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More recently, indoor plant lovers have added the amazingly beautiful calceolaria plant to their collections. To decorate your window sills with variegated shoe-shaped flowers in early spring, it is important to know how to care for calceolaria at home. To do this, you must first study the characteristics of the plant.
General information
Calceolaria belongs to the family of the same name, Calceolariaceae.
Most often, the plant is presented in the form of grass or subshrubs.
Photos of calceolaria flowers
In indoor conditions, the flower lives from one to two years.
Externally it is a herbaceous plant. Its shoots reach a height of 50 cm. Thick pile covers its lodging or erect stems and foliage.
The root system of Calceolaria is fibrous. The shoots are soft, have numerous branches and rise slightly above the soil.
The leaves of the flower are predominantly oval or lanceolate, soft to the touch. Their edges are slightly wavy and their surface is corrugated. The average length of one leaf is no more than 5-10 cm. The largest percentage of foliage is formed near the ground.
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Already six months after planting the plant, you can observe the first flowering, which lasts about 5 weeks.
The main feature of calceolaria is the fact that about 50 beautiful large buds can bloom simultaneously on one such plant.
All of them are collected either in one inflorescence or in several small ones.
The unusual structure of calceolaria flowers is also worthy of attention. The two-lipped corolla has a small spherical lip on top, while below there is a large pouting lip that is significantly superior in parameters. In its center there is an ovary and 2, rarely 3 stamens.
Each calceolaria flower can reach 60 mm in diameter. The most common calceolaria are brown, orange-yellow or red. They may also have pink or white spots or dots on their surface.
After the flower is pollinated, a fruit begins to ripen in its place, which is an oblong seed pod. Calceolaria seeds have a brownish tint.
Transplanting calceolaria seedlings to a permanent place
Around March, you can transplant calceolaria seedlings into large pots/containers, and in April you can start taking them out into the garden (the main thing is to do this gradually so that the plants can harden and adapt).
To transplant seedlings into pots, you should use a different soil mixture; nutritious, humus soil with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 5.5) is suitable. For example, you can buy land with the appropriate characteristics at a garden center. To prepare it yourself, you should mix turf soil, humus, peat and sand (in a ratio of 2:2:2:1).
If you still decide to grow calceolaria in open ground, then plant it in the garden in April or May.
Transplantation to any place is carried out using the transshipment method, that is, a whole earthen lump is transferred to a new pot or hole in the ground in the garden.
How to properly care for calceolaria at home
Calceolaria is a rather whimsical plant,
requiring special attention and care from the owner. However, if you follow all the recommendations, it will not only delight you with its abundant and long flowering, but will also fill your home with an unsurpassed subtle aroma.
Caring for calceolaria at home - video
Lighting
"Little Shoe" prefers to grow in a bright room. The lighting should be quite bright, but it is important that it is diffused.
If the plant is exposed to direct rays of the sun, brown spots from burns will remain on its leaves, spoiling its appearance.
Photo of a calceolaria flower indoors
It is important to ensure that the daylight hours for calceolaria, even in winter, are at least eight hours.
To ensure this standard, backlighting is used.
The ideal place for growing calceolaria are window sills located on the east or west side.
In summer, it is recommended to take the plant outside, under a canopy.
Air temperature
An important feature of calceolaria is the fact that this plant does not like heat.
He is quite comfortable in cool climates.
The air temperature should be no more than 23 degrees Celsius. If possible, it is recommended to create temperature fluctuations at night, lowering it to 17 degrees.
During the rest period, temperature conditions should be maintained no higher than 17 degrees Celsius.
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Air humidity
Depending on the temperature in the room, the humidity level necessary for good flower growth is determined. So, the higher the temperature, the correspondingly higher the humidity should be.
Calceolaria loves high humidity. When growing young plants, they are specially kept under a hood.
It is advisable that near the pot with calceolaria there is a container with water and wet expanded clay.
