Toreniya - what kind of flowers? Shanks: planting and care

Torenia is a plant native to the African tropical forests. It is distinguished by its unusual inflorescences of tubular form resembling bells. There are more than 50 species in the genus. In the open ground it is grown as an annual, but can live for several years in greenhouse conditions or as an indoor flower. It is unpretentious, rarely infected with diseases and is practically not affected by insects.

Characteristics of the plant

The torch is named after Karl Linnaeus, the disciple of Rev Olaf Thoren, who sent samples of this plant from India. Because of the colorful coloring perennial is also called a "flower-clown". He belongs to the family Linderniev, but previously considered a representative of the Noricchnikovs. The most popular species, most commonly found on sale, is the Fournier (Torenia fournieri) with blue-violet flowers.

A plentiful flowering bloom begins in the spring and lasts until late autumn. It practically does not interrupt. For the winter, plants can be brought into the room and kept in cool conditions, where the air temperature does not rise above 8 degrees Celsius.

Appearance and basic varieties

Inflorescence of tubular form, with two lips. The lower lip is divided into three lobes, often with bright yellow dots in the center. Torenia is a flower, the seeds of which are rather large, rounded. The leaves are narrow, oval, opposite. They can be rough and sticky. The plant prefers shaded areas, needs abundant and frequent watering in arid hot periods. Growing a flowering flower is best in containers, because it prefers a moist soil.

Popular varieties:

• Thorns Fournier - low plants with flowers of lilac, pink and white hue, usually with a pale throat and a bright yellow dot in the center of the lower petals.
• Summer wave - a series of blue, violet and amethyst flowers. Includes such varieties as Amethyst Ice, Silver, Purple Ice, Large Amethyst and Large Violets.
• Torah Flava - A flower with golden petals and a throat. Very nice looks in hanging baskets.

In shops where seeds are sold, there is often a mixture of different varieties of the flower - "Torenia mix".

Toreny in landscape design

The plant is often grown in hanging pots and baskets, but it can be used in many different ways. Torenia will become a bright accent on the background of ornamental plants with green leaves and will grow well in the shade of large trees and shrubs. It looks great in open areas. But when planting a plant in a place where there is a lot of sun, you need to be ready for frequent watering or prepare a covering material to protect it on especially hot days. The soil around the mooring is mulched with peat chips, sawdust or dry foliage to hold moisture longer.

The flower can reproduce itself, spreading the seeds. Superfluous bushes are excavated if they interfere with the development of other plants or are knocked out of the general landscape composition. Bright photos of the colors of the sore, grown from seeds, can become the highlight of your collection. This spectacular plant is widely used for decorating loggias, terraces and garden arbors. The best neighbors for flowering from flowering plants are compact zinnia, petunias, ferns, balsamins, lantans and aquilegia.

Seeding for seedlings

Cultivation of flowering colors begins with the selection of a suitable site for planting and sowing seeds. Plants do not tolerate the transplant, so it is better to use peat pots for seedlings. Together with them the plants are buried during the planting in the open ground. Preparation of planting material begins in early March.

The flower of the torn prefers loamy soil, which will retain moisture well. You can mix the purchased soil for geranium with vermiculite. It is useful to add a hydrogel to the mixture, due to which the moisture will stay in the soil much longer.

Substrate before planting seeds should be shed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or calcined in an oven. Seedlings do not tolerate the transplant, so it is better to immediately place each seed in a separate container or peat pot in a pre-moistened substrate. Sprinkle it with soil is not necessary. The flowering flower is one of those plants that need light for germination. Planting cover with glass or place in a greenhouse.

Care of seedlings

Keep the soil moist and place containers in a relatively warm place where the air temperature does not fall below +23 degrees. In colder conditions, the seeds may not germinate. If the care requirements are met, the first shoots appear on average after 10 days. Sprouts may appear later, especially if the temperature was below normal, but no later than 18 days. After the appearance of the first shoots, the temperature can be reduced.

In the next few weeks, the seedlings should be watered every day, using a sprinkler spray for this. If the seeds were planted in one box, immediately after the third real leaf appears, the seedlings can be dived into separate containers. It is best to use peat pots that can be buried in the open ground. This reduces the risk of damaging the tender roots of the plant during the transplant.

The tops are pricked when the seedlings reach 5 cm in height. This will help make the bushes more dense. In a warm climate, the planting material can be sown outdoors about 1 week before the last possible frost.

Outdoor drilling

The flower of the trimming, planting and caring for which does not make it very difficult, it is easy to grow in the open ground. This perennial is the ideal option for those who want to decorate their site with beautiful bright colors, but do not want to constantly take care of them. If you do not have the opportunity to grow seedlings, you can purchase an adult plant in the garden center. Place the pots best in the penumbra, on the west or east side of the garden. In the south, plants need to provide diffuse light.

To maintain immunity and abundant flowering every two weeks, organic fertilizing should be introduced, alternating with mineral fertilizers. Potassium and phosphorus are especially important. Use for top dressing superphosphate, potassium nitrate, humus and mullein infusion. Nutrients are introduced into the soil during irrigation. Watered abundantly, especially on hot days: with a lack of moisture buds can fall off.

Toreny as a houseplant

If the plant is grown in an apartment, it is necessary to maintain the optimal temperature for it at 16 degrees Celsius. It is important to periodically ventilate the room, especially if the temperature is higher than necessary. In the cold season, the flowering flower can be kept at 8 degrees Celsius. But the temperature should not be below +5 degrees.

In the room where it is grown, the air should not be too dry, which is difficult to provide by simple spraying. Therefore, it is desirable that the container with the plant is on a tray with wet pebbles. Watering should be quite frequent, but it is not recommended to waterlog the soil. Usually it is enough two times a week. Before watering, you must wait until the top layer of the soil dries.

Diseases and pests of the skin

The flower of the torment, cultivation and care of which is rarely complicated by any diseases, is resistant to most pests. It is susceptible to fungal infections, which affects the condition of leaves and stems. With excessive watering or stagnant moisture, root rot occurs. For the prevention and treatment of this disease, solutions of fungicides are used.

If the air in the room where it is grown is too dry, it is possible to attack such a pest as a spider mite. You can get rid of it if you regularly spray plants with a solution of essential oils (5-10 drops per 1.5 liters of water). But with the maintenance of optimal conditions of detention and regular inspection, it is possible to prevent the emergence of most problems.

Regular watering, good air circulation and exclusion of moisture on the leaves are the main components of the successful cultivation of the flowering flower.