signal that the catharanthus urgently needs to be transplanted into a large container.

If the catharanthus is difficult to remove from the pot, try watering it. The plastic pot may need to be cut or broken, but be careful not to damage the delicate root system when removing the flower. Otherwise, the catharanthus will stop blooming.

If you regularly follow all the rules of good flower care, then the catharanthus will also try and stun you with its fantastic flowering!

We recommend not keeping your perennial for more than three years. Any catharanthus of this age begins to grow, its flowers become small, shoots are clumsy. The plant loses its attractiveness and decorative effect. It is better to part with him, having taken care of his descendants in advance, that is, about reproduction.

Reproduction

After the enchanting flowering, the powers of the catharanthus are depleted, and you need to try to make it bloom again next year. For this reason, growers often grow the catharanthus as an annual plant, and after the end of its flowering, they are simply thrown away. After all, the difficulties of preserving a flower in the winter, problems with temperature, humidity, lighting of its wintering place, cannot be compared with the rooting of its shoots or cuttings. By the beginning of the new season, you will have a new flower full of strength and desire to bloom without any problems.

Catharanthus is propagated in three ways: growing from seeds, rooting cuttings and dividing the bush.

Growing from seeds

Buy catharanthus seeds in specialty stores. Their seeds will not have time to ripen during the summer flowering. Their natural maturation is possible only in tropical conditions. If you still set out to get your seeds, be patient. The bush will have to grow all autumn and winter in room conditions, maintaining a constant temperature, humidity and good lighting, as in the tropics. Your seeds will ripen, perhaps only by spring.

Catharanthus seeds

The seeds can be sown at any time of the year. Just keep in mind that the catharanthus blooms after germination in 60 - 70 days, that is, young bushes will bloom in two to three months. Therefore, it is better, from the point of view of caring for them - in terms of temperature, humidity and lighting, it is done in early spring.

The prepared seeds (treated with potassium permanganate and epin) are sown in containers with nutrient soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm. The soil is carefully moistened with a spray bottle with warm, settled water, the container lid is closed. You can use any containers that are convenient for you, but be sure to cover them with something transparent - glass or polyethylene. Germination is best done in a warm, dark place. In a week or two, seedlings will appear. The containers are taken out to a lighted place. The temperature is maintained at 23 - 26 degrees Celsius. Ventilate once a day, preferably in the morning. The sprouts sit for a long time, about a month, at the same level - they grow the roots. When three to four leaves appear on the seedlings, the catharanthus dive into separate pots. Do not forget about the rapid growth of the young, take at once a pot that is large than you would like, so that soon, during flowering, you do not have to replant the flower again.

Pay particular attention to preparing the potting mix. An excellent option is a mixture of peat, humus, sod land and coarse sand in equal proportions. If you will be using ready-made soil, select a substrate suitable for flowering indoor flowers.

Propagation by cuttings

For propagation by cuttings (cuttings), green cuttings are cut from the tops of the shoots in the catharanthus. Choose a method of rooting the cuttings - in water or in a substrate.

Water for rooting is taken standing or boiled with the addition of some kind of growth stimulant. They put the glass in a bright warm place. They are waiting for the appearance of the root. Water is added as needed. The roots will appear very soon. Then the cutting is planted in a pot with a regular substrate. They take care of them like an adult plant.

You can root the cuttings in a container with moist soil under a film. Air the plantings from time to time, water them as the soil dries up. When signs of new growth appear on the handle, the film can be removed. Root the cuttings with a margin, in case they die.

It is best to harvest and plant cuttings in the spring, after pruning the old bush. But it is also possible in the fall. The optimum temperature for rooting cuttings of the catharanthus is 22 - 25 degrees Celsius.

Video: how to propagate a catharanthus by cuttings.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

This propagation method is used when transplanting an adult plant into new pots. This usually happens in early spring. Depending on the size of the root system, the catharanthus can be easily divided into two or three parts. Remove the flower from the pot, try to gently shake off the soil from the roots. Decide on the place of division of the root system. Use a sharp, well-sanitized instrument to divide the bush. Treat the incision sites with crushed activated carbon. Plant each specimen in a separate pot according to the rules.

Organization of wintering

If you are planting your indoor flower in a flower bed in the country in the summer, then you need to think about how to keep the catharanthus in winter. After all, your sissy will not survive the winter, even a mild one, on the street. Dig up the plant carefully in early October. Cut off the branches two-thirds of the way. Place the flower in a large pot to accommodate the entire root system. Fill the pot up to the top with a mixture of sand and earth. Bring to a cool room with a temperature of 15 - 17 degrees. Try to find one for wintering in an apartment. Let him stand there until the onset of spring and warmth. There is no need to water it in winter. When the air outside warms up above 18 degrees, you can plant the rhizome of the catharanthus again on the flower bed.

Possible growing problems

You can always determine by the outward appearance of a plant: is it healthy or something is wrong with it. By its appearance, the Katarantus itself signals the unfavorable conditions of its detention. You need to monitor the plant, and, if necessary, take measures to correct your mistakes.

Let's consider the most common problems of growing a catharanthus.