In addition, it is important not to forget to spray the plant with water from time to time. For this purpose, it is worth purchasing a small spray bottle.
Photo of spraying flowers from a spray bottle
The water must be settled, at room temperature and filtered.
Otherwise, you will soon see calcareous stains on the leaves of the “slipper”, which can lead to damage to the flower.
How to properly water calceolaria
The calceolaria flower needs regular moderate watering.
It is necessary to carefully ensure that
the soil in the flower pot is always moist.
The water temperature ideal for irrigation is 25 degrees Celsius. The content of lime impurities and chlorine in water is extremely undesirable.
As soon as the plant is saturated with water, all excess liquid is removed.
Necessary fertilizers and feeding for calceolaria
During the growing season, the “little shoe” will require its owners to carry out feeding procedures. Already half a month after transplanting the flower, it will be necessary to fertilize it for the first time.
Mineral fertilizer diluted in water is perfect for this purpose. They water the ground 3 times a month. This procedure continues until the calceolaria stops blooming.
Formation of the calceolaria crown
Calceolaria pruning begins at an early age.
During this procedure, all lateral processes are removed. This allows you to make the plant stronger and its inflorescences denser.
As the calceolaria grows, it may tilt to the side. To ensure the stability of the flower, circular supports are often used.
At the end of flowering, the shoots are cut off, leaving shoots up to 20 cm.
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How and when to plant calceolaria seedlings
When the first 2 true leaves are formed (about a month after emergence), picking is done. It is important to follow the deadlines for the procedure and not put it off for too long.
Transplantation into different containers: cups, plastic pots, peat. The optimal volume of new containers: 150-200 ml. You can replant in soil made according to the same recipe as for sowing seeds.
Scheme for picking standard Calceolaria seedlings:
- Two hours before the dive you need to water the plants.
- Prepare cups and make drainage holes.
- Place a thin drainage layer on the bottom and fill them with soil, making a wide hole in the center.
- Now let's move on to the actual picking. Carefully pick up the seedling along with the root; this can be done conveniently with a wooden stick.
- Transfer the seedling into the hole, the roots should lie flat, without bending.
- Fill the hole with soil, compact the soil around with your fingers and water thoroughly.
Caring for calceolaria seedlings after picking:
- In the first few days after the procedure, it is very important to remove the spilled plants to a place with diffused light; direct sunlight can cause burns and stress to the plants.
- It is also important to especially carefully monitor soil and air humidity after the procedure.
- If the roots were injured during picking, it is recommended to water the plants with a solution of a growth stimulator, for example, Epin, Zircon, Kornevin.
- Fertilizers are very useful. Seedlings should be fed every 2 weeks with any complex fertilizer for seedlings. Thanks to feeding, calceolaria seedlings will definitely grow strong, healthy and will delight you with lush flowering.
Reproduction of calceolaria
There are two main ways to propagate Calceolaria:
- seeds;
- cuttings.
Propagation of calceolaria by seeds
Calceolaria reproduces mainly by seeds.
which can easily be purchased at a flower shop, or collected after flowering of your home plant.
Photo of calceolaria propagation by seeds
Calceolaria seeds are very small in size; in one gram you can count about a thousand seeds of this flower.
At the same time, having planted seeds collected from one plant, you can never have a clear idea of whether all new flowers will be stunted or tall.
The germination of seeds directly depends on their freshness. The fresher the seeds, the correspondingly higher the percentage of their germination.
Sowing calceolaria seeds can be done at any time, depending on the date by which you want to see flowering.
Sowing and germination of calceolaria seeds - video
To do this, take shallow containers filled with peat, sand and chalk. The soil is sprayed, leveled and the seeds are carefully placed in it. There is no need to deepen them. After this, the container with the seeds is covered with a jar or plastic wrap and placed in a warm, bright room, the air temperature in which will not exceed 20 degrees Celsius. Some gardeners place a damp sheet of paper on top of the sown seeds, which becomes moisturized as it dries.
