Petrocosme - growing and care at home, photo species

Petrocosmea is a compact herbaceous perennial of the Gesneriev family, numbering about 30 natural varieties, many of which are completely different from each other. The birthplace of petrocosme is China, from where the flower spread widely through the highlands and the moist forests of Southeast Asia.

A characteristic feature that unites all types of petrocosme is small, velvety leaflets that grow in tiers on short stalks and gather in a dense, but lush, rounded rosette. Their shape can be oval, heart-shaped or elongated, the surface - smooth or densely pubescent.

Petrocosme blooms in favorable conditions almost year-round, releasing high peduncles from under the foliage with delicate flowers similar to forest violets.

Also see how to grow a real violet at home.

Petrocosme: home care. Briefly

Petrozhemey care at home. In detail

Flowering petrocosme

The petrocosme plant at home with proper care can bloom almost year-round. Inflorescences are located on high peduncles and consist of one or several medium-sized flowers similar to forest violets, the petals of which, depending on the variety, can be painted in various shades of white, blue, pink, blue, and purple.

Temperature mode

For petrocosme, the most comfortable are the cool growing conditions: the air temperature in the room where the flower is located during its active growth should be close to room temperature (+ 18- + 22 ° С). The permissible temperature limits are + 10- + 25 ° С, if the room is hotter, the petrocosme "will refuse" to bloom.

The optimum temperature for the plant dormancy period is + 15- + 17 ° С.

Spraying

Spraying directly the petrocosme plant itself is contraindicated: moisture falling on delicate leaves leaves ugly yellow spots and stains on them. To increase humidity, you can spray water from the spray gun in the air, avoiding droplets falling on leaf sockets.

Lighting

There isn’t much light needed it may well grow in partial shade, as well as on the eastern, western or even northern windows. From bright sunlight, the plant must be shaded.

If the flower is not in a very bright room, the pot with it must be periodically turned to the light source so that the leaf rosette grows symmetrically. In order for the petrocosme to bloom intensively and continuously, in autumn and winter it needs to organize additional lighting.

Watering petrocosme

Petrocosme at home does not have any special requirements for watering. For a plant, only waterlogging of the soil is dangerous when the water stagnates at the roots, which can rot in such conditions.

When watering, it is also important to avoid moisture drops on the leaf blades, otherwise yellow spots may appear on them. The need for watering can be judged by the degree of drying of the soil: if in its upper layer it is dry to a depth of about 1.5 cm, then it is time to water the flower.

Pot for petrocosme

The root system of the petrocosme is weak and compact, so the plant can not be grown in spacious wide containers. The pot should be small and shallow: for a young plant with a diameter of 5-7 cm, for an adult - 11-14 cm. For old, overgrown specimens, a pot is selected based on the diameter of the leaf outlet.

Priming

Domestic petrocosme grows quite well in the industrial soil for the senpolia. True, before planting it should be slightly deacidified by adding a small handful of lime or dolomite flour. The substrate can be prepared independently by mixing garden soil with peat (humus) and coarse sand (perlite) in equal proportions.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

The plant is fed only during the period of active vegetation (from spring to autumn) once a month. Fertilizers choose liquid, containing a complete set of necessary micro and macro elements.

Working solution for feeding is prepared from half the recommended dose of the drug.

Transfer

Petrocosme really does not like to disturb its root system, therefore plants are transplanted only in case of real need (for example, when the substrate has completely lost its fertility). The procedure is carried out no more than 1 time in 2 years.

The petrocosme transplantation stops the development of the plant for several weeks, so after it the flower should be placed in a plastic bag for faster adaptation to new conditions.

Pruning

Caring for petrocosme at home does not imply a procedure such as pruning, since the plant does not form stems and shoots. To maintain decorativeness, it is only necessary to periodically remove damaged leaves and wilted flowers along with peduncles.

Rest period

Petrocosme does not have a pronounced dormant period, however, the plant slows in growth during the cold season, when daylight is shortened. While the flower is resting and gaining strength, it is kept in a moderately cool room (at a temperature of + 15- + 17 ° C), watered little by little - only to maintain the leaf turgor.

Growing petrocosme from seeds

Petrocosme seeds are sown in a light substrate superficially, covered with glass or film, the greenhouse is regularly ventilated. Watering the crops is not necessary, the soil is moistened by spraying. Shoots appear faster with cool contents, but they develop slowly and hard. As they grow, young plants dive twice, and then planted in individual pots.

Propagation of petrocosme by leafy cuttings

Leafy cuttings are cut from adult plants in early spring, leaving a short stalk of about 1.5 cm long for each, rooting them in water or immediately in a nutrient substrate. Glasses with cuttings are placed in mini-greenhouses for faster rooting.

Children appear and begin to develop actively after about 1.5 months. You do not need to separate them when the stem is well overgrown with young leaves, it can be transplanted into an individual pot.

Diseases and Pests

Health problems and deterioration of the appearance of the plant are usually associated with violations of the rules for caring for it. The most common situations are:

• Rotting roots which is usually associated with excessive watering or too dense heavy substrate. The diseased plant should be immediately transplanted into a fresh suitable soil, removing all damaged parts before doing so.
• Yellow spots on the leaves of petrocosme, appearing when moisture gets on a plant that is in direct sunlight. Spraying a flower is by no means recommended.
• The leaves of petrocosme turn yellow if the air is too dry in the room, the plant is "overfed" with fertilizers or has been in the sun for too long. The problem can be solved by eliminating errors in the care.
• The tips of the petrocosme leaves dry at low humidity. You can increase it by placing the plant on a pallet with wet expanded clay or "settling" petrocosme in a special florarium.

The plant may be interested in pests such as whiteflies, mealybugs, spider mites, scale insects and thrips. When they appear, petrocosme should be immediately treated with an insecticidal flower preparation.

Types of petrocosme home with photos and names

Petrocosme Flaxida

Unusual variety with large pale green teardrop-shaped leaves collected in a flat geometrically regular outlet. The flowers are small, solitary, have a very juicy dark purple hue.

Petrocosme Forrest

Spectacular, very compact variety with a perfectly correct rosette of pear-shaped, very pubescent leaves of a juicy green hue. It blooms with light lilac flowers, the petals of which are decorated with white and yellow spots.

Petrocosme Kerry

Natural appearance with large elongated leaves of bright green color on long petioles, forming a low rosette. The flowers are small, with white-purple petals.

Petrocosme Barbate

An elegant variety with compact rosettes of semicircular pubescent leaves of emerald green hue, blooming in small silver-white flowers with bright yellow spots on the petals.

Petrocosme Formosa

An interesting variety with velvety juicy green leaves of a core shape, collected in rather loose rosettes, and unusually large flowers for this plant, the upper petals of which are pale pink and the lower ones are lilac.