Diseases

• Small dark bumps or specks appeared on the upper surface of the leaves. On the bottom - something in the form of pustules. These are symptoms of a disease of many indoor flowers - leaf rust. The reason is the frequent waterlogging of the soil at high humidity. Or, when replanting, heavy or rust-infected soil was used. Treatment is carried out with fungicides (read about diseases of indoor flowers). Transplant the treated plant into new soil.
• The leaves on the shoots became lethargic, turned yellow and fell off. This happens if the pot is on a windowsill unprotected from the sun. Place the flower in the back of the room or protect it from direct sunlight with blinds or curtains.
• The tips of the leaves turned yellow. This happens when the humidity in the room is too low. In winter, this is due to the central heating. The pot must be placed in a high pallet with wet expanded clay and set aside from the heating devices. A wide container of water can be placed next to the flower. If there are no flowers on the catharanthus, its leaves should be sprayed with settled water at room temperature. All this should increase the humidity in the room. The tips of the leaves of the catharanthus will stop turning yellow.
• The lower leaves on the shoots turn yellow and fall off. This is a natural process for the catharanthus. Remove them regularly from the plant so that the decorative effect of the flower does not suffer.
• There are few flowers on your catharanthus. Poor flowering usually occurs when the catharanthus is cold. Move the flower pot to a warmer, lighter place - and it will thank you with abundant flowering.
• Leaves begin to turn yellow, flowering stops. Examine the flower pot. If it is not large, if the roots of the catharanthus appeared from the drainage holes, it means that your pet has become cramped in this pot and it is time to transplant it into a wider and deeper pot. A little time will pass, and the plant will come to life and begin to bloom.
• Katarantus began to shed the buds. This happens when there is insufficient attention to the flower: poor lighting, lack of moisture in the soil, or when the air humidity is low.
• Young leaves are falling from the tops of the shoots. Perhaps you rarely water the flower, it does not have enough moisture. At the same time, check other nuances of care: is it warm, light, and whether any insects bite him.

Insects are pests

We introduced you to the indoor catharanthus flower. Believe me, you will spend less time caring for it than reading this article! This is a completely unpretentious plant, but so sweet and responsive to any attention to it from the florist. The good thing about Katarantus is that this small, compact bush blooms profusely with bright acrylic flowers from spring to October. At the same time, it grows rapidly and multiplies easily. Knowing the simple rules of caring for it, you will always have a grateful plant in your home, ready to decorate the interior of your home all year round.

Varieties for planting and their photos

Catharanthus is an evergreen tropical plant that has successfully taken root in our climate. On the planet, an exotic shrub is quite common, but the island of Madagascar is considered the place of origin.

To date, breeders have bred many different varieties.... Some are suitable for growing in a home environment. These species live excellently in warm houses, apartments and delight their owners with long flowering. Others are annuals, planted annually using the offshoots of the mother flower from last year or seedlings.

And the third are perennials, specially bred for street gardening. Flowers in the warm season are outside, and with the arrival of autumn, they winter indoors. It is these varieties that are less whimsical and tolerate all the vagaries of nature well, with the exception of cold weather.

Among them the cooler type is considered the most popular... It is a tall shrub that grows up to 1.5 meters in height. Blooms profusely within six months. It has large and round flowers with a bright eye. This variety, in turn, includes subspecies.

Cascade

This is the only ampelous variety among flowering species, the hanging shoots of which can reach over 1.5 meters in length. The colors are very diverse.

Albus

Snow-white petals, yellowish center... Leaves with pointed ends have a white vein.

Grape

A distinctive feature of this variety is the purple color of the petals and the existing pink center.

Ed

The name clearly matches the shade. The bright red hue looks spectacular against the background of dark green foliage.

First kiss

This variety is unique not only in name, but also in a huge range of colors. The most unusual and therefore popular color of velvet petals is violet-blue.

How to plant?

Planting and caring for a catharanthus is not a problem.... Perennials are grown as an indoor flower, and for open space annuals are often chosen to avoid wintering problems.

Of course, in order for a plant to feel comfortable on the street, fully develop, bloom for a long time, it needs to find the perfect place for planting. First of all, one should take into account the fact that the tropical shrub is thermophilic. He does not like darkened corners and cold winds, as well as a place under the scorching sun.

The best option for a catharanthus is a cozy section of a flower bed, well warmed up by rays, which is maximally protected from drafts and various elements of nature.

Is it possible in winter?

As already noted, the catharanthus prefers warm and, accordingly, warm weather. For him, the temperature of + 10 ° C is critical, as a result, the plant may die. Therefore, a green shrub is planted in open ground when the temperature outside the window reaches + 20 ° C, night frosts and sudden temperature drops are bypassed. This time is, approximately, the end of April - May.

All summer and the first month of autumn, the catharanthus blooms, and then it is time to winter. A tropical handsome man cannot stay outside, as he simply cannot bear the harsh winter.... Therefore, before the onset of frost, in the second half of October, the branches of the perennial are cut off, dug up directly with the roots and a lump of earth, and placed in a large-diameter pot. You should also sprinkle it on top with soil, in this form it is brought into a room with a temperature of + 15-17 ° C, but not lower. With the arrival of heat, the bush is planted again in the soil.

How to choose a seat?

The choice of a place for the future growth of a tropical plant should be approached with all seriousness, because the duration of flowering and an attractive appearance depend on it.

Katarantus is good for sunlight. The more light and warmer it is outside, the more magnificent and brighter the bloom will be. But everything is good in moderation. Getting enough UV light is just as bad as intense heat. So it is better to choose a place on a personal plot in partial shade... And if not, then you should build a shelter, an awning made of transparent film, which will save the plant from scorching light, as well as from bad weather.