The first shoots can be seen within a week. When the seedling is 1.5 weeks old, it is subject to the first picking. After another 1.5 months, the flowers are picked and distributed into separate pots. Thanks to diving, the growth of seedlings is significantly accelerated and they develop faster.
After 2 months, the calceolarias are transplanted into new pots, the diameter of which should be no more than 11 cm.
In order to get a beautiful, neat calceolaria bush, a pinching procedure is carried out.
The side shoots formed from the axils of the leaves are removed.
Propagation of calceolaria by cuttings
By the time the calceolaria finally fades, a large number of lateral shoots will be formed on its bush. In order to propagate a plant using cuttings, it is necessary to cut off such a shoot no more than 7 cm long and root it.
Photo of calceolaria from cuttings
Peat soil is used for this. It is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out and always has a normal level of moisture. A plastic cap or film can help in this task.
Rooting will occur in 2 weeks and the finished seedling can be planted in an independent pot for further growth.
Growing calceolaria from seeds
Growing flowering calceolaria from seeds is quite troublesome. The process will take 8-9 months, it is carried out in seedlings and consists of the following stages:
- Very small seeds are scattered over the surface of moist, well-leveled soil and pressed down without sprinkling. Cover the crops with a damp cloth and create a greenhouse using film or a glass lid. Maintain a constant temperature of about +20°C and humidity, ventilate and remove condensation.
- Before planting in permanent containers, seedlings are planted at least 2 times.
- Planted in a permanent place 1.5 -2 months after the last picking.
Important! The timing of sowing depends on the wishes and expected flowering period. To get flowering by early spring, seeds are sown at the end of June. Crops from the end of February will bloom only closer to autumn.
How to plant “little shoe” correctly
The ideal pot for calceolaria would be a small container. 1.2 liters is enough. It is important that it has a drainage system.
Growing and caring for calceolaria - video
A dense layer of expanded clay, brick chips or clay shards is poured onto the bottom of the pot.
The lightest soil is chosen as the soil: fluffy peat. Leaf soil, humus and sand should be added to it. It is also recommended to pour wood ash into the pot, which helps protect the plant from rotting. It can also be replaced by simple activated carbon, sold in pharmacies.
Planting is carried out very carefully, using the transshipment method.
Otherwise, you may accidentally harm the thin roots of the plant. The root system is not deeply buried, after which the soil is carefully compacted and watered.
Dates for sowing calceolaria seedlings in 2021
The timing of sowing largely depends on when you want to enjoy flowering. To see flowering in the fall (in September), you need to sow in January-March, and to see flowering in the spring (around March), you need to plant in June.
That is, at the beginning of the year it is advisable to plant seeds in January, early February. For example, in the Moscow region it is better to do this in early February, in Siberia, in the Urals - in mid-February, and in the southern regions you can sow at the end of January.
The plant will begin to bloom approximately 8-10 months after sowing the seeds. That is, when planting seeds in January-February, you will be able to see flowering in August-September.
By the way, when choosing the time to plant calceolaria, you can turn to the 2021 Lunar calendar for help:
- Favorable days: in January: 1, 2, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, 20, 27, 29;
- in February: 17, 18, 22, 23, 24;
- in March: 1, 3, 4, 20, 21, 29, 30;
- Unfavorable days for sowing: in January: 12, 21, 22, 28;
- in February: 11, 27;
- in March: 12, 28.
Diseases and pests
Luxurious calceolaria is not only difficult to care for, but is also susceptible to diseases.
One of the most common problems that the owner of this flower may encounter is fungal infection.
Powdery mildew and root rot affect the plant if its soil is overly moistened. Visually, the disease manifests itself in the fact that the foliage changes its color to yellow and falls off over time. There is a slowdown in the growth of calceolaria. Compliance with all requirements regarding watering the plant can help avoid such problems.
Calceolaria - video
The succulent shoots of calceolaria attract spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects, whiteflies and aphids.
