Kataratus flower at home

Catharanthus (Catharanthus) is a small genus of annual or perennial herbs and shrubs belonging to the kutrov family (Apocynaceae). Most of the species are endemic to Madagascar, one is an inhabitant of the tropical regions of Asia, they are used in culture as flowering flowerbeds and houseplants.

• Family : kutrovye.
• Origin: Madagascar, India.
• Rhizome: rod-type root system.
• Stem: erect, ascending or decumbent, branched.
• Leaves: Opposite, sessile, oblong.
• Fruit: double leaf.
• Reproductive ability: propagation by cuttings, division, seeds.
• Illumination: bright diffused light.
• Watering: plentiful in summer, moderate in winter.
• Content temperature: 20-25 ° C in summer, 15-18 ° C in winter.
• Flowering time: June – October.

Tropical plant cataranthus

Cataranthus are tropical annual or evergreen perennials up to 30-60 cm high with erect stems branching in the upper part and glossy, opposite or almost opposite, sessile leaves. The color of the leaf plates is dark green with a white vein in the center, the shape is oblong-lanceolate, not narrowed to the edge, entire. In nature, representatives of the genus are quite widespread, they grow in the tropical forests of India, Indochina, the Philippines and Cuba, although the island of Madagascar is considered the homeland of most species.

The name “kataranthus” comes from the words “katharos” and “anthos”, which in Greek means “impeccable flower”. Names are also found in the literature: Madagascar vinca, pink periwinkle , ammocalis, lochner, cayenne jasmine . Such a variety of names is associated with the external similarity of the plant with the related genera Lochner and Ammocalis, and its species were officially included in the genus Periwinkle until 1937. Currently, due to significant differences in the botanical structure, they are separated into a separate genus, which includes eight species, one of which is widely used in culture.

Flowers and fruits of catharanthus

The appearance of the flowers resembles phloxes, but, unlike the latter, they are located in the axils of the leaves, mostly on the tops of the shoots, singly or in two or three, and practically do not smell. The color of the petals is often monophonic, white, pink or lilac, in some forms of catharanthus the flowers have a contrasting eye and can be, for example, burgundy with white, white with pink, etc.

The fruit of the catharanthus is a sickle-shaped two-leaflet, inside which up to a dozen oblong seeds are formed. Their maturation is possible only in the tropics, or when grown indoors, on the street in a temperate climate, the seeds are not tied.

Kataranthus is a plant with a tap root system, has a powerful, long, up to 30-35 cm, central root and many lateral adventitious roots with a sharp specific odor. Young roots are characterized by the absence of root hairs.

All parts of the flower are poisonous , which should be taken into account when keeping catharanthus at home and in flower beds. During care and especially pruning, it is recommended to protect your hands with gloves, it is better not to allow children and pets to the plant. The alkaloids contained in the juice have not only dangerous properties, but also make the culture a valuable medicinal raw material. In official medicine, it is used for the production of antitumor drugs, and traditional healers in their homeland, in India and Madagascar, use the flower to treat diabetes, lower blood pressure, and relieve various kinds of spasms. It must be remembered that since the plant is poisonous, it can be treated only under the supervision of a doctor.

Creation of varieties of indoor flowers catharanthus

Until the seventies of the last century, only pink catharanthus and its few forms, which differ in the color of the petals, were used in floriculture. A revolution in the creation of new varieties was made by American breeders, who in 1976 began work on the creation of interspecific hybrids of this attractive tropical plant. Their efforts have been successful and there are now numerous cultivars on the market, varying in size, color and growth pattern. Below are descriptions and photos of pink catharanthus, as well as the most popular hybrid varieties.

Indoor flower cataranthus pink and its types and varieties in the photo

Pink catharanthus (C. roseus) is a tropical shrub up to 60 cm tall, with erect trunks branching in the upper part and evergreen oblong-lanceolate leaves, opposite, entire, reaching a length of 7 cm, decorated with a glossy sheen and white midrib.

Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, five-membered, with pink petals and a yellow or crimson eye. Cultural forms are usually more compact, large-flowered, their corolla size can reach 5 cm, the color varies from white to pink.

In nature, it lives in the tropical forests of India, Madagascar, Indochina, and the Pacific Islands. It has been cultivated on the territory of the former USSR since 1958, cultivated in the subtropics of Western Transcaucasia, in Southern Kazakhstan, in the Kuban in open ground, in more northern regions – mostly as indoor flowers. Cataranthus of this species are characterized by long flowering, in a warm climate they bloom almost all year round, in colder climates – in spring and summer.

Almost all modern varieties of catharanthus are interspecific hybrids. Thanks to breeding work, it was possible to create compact, profusely flowering plants of a wide variety of colors, including all pink tones, as well as red, crimson, lilac, purple and even blue shades.

Flower Cataranthus Pacifica

Quarantus Pacifica (Pacifica) is characterized by early flowering and unpretentiousness to external conditions, in the southern regions the varieties included in it are suitable for open ground, in the north they are grown as indoor or container crops. Widely known:

Carmine-red catharanthus Pacific Burgundy with a white eye;

Snow White Pacifica White;

Snow White Pacifica White;

Soft pink Pacific Ice Pink.

Variety series of catharanthus

In the eighties of the last century, a number of spectacular varieties appeared on the market, united in variety series, many of which have not lost their popularity so far.

The Culer variety series combines plants up to 40 cm high with lush, highly branched bushes and rounded large, up to 5 cm in diameter, flowers with a characteristic bright eye.

Most popular:

Lavender pink with pink center Grape Cooler;

White with a red eye Pepermint Cooler, bright red Red Cooler.

The First Kiss variety series is considered the most famous and titled, the varieties included in it differ not only in compact (30-40 cm) sizes, but also in a variety of colors of large, up to 5 cm, flowers. There are 13 variants of petal shades, of which we note the super novelty, the blue-violet cultivar First Kiss Blueberry, which received high awards at flower growers competitions in the USA and Canada.

The Cascade and Mediterranean varieties are ampelous catharanthus 10-15 cm high with flexible, long, up to 150 cm, hanging or creeping shoots and large, up to 5 cm, flowers.

The following varieties are popular:

Snow White Mediterranean White;

Bright red Mediterranean Titan;

Pink Mediterranean Deep Rose.

A series of hybrids Bark Cascade is resistant to late blight.

On sale you can find:

Cherry Bark Cascade Cherry;

White Bark Cascade Shelf Pillbox;

Lilac-burgundy Bark Cascade Magenta.

How to care for catharanthus at home

Indoor catharanthus is not too demanding in care, modern varieties, subject to simple rules, bloom profusely and for a long time, numerous buds bloom continuously from spring to late autumn.

The plant prefers bright diffused light, feels best on windows with a western and eastern orientation. In the south direction, the bushes should be shaded, the direct sun can cause burns on the leaves.

During active growth and flowering, the most favorable air temperature is from 20 to 25 ° C, it is quite acceptable to take the pot out into the open air, to the garden or to the balcony in summer, placing it in a place protected from winds and precipitation. In winter, the flower also requires a high level of lighting and a slightly lower temperature, about 12-18 ° C.

Since the birthplace of culture is the tropical forests of Africa and Asia, it is important to ensure high humidity of the surrounding air when growing catharanthus for flowers. Regular spraying, placement on pallets with wet pebbles or sphagnum moss favorably affect them. Watering should also be plentiful, overdrying of the soil is unacceptable and can lead to the death of the plant. At the same time, in winter and spring, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia of the soil and waterlogging, the combination of these adverse factors can lead to decay of the base of the shoots. During this period, watering should be somewhat limited.

Active growth and abundant flowering require frequent, up to two or three times a month, top dressing, for which liquid complex mineral fertilizers can be used. In winter, top dressing is carried out less frequently.