The shrub is not picky about the composition of the soil. However, it is important that it meets the following criteria: water and air permeability, friability, lightness, has a rich nutritional composition of macro and microelements. Also be well-drained, non-acidic so that moisture does not stagnate. The soil should not be tamped tightly, so as not to be taken in a continuous lump.

Important. Choose a site as far away from groundwater as possible.

Land preparation

Before planting in open ground, the ground must first be dug up on the site, adding there:

• peat and turf land;
• peat;
• humus;
• expanded clay;
• natural leavening agents, perlite or vermiculite;
• coarsely fractional sand;
• several bags with ready-made substrate.

It is considered useful to use compost for the development and rapid growth of the root system.

1. Initially, a shallow hole is dug, in the form of the desired flower plot of land.
2. Next, we place a thick drainage layer on the bottom, consisting of expanded clay, broken brick, marble chips of baking powder, pebbles, rubble, in general, whatever is at hand.
3. Sprinkle on top with dug earth.

Reproduction methods

Catharanthus can be planted in open ground as seedlings, cuttings or bush. In this case, seedlings and cuttings are considered parts annual plants, and the bush belongs to perennials. When choosing a propagation method, you should know the advantages of each type of planting material.

Seedling:

• can be grown at any time;
• fast and uniform germination;
• low cost of seeds;
• in one landing, you can get up to one hundred copies at once;
• no need to transplant flowers for the winter.

Cuttings:

• no material costs are needed for cuttings;
• the procedure is within the power of even an experienced florist;
• the opportunity to get an exact copy of the plant you like.

The positive aspects of the bush planting method in open ground:

• the plant is fully formed, has a beautiful appearance;
• easily transfers adaptation to a new place;
• acceleration of the flowering process.

There is an option - to plant a perennial catharanthus in containers, and thus decorate terraces, verandas. Ampel varieties look beautiful in hanging pots or in large flowerpots on stands. In this case, you do not need to transplant a flower for the winter.

Follow-up care

• At the first time after transplanting, young individuals will need regular weeding. But when they grow up and get stronger, they will deal with the weeds on their own.
• It is worth humidifying the catharanthus with soft, filtered or rain water. In hot weather, the plant must be sprayed or given a warm shower, preferably in the evening. Otherwise, water droplets can leave dark marks and burns on the petals.
• Watering should be done daily. With a lack of moisture, tropical shrubs immediately signal with leaves rolled into a tube. And after abundant moisture, after 30 minutes, the unpleasant phenomena will disappear, the plant will regain its shape.
• Do not forget about top dressing. In the spring, it is worth starting with complex mineral fertilizers... During flowering, potassium-phosphorus preparations can be used for abundant budding. The period of use of dressings is 1 time in 2-3 weeks. In the fall, food should be removed. Foliar dressing with an aqueous solution of Epin-Extra has proved to be quite good.
• Concerning organic fertilizers, then you need to be careful with them. This means that with an increase in the dosage, the catharanthus will undoubtedly receive damage in the form of yellow, burnt roots. This will lead to the death of the plant. It is safe to use wood ash dissolved in water.

If the plant has not taken root

When, after planting, the shrub for a long time cannot acclimatize in the open field, then it is better to bring it back into the house. Dig it out of the ground, shake off the roots. Plant in correct soil, slightly moisten.

Perhaps the reason is an incorrectly selected variety that is not suitable for planting in a flower bed. Or not a comfortable enough place. In any case, you can try to revive the catharanthus at home. Optimize the temperature and humidity parameters in the room, water and spray regularly. But do not feed while the plant is sick.

Katarantus has not only an impressive appearance, but also useful properties... This plant is used in folk and traditional medicine, for the treatment of serious diseases, including oncology. But bush juice has toxic substances... Therefore, when planting on a personal plot, it is important to choose a place inaccessible to children.

In order to grow a healthy plant in your garden, you need to observe the subtleties of care. Everyone respects exotic flowers. In this article, the editors set out to lay out many secrets to avoid disease when breeding a rare plant. The secrets of the content of most color classes are the same. Each creature requires a painstaking approach. It seems correct to understand for useful procedures to which family the acquired plant belongs.

How to properly care for a catharanthus?

The soil should be nutritious and loose.

To do this, it is best to take one part of peat, humus, coarse sand, turf and leafy soil. But, in general, any fertile soil for the catharanthus will also work, especially if there is no excess of salts in it. For potting, you can use geranium soil. The main thing is not to forget about drainage using fine expanded clay.

Watering and humidity.

Like all plants, pink catharanthus loves water. Therefore, it should be watered regularly, but in no case should it be poured, especially in containers or pots. Therefore, if the flower pot is not on a pallet with expanded clay, then it is better to pour out the excess water from the pallet.

Florists who have pink periwinkle growing in the garden know very well that in a rainy, too wet summer, plant growth slows down. A flower that is flooded all the time, if it also grows in too dense soil, can suddenly die due to root decay.

However, you should not bring the earthen coma to dryness. In some plant varieties, lack of moisture leads to leaf curling. The leaves curl up into tubes, and it seems that the flower has died. But don't despair right away. Abundant watering - and within an hour the leaves will unwind again.

So that in rainy weather the catharanthus does not suffer from excessive moisture, do not plant it too crowded. You should also not plant plants in a container too crowdedly: after all, spraying is a little rain.

