Kalachik is a flower. Care, photo

Kalachik is the popular name of Pelargonium. It is grown all over the world and is loved for its unpretentiousness and beautiful flowers.

Types of Pelargonium

The genus Pelargonium unites about 250 species of various plants of the geranium family. There are among them grassy, as we are accustomed to seeing them, and shrubs. A plant called geranium is a separate genus. But often the indoor flower of pelargonium is called geranium. The name of the flower came from the Greek word "pelargos", which means "stork". After all, his flowers resemble the head of this bird. At us it is accepted to name kalachikom. Perhaps this is due to the circular shape of the leaves.

All the numerous types of pelargonium, or kalachika, are conventionally divided into:

• Ampel;
• Cluster:
  • Flowering;
  • Fragrant.

Ampelnye grows down, bushy - up.

Kalashiki zonal - plants with beautiful flowers, which can have 5, up to 8 (semi-double) and larger (double) petals.

Sometimes it's hard to believe that all this is kalachki. Flowers (photo) can be the most diverse form.

They are collected in a hemispherical umbrella. Coloring every possible: from white, salmon, pink to burgundy, almost black. There are not only pure yellow and blue kalachki. Flowers are often painted in two colors. At the same time, their location can be:

• Inside - light, outside - darker;
• A rim along the edge of the petal;
• Different petals are painted in different colors.

The leaves can also be monophonic or with multi-colored zones (therefore, the calyx is called zonal). They can even be tricolor. Grades with very brightly colored leaves are isolated in a separate subspecies. Their colors can be red, brown, yellow, white, purple.

Royal (English large-flowered) flowers are so large that they reach a diameter of six centimeters. They, like a princess, require special care. In winter, they need to be highlighted, and the temperature should not be above 10 degrees, otherwise flower buds will not form. And they blossom only 3-4 months.

Kalachiki of this species is distinguished by dark maroon stains or dark strips near the veins on the lower petals.

Kalachiki "Angels" have flowers similar to violas. The bush height 30 cm blooms all summer.

Many pelargoniums have a strong odor. Such a flower is called scented pelargonium. It blooms in small purple or pink flowers. All its charm is in the cut leaves, which smell of mint, lemon, lilac, pine needles, pineapple, rose and many other fragrant plants. From the leaves of this kalachik geranium oil is extracted.

Ampeled kalachiki have stems up to a meter long with small leaves, similar to ivy, and multi-colored buds.

There are still succulent kalachki, but they are not common here. They are used to create compositions in the style of bonsai.

The geranium bush grows in height from 10 cm (miniature) to 60 centimeters. But it can be higher, reaching 80 cm (ayrins). There are also microminiature kalachki, whose height is less than 10 cm.

The plant blooms in our latitudes from late March to November.

Reproduction

Kalachik is a flower that easily propagates by cuttings. They break off or cut off from lateral branches or tops. The length of the cut should be from 5 to 7 centimeters and have at least two sheets. Planted immediately to a permanent place in the light earth. The cut location is treated with ash.

Cuttings can be done all year round. But it is better to do it in the spring - in March or April, and in the autumn - in August and September.

Cutting helps to improve the appearance of the plant. If it is very long, and the flowers are placed only at the top, the cutting of the top causes the growth of lateral shoots from the sleeping buds. In the future they will be covered with peduncles.

Wilted flowers are removed in order to quickly create new ones.

Temperature

Kalachik is a flower that does not like heat. Best it grows with a moderate. During the rest period, the room temperature should be between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. In winter - not below 8 degrees.

Lighting

Kalachik is a flower that loves sunlight very much. Easily tolerates even direct sunlight. This allows you to grow bales on the flower beds. In a very hot heat, they are shaded slightly so that the leaves do not turn red and do not burn.

Grow well in the penumbra. You can create beautiful compositions, using such as bales, flowers.

Care

Water the plants as the soil dries. Kalachik - a flower that loves moisture, but do not pour it. In the summer, the kalachik is watered more often, during rest periods much less often. But still the soil must be constantly moistened.

Extra moisture leaves through the pallet. But the drainage in the pot should be of high quality.

You do not need to spray the roller. He loves the dry air.

Kalachiki - indoor flowers. But in the summer they feel better in the fresh air.

And feeding them will not hurt. Conduct it once every two weeks with liquid complex mineral fertilizer. You can use the tool "bud".

Transfer

Transplantation is carried out in the spring. Do this in the event that the kalachik has grown strongly and does not fit in the pot. But you need to take into account the peculiarity of the bowl: in a wide pot, leaves grow, not flowers.

Application

Kalachik fragrant possesses bactericidal substances. Being in the air, they kill many pathogens and even staphylococcus.

Helps fragrant pelargonium to treat angina. To do this, use the infusion of leaves.

When otitis leaves geraniums knead and make a compress on the ear, which relieves pain and reduces the inflammatory process.

The same compress, but from more leaves, is applied with radiculitis or osteochondrosis.

A beneficial effect is the smell of sweet-scented tea on sick neurasthenia, hypertension, heart and stomach diseases, suffering from insomnia.

But its main purpose is to decorate our life. As soon as the threat of frost passes, a huge number of kalachikov of all kinds and colors appears on the streets of cities.

They are used to decorate balconies, flower beds, cottages.

Why does not the kalachik blossom

• This may be because the room is too warm in winter, and the flower can not enter into a state of rest. Therefore, he continues to produce leaves, not flower stalks.
• Because of the defeat of mites, weevils and other pests or gray rot.
• Because of improper irrigation. From excess moisture, the plant rot and wilt. With its lack of leaves wither.
• Destruction of the root by fungal and bacterial diseases.
• Very large pot.

Among these reasons, diseases and pests are of particular concern. Without their elimination, the bowl will be gone.