Regular pruning of shoots is an important element of home care. Kataranthus bush better and bloom more abundantly if their main shoots are shortened by a third in spring. This procedure allows not only to form a beautiful crown, but also to rejuvenate the bushes, increase the intensity of flowering, while the cut parts can be used as cuttings for propagation. Some experts recommend even more radical pruning after wintering.

The culture requires annual transplants, as it intensively builds up the root system, and if there is not enough space in the pot, it stops blooming, the leaves turn yellow or even dry out. Transplantation is carried out in the spring, using deep pots with a diameter of at least 25 cm with good drainage. The soil mixture should be light and nutritious, preferably consisting of equal parts of humus, leafy and soddy soil, peat and sand.

Growing catharanthus in open ground

In the open field, the flower of the catharanthus is used as an annual. In this case, it is grown through seedlings, and after the onset of steadily warm weather, it is transferred to the ground in a sunny place, protected from cold winds, or placed in hanging baskets or containers. The bushes are located at a distance from each other, because with excessive crowding in rainy weather, plantings suffer from a lack of ventilation. For catharanthus planted in open ground, cultivation and care consists in regular watering and fertilizing. At the initial stage, weeding is necessary, in the future the flower grows rapidly and can even be used as a ground cover plant. In dry and hot summers, with good care, the catharanthus develops beautifully and blooms profusely, but rainy and cool weather is unfavorable for it.

Growing ampel catharanthus

The cultivation of ampelous catharanthus for decorative purposes began in the middle of the 18th century. Fast growth, long flowering, unpretentious care, drought resistance, as well as the presence of spectacular leaves are appreciated by flower growers all over the world. To date, in the United States, the plant is one of the ten most common flowerbed crops, in Europe, in temperate regions, it is more popular as an indoor flower.

Kataranthus is a representative of tropical flora and does not winter in central Russia, however, modern varieties planted with seeds bloom already 2 to 3 months after germination, which allows it to be used as an annual.

Fast growth, high drought resistance, hanging shoots covered with bright flowers make growing ampelous catharanthus in hanging planters and baskets especially spectacular.

Propagation of the catharanthus flower by cuttings

Reproduction of the catharanthus does not present any particular difficulties, which gives this culture additional attractiveness. Bushes can be easily propagated vegetatively, it is also easy to grow young plants from seeds that are purchased in stores and even obtained independently from indoor specimens.

Of the vegetative methods, the spring division of the bush, which adult plants tolerate well, and cuttings are common. When propagating catharanthus by cuttings, the material left after spring pruning is usually used. Green tip cuttings root well in a mixture of peat and perlite or in clean sand. Planting material 10-12 cm long is placed in the ground, having previously cut off the lower leaves, covered with a jar or polyethylene, kept in the light, but not in the sun at a temperature of 20-21 ° C, regularly ventilated and sprayed. After about three weeks, the cuttings take root, after which the mini-shelter is gradually removed, and young plants are transplanted into nutrient soil in a permanent place, for greater splendor, several pieces in one pot . A good result can also be obtained by rooting cuttings in water.

Growing Cataranthus Flowers from Seeds

To grow catharanthus from seeds, they are sown in early spring, and with additional illumination – starting in February. A mixture of sand and peat is used, along which the seeds are distributed, lightly sprinkled with soil with a layer of no more than 3 mm. Plantings are covered with a black film or placed in a dark place, kept at a temperature of 24 ° C. After 5-7 days, when friendly shoots appear, the container with seedlings is transferred to the light and the temperature is reduced. The first top dressing is given no earlier than three weeks later, picking is done after another month, in the presence of four true sheets, planting several pieces in pots. To stimulate tillering, young plants can be pinched, although modern hybrid varieties do not need this, since they have this quality in their genes. How to care for the catharanthus further depends on whether it will be used as an indoor or flower bed crop, the corresponding growing recommendations are given in the previous section.