Once every ten days, water your periwinkle with a special fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus. Fertilizers are suitable for roses. A home flower will thank you for this with a particularly spectacular flowering.

If the catharanthus does not like too wet soil, then, on the contrary, he welcomes high humidity. Spray the flower more often, in winter it is better to do this with warm water. Also, take care of ventilation.

Location and temperature.

If the catharanthus grows in the house, then it should stand in a bright place. The more light the better. In case of a lack of lighting, the stems will stretch, become thinner, the flowers will become smaller, and their number will also decrease. The east and west windows are great places to grow catharanthus. Pink periwinkle is a native of the tropics, so it loves warmth. Indoors, the temperature should not drop below 5-8 degrees. The optimal one is 15-30.

On the street, it is better to accustom the catharanthus to the bright sun gradually. When planting seedlings, think about whether this place will be protected from the cold wind. Drafts and cold winds can kill the plant.

Although the pink catharanthus is a distant relative for our usual periwinkle, but, unlike him, he will not be able to winter in a flower bed in the garden. A flower growing on the street will die with the onset of frost. Therefore, if you want to admire the same variety of catharanthus next year, you need to break the cuttings and root them, transferring them to a warm house. Even a room catharanthus in the summer is better to take out to the balcony and put there in a bright place. Let him breathe fresh air.

Transplant and pruning - catharanthus and care.

Although the catharanthus is a perennial (if it grows in the house or at home), it is not worth keeping it at home for more than three years. It is better to rejuvenate the plant by cuttings. Young plants look more impressive. But, if you cut the catharanthus by more than one third, then the flowers and leaves will become much smaller. (With good care, the leaves grow to seven centimeters and the flowers five centimeters.)

Pinch a flower planted on a flower bed as mercilessly as an indoor flower once a week for one and a half to two months. Thanks to such a merciless pinching, the flower bed will be simply gorgeous. After all, flowers appear at the tips of the stalks, in the upper axils of the leaves. The more stems, the more flowers. Although it must be admitted that scientists have bred varieties in which branching is genetically incorporated.

Do not forget that the plant is poisonous. The eighty alkaloids in pink periwinkle are no joke. The skin can become irritated, so it is best to work with gloves or trim with small scissors.

To summarize all of the above:

In order for the catharanthus to be beautiful and blooming profusely, we must do the following:

If you fulfill all these simple requirements for care, then the catharanthus, as a very grateful plant, as a token of gratitude for its care, will definitely decorate your garden and home with its flowers.

Growing a catharanthus from seeds

But on the windowsill it is quite possible. If there is additional lighting, then you can sow seeds for seedlings without waiting for spring, in February. Catharanthus seeds are not petunia seeds, which are difficult to see. Compared to petunia, they are large and powerful.

The sowing depth should not be more than one and a half centimeters. Water the earth first, wait until the water is absorbed and only then start sowing seeds. The seeds sown require darkness. Therefore, they need to be covered with a dark film and patiently wait for the result for seven to ten days, if the temperature is about 23-24 degrees. When sprouts appear, the film is removed.

This is the official version of sowing seeds. But from the experience of amateur gardeners, one can come to the conclusion that seeds germinate well even without a film. It is good to grow seeds in peat tablets. True, due to the small amount of soil, you need to carefully monitor the watering of the seedlings: do not dry out, do not overmoisten when you remove the film.

The emerging sprouts remain at the same level for a long time - they build up their root system. But do not rush to feed the sprouted plants with fertilizer. From the moment the sprouts appear until the first feeding, at least two to three weeks should pass.

The first pick is carried out if the plant already has four leaves. It is better to plant two or three plants in a pot, and then transfer them together into open ground, so as not to disturb the root system.

If you try to separate these bushes, then the woven roots will break, and the pink periwinkle suffers such an operation very painfully, and then, if it does not die, it slows down for a long time in growth. The distance between such planted groups of plants should be at least thirty centimeters.

Katarantus is a "fast" flower. Therefore, by the end of summer, he will already cover the earth with a flowering rug.

Reproduction of catharanthus by cuttings

If you do not have seeds, but there is an opportunity to get a cutting, then growing in such a vegetative way will not be difficult either. The cuttings should not be woody. Apical green cuttings are suitable for vegetative propagation of periwinkle. They take root well in water, especially if you add a few drops of stimulant there. Or you can plant the cuttings directly into wet sand mixed with fertile soil. But in this case, it is better to cover them with a plastic bag or an ordinary jar. Cuttings can be rooted both in spring after pruning, and in autumn by cutting off green shoots from a plant growing outside. But the temperature, for the rooting of cuttings to be successful, must be at least twenty degrees.

Catharanthus and pests - growing problems.

If periwinkle grew on the street in summer, then before bringing the plant into the room, check if it has been attacked by aphids. Spider mites and scale insects can also attack the flower. If this happened indoors, then the air is too dry for the flower. Spray the plant more often, and remove the pests with a brush dipped in alcohol and treat with special products. Well, in this case, a soap solution helps, which can also be used to process the leaves without harming the plant. Brown rust can also attack the catharanthus. The leaves are then covered from below with "pustules".

Caring for the catharanthus - as well as for any house plant, you need to observe:

See continuation: "Catharanthus - an impeccable guest from Madagascar" "Periwinkle in the house and garden: catharanthus and company"

Garden plants

Katarantus - growing and care

Perennials are one of the most common options for landscaping premises and gardens. This is not surprising, because by planting a perennial, you get rid of the need to purchase seeds annually and sow them, waiting - will they sprout?