Feeding on the sap of the plant, pests dry it out in the shortest possible time. If parasites are detected, the flower should be treated with insecticides as soon as possible. For calceolaria, it is best to opt for powder or aerosol preparations.
Hot and dry air in the room where the “slipper” grows leads to the elongation of the shoots and their exposure, the leaves dry out and turn yellow. Beautiful flowers age faster and fall off. After 2 years of being kept in such conditions, the plant dies.
Selection of capacity
To sow calceolaria seeds, at the initial stage you should take a small and not too deep container, which can be covered in order to create greenhouse conditions for better germination. For the first picking, the seedlings can be transplanted into a slightly larger container designed for several seedlings.
Advice! You can use plastic jars of yogurt, sour cream, or disposable cups.
The grown seedlings (1-2 months old) are already transplanted into a special plastic or ceramic pot to a permanent growing location. The optimal pot volume for normal cultivation without subsequent transplants is 0.8-1.2 liters. Drainage holes must be provided in the permanent pot.
Calceolaria species
In total, science knows about 300 species of this plant.
At the same time, for growing at home, as a rule, varietal specimens with large decorative flowers are selected. Hybrid varieties are most susceptible to growing in unnatural home conditions, and their flowering process lasts significantly longer.
Calceolaria flower sowing calendar - video
Calceolaria mexicanis
Branched flower.
The stems are very dense, much stronger than those of other varieties. It has several small-sized inflorescences with two-lipped flowers. The color of the flowers is yellow-golden. One corolla can reach up to 5 cm in diameter.
This type of calceolaria does not tolerate heat well and needs plenty of watering.
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For decorative purposes it does not combine well with other colors.
Therefore, when planting it in the border, you should choose non-flowering plants with decorative leaves as companions.
Calceolaria rugosa
Herbaceous perennial plant.
The height of Calceolaria rugosa in the natural environment reaches 50 cm. The stem is flexible and has numerous branches.
The top of the stem is covered with a brownish-red skin. Small-sized leaves are collected in a basal rosette. The leaf shape is lanceolate.
The inflorescences are dense, 2 cm in diameter.
The flowers are predominantly yellow, however, there are subspecies with pink or orange-red buds.
Calceolaria hybrida
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, this species includes a large number of calceolaria hybrids.
The leaves of the plant are oval shaped and pale green in color. The inflorescences are decorative, their size may vary. Several flower stalks can be located on one “shoe” at once.
Flower petals are orange or yellow. On their surface there may be pronounced spots, streaks or dots of brown, pink, red or white.
Flower growers consider Calceolaria tiger to be the most capricious of the hybrid varieties, but at the same time the most beautiful.
Description of the plant
Calceolaria forms a bush about 30-50 cm in height and width. The leaves of the plant are lanceolate-shaped, corrugated, bright green, slightly pubescent on the reverse side, 5-10 cm long (see photo).
The flowers are shaped like shoes, each consisting of two parts - one large, spherical, and the other small, barely noticeable. Flowering occurs in April – May and lasts from 3 to 5 weeks. Up to 50 flowers, ranging in size from 2.5 to 6 cm, can appear on one bush. The colors of the flowers are varied - yellow, red, white, orange, plain, speckled or striped.
There are two groups of calceolaria:
- Herbaceous annual (biennial) calceolaria with large bright flowers of various colors. They are suitable for indoor use.
- Shrubby perennial calceolarias with small flowers are suitable for both indoor and balcony maintenance, as well as for planting in open ground.
Illumination and temperature conditions
Keeping it cool is important for flowering. The temperature should vary between 12-16 °C. Otherwise, the buds will fall off without even blooming.
The lighting needs to be bright, but diffused, without direct sunlight. Place it on a windowsill facing northeast or west. In summer it can be placed on a north window. When growing on a southern windowsill, shading is necessary using translucent material - gauze, tulle, tracing paper, a sheet of paper. In autumn and winter, add fluorescent lamps or phytolamps.
