Bouvardia belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Homeland – Mexico. Also, the plant is often found in Central America. This is a beautifully flowering evergreen plant with an average height of up to 90 cm. Depending on the species, plants about 50 cm high can be found, the largest grow up to 1.5 m in height. It includes up to 30 subspecies, each of which has its own peculiarity.
Description of the types of bouvardia
The plant has erect stems that branch slightly. Below is a photo of a bouvardia flower and a full description of what is the difference and what is the similarity of all species.
All subspecies have narrow, lanceolate leaves. There are also ovoid leaves with a pointed apex. In length, the leaf can reach from 3 to 10 cm. Bouvardia flowers are different, depending on the species. The palette of flowers is diverse, but, as a rule, they are orange-red, fragrant, funnel-shaped, collected in corymbose inflorescences.
The flowers themselves are tubular in shape and are divided into four petal-lobes, which are bent in different directions. The plant blooms from mid-summer to late autumn.
The plant is divided into species and has different varieties.
But the most effective
B. smooth-flowered (B. leiantha).
B. long-flowered (V. longiflora).
B. home (V. domestica).
When describing such a type of bouvardia as Bouvardia domestica or home, it should be noted that this shrub is rather low. In height, the plant reaches a maximum of 70 centimeters. The leaves are ovoid with pointed ends. Each leaf grows an average of 5 cm in length. The color of the leaves is dark green, saturated.
Inflorescences have a variety of colors, from pale pink to bright crimson, depending on the variety of shrubs. Petals can be simple or double, which again depends on which variety the plant belongs to.
The following photo shows long-flowered bouvardia. This is an evergreen shrub that can reach a height of up to 90 cm. Oblong-elliptical leaves are opposite, pointed at the ends. On the shoots there are subulate stipules.
The photo shows well that basically the plant has many inflorescences, they are all corymbose:
This species has white flowers, has a rich aroma with a spicy tint.
Smooth-flowered bouvardia is the shortest shrub, reaching a length of barely 60 cm. The leaves grow on shoots three in a row, again pointed at the ends, which is a distinctive feature of bouvardia.
The inflorescences are corymbose. This bouvardia flower can be seen in the following photo, which shows that the petals of the inflorescences are painted in bright salmon shades, inside they are characterized by a more muted red color.
Proper care of bouvardia at home
In order for bouvardia to develop well, it is necessary to provide it with optimal conditions. Although the flower is not whimsical, there are still certain requirements for care and environmental conditions.
The first thing to note is that the plant is light-loving, but does not tolerate the direct influence of the sun. It is better to grow it in a bright place, while avoiding direct sunlight, they should be scattered. To do this, you can make an awning in the yard, remove the flowerpot from the windowsill if the window faces south.
Bouvardia as a flower is most beautiful in the second year of life. This is the reason that often the plant is not transplanted, but simply replaced with a new one. If there is a need for a transplant, then it is better to do this in the spring, while the plant is at rest.
Violent flowering is observed from mid-summer until almost the first frost, after flowering there is a dormant period.
What actions should be taken in relation to the bouvardia flower at this time:
The plant is placed in a dry, cool place with a temperature of 5-10 ° C.
The plant requires regular spraying.
In order for a flower to receive all the trace elements necessary for normal life, it is necessary to prepare suitable soil. Bouvardia care will be correct if you prepare the following substrate – turf, leaf and peat soil, sand (1: 1: 1: 1).
As already mentioned, this plant is unpretentious, in order to have a beautifully flowering bouvardia in your home, you only need to fertilize it correctly, water it on time, protect it from direct sunlight and cut it from time to time. When the heating season begins, it is necessary to additionally humidify the air in the room.
Timely and proper care will allow you to enjoy beautiful inflorescences for almost six months.
The following photos show how bouvadria blooms when cared for at home:
All that is required from the owner of the flowerpot is to remember that in summer the flower needs abundant watering with soft, settled water, while in winter, watering is limited.
If you follow these simple rules, then the shrub will delight its owner with flowering for a couple of years. To achieve more rapid flowering, you must not forget about top dressing. Solutions of various complex mineral agents are suitable for this. When the flowering period comes, it is better to take a product for flowering plants, the rest of the time, any fertilizer will do.
Top dressing is done once a month in winter, and once every two weeks in the warm season.
Bouvardia is transplanted as needed, it is advisable to do this no more than once a year.
Do not forget that when caring for a bouvardia plant at home, after the end of flowering, the stems must be shortened, then the likelihood that the shrub will again produce a large number of inflorescences for the next flowering season increases significantly.
Propagation occurs by cuttings, seeds and root offspring.
To reproduce by cuttings, shoots should be cut at the end of winter or early spring. Each cut shoot must be at least 10 cm long and have 2 internodes. The branches are simply placed in the water, and in just a few days, roots will appear on them. Once the roots are at least 1 cm long, they can be planted in the soil.
For seed germination, a sandy-peat substrate is chosen and the air temperature is maintained in the range from 18 to 21 °. The container in which the seeds were planted must be covered with polyethylene or glass on top. Every day, ventilate the ground with seeds and spray with a spray bottle.