In this article we will talk about catharanthus, planting and caring for this plant.

Catharanthus in the garden

Katarantus belongs to the botanical family of kutrovye and is an evergreen perennial up to one and a half meters high. The leaves are shiny, smooth, dark green in color, abundant flowering, the flowers outwardly resemble periwinkle. It was this external similarity that caused the scientists to consider the catharanthus related to the periwinkle for quite a long time and called it "vinok" or "pink periwinkle".

It is difficult to determine the homeland of the catharanthus, since in the wild it is widespread in Africa, India, Cuba, Madagascar, the island of Java and the Philippines.

Catharanthus in a flowerbed can only be grown in regions with a mild warm climate. Of course, you can plant it in the garden in mid-latitudes, but the catharanthus in the open field will not be able to overwinter.

Katarantus: growing

The plant prefers light areas with limited direct sunlight. The western and eastern sides of the garden (or windows facing these sides) are perfect for catharanthus. The plant does not like excessive moisture in the soil (especially in spring - excess moisture in the spring can completely destroy the flower), but the air must be well humidified. In order for the catharanthus to develop well, it needs regular spraying. When growing in a pot, take care of a sufficient amount of soil as the plant develops quickly enough.

The best soil for catharanthus is a mixture of sand, peat, humus, leafy and soddy soil (in equal amounts). In the warm season, the catharanthus feels good at a temperature of 19-25 ° C, and during the rest period, the temperature in the room with the plant should be in the range of 12-18 ° C.

The plant should be replanted annually, and in case of rapid growth in the summer, two or three transfers can be made into larger pots. If the catharanthus is not transplanted in time, the roots are entwined with an earthen lump in a pot and the plant begins to weaken - the leaves turn yellow and crumble, flowering decreases or stops. So that the shoots of the catharanthus do not stretch too much, in the spring they are cut off to a third of the length.

In the spring, the plant needs additional feeding - complex mineral and phosphorus fertilizers twice a month will be just right.

Make sure that pests do not appear on the leaves of the catharanthus and destroy them in a timely manner. The most common pests of this plant are: mealybug. whitefly. scale insect and aphids.

Catharanthus: reproduction

There are the following methods of breeding catharanthus: growing from seeds, dividing a bush, cuttings.

Adult plants are propagated during the spring transplant, simply dividing the bush into several parts and planting each of them separately.

Cuttings are also carried out in the spring, dropping branches remaining after pruning into the soil.

At proper care at home, the catharanthus often forms fruits and seeds. The collected seeds are suitable for sowing.

Sowing catharanthus is best done in spring. Before planting, the seeds should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and dried a little (until flowable). the seeds are not large and should not be buried deeply. The container with the crops is covered with glass and placed in a bright, warm (+ 25-30 ° C) place. The first shoots appear in 20-22 days. The seedlings dive as needed.

Remember that the catharanthus is poisonous, which means that when growing this plant, you should take precautions - it should be cut and transplanted with gloves; after working with the catharanthus, you should thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water. And of course, you need to carefully monitor that the flower is in a place inaccessible to children or pets.

Katarantus

It is a small perennial shrub growing on average up to 60 cm in height. It has erect, branched stems with opposite leaves of an oblong-lanceolate shape, dark green, with a light central vein, up to 7 cm long. The flowers are simple, with five petals, pink, lilac or white, in appearance similar to the flowers of balsam or "Vanka-wet". Under favorable conditions, the catharanthus can bloom from May to the end of September.

General information about catharanthus

catharanthus, kutrovy family. Other names: periwinkle, vinca

The number. Only 5 species are widespread in nature.

Place of origin. Homeland - tropical rainforests, mainly about. Madagascar.

Usage. beautifully flowering, potted.

Plant sizes. 35-70 cm in height.

Growth: very fast.

Bloom. March-October.

Catharanthus care and maintenance

temperature (winter): 12 - 18

temperature (summer): 20 - 25

Lighting. A catharanthus needs a very bright, sunny place with some direct sun. Grows well on the east and west windows. You should gradually get used to the bright sun in spring.

Watering the catharanthus. Katarantus is watered quite abundantly all year round, the soil should not dry out, but avoid excessive dampness.

Reproduction of the catharanthus. Catharanthus is propagated by seeds, which are sown in February - March. And also not lignified, i.e. green cuttings.

Air humidity. Katarantus loves very humid air. It is necessary to carry out regular spraying, or you can put the pot on a pallet with wet pebbles or expanded clay.

Catharanthus transplant. The soil should be loose and slightly acidic. Soil - 1 part of sod land, 1 part of leaf, 1 part of humus, 1 part of peat land and 1 part of sand. Drainage is required. The catharanthus is transplanted annually.

Top dressing of the catharanthus. With the formation of flowers and new leaves, the catharanthus is fed with a special fertilizer for decorative flowering plants, adding it to the water for irrigation. Top dressing about 3 times a month.

Pruning the catharanthus. pinch regularly, cut off strongly in February, leaving a stump of 8-10 cm

Catharanthus pests and diseases

Most often it is affected by the scabbard and spider mite... Too dry indoor air contributes to the appearance of pests. If the catharanthus is kept outdoors in the summer, then it can be attacked by aphids. In this case, it is necessary to conduct an inspection and preventive treatment before introducing the plant into the room.

Features of catharanthus care

The plant is poisonous!

The ends of the leaves dry up, the leaves turn yellow, the leaf tissue dies - a lot of light and dry air.

Caring for a catharanthus at home: a bright shrub

A seductive flower that brings southern warmth and Mediterranean flavor to the house - all this is a catharanthus, which is pleasant and simple to care for at home. After all, this plant is quite undemanding. And when flowering, it looks very impressive. In addition, since ancient times, it is still popular among healers and doctors of our time.

Soil and fertilizing

When planting, be sure to use a pot with a hole. Katarantus grows well in fertile land. Any store substrate is suitable for flowering plants. But making it yourself is very simple. It is enough to mix:

• 25% coarse sand;
• 25% peat;
• 25% sod land;
• 25% humus.

Do not forget about drainage, which must be laid in a layer of 4 cm. This will allow excess water to leave the pot and will not lead to rotting of the roots. In the form of drainage, small stones, expanded clay and pebbles are also used. When planting in a pot, it is important to monitor the condition of the hole to prevent clogging. To do this, periodically clean it.

Young catharanthus needs constant fertilization. It should be fed once a week at rest. From spring to autumn, 2 times a week. It is recommended to use any fertilizer of your choice for indoor flowering plants, such as Greenworld, Uniflor-Bud, Kemira-Lux.

Transfer

Catharanthus is often transplanted - once a year in the spring. This happens because the plant grows very quickly. It is important to consider this point when transplanting and new pot choose a few sizes larger than the previous one. A new pot must be chosen with a hole in the bottom. Drainage and substrate use new.

It is advisable to disinfect the pot before planting - rinse with a cleaning agent and rinse with boiling water. If the root system is too developed, and it is impossible to get the plant without damaging it, it is advised to wrap the pot with a towel and break it. If the pot is plastic, just cut it open. The main thing is not to damage the delicate roots.

Then comes the stage of examining the roots to identify dead (rotten and dry). If there are any, they must be removed, otherwise they can destroy the entire plant. You need to trim it carefully with a very sharp object (you can use a new blade).

When you have only old scissors or a knife at hand, they must be boiled (8 minutes is enough) so as not to infect the stem. It is desirable to amputate 4 cm higher from the diseased area, thereby protecting the flower from further development illness.

Sprinkle the wound with sulfur or charcoal chips. After planting, the catharanthus is well watered and pruned. The cut off stems are used for propagation.

There are a few basic rules in circumcision:

• branches are docked at 1/3 of their height;
• all dry stems are removed (the knife is pre-disinfected);
• the cut is sprinkled with gray.

Watering

Katarantus from southern countries and loves to take a shower. Therefore, in the summer it should be watered 3 times a week. Do not let the soil dry out. But it should not rot either. Therefore, after watering, after 20 minutes, the water remaining on the pallet does not interfere with pouring out, otherwise the roots may rot with prolonged contact with water.

The flower loves to be sprayed very much. For watering and spraying, the water should be at room temperature, settling for a couple of days. In winter, watering is reduced to 1 time per week. The soil, between watering, should dry out in winter.

Lighting

Katarantus takes root well in bright places. But the light for him must be diffused. In summer, it will bloom magnificently on the western window, but the eastern one will do. In the morning, you should protect the flower from direct sunlight. Place it in the shade or lower the curtain.

For the summer, the pot with the plant can be taken out into the garden, but choose a place for it where it will not be flooded in case of rain.

For the winter, the catharanthus is recommended to be rearranged to the south side of the window in a warm place. In poor lighting in winter, the plant reaches for the light source, thereby stretching its stems. You can get out of the situation. It is enough to strengthen the phytolamp from above at a distance of 8-10 cm on the flower.

Temperature

Katarantus, although he came to us from the sultry southern countries, even in the summer, got used to room temperature, not higher than 25 0С, ideally 20-25 0С. In winter, it prefers a lower temperature of 12-160C.

It is very important to maintain the humidity in the air. When it dries up, the plant suffers greatly. Therefore, it so needs frequent spraying. If it is not possible to buy a humidifier for the air, you can put a container of water next to the pot. In winter, in heating season, you can hang a wet towel on the hot battery.

Reproduction

Catharanthus reproduces in two ways - vegetatively and by seeds.

In early spring, the seed is planted 2 cm deep into the soil. He needs to provide good nutritious soil. The seeds must be covered with an opaque film, because it will grow only in the dark. It is desirable to maintain the temperature at 23-250C. In this case, the first shoots will not be long in coming and will appear in a week. As soon as they appear, the film must be removed and the temperature must be reduced to 200C. Groundbait should be done 14 days after the sprouts have sprouted. Fertilizer for flowering indoor plants in a lower concentration is suitable here. You can plant young flowers when they grow up to 10 cm and there will be 4-5 petals on the stem. It should be planted in a volumetric pot with a hole in the bottom, providing the necessary soil and drainage.

Catharanthus also propagates by apical cuttings. To do this, they are placed in water. As soon as the root appears, they are transplanted into a separate pot.

Katarantus does not require constant attention and especially reverent care, but taking care of it will be rewarded with lush exquisite flowers.

Katarantus photo

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Secrets of growing catharanthus in the garden and apartment

Katarantus - tropical perennial shrub, better known to Russian flower growers as pink periwinkle or cayenne jasmine. Representative of the genus evergreens from the kutrov family. Its name in translation from Greek means "pure, clear flower".

It is not possible to accurately determine its homeland, since in the wild it is found in the forests of Indonesia, Cuba, China, India, the Philippines. Most scientists agree that the catharanthus came to us from the island of Madagascar, where there are 7 of its species.

In the wild subtropical forests, the catharanthus bush grows up to 1.5 meters in height. In our climate, the maximum growth of this shrub is 60 cm.

The catharanthus has erect stems branching at the tops. The leaves are oblong, dark green with a white longitudinal vein. The length of the leaf is about 7 cm. During the flowering period, the bush is covered with wheel-shaped flowers. Catharanthus blooms 60-70 days after germination. Flowering is long, until the onset of cold weather. After flowering, a double-leafed fruit with elongated seeds is formed.

IMPORTANT. Parts of the catharanthus contain alkaloids, so you should work with it with gloves so as not to get allergies or poisoning.

Popular varieties of catharanthus and their photos

As a result of interspecific hybridization, breeders have created decorative series of catharanthus varieties. The most popular varieties are the following:

• Albus is a variety with snow-white flowers.
• Ocellatus - a red eye in the center of a white flower.
• Cooler - the series is distinguished by a variety of flower shades from pink to bright red.
• Parasol is a low-growing variety (up to 40 cm). Differs in large white flowers with a dark red eye.

Rules for growing catharanthus in the open field

To plant a catharanthus, you need to choose a place that is as illuminated and warm as possible.

Catharanthus in temperate climates is considered a houseplant, but recently it can be found more and more often in garden plots. The plant is quite unpretentious, and if you follow certain rules of caring for it, you can get a sufficiently ornamental plant to decorate the landscape.

Where to grow a flower

A place for a shrub should be chosen as light and warm as possible, but at the same time direct sunlight should not fall on it for a long time .. It is important to choose a site protected from winds.

IMPORTANT. Do not plant catharanthus in places where moisture stagnates, in such conditions it will die.

The shrub prefers light and nutritious soil. The ideal would be a composition of sand, peat, humus and earth in equal parts.

ATTENTION... If on the site acidic soil, be sure to produce it or add wood ash.

Sowing and planting time of the catharanthus

Katarantus is grown by the seedling method. Sowing seedlings is carried out in February. Seeds are sown in shallow boxes to a depth of 1-2 cm. The containers are covered with glass and placed in a warm, at least 25 degrees, place.

Seedlings appear in 2-3 weeks. At this time, they need to be placed in a cooler place. With a lack of lighting, seedlings need to be illuminated with phytolamps. In the phase of 3 leaves, the sprouts dive into separate containers.

Seedlings need to be hardened with walks on the balcony when it gets warm. To form compact, lush bushes, ten-centimeter sprouts are pinched.

In open ground, planting is carried out late spring, after the onset of real heat. The air temperature for disembarkation must be at least 20 degrees Celsius.

Correct fit

Dig up the landing site well before planting the catharanthus.

Before planting, the flower bed should be well dug up. It is advisable to add a little expanded clay or fine gravel to it. For planting, a hole is dug and a drainage layer is placed on its bottom. A little soil is poured over the drainage layer.

Caring for the catharanthus plant after planting

Caring for a catharanthus consists of watering, fertilizing, pruning. In the initial period after planting, you must also remove the weeds around the bush. As it grows, the shrub will be able to fight them on its own.

Required watering and air humidity

Water the plant regularly, avoiding dryness of the soil. If you notice that the leaves have begun to curl, then the plant does not have enough moisture. In this case, excess moisture in the soil is contraindicated for the plant. At the same time, it is very important to maintain high level humidity in the air. During dry periods, the catharanthus should be sprayed daily, and on especially hot days in the morning and evening.

Coolness and rain are contraindicated in catharanthus. If, after planting, cold, rainy weather is established, the plant takes on a depressed look: the stems droop, and the flowers begin to fall off. Help him by placing a canopy over it from the rain.

Plant feeding rules

Feed the catharanthus well with an ash solution

In the spring, the catharanthus needs abundant nutrition. It should be fertilized with universal mixtures for decorative flowering plants. Top dressing is carried out during the entire growing season every 2 weeks. The fertilizer solution is poured under the root of the bush after watering.

Fertilizing with an ash solution (100 g per 10 liters) has a beneficial effect on the plant. For foliar dressing the drug Epin - Extra is suitable. They are sprayed with a bush instead of one of the root dressings once a month. With the beginning of autumn, feeding is stopped.

IMPORTANT. Do not exceed the dose of minerals in the fertilizing solution, as this may burn the roots.

Shrub pruning

The bush does not need formative pruning in the summer, since varietal catharanthus independently form a compact, lush bush. At the same time, yellowed, broken shoots should be regularly pruned. This sanitary pruning stimulates the growth of new stems and the plant quickly regains its shape.

In the spring, when transplanting a plant that has wintered in an apartment, the tips of the shoots are cut off in order to stimulate growth for the formation of additional stems. Thus, a beautiful plant shape is obtained, which it will maintain throughout the summer.

Pests, diseases and control measures

Like many garden plants, the catharanthus is affected by the following pests: aphids, whiteflies. scale insect, mealybug. It is easy to find them by the state of the leaves. If a white bloom, spots appear on the leaves, or they suddenly begin to curl and dry out, it means that the plant has been attacked by insects. They should be dealt with by spraying with insecticides.

Sometimes the catharanthus is affected by brown rust. Then spots appear on the leaves - pustules. The cause of the disease is too high soil or air humidity in combination with a low temperature. An additional reason is the lack of nitrogen in the soil. Spray the bush with Bordeaux liquid and feed nitrogen fertilization or mullein solution.

Reproduction methods of the catharanthus flower

Catharanthus can be propagated by seeds, dividing the bush and cuttings

The shrub propagates in three ways:

1. Division of the bush. It is carried out in the spring when the plant is transferred from the room to the ground. Depending on the size of the root, it can be easily divided into 2-3 parts and each piece can be planted separately.
2. Cuttings. The tips of the shoots obtained during the spring pruning of the shrub are used. The workpieces are placed in moist soil and rooted.
3. Sowing seeds. During the summer period, the seeds of the catharanthus do not ripen. To obtain material suitable for sowing, the bush is grown in room conditions. Full-fledged seeds ripen by spring. It is at this time that they are sown in flat boxes filled with nutritious soil. Sprinkle the seeds with a layer of no more than 1 cm. After sowing, the container is covered with foil or glass and kept at a temperature of 25-30 degrees. Sprouts appear after 20-25 days.

Organization of wintering

Catharanthus is a thermophilic plant and cannot survive the harsh winter. In the second half of October, the bushes are dug up, after cutting off the branches, and placed in large pots. The containers are covered with a mixture of sand and earth.

Wintering of catharntus takes place in a room with a temperature of 15-17 degrees. There is no need to water it in winter. In such conditions, the bush is kept until the onset of heat. In the spring, the rhizome is planted in a flower bed.

Katarantus as a garden decoration

Katarantus will be beautifully erased in the flowerbed and in the garden

The look of this plant is so attractive that it can decorate any corner of the site. Katarantus looks great on a flower bed, as a border. Ampel varieties look spectacular in hanging pots. Low-growing species can be grown in containers or flowerpots.

Annual flowers can be added to the catharanthus as neighbors. Both matching and contrasting combinations are created.

Katarantus in room conditions

When this perennial is grown in the home, it turns into an ever-flowering plant. It should be kept in a bright place, but out of direct sunlight. The most suitable place is the western or eastern windows. There won't be enough light on the north window. If the windows in the house are oriented to the south, then it is impossible to keep the catharanthus on the windowsill.

Pick up a large pot for growing immediately, since this flower is fast growing. For planting, a drainage layer is poured on the bottom of the container, then it is filled with a substrate consisting of soil, peat and sand in equal amounts. For nutritional value, you can add a little humus.

ATTENTION. If there are children or pets in the house, it is better to refuse to grow the catharanthus. All parts of the flower are poisonous and can cause severe poisoning or serious allergic reactions.

Home care consists of watering, spraying and fertilizing. The soil in the pot should not be allowed to dry out, from this the plant will slow down its growth and flowering.

The lack of moisture is immediately reflected in the appearance of the catharanthus - the leaves instantly curl. If this happens, water the flower well and spray.

Water for irrigation and spraying should be taken settled, at room temperature.

Prevent the soil from drying out

IMPORTANT. Be sure to drain the excess water from the pan when watering so that the roots of the flower do not rot.

The plant is transplanted annually. When transplanting, formative pruning is mandatory. Every 4-5 years the plant needs to be "rejuvenated", that is, cut and root the central lignified shoot. Without this procedure, the stems are pulled out, and the catharanthus loses its decorative effect.

The day before transplanting, the flower is not watered so that the earthen lump dries and strengthens. They move it into a new pot using the method of careful transshipment so that the earth does not crumble from the roots. The flower is placed in a new pot, and the free space of the pot (it should be 5-6 cm) is covered with new soil and tamped.

In summer, it is better to take the catharanthus to the balcony or loggia. At the same time, the plant needs active feeding - once every two weeks. Any fertilizer for indoor plants will do.

IMPORTANT... When growing in a room, a bush needs a mandatory pruning so that it does not grow into one lash.

Possible problems when growing catharanthus

Katarantus signals the inappropriate conditions of his detention or non-observance of the rules for caring for his appearance. Keep a close eye on the plant and correct your mistakes in time.

• Soft, yellowing leaves- too much sun. In the open ground, you need to build some kind of awning for the plant, but it is better to transplant the plant to a place where the rays are scattered. In the house, you need to rearrange the flower away from the window.
• The tips of the leaves turn yellow- low air humidity. In room conditions, installing the pot in a pallet with expanded clay, on which water is poured, will help solve the problem. In the garden, the catharanthus needs to be sprayed.
• Yellowing and shedding of the lower leaves, provided that the color of the rest of the foliage is preserved - a natural process. In this case, you should not take any action.
• Minimum number of flowers- the plant is cold. The problem can be solved only in indoor conditions by moving the catharanthus to a warmer place. In conditions open ground will have to wait for warming.
• When grown at home, the plant may stop blooming. and the foliage will begin to turn yellow. This phenomenon suggests that the catharanthus is cramped in the pot and there is no room for growth and development. After removing the flower from the pot, you will see that the roots have entwined the entire earthy clod. Transplant the catharanthus into a large pot and the plant will come to life.

As you can see, caring for a catharanthus is not that difficult. If you know and take into account all these nuances when growing, you will get a spectacular, long-flowering plant for decorating a garden plot or interior of an